P

pitapat, adv. in a flutter, flutteringly.

pitch, n. slope, declivity, slant.

pitch, n. bitumen, asphaltum.

pitch, v. cast, hurl, toss, throw, fling, heave, chuck; plunge; decline, slope, slant.

pitcher, n. jug, ewer, jar, toby, aiguiere.

pitcher-shaped, a. urceolate.

pitch into. (Slang) attack, assault, assail.

piteous, a. compassionate, merciful; mournful, plaintive, doleful.

pitfall, n. snare, trap, pit.

pith, n. marrow; gist, heart, essence, substance.

pithy, a. sententious, laconic.

pitiable, a. sad, piteous, lamentable, deplorable.

pitiful, a. tender-hearted, compassionate, merciful, lenient, ruthful, clement; lamentable, piteous, sad, sorrowful; despicable, contemptible, abject, mean.

pitiless, a. See unmerciful.

pittance, n. dole.

pity, n. compassion, mercy, ruth, commiseration, condolence, sympathy.

pity, v. have pity for, condole with, commiserate.

pitying, a. commiserative, sympathetic, tender, merciful.

pivot pin. pintle.

placable, a. appeasable, pacifiable.

placard, n. broadside, poster, bill, affiche.

place, a. position, site, situation, locality; rendezvous, tryst; duty, function, post, work, office; stead, lieu.

place, v. deposit, locate, dispose, put, set, station, establish, attribute, impute, ascribe, assign; identify.

place between. interpose.

plague, n. pestilence.

plague, v. hector, tantalize, tease, badger, pester, twit, nag, torment, harass, harry.

plaguy, a. (Colloq.) troublesome, vexatious, annoying.

plaid, a. checkered, crossbarred.

plaid cloth of Scotland. tartan.

plain, n. prairie, field, savanna, pampas, steppe, llano, champaign, campagna, heath, moor, camass, downs, tundra, veldt, peneplain.

plain, a. evident, manifest, explicit, obvious, unmistakable, distinct, apparent, palpable, patent; unembellished, simple, austere, severe, ungarnished, unadorned, untrimmed; homely, uncomely; flat, level, even, smooth, plane; unaffected, simple, artless, outspoken, undesigning, ingenuous, unreserved, direct; frugal, homely; unvaried, unfigured; mere, absolute, unmistakable. Antonyms: ambiguous, equivocal, indistinct, indecipherable, elaborate, luxurious, cryptic, abstruse, ornate, enigmatic, vague, inexplicable, obscure, complex, intricate, embellished.

plain, adv. plainly, distinctly, bluntly, candidly, explicitly.

plain-dealing, n. honesty.

plain song. Gregorian chant, canto fermo.

plain-spoken, a. frank, candid, unreserved, outspoken.

plaint, n. complaint, lamentation.

plaintiff, n. complainant.

plaintive, a. piteous, melancholy, sad, sorrowful, doleful.

plait, n. braid, plat, gather, ruffle, gauffering, plication, fluting, kilting.

plait, v. braid, plat, flute.

plaited, a. pleated, kilted.

plan, n. diagram, draught.

plan, v. scheme, project, intend, devise, contrive, design, purpose.

planetarium, n. orrery.

plant, n. vegetable, herb; pl. flora (plants of a region).

plant, v. sow; settle, establish.

plant-eaters, n. pl. Herbivora.

plant-eating, a. herbivorous, phytivorous, plantivorous, phytophagous.

plant-eating, n. phytophagy.

plant green. chlorophyll, fecula.

plant louse. aphis, aphid, aphidian; pl. aphides, aphidae.

plastic, a. formative, creative; impressible, fictile.

plat, v. braid, plait.

plateau, n. table-land, mesa.

platform, n. rostrum, stage, dais.

platitude, n. banality.

platitudinous, a. banal, trite, commonplace.

platter, n. trencher.

plaudit, n. applause, acclaim, acclamation.

plausibility, n. speciousness.

plausible, a. specious; glib, fluent, oily, smooth-tongued. Antonym: implausible.

play, v. frolic, sport, gambol, disport, frisk, skip, caper, romp, revel; wanton, dally, toy, twiddle; impersonate, personate, act; perform, execute; strum, thrum; gamble; simulate, pretend, feign, dissemble.

play, n. game, pastime, amusement, recreation, diversion, sport, disport, gambols, frolic, jest, merriment; action, use, employment, practice, exercise; comedy, drama, melodrama, farce, burlesque; dalliance, toying, twiddling; liberty, scope, swing. Associated Words: dramaturgy, dramaturgist, dramatic, dramatize, dramatization, theater, role, repertoire.

playday, n. holiday.

player, n. idler, drone; actor, thespian, tragedian, comedian, imitator, impersonator, mime, mimic; performer, instrumentalist.

playful, a. sportive, frolicsome, prankish, jocular, sprightly, wanton.

play off. feign, simulate, dissemble.

plaything, n. bauble, gimcrack, toy.

play-writer, n. playwright, dramatist.

plea, n. defense, excuse, apology, vindication, intercession, prayer, entreaty.

plead, v. reason, argue; apologize; defend, advocate, intercede.

pleader, n. intercessor, defender, advocate.

pleasant, a. agreeable, genial, congenial, affable, amiable, enjoyable, good-humored, pleasurable. Antonyms: unpleasant, disagreeable, uncongenial, repellent, repelling, austere, unamiable, inaffable, dreary, dismal, offensive.

pleasantry, n. badinage, banter, raillery, witticism, joke, jest, jocularity, drollery, waggery, jollity, humor.

please, v. rejoice, gladden, delight, gratify, cheer, elate; satisfy, content; like, choose, prefer.

pleasing, a. pleasant, delightful, gratifying, delectable, gracious, winning.

pleasure, n. gratification, enjoyment, happiness, delectation, delight; amusement, recreation, diversion; will, choice, preference, desire; voluptuousness, sensuality. Antonym: displeasure.

pleat, n. plait.