1. (Metaph.) One who advocates the doctrine of pessimism; — opposed to optimist.
2. One who looks on the dark side of things.
Pessimist
(Pes"si*mist Pes`si*mis"tic) a. (Metaph.) Of or pertaining to pessimism; characterized by
pessimism; gloomy; foreboding. "Giving utterance to pessimistic doubt." Encyc. Brit.
Pessimistical
(Pes`si*mis"tic*al) a. Pessimistic.
Pessimize
(Pes"si*mize) v. i. To hold or advocate the doctrine of pessimism. London Sat. Rev.
Pessulus
(||Pes"su*lus) n.; pl. Pessuli [L., a bolt.] (Anat.) A delicate bar of cartilage connecting the
dorsal and ventral extremities of the first pair of bronchial cartilages in the syrinx of birds.
Pest
(Pest) n. [L. pestis: cf. F. peste.]
1. A fatal epidemic disease; a pestilence; specif., the plague.
England's sufferings by that scourge, the pest.
Cowper. 2. Anything which resembles a pest; one who, or that which, is troublesome, noxious, mischievous, or
destructive; a nuisance. "A pest and public enemy." South.
Pestalozzian
(Pes`ta*loz"zi*an) a. Belonging to, or characteristic of, a system of elementary education
which combined manual training with other instruction, advocated and practiced by Jean Henri Pestalozzi
a Swiss teacher. — n. An advocate or follower of the system of Pestalozzi.
Pestalozzianism
(Pes`ta*loz"zi*an*ism) n. The system of education introduced by Pestalozzi.
Pester
(Pes"ter) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pestered ; p. pr. & vb. n. Pestering.] [Abbrev. fr. impester, fr.
OF. empaistrier, empestrer, to entangle the feet or legs, to embarrass, F. empêtrer; pref. em-, en- (L.
in in) + LL. pastorium, pastoria, a fetter by which horses are prevented from wandering in the pastures,
fr. L. pastorius belonging to a herdsman or shepherd, pastor a herdsman. See In, and Pasture, Pastor.]
1. To trouble; to disturb; to annoy; to harass with petty vexations.
We are pestered with mice and rats.
Dr. H. More.
A multitude of scribblers daily pester the world.
Dryden. 2. To crowd together in an annoying way; to overcrowd; to infest. [Obs.] Milton.
All rivers and pools . . . pestered full with fishes.
Holland. Pesterer
(Pes"ter*er) n. One who pesters or harasses.
Pesterment
(Pes"ter*ment) n. The act of pestering, or the state of being pestered; vexation; worry. "The
trouble and pesterment of children." B. Franklin.
Pesterous
(Pes"ter*ous) a.Inclined to pester. Also, vexatious; encumbering; burdensome. [Obs.] Bacon.
Pestful
(Pest"ful) a. Pestiferous. "After long and pestful calms." Coleridge.
Pesthouse
(Pest`house") n. A house or hospital for persons who are infected with any pestilential disease.
Pestiduct
(Pes"ti*duct) n. [L. pestis pest + ductus a leading, fr. ducere to lead.] That which conveys
contagion or infection. [Obs.] Donne.
