Piqueer to Pit
Piqueer
(Pi*queer") v. i. See Pickeer. [R.]
Piqueerer
(Pi*queer"er) n. See Pickeerer. [R.]
Piquet
(Piqu"et) n. See Picket. [R.]
Piquet
(Pi*quet") n. [F., prob. fr. pique. See Pique, Pike, and Picket.] A game at cards played
between two persons, with thirty-two cards, all the deuces, threes, fours, fives, and sixes, being set aside.
[Written also picket and picquet.]
Piracy
(Pi"ra*cy) n.; pl. Piracies [Cf. LL. piratia, Gr. . See Pirate.]
1. The act or crime of a pirate.
2. (Common Law) Robbery on the high seas; the taking of property from others on the open sea by
open violence; without lawful authority, and with intent to steal; — a crime answering to robbery on land.
By statute law several other offenses committed on the seas (as trading with known pirates, or engaging
in the slave trade) have been made piracy.
3. "Sometimes used, in a quasi- figurative sense, of violation of copyright; but for this, infringement is
the correct and preferable term." Abbott.
Piragua
(Pi*ra"gua) n. See Pirogue.
Pirai
(Pi*rai") n. (Zoöl.) Same as Piraya.
Pirameter
(Pi*ram"e*ter) n. [Gr. trial + -meter.] A dynamometer for ascertaining the power required to
draw carriages over roads.
Pirarucu
(Pi`ra*ru"cu) n. [From the native South American name.] (Zoöl.) Same as Arapaima.
Pirate
(Pi"rate) n. [L. pirata, Gr. fr. to attempt, undertake, from making attempts or attacks on ships, an
attempt, trial; akin to E. peril: cf. F. pirate. See Peril.]
1. A robber on the high seas; one who by open violence takes the property of another on the high seas; especially,
one who makes it his business to cruise for robbery or plunder; a freebooter on the seas; also, one who
steals in a harbor.
2. An armed ship or vessel which sails without a legal commission, for the purpose of plundering other
vessels on the high seas.
3. One who infringes the law of copyright, or publishes the work of an author without permission.
Pirate perch (Zoöl.), a fresh- water percoid fish of the United States It is of a dark olive color, speckled
with blackish spots.
Pirate
(Pi"rate), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pirated ; p. pr. & vb. n. Pirating.] [Cf. F. pirater.] To play the
pirate; to practice robbery on the high seas.
Pirate
(Pi"rate), v. t. To publish, as books or writings, without the permission of the author.
They advertised they would pirate his edition.
Pope. Piratic
(Pi*rat"ic) a. Piratical.
