-- Pit"i*less*ly, adv. -- Pit"i*less*ness, n.
Pit"man (?), n.; pl. Pitmen (&?;). 1. One who works in a pit, as in
mining, in sawing timber, etc.
2. (Mach.) The connecting rod in a sawmill; also, sometimes, a
connecting rod in other machinery.
Pi*tot's" tube` (?). (Hydraul.) A bent tube used to determine the
velocity of running water, by placing the curved end under water, and
observing the height to which the fluid rises in the tube; a kind of
current meter.
Pit"pan` (?), n. A long, flat- bottomed canoe, used for the navigation
of rivers and lagoons in Central America. Squier.
Pit"pat` (?), n. & adv. See Pitapat.
Pit"ta (pt"t), n. (Zoˆl.) Any one of a large group of bright-colored
clamatorial birds belonging to Pitta, and allied genera of the family
PittidÊ. Most of the species are varied with three or more colors, such
as blue, green, crimson, yellow, purple, and black. They are called
also ground thrushes, and Old World ant thrushes; but they are not
related to the true thrushes.
The pittas are most abundant in the East Indies, but some inhabit
Southern Asia, Africa, and Australia. They live mostly upon the ground,
and feed upon insects of various kinds.
Pit"ta*cal (pt"t*kl), n. [Gr. pi`tta, pi`ssa, pitch + kalo`s beautiful:
cf. F. pittacale.] (Chem.) A dark blue substance obtained from wood
tar. It consists of hydrocarbons which when oxidized form the
orange-yellow eupittonic compounds, the salts of which are dark blue.
Pit"tance (pt"tans), n. [OE. pitance, pitaunce, F. pitance; cf. It.
pietanza, LL. pitancia, pittantia, pictantia; perh. fr. L. pietas pity,
piety, or perhaps akin to E. petty. Cf. Petty, and Pity.] 1. An
allowance of food bestowed in charity; a mess of victuals; hence, a
small charity gift; a dole. "A good pitaunce." Chaucer.
One half only of this pittance was ever given him in money.
Macaulay.
2. A meager portion, quantity, or allowance; an inconsiderable salary
or compensation. "The small pittance of learning they received." Swift.
The inconsiderable pittance of faithful professors.
Fuller.
Pit"ted (-td), a. 1. Marked with little pits, as in smallpox. See Pit,
v. t., 2.
2. (Bot.) Having minute thin spots; as, pitted ducts in the vascular
parts of vegetable tissue.
Pit"ter (?), n. A contrivance for removing the pits from peaches,
plums, and other stone fruit.
Pit"ter, v. i. To make a pattering sound; to murmur; as, pittering
streams. [Obs.] R. Greene.
Pit"tle-pat`tle (?), v. i. To talk unmeaningly; to chatter or prattle.
[R.] Latimer.
Pi*tu"i*ta*ry (?), a. [L. pituita phlegm, pituite: cf. F. pituitarie.]
(Anat.) (a) Secreting mucus or phlegm; as, the pituitary membrane, or
the mucous membrane which lines the nasal cavities. (b) Of or
pertaining to the pituitary body; as, the pituitary fossa.
Pituitary body or gland (Anat.), a glandlike body of unknown function,
situated in the pituitary fossa, and connected with the infundibulum of
the brain; the hypophysis. -- Pituitary fossa (Anat.), the ephippium.
Pit"u*ite (?), n. [L. pituita: cf. F. pituite. Cf. Pip a disease of
fowls.] Mucus, phlegm.
Pi*tu"i*tous (?), a. [L. pituitosus: cf. F. pituiteux.] Consisting of,
or resembling, pituite or mucus; full of mucus; discharging mucus.
Pituitous fever (Med.), typhoid fever; enteric fever.
Pit"y (?), n.; pl. Pities (#). [OE. pite, OF. pitÈ, pitiÈ, F. pitiÈ, L.
pietas piety, kindness, pity. See Pious, and cf. Piety.] 1. Piety.
[Obs.] Wyclif.
2. A feeling for the sufferings or distresses of another or others;
sympathy with the grief or misery of another; compassion;
fellow-feeling; commiseration.
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord.
Prov. xix. 17.
He . . . has no more pity in him than a dog.
Shak.
3. A reason or cause of pity, grief, or regret; a thing to be
regretted. "The more the pity." Shak.
What pity is it That we can die but once to serve our country!
Addison.
In this sense, sometimes used in the plural, especially in the
colloquialism: "It is a thousand pities."
Syn. -- Compassion; mercy; commiseration; condolence; sympathy,
fellow-suffering; fellow-feeling. -- Pity, Sympathy, Compassion.
Sympathy is literally fellow-feeling, and therefore requiers a certain
degree of equality in situation, circumstances, etc., to its fullest
exercise. Compassion is deep tenderness for another under severe or
inevitable misfortune. Pity regards its object not only as suffering,
but weak, and hence as inferior.
Pit"y (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pitied (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pitying.] 1.
To feel pity or compassion for; to have sympathy with; to
compassionate; to commiserate; to have tender feelings toward (any
one), awakened by a knowledge of suffering.
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them
that fear him.
Ps. ciii. 13.