Pearl*a"ceous (?), a. Resembling pearl or mother-of-pearl; pearly in
quality or appearance.
Pearl"ash` (?), n. (Chem.) A white amorphous or granular substance
which consists principally of potassium carbonate, and has a strong
alkaline reaction. It is obtained by lixiviating wood ashes, and
evaporating the lye, and has been an important source of potassium
compounds. It is used in making soap, glass, etc.
Pearl"-eyed` (?), a. Having a pearly speck in the eye; afflicted with
the cataract.
Pearl"fish` (?), n. (Zoˆl.) Any fish whose scales yield a pearl-like
pigment used in manufacturing artificial pearls, as the bleak, and
whitebait.
{ Pearl"ins (?), Pearl"ings (?), } n. pl. [Prob. a corruption of
purflings. See Purfle.] A kind of lace of silk or thread. [Scot.] Sir
W. Scott.
{ Pearl"ite (?), Pearl"stone` (?), } n. (Min.) A glassy volcanic rock
of a grayish color and pearly luster, often having a spherulitic
concretionary structure due to the curved cracks produced by
contraction in cooling. See Illust. under Perlitic.
Pearl"wort` (?), n. (Bot.) A name given to several species of Sagina,
low and inconspicuous herbs of the Chickweed family.
Pearl"y (?), a. 1. Containing pearls; abounding with, or yielding,
pearls; as, pearly shells. Milton.
2. Resembling pearl or pearls; clear; pure; transparent; iridescent;
as, the pearly dew or flood.
Pear"main (?), n. (Bot.) The name of several kinds of apples; as, the
blue pearmain, winter pearmain, and red pearmain.
Pear"-shaped` (?), a. Of the form of a pear.
Peart (?), a. [A variant of pert, a.] Active; lively; brisk; smart; --
often applied to convalescents; as, she is quite peart to-day. [O. Eng.
& Colloq. U. S.]
There was a tricksy girl, I wot, albeit clad in gray, As peart as
bird, as straight as bolt, as fresh as flowers in May.
Warner (1592).
Peas"ant (?), n. [OF. paÔsant (the i being perh. due to confusion with
the p. pr. of verbs), paÔsan, F. paysan, fr. OF. & F. pays country, fr.
L. pagus the country. See Pagan.] A countryman; a rustic; especially,
one of the lowest class of tillers of the soil in European countries.
Syn. -- Countryman; rustic; swain; hind.
Peas"ant, a. Rustic, rural. Spenser.
Peas"ant*like` (?), a. Rude; clownish; illiterate.
Peas"ant*ly, a. Peasantlike. [Obs.] Milton.
Peas"ant*ry (?), n. 1. Peasants, collectively; the body of rustics. "A
bold peasantry." Goldsmith.