|
Porcelanite
(Por"ce*la*nite) n. [Cf. F. porcelanite.] (Min.) A semivitrified clay or shale, somewhat
resembling jasper; — called also porcelain jasper.
Porcelanous
(Por"ce*la`nous Por"cel*la`nous) a. Porcelaneous. Ure.
Porch
(Porch) n. [F. porche, L. porticus, fr. porta a gate, entrance, or passage. See Port a gate, and
cf. Portico.]
1. (Arch.) A covered and inclosed entrance to a building, whether taken from the interior, and forming
a sort of vestibule within the main wall, or projecting without and with a separate roof. Sometimes the
porch is large enough to serve as a covered walk. See also Carriage porch, under Carriage, and Loggia.
The graceless Helen in the porch I spied
Of Vesta's temple. Dryden. 2. A portico; a covered walk. [Obs.]
Repair to Pompey's porch, where you shall find find us. Shak. The Porch, a public portico, or great hall, in Athens, where Zeno, the philosopher, taught his disciples; hence,
sometimes used as equivalent to the school of the Stoics. It was called "h poiki`lh stoa`. [See Poicile.]
Porcine
(Por"cine) a. [L. porcinus, from porcus a swine. See Pork.] Of or pertaining to swine; characteristic
of the hog. "Porcine cheeks." G. Eliot.
Porcupine
(Por"cu*pine) n. [OE. porkepyn, porpentine, OF. porc-espi, F. porc- épic (cf. It. porco
spino, porco spinoso, Sp. puerco espino, puerco espin, fr. L. porcus swine + spina thorn, spine).
The last part of the French word is perhaps a corruption from the It. or Sp.; cf. F. épi ear, a spike of
grain, L. spica. See Pork, Spike a large nail, Spine.]
1. (Zoöl.) Any Old Word rodent of the genus Hystrix, having the back covered with long, sharp, erectile
spines or quills, sometimes a foot long. The common species of Europe and Asia (Hystrix cristata) is
the best known.
2. (Zoöl.) Any species of Erethizon and related genera, native of America. They are related to the true
porcupines, but have shorter spines, and are arboreal in their habits. The Canada porcupine (Erethizon
dorsatus) is a well known species.
Porcupine ant-eater (Zoöl.), the echidna. — Porcupine crab (Zoöl.), a large spiny Japanese crab
— Porcupine disease (Med.). See Ichthyosis. — Porcupine fish (Zoöl.), any plectognath fish
having the body covered with spines which become erect when the body is inflated. See Diodon, and
Globefish. — Porcupine grass (Bot.), a grass (Stipa spartea) with grains bearing a stout twisted
awn, which, by coiling and uncoiling through changes in moisture, propels the sharp-pointed and barbellate
grain into the wool and flesh of sheep. It is found from Illinois westward. See Illustration in Appendix.
— Porcupine wood (Bot.), the hard outer wood of the cocoa palm; — so called because, when cut
horizontally, the markings of the wood resemble the quills of a porcupine.
Pore
(Pore) n. [F., fr. L. porus, Gr. a passage, a pore. See Fare, v.]
1. One of the minute orifices in an animal or vegetable membrane, for transpiration, absorption, etc.
2. A minute opening or passageway; an interstice between the constituent particles or molecules of a
body; as, the pores of stones.
Pore
(Pore), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pored ; p. pr. & vb. n. Poring.] [OE. poren, of uncertain origin; cf.
D. porren to poke, thrust, Gael. purr.] To look or gaze steadily in reading or studying; to fix the attention; to
|
