Chapter Painterly to Pale of P by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

Pair royal

(pl. Pairs Royal) three things of a sort; — used especially of playing cards in some games, as cribbage; as three kings, three "eight spots" etc. Four of a kind are called a double pair royal. "Something in his face gave me as much pleasure as a pair royal of naturals in my own hand." Goldsmith. "That great pair royal of adamantine sisters [the Fates]." Quarles. [Written corruptly parial and prial.]

Syn. — Pair, Flight, Set. Originally, pair was not confined to two things, but was applied to any number of equal things that go together. Ben Jonson speaks of a pair (set) of chessmen; also, he and Lord Bacon speak of a pair (pack) of cards. A "pair of stairs" is still in popular use, as well as the later expression, "flight of stairs."

Pair
(Pair), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Paired ; p. pr. & vb. n. Pairing.]

1. To be joined in paris; to couple; to mate, as for breeding.

2. To suit; to fit, as a counterpart.

My heart was made to fit and pair with thine.

Rowe.

3. Same as To pair off. See phrase below.

To pair off, to separate from a company in pairs or couples; specif. to agree with one of the opposite party or opinion to abstain from voting on specified questions or issues. See Pair, n., 6.

Pair
(Pair), v. t.

1. To unite in couples; to form a pair of; to bring together, as things which belong together, or which complement, or are adapted to one another.

Glossy jet is paired with shining white.

Pope.

2. To engage (one's self) with another of opposite opinions not to vote on a particular question or class of questions. [Parliamentary Cant]

Paired fins. (Zoöl.) See under Fin.

Pair
(Pair), v. t. [See Impair.] To impair. [Obs.] Spenser.

Pairer
(Pair"er) n. One who impairs. [Obs.] Wyclif.

Pairing
(Pair"ing), n. [See Pair, v. i.]

1. The act or process of uniting or arranging in pairs or couples.

2. See To pair off, under Pair, v. i.

Pairyng time, the time when birds or other animals pair.

Pairment
(Pair"ment) n. Impairment. [Obs.] Wyclif.

Pais
(||Pa`is) n. [OF. puïs, F. pays, country.] (O. E. Law) The country; the people of the neighborhood.

A trial per pais is a trial by the country, that is, by a jury; and matter in pais is matter triable by the country, or jury.

Paisano
(||Pa`i*sa"no) n. [Sp., of the country, ative.] (Zoöl.) The chaparral cock.

Paise
(Paise) n. [Obs.] See Poise. Chapman.