Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PI-LIG'ER-OUS, a. [L. pilus and gero.]

Bearing hair; covered with hair.

PIL-ING, ppr.

Heaping.

PILL, n. [L. pila, a ball; pilula, a little ball; W. pel, a ball; Ir. pillim, to roll. It is probable that this word and ball are of the same family.]

1. In pharmacy, a medicine in the form of a little ball or small round mass, to be swallowed whole. – Bacon.
2. Any thing nauseous. – Young.

PILL, v.i.

1. To be peeled; to come off in flakes. – Shak. Dryden.
2. To rob. [See Peel.]

PILL, v.t. [Fr. piller; It. pigliare; Sp. pillar.]

To rob; to plunder; to pillage, that is, to peel, to strip.[See peel, the same word in the proper English orthography.

PILL'AGE, n. [Fr. from piller, to strip or peel.]

1. Plunder; spoil; that which is taken from another by open force, particularly and chiefly from enemies in war.
2. The act of plundering.
3. In architecture, a square pillar behind a column to bear up the arches. – Cyc.

PILL'AGE, v.t.

To strip of money or goods by open violence; as, troops pillage the camp or towns of an enemy; to plunder; to spoil. It differs from stealing, as it implies open violence, and from robbery, which may be committed by one individual on another; whereas pillaging is usually the act of bands or numbers. To pillage and to rob are however sometimes used synonymously.

PILL'A-GED, pp.

Plundered by open force.

PILL'A-GER, n.

One that plunders by open violence; a plunderer.

PILL'A-GING, ppr.

Plundering; stripping.

PIL'LAR, n. [Fr. pilier; Sp. and Port. pilar; It. pila or piliere; L. pila, a pile, a pillar, a mortar and pestle. The L. pila denotes a heap, or things thrown, put or driven together; W. piler; Ir. pileir; Sw. pelare; Dan. pille; D. pylaar; G. pfeiler. Literally, a pile or heap; hence,]

1. A kind of irregular column round and insulate, but deviating from the proportions of a just column. Pillars are either too massive or too slender for regular architecture; they are not restricted to any rules, and their parts and proportions are arbitrary. A square pillar is a massive work, called also a pier or piedroit, serving to support arches, &c. – Cyc.
2. A supporter; that which sustains or upholds; that on which some superstructure rests. – Gal. ii. Shak.
3. A monument raised to commemorate any person or remarkable transaction; it may be a single stone. And Jacob set a pillar on her grave. – Gen. xxxv. 2 Sam. xviii.
4. Something resembling a pillar; as, a pillar of salt. – Gen. xix. So a pillar of cloud, a pillar of fire. – Exod. xiii.
5. Foundation; support. – Job ix.
6. In ships, a square or round timber fixed perpendicularly under the middle of the beams for supporting the decks. – Cyc.
7. In the manege, the center of the volta, ring or manege ground, around which a horse turns. There are also pillars on the circumference or side, placed at certain distances by two and two.

PIL'LAR-ED, a.

1. Supported by pillars. – Milton.
2. Having the form of a pillar. – Thomson.

PIL'LAR-IST, n. [From pillar.]

A stylite; one of an ancient sect of Christians who stood continually on a pillar, by way of mortification, or for a trial of their patience. [See Stylite.] – Coleman.

PIL-LAU', n.

Boiled rice and mutton fat, a Turkish dish.

PILL'ED, pp.

Robbed; peeled.

PILL'ER, n.

One that pills or plunders. [Not used.] – Chaucer.

PILL'ER-Y, n.

Plunder; pillage; rapine. [Not in use.] – Huloet.

PIL-LION, n. [pil'yun; Ir. pillin; from pile, L. pilus, hair, or from stuffing. See Pillow.]

1. A cushion for a woman to ride on behind a person on horseback. – Swift.
2. A pad; a pannel; a low saddle. – Spenser.
3. The pad of a saddle that rests on the horse's back.

PIL'LO-RI-ED, a.

Put in a pillory.

PIL'LO-RY, n. [Ir. pilori, pioloir; Fr. pilori; Arm. bouilhour; from the root of L. palus, a stake, a pile, G. pfahl. An den pfahl stellen, to put in the pillory.]

A frame of wood erected on posts, with movable boards and holes, through which are put the head and hands of a criminal for punishment.

PIL'LO-RY, v.t.

To punish with the pillory. – Gov. of the Tongue.

PIL'LOW, n. [Sax. pile, or pyle; Ir. pilliur; L. pulvinar; from L. pilus, hair, or from stuffing.]

1. A long cushion to support the head of a person when reposing on a bed; a sack or case filled with feathers, down or other soft material.
2. In a ship, the block on which the inner end of a bowsprit is supported. – Mar. Dict. The pillow of a plow, is a cross piece of wood which serves to raise or lower the beam. – Cyc.

PIL'LOW, v.t.

To rest or lay on for support. – Milton.

PIL'LOW-BIER, or PIL'LOW-CASE, n.

The case or sack of a pillow which contains the feathers. Pillow-bier is the pillow-bearer.

PIL'LOW-ED, pp.

or a. Supported by a pillow.