P
From CleanPosts
P Band
The P band is the frequency band from 225 to 390 mhz employed in radar.
P-80 Systems
P-80 systems are an American bulletin board (BBS) and CD-ROM supplier
specialising in pirated computer software (warez) for the PC and also
information on computer hacking, phreaking and other illegal activities.
Pacemaker
A pacemaker is an electronic device that stimulates the heart muscles by
delivery small electric shocks to it.
Pack
a pack was a British measurement for wool and flax equal to 240 or 480 lbs.
Pack-Fong
see "Nickel Silver"
Packet
In the sense of communications, a packet is a structured group of binary digits
in a prearranged sequence containing synchronism, address, control an
error-checking data. Specialised synonym for a 'block' of data in CCITT Packet
Data Network standards.
Packet Switched Network
A Packet Switched Network is a network dedicated to the routing and delivery of
data put in the form of standardised 'packets.'
Packet Switching
Packet Switching is the technique in which a stream of data is broken into
standardised units called 'packets,' each of which contains address, sequence,
control, size and error checking information in addition to the user data.
Specialised packet switches operate on this added information to move the
packets to their destination in the proper sequence and again present them in a
contiguous stream.
PageMaker
PageMaker is a very popular, easy to use, WYSIWYG desktop publisher that allows
the design, layout, and production of typeset-quality documents on the
Macintosh and PC running Windows. The product, one of the first desktop
publishers for the Macintosh, provides a comprehensive set of tools for
integrating text and graphics from virtually any Macintosh application into a
professional-looking document. Nearly identical to PageMaker for the PC, this
program offers user-defined style sheets, automatic text flow through a
document, and 20 design templates. Rather than using a grid approach, PageMaker
works like a paste-up board on which to define the placement of elements
on-screen after defining the number of columns the document will have.
PageMaker has a wide range of uses, from the occasional quick memo and graphics
based publication, to a complex, content-oriented document with graphics (it
was used to typeset the magazine Here's Health during the early 1990s). It is
ideal for an environment using both PCs and Macs because a version is available
for each machine and files can be transferred between the two environments.
When PageMaker, is run a blank page is seen on-screen. Text and graphics can be
imported using a place command to position the material as it is to appear on
the printed output. The product retains formatting from word processing files
such as tabs, type styles, justification, and proportional spacing. PageMaker
has a built-in text editor which can also act as a basic word processor.
Changes made in PageMaker are automatically reflected in the word processing
document. The program automatically flows text throughout the document and
wraps text around graphics. Its editing features control text size, style,
typeface, multiple columns, and automatic hyphenation. Imported graphics can be
sized, scaled, and cropped on-screen. Rules and line styles help to position
graphic images and text, and allow easy creation of boxed text, headlines, and
framed
es. Ruler guides control layout and column guides assist in the actual
placement and margins of graphics and text. PageMaker allows the creation of
style sheets. Users can see and work with multiple views of a page layout or
two pages at once so that a double-page spread can be designed.
Pahari
Pahari is a language with a number of different dialects spoken from the Punjab
to Nepal along the southern spurs of the Himalayas.
Pai Gow
Pai Gow is a gambing game played with Chinese dominoes. The set consists of all
pairs of numbers from 1-1 to 6-6, with the following eleven tiles duplicated:
6-6, 6-5, 6-4, 6-1, 5-5, 5-1, 4-4, 3-3, 3-1, 2-2, 1-1. There are 32 tiles in
all.
Pai Gow Poker
Pai Gow Poker is a poker variation based on the Chinese Domino game Pai Gow. It
can be played by up to seven players. A pack of 52 cards plus one joker is
used. The joker is a wild card which can be used only as an ace, or to complete
a straight, a flush or a straight flush. On each deal the dealer plays against
the other players. Before the deal, each of the other players puts up a stake.
Painter's Colic
see "Devonshire Colic"
Palaeocene
The Palaeocene was the thirteenth geological period, 80,000,000 years ago.
Palaeography
Palaeography is the study of ancient manuscripts written on papyrus, parchment
or similar material, as distinct from epigraphy which is the study of ancient
inscriptions incised on hard materials such as wood, stone or metal.
Palaeontology
Palaeontology is a branch of biology and geology which deals with fossils. It
is divided into palaeozoology and palaeobotany, which respectively have animals
and plants as their subject matters.
Pali
Pali is an old language related to Sanskrit, in which the Buddhist classical
literature was written.
Palindrome
A palindrome is a word, phrase or sentence the letters of which read the same
left to right as right to left, such as 'was it a cat I saw'.
Palladium
Palladium is a rare grey-white metal element with the symbol Pd. It has the
power of absorbing a very large amount of hydrogen to which it is permeable
when heated. It is used in an alloy with gold in dentistry and jewellery. In
its pure form it is used for making watch springs and mirrors.
Pallas
Pallas is the second largest asteroid and the second to be discovered. It was
first observed by the German astronomer Heinrich Olbers in 1802. It is about
480 km in diameter, and orbits about the sun in 1684 days.
Palm Kernel Oil
Palm kernel oil is a fatty oil obtained from the kernels of the palm fruit and
used in the manufacture of soap and margarine.
Palm Oil
Palm oil is a fatty oil obtained from the pericarp of the palm fruit and used
in the manufacture of soap and edible fat.
Palmitic Acid
Palmitic acid is a widely distributed naturally occurring fatty acid with the
formula C16H32O2.
Pampas
The pampas are natural grasslands of South America.
Pancratium
A pancratium is an athletic contest in wrestling and boxing.
Pandoeren
Pandoeren is a trick-taking card game for four players. It used to be popular
in the Netherlands, but nowadays few people play it.
Panthenol
Panthenol (Pro vitamin B5) is the alcohol analogue of pantothenic acid. Whilst
its vitamin properties are not proven in cosmetics and toiletries, it does have
pronounced moisturising properties and gives and excellent 'skin feel' to
products containing it.
Panthenol
Panthenol is a vitamin B-complex derivative used as a moisturiser and hair
conditioner in cosmetics.
Pantothenic acid
Pantothenic acid is a hydroxy acid found in plant and animal tissues that is
one of the vitamin B complex of substances and is used for cell growth.
Pantoum
A pantoum is a Malay verse consisting of an indefinite number of quatrains with
the second and fourth lines of each quatrain repeated as the first and third
lines of the following one.
Papagayo Winds
see "Tehuantepec winds"
Papain
Papain is a substance found in the juice of papaw. It has an identical action
to Trypsin.
Para-cresol
Para-cresol is a cresol found in bad eggs.
Paradichlorobenzene
Paradichlorobenzene is a white crystalline, volatile substance which is
insoluble in water of the benzene series. It has a penetrating odour and is
used chiefly as a moth repellent.
Paradox
Paradox 3.0 is a relational database manager from Borland International, that
strikes a balance between functionality and ease of use. It offers the power of
many of the advanced database products, yet is easy enough for the novice to
use. It includes enhanced relational operations, presentation-quality graphics,
crosstab views, and enhanced query-by-example operators. Paradox appeals to a
wide range of users because it has menus as well as a programming language. The
menus, which resemble the Lotus 1-2-3 interface, provide advanced capabilities
to the beginning user, while the command language, Paradox Application Language
(PAL), allows sophisticated users to create complex turnkey systems and custom
applications. PAL provides all the functions of competitive database
programming languages. For those who use PAL to develop applications, Paradox
also includes an application generator that creates PAL code which can be
edited. Paradox employs the artificial intelligence technique,
query-by-example, to let users make multiple-file queries and database
manipulations by giving an example of the kind of data wanted. Paradox also
uses artificial intelligence to speed queries by searching for the best path.
Any index which Paradox creates to answer a question will be used to answer a
later query when appropriate. Paradox's multiforms capability lets you display
records from multiple tables within a form and create forms with scrolling
regions without any programming. Paradox supports a multitable feature in its
reporting capabilities. The most visual feature is the ability to create
presentation-quality colour graphics such as pie charts, line, bar, and XY
graphs. An automatic lookup function lets you fill entire records just by
filling in one field only. This feature is excellent for creating invoices that
automatically enter customer information on the invoice based on the entry of a
customer number. As long as two files have a common field, information can be
shared
tween them. This feature lets you have small manageable files instead of files
that are cumbersome and difficult to work with. When searching for specific
information, simply check off the fields wanted to see in the answer table.
Paraffin
Paraffin is a family of hydrocarbons.
Parallax
The term parallax describes the apparent movement of an object when viewed from
two different positions.
Parallel Transmission
Parallel Transmission is the simultaneous transmission of all parts of a signal
at one time; in data transmission, requiring a separate signal path for each of
the bits of a character; internal to computers, this is called a 'parallel bus.'
Parchment
Parchment is a type of fine writing paper traditionally made from sheep or goat
skin.
Parest
see "Methaqualone"
Parity
In communications systems and computers, parity is a constant state of
equality; one of the oldest and simplest methods of error checking data
transmission. Characters are forced into parity (total number of marking bits
odd or even as selected by choice) by adding a one or zero bit as appropriate
when transmitted; parity is then checked as odd or even at the receiver.
Parity Bit
A Parity Bit is a check bit appended to an array of binary digits to make the
sum of all the digits always odd or always even.
Parity Check
Parity Check is a checking method that determines if the sum of all the digits
in an array is odd or even.
Parliament
see "Sevens"
Parsec
A parsec is an astronomical unit of distance equivalent to 3.2616 light years.
Parsol
see "Avobenzone"
Pascal
Pascal is an Algol-descended computer programming language designed by Niklaus
Wirth on the CDC 6600 around 1967 as an instructional tool for elementary
programming. The language, designed primarily to keep students from shooting
themselves in the foot and thus extremely restrictive from a
general-purpose-programming point of view, was later promoted as a
general-purpose tool and, in fact, became the ancestor of a large family of
languages including Modula-2 and Ada.
Paskahousu
Paskahousu is a Finnish card game for three or more players, played with a
standard 52-card deck.
Pasteurisation
Pasteurisation is a preservative heat treatment applied to foods, notably milk.
Patanol
see "Olopatadine hydrochloride"
Patten
Patten is another name for a clog.
PC Paintbrush
PC Paintbrush by ZSoft is a good drawing program that supports high resolution
VGA graphics. It is a full-featured colour-painting program that lets you
create and edit freehand illustrations at the pixel level. It supports a wide
range of popular scanners allowing scanned images to be imported and edited in
black and white, 16 shades of gray, or in colour. Painting elements include
boxes, circles, rounded boxes, curves, lines, and text. All of the objects can
be sized and filled. The standard painting tools such as a paintbrush, paint
roller, eraser, and spray can are available as well as more unique tools such
as a colour eraser which lets you erase a single colour in a defined area. When
linked to a scanner, a special menu is available that lets you select items to
adjust your scanner capabilities. This program lets you paint, scan, and edit
images at 300 dpi in colour or with 16 levels of gray. Images can be scanned in
and resized without losing picture qualify. PostScript output devices are
supported.
PC/Focus
PC/Focus by Information Builders, Inc. is a complete, fourth-generation
language database and informafionmanagement system for personal computers. Its
design, function, and capabilities are identical to its big brother Focus, one
of the leading information centre products for IBM or compatible mainframes.
Code that is written for one version is easily transported to the another.
Since mainframe Focus and PC/Focus share a common language, PC/Focus can be
used to prototype mainframe Focus applications. This method is much less
time-consuming frees up valuable mainframe resources. PC/Focus supports a
menu-driven user interface based on Information Builders Talk Technology which
accesses most PC/Focus commands from a menu. The PC/Focus Windows facility lets
you incorporate the programs menu interface into customised applications. The
scripting or macro language lets programmers store communications procedures
that can automatically execute dial-up sequences for accessing remote systems.
A screen painter and report generator make it much easier to design your
applications. Database maintenance procedures can be automated by using
ModifyTalk which generates procedures based on answers that you give to a
series of questions concerning the fields you want to modify. The product
supports a SQL Translator which enables the user to type SQL requests against a
mainframe Focus database.
pcANYWHERE
pcANYWHERE III is a menu-driven remote control program for IBM PC-compatibles
that allows the user to control and/or monitor one PC from another over a
communications link. Suitable for support purposes and typically used with
standard dial-up modems, pcANYWHERE III connects two PCs so their screens and
keyboards are linked as one. Whatever the remote user sees on-screen is also
seen on the local screen. pCANYWHERE III includes both host and remote portions
necessary for remote connection of two PCs, and is useful for remote connection
into networking environments such as Novell NetWare. The package includes a
chat mode and call logging feature, and supports programs that require CCA,
EGA, MCGA, VGA, and Hercules Graphics. On the remote PC, pcANYWHERE III runs
underneath other applications as a RAM resident program, occupying only 45K of
RAM. The local portion runs as a primary task on a PC. The local PC supports
any number of remote users and can he programmed with the appropriate telephone
numbers and passwords so users can be called by selecting them from a pop-up
directory window. The remote computer can be programmed to automatically call
the support computer.
Pcopy
Pcopy by Patri-Soft is an extension to the DOS computer operating system. Even
with DOS 6.0, the DOS copy command can be dangerous to use and has limited
options. Pcopy provides abundant options including: Multiple output disks, fill
disks efficiently, split files across disks, select files by date/time/size and
update/merge directories. Pcopy includes a special *DISK*.* type wildcard.
Pcopy provides a facility to scan/make directories, prevent accidental file
overlays. Pcopy includes both a menu and command line interface.
Pcp
Pcp is an abbreviation for phencyclidine.
PCShield
PCShield by Axent Technologies Limited is a good practices enforcing software
product for personal computers. It forces users to select passwords which are
hard to crack, and provides encryption for data.
Pdel
Pdel by Patri-Soft is an extension to the DOS computer operating system. It has
extensive file selection capabilities letting you delete just what you want.
You can select by date/time, size, attribute and special wildcard patterns like
- DISK*.* and mode. You can delete until a specified amount of freespace exists.
Wipe file data before deleting to prevent file undelete. A test feature
simulates delete. Pdel includes an emergency stop by pressing any key.
PDP-10
The PDP-10 (Programmed Data Processor model 10) was a computer that made
timesharing real. It was adopted in the mid-1970s by many university computing
facilities and research labs, including the MIT AI Lab, Stanford, and CMU. The
PDP-10 was eventually eclipsed by the VAX machines (descendants of the PDP-11)
when DEC recognised that the 10 and VAX product lines were competing with each
other and decided to concentrate its software development effort on the more
profitable VAX. The PDP-10 was finally dropped from DEC's line in 1983,
following the failure of the Jupiter Project at DEC to build a viable new model.
PDS
PDS is an abbreviation for Portable Diagnostic System. It is an expert system
which diagnoses faults in machinery from information received from sensors
connected to the machinery. Sensor readings are compared with known data about
component malfunction symptoms to diagnose faults.
Peace of the Pyrenees
The Peace of the Pyrenees was concluded between France and Spain by Cardinal
Mazarin and De Haro, on the Ile des Faisans, in the river Bidassoa, on the
borders of the two countries, on the 7th of November 1659, terminating a war
which had lasted twenty-four years. By the treaty Spain ceded to France
Roussillon with the fortress of Perpignan so that the Pyrenees have since
formed the boundary between the two kingdoms.
Peace Pipe
see "Calumet"
Peat
Peat is a fibrous organic compound found in bogs that is formed by the partial
decomposition of plants.
Peck
The peck is a unit of capacity measurement equivalent to 2 gallons or 9.092
litres. A peck of flour was 14 lbs.
Pedro
Pedro (pronounced "peedro") is a card game that was developed in the United
States in the nineteenth century as a variation of Pitch. The Pedro is the
trump 5, which is worth five points. Pedro was extremely widely played in the
US at the end of the nineteenth century, but during the twentieth century it
has gradually declined in popularity.
Pegasus
Pegasus is a northern constellation, situated southeast of Andromeda. The three
brightest stars of Pegasus form a square with Andromedae, called the square of
Pegasus. The constellation, which is named for the winged horse of Greek
mythology, is usually seen upside down in the sky, with only the head, neck,
and front half of the animal represented by the stars.
Pentagon
A pentagon is a five sided regular polygon.
Pentode
A pentode is an electronic amplifying valve with 5 main electrodes.
Pentose
A pentose is a sugar with 5 carbon atoms in the molecule.
Penumbra
A penumbra is a partly shaded region around the shadow of an opaque body. The
term is especially applied to describe the partly shaded region around a total
eclipse of the sun or moon.
Pepper
Pepper is a card game played in Iowa, USA, and also in Ohio. It is a
essentially a version of Bid Euchre. A related game is found in several
card-game books under the name Hasenpfeffer ('jugged hare'), and the name
Pepper probably derives from this. Pepper is an easy game to learn, but offers
opportunities for strategy both in the bidding and the play.
Perception
Perception is the ability to observe and understand, particularly intuitively.
Percolator
A percolator is a device for making coffee by allowing water to filter
repeatedly through ground coffee.
Perdivinci
see "Ciapano"
Pericarp
The pericarp is the wall of the ripened ovary of a plant.
Pericarps
see "Pericarp"
Perigee
Perigee is an astronomical term referring to the position in the Moon's orbit
nearest to the earth, opposite to Apogee.
Perigynous
A perigynous plant is one which has stamens situated around the pistil or ovary.
Perikon Detector
A Perikon Detector was a form of crystal detector employed in the early days of
radio broadcasting. It consisted of a crystal of zincite and a crystal of
bornite so mounted that there was a point contact between them.
Periodic law
In chemistry, periodic law is the law that the properties of the elements are
periodic functions of their atomic numbers.
Periodic table
In chemistry, the periodic table is a table illustrating the periodic system in
which the chemical elements are arranged in the order of their atomic numbers
are shown in related groups.
Periwig
see "Wig"
Perl
Perl (Practical Extraction and Report Language, a.k.a Pathologically Eclectic
Rubbish Lister) is an interpreted computer language developed by Larry Wall,
and distributed over USENET.
Permafrost
Permafrost is the permanently frozen subsoil in Arctic regions.
Permaid
Permaid is an expert system, developed at Honeywell for trouble shooting large
disk drives.
Permalloy
Permalloy is a nickel steel alloy, containing about 78 percent nickel. It is
characterised by a very high permeability in low magnetic fields. It is
extensively used in submarine cables.
Permanganate
A permanganate is any salt of permanganic acid.
Permian
The Permian was the eighth geological period, 205,000,000 years ago. It marked
the evolution of the reptiles.
Perseus
Perseus is a northern constellation, situated between Taurus and Cassiopeia.
The brightest star is Alpha Persei, or Mirfak. The constellation contains a
pair of star clusters, called the double cluster of Perseus, and Algol, which
is the best known of the eclipsing stars.
Persimmon
The persimmon is a yellow-orange plum-like astringent fruit. It becomes sweet
when softened by frost.
Pertussin ES
Pertussin ES is a tradename for dextromethorphan hydrochloride
Peruke
A peruke was a man's wig of the 17th and 18th centuries. It was usually
powdered and gathered at the back of the neck with a ribbon.
Pessary
A pessary is a vaginal suppository.
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a play written by J M Barrie and first produced in 1904, it was a
popular hit and established Barrie as a top playwright of the era. It featured
actress Maude Adams, who had starred in several previous Barrie plays and
joined him in a stage partnership.
Petrol
Petrol is a volatile, flammable liquid mixture of hydrocarbons, obtained from
petroleum and used as a fuel for internal-combustion engines.
Petroleum
Petroleum is an oily, thick, flammable, usually dark coloured liquid that is a
form of bitumen or a mixture of various hydrocarbons, occurring naturally in
various parts of the world and often separated by distillation into petrol,
naphtha, benzene, kerosene and paraffin.
Pewter
Pewter is an alloy of tin and lead.
PFS:First Choice
PFS:First Choice by Software Publishing Corporation, is a software package that
integrates the power and ease of use of the original pfs: products into one
menu-driven product. This product combines spreadsheet, word processing, data
management, reporting, communications, and graphics functions into a compact
program designed for the beginning or occasional computer user. The First
Choice spreadsheet is more intuitive than the spreadsheets in other integrated
packages. All entries are typed directly into the cell where they will appear
instead of being entered on a command line and then inserted. The Quick Entry
key allows automatic entry of a series of related headings such as months of
the year. Begin by typing January and then use the Tab key to enter February,
March, and April. The First Choice word processor offers a conversion utility
that allows quick conversion of files from other popular word processing
programs such as Microsoft Word and WordPerfect. Documents created in the word
processing module can be viewed or printed as a slide using custom fonts and
styles. You can create on-screen presentations combining both text and graphic
charts.
PH
pH is a measurement of acidity or alkalinity in terms of hydrogen ion content.
Phencyclidine
Phencyclidine (PCP) is a dissociative anesthetic and central nervous system
stimulant. Which was formerly used as a human tranquilizer, discontinued in
1953 and as an animal tranquilizer, discontinued in 1979.
Phenic Acid
see "Carbolic Acid"
Phenol
see "Carbolic Acid"
Phenyl benzene
Phenyl benzene is a colourless crystalline organic compound. It can be made by
passing benzene through a red-hot tube, when condensation takes place with the
formation of phenyl benzene. It also occurs in coal-tar, and it is used in
organic syntheses.
Phenyl salicylate
see "Salol"
Phenylacrylic Acid
see "Cinnamic Acid"
Philology
Philology is the study of languages, especially as regards their historical
development and their mutual points of contact, their internal structure and
external groupings. Philology first started among the ancient Greeks and
Romans, and then lay dormant until the Renaissance.
Phocine
Phocine is a zoological term pertaining to seals.
Phon
The phon is the unit of loudness.
Phonograph
see "Gramaphone"
Phosphate
A phosphate is any salt of phosphorus oxy acids.
Phosphoric acid
Phosphoric acid can exist as a crystal or clear liquid. It is an oily, thick,
colourless, and odourless liquid, or a thick, colourless, unstable crystalline
solid. It is used in the manufacture of phosphates, such as salts, soaps, and
detergents; fertilizers; yeasts; fire control agents; opal glass; electric
lights; dental cements; waxes and polishes; gelatin; ethylbenzene, propylene,
and cumene; and soft drinks. It is used as an acid catalyst, soil stabilizer,
antioxidant in food, acidulant and flavour agent in jellies and preserves,
bonding agent for refractory bricks, and petrol additive. It is also used in
the rustproofing and polishing of metals, cotton dyeing, tile cleaning,
extracting penicillin, hot stripping for aluminum and zinc substrates, ceramic
binding, water treatment, process engraving, electro-polishing, coagulating of
rubber latex, operating lithography and photoengraving operations, and
pickling. It is used to manufacture the phosphoric acid electrolyte fuel cell
system which has created the largest fuel cell built. It has been used to treat
lead poisoning. Phosphoric acid is incompatible with strong caustics and most
metals. It readily reacts with metals to form flammable hydrogen gas. The
liquid can solidify at temperatures below 21 degrees C. It is corrosive to
ferrous metals and alloys. It is soluble in alcohol and hot water. It can form
three series of salts: primary phosphates, dibasic phosphates, and tribasic
phosphates. It is deliquescent and hygroscopic. It is a chelating agent. It has
a low vapour pressure at room temperature. Phosphoric acid is also known as
orthophosphoric acid, metaphosphoric acid, and white phosphoric acid.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is a non-metallic element of the nitrogen family that occurs widely
as a phosphate. It has the symbol P.
Phot
A phot is a unit of luminous flux equal to the illumination produced by one
lumen on a surface of one square centimetre.
Photometry
In physics, photometry is the measurement of the luminous intensity of a light
source, or the amount of luminous flux falling upon a surface from such a
source. Photometry is important in photography , astronomy, and illumination
engineering. Instruments used for photometry are called photometers. Light
waves stimulate the human eye in different degrees, depending on the wavelength
of the light. Because it is difficult to make an instrument with the same
sensitivity for different wavelengths as the human eye, many photometers use a
human observer. Photoelectric photometers need special colored filters to make
them respond like the human eye. Instruments that measure radiant energy
instead of light are called radiometers, and must be made equally sensitive to
all wavelengths. The intensity of a light source is measured in candle power,
usually by comparing the source with a standard source provided by the National
Bureau of Standards. The known and unknown sources illuminate portions of a
window surface side by side, and their distances are adjusted until the
illumination on the surface is the same. The relative intensity is then
calculated from the inverse square law.
Photon
A photon is a light quantum, that is a definite amount of radiation having a
frequency within the visible spectrum. A photon is emitted from an excited atom
when one of the orbital electrons, having been transferred to an orbit of
higher energy level, suddenly returns to its former orbit.
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert carbon dioxide into
carbohydrates by chlorophyll under the influence of light.
Phototropic
Something which is phototropic seeks light. The term is used in Biology to
describe animalcules which seek the light.
Phrenology
Phrenology (craniology) is the study of the external form of the human skull,
as indicative of mental powers and moral qualities. It was propounded by Gall,
a German physician around 1796.
Phthalic Acid
Phthalic Acid is obtained by the oxidation of napthalene by means of fuming
sulphuric acid and mercury. It forms colourless crystals that are soluble in
water. When heated it yields an anhydride and is the parent substance of the
phthalein dye-stuffs.
Physical change
In chemistry, physical change is a change in the condition or state of a
substance; it's composition is not altered.
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument with a keyboard. It was invented in the 18th
century as a development of the harpsichord. Strings are stuck by hammers when
the keys are depressed.
Pica
Pica is a size of print (12 point) giving about 6 lines to the inch.
Picador
A picador is a horse-mounted, lance armed bull fighter.
Picaroon
A picaroon was a name for pirate or pirate ship.
Piccolo
The piccolo is a woodwind instrument of the flute family.
Picul
The picul was a Chinese unit of weight equivalent to 133.5 lbs.
Piezo
Piezo is a prefix signifying pressure.
Pig
The pig was a British measurement of ballast equal to 56 lbs.
Piles
see "Varicose Veins"
Pinchbeck
Pinchbeck is an alloy of 80 percent copper and 20 percent zinc once used for
making cheap watch cases, and more recently as a substitute for the more
expensive bronze. It was invented by a London watchmaker in the 18th century.
Pinene
Pinene is a terpene colourless liquid which smells like turpentine and occurs
in pine trees and the essential oils of eucalyptus, lemon and thyme.
Pint
The pint is a unit of capacity measurement equivalent to 4 gills or 0.568
litres.
Piquet
Piquet is a card game for two players, using a shortened pack of 32 cards which
omits 2 to 6 in each suit. In ascending order, the cards rank 7, 8, 9, 10, J,
Q, K, A (high).
Pisti
Pisti (pronounced "pishti") is a popular Turkish card game, using a standard
52-card deck. It is normally played by four people in partnerships, partners
sitting opposite. The direction of play is anticlockwise. Cards are played to a
central pile, which can be captured by matching the previous card played or
playing a jack. Points are scored for certain captured cards. The word "pisti",
which means "cooked", describes a capture of a pile containing only one card,
for which extra points are scored.
Pistil
A pistil is a an ovule-bearing or seed-bearing female organ of a flower,
consisting of the ovary, style and stigma.
Pistillate
Pistillate is a botanical term for flowers with have a pistil or pistils but no
stamen.
Pitch
Pitch is the highness or lowness of a musical sound.
Pitch also known as Setback or High-Low-Jack is a North American card game,
derived from the old English game of All Fours (which was also known in America
as Seven Up or Old Sledge). Pitch is basically All Fours with bidding added.
Some of the newer versions of Pitch include other features such as extra points
and an opportunity to improve one's hand by taking extra cards and discarding.
There are essentially two types of Pitch game: Partnership Pitch (played with
partners, obviously) and Cutthroat Pitch (in which everyone plays for
themselves).
Piton
A piton is a metal spike used in mountaineering as a support for a belaying pin.
Pitpan
A pitpan is a Central American dug-out boat.
Placidyl
see "1-chloro-3-ethyl-1-penten-4 yn-3-ol"
Plane table
A plane table is a device used in surveying and consisting of a movable
telescope resting upon a flat board mounted on a tripod. By its use a reliable
plan may be prepared in the field directly upon a sheet of paper pinned to the
board.
Planet
A planet is a heavenly body which orbits a star.
Planimeter
A Planimeter is a simple integrating instrument for measuring the area of a
regular or irregular plane surface. It consists of two hinged arms: one is kept
fixed and the other is traced around the boundary of the area. This actuates a
small graduated wheel; the area is calculated from the wheel's change in
position.
Plant
A plant is a living organism of the vegetable kingdom. Generally they are
capable of living wholly on inorganic substances. They lack locomotion and
special organs of sensation and digestion.
Plantation
A plantation is a an assemblage of planted and growing plants.
Plants
see "Plant"
Plaster of Paris
Plaster of paris is calcium sulphate mixed with water to make casts.
Plastic
Plastic is a group of synthetic polymers made from oils and which are capable
of being moulded into shape by heat or pressure or both.
Plateau
A plateau is an elevated plain whose edges slope somewhat abruptly to a lower
level.
Platinum
Platinum is a rare metal more valuable than gold with the symbol Pt and a
relative hardness of 5. It has a high melting point and is resistant to
chemicals.
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene (ice age) was the seventeenth geological period, 500,000 years
ago. It marked the evolution of tool-making man.
Plimsoll
A plimsoll is a shoe with a canvas upper vulcanised to a rubber sole. They were
invented for wear on board ship.
Plink86 Plus
Plink86 Plus by Phoenix Computer Products is an overlay linker that brings
modular programming to the PC. It lets you write a program as large and complex
as necessary with no need to worry about whether it will fit within available
memory. Plink86 Plus's automatic overlay-module technique allows programs to be
divided into any number of tree-structured overlay areas, handles diskette
changes, and segments the program for add-on packages. Plink86 Plus is a
two-pass linkage editor that accepts any object file conforming to the Intel or
Microsoft format and outputs executable program files. The first pass is for
memory-segment addressing and the second creates the output file. Plink86 Plus
works with Lattice C, Microsoft FORTRAN, Microsoft C 5.0, IBM FORTRAN (77), the
IBM BASIC Compiler, the Turbo C compiler, and Clipper among other compilers.
Pliocene
The Pliocene was the sixteenth geological period, 8,000,000 years ago. It
marked the modern formation of the continents.
Plough
A plough is an agricultural implement used for tilling the soil.
Plutonium
Plutonium is an artificial radioactive metal element with the symbol Pu.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung due to infection.
The pocket was a British measurement for hops ranging from 168 to 224 lbs.
Pogo
The pogo was a punk dance of the late 1970's and early 1980's which involved
jumping into the air whilst keeping the arms straight at the sides of the body,
the body stiff and tense and the legs straight and the head cocked to one side.
The body was propelled upwards by flexing the feet.
Poison
see "Toxin"
Poisonous
see "Toxic"
Poker Menteur
Poker Menteur (Liar Poker in English) is the card game equivalent of a dice
game known in Britain as Liar Dice.
Polestar
see "North Star"
Polio
Polio is a virus infection of the central nervous system affecting nerves that
activate muscles.
Polka
The polka is a lively Bohemian folk dance.
Pollux
Pollux (Beta Geminorum) is the southernmost of the two stars in the zodiacal
constellation Gemini, called the heavenly twins, the other twin being Castor.
Pollux is a star of the first magnitude and is 33 light-years away from the
earth.
Polonium
Polonium is a metal radioactive element with the symbol Po.
Polychlorinated biphenyls
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a family of man-made chemicals that
contain 209 individual compounds with varying toxicity. Commercial formulations
of PCBs enter the environment as mixtures consisting of a variety of PCBs and
impurities. Because of their insulating and nonflammable properties, PCBs have
been used widely as coolants and lubricants in transformers, capacitors, and
other electrical equipment. The manufacture of PCBs stopped in the USA in
October 1977 because of evidence that PCBs accumulate in the environment and
may cause health hazards for humans.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of chemicals that are
formed during the incomplete burning of coal, oil and gas, garbage, or other
organic substances. PAHs can be man-made or occur naturally. There is no known
use for most of these chemicals except for research purposes. A few of the PAHs
are used in medicines and to make dyes, plastics, and pesticides. They are
found throughout the environment in the air, water, and soil. There are more
than 100 different PAH compounds. Although the health effects of the individual
PAHs are not exactly alike, the following 15 PAHs are considered as a group:
acenaphthene, acenaphthylene, anthracene, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(a)pyrene,
benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(ghi)perylene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, chrysene,
dibenz(a,h)anthracene, fluoranthene, fluorene, indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene,
phenanthrene, pyrene. As pure chemicals, PAHs generally exist as colourless,
white, or pale yellow-green solids. Most PAHs do not occur alone in the
environment (including those found at hazardous waste sites), rather they are
found as mixtures of two or more PAHs. They can occur in the air either
attached to dust particles, or in soil or sediment as solids. They can also be
found in substances such as crude oil, coal, coal tar pitch, creosote, and road
and roofing tar. Most PAHs do not dissolve easily in water, but some PAHs
readily evaporate into the air. PAHs generally do not burn easily and they will
last in the environment for months to years.
Polyester
Polyester is a thermosetting plastic used in the manufacture of synthetic
fabrics.
Polyethylene
Polyethylene is a thermosetting plastic polymer of ethylene.
Polygon
Polygon is a term used in geometry to describe a closed plane figure with three
or more straight line sides. Common polygons are figures such as the triangle,
quadrilateral and the hexagon. A square is a regular polygon where the sides
and all angles are equal.
Polymer
A polymer is a compound made up of large molecules composed of many repeated
simple units.
Polypus
Polypus is a small benign tumour of the skin due to local overgrowth of the
cells.
Polysaccharide
A polysaccharide is a long chain of carbohydrate made up of hundreds of linked
simple sugars, such as glucose.
Pommel-Horse
The Pommel-Horse is an article of gymnastic apparatus. It is an almost
trapezoidal, leather covered body on legs which only men compete on due to the
perceived requirement for great strength in the arms and shoulders. The body
has two handle, known as pommels, centred along the upper surface of the horse
about 40 cm apart.
Pontoon
Pontoon is the British version of the internationally popular banking card game
Twenty-one, perhaps now best known in the form of the American Casino version
Blackjack. The game Pontoon and its name are derived from the French
Vingt-et-un (21). The variation Shoot Pontoon makes the betting more
interesting, by incorporating the betting mechanism of Shoot. Pontoon can be
played by any number of players from two upwards - it works well with five to
eight players - using a standard 52-card deck. For a large number of players,
say eight or more, two 52-card decks can be mixed together. The players also
need a supply of money or chips for betting. The cards have values: ace is
worth 1 or 11 at the holder's choice, kings, queens, jacks and tens are worth
ten, and the remaining cards are worth their pip value. Each player's basic aim
is to form a hand whose total value is as near as possible to 21, without going
above 21.
Pood
The pood was a Russian unit of weight equal to 36.112 lbs.
Poor laws
The poor laws were an act of parliament between 1562 and 1601 which gave local
authorities the responsibility for settling and supporting the poor in England.
Positron
A positron is a positively-charged particle of the same mass as the electron
and with a charge equivalent but opposite in sign to that of the electron.
Postcode
Postcode, from AFD Software, is a software system which looks up addresses from
postcodes. The datafile is about 18Mb, which includes the indices which reduce
typical search times to less than one second.
Postscript
PostScript is a groundbreaking Page Description Language (PDL), based on work
originally done by John Gaffney at Evans and Sutherland in 1976, evolving
through `JaM' (`John and Martin', Martin Newell) at XEROX PARC, and finally
implemented in its current form by John Warnock et al. after he and Chuck
Geschke founded Adobe Systems Incorporated in 1982. PostScript gets its
leverage by using a full programming language, rather than a series of
low-level escape sequences, to describe an image to be printed on a laser
printer or other output device (in this it parallels EMACS, which exploited a
similar insight about editing tasks). It is also noteworthy for implementing
on-the fly rasterization, from Bezier curve descriptions, of high-quality fonts
at low (e.g. 300 dpi) resolution (it was formerly believed that hand-tuned
bitmap fonts were required for this task).
Pot Metal
Pot Metal is an inferior kind of brass comprised of 10 parts of copper to 6 or
8 parts of lead. It is used for making large vessels employed in the arts and
in some stained glass.
Potash Water
Potash Water is an aerated water produced by mixing bicarbonate of potash with
carbonic acid water in the proportion of 20 grains to each bottle of the water,
or about half an ounce to the gallon. Bisulphate of potash was sometimes used
to produce an effervescing drink as it was cheaper than tartaric acid.
Potassium
Potassium is a silver-white, light, soft, low-melting, univalent metallic
element of the alkali group, it occurs abundantly in nature especially combined
in minerals. It has the symbol K.
Potassium Acid Sulphate
see "Potassium Bisulphate"
Potassium antimonyl tartrate
Potassium antimonyl tartrate (tartar emetic) is a poison formerly used in small
quantities to induce sweating and as an emetic. It is obtained by boiling
antimony oxide with a solution of cream of tartar. It forms rhombic
efflorescent crystals, is fairly soluble in water and has an unpleasant taste.
Potassium Bisulphate
Potassium bisulphate (potassium acid sulphate) is a colourless, crystalline
water-soluble substance used chiefly in the conversion of tartrates to
bitartrates.
Potassium Bromate
Potassium bromate is a white, crystalline, water-soluble powder used chiefly as
an oxidising agent and as an analytical reagent.
Potassium Bromide
Potassium bromide (bromide) is a white, crystalline, water-soluble powder. It
has a bitter, saline taste and is used in the manufacture of photographic
papers and plates and as a sedative.
Potassium Carbonate
Potassium carbonate is a white, granular, water-soluble substance used chiefly
in the manufacture of soap, glass and potassium salts.
Potassium nitrate
Potassium nitrate is a white bitter tasting substance used in gunpowder, as an
oxidising agent, for pickling meat and in medicine.
Potassium Oxalate
Potassium oxalate is a colourless, crystalline water-soluble substance. It is
toxic, and is used as a bleaching agent and in medical tests as an
anticoagulant.
Potassium sodium tartrate
see "Cream of Tartar"
Potassium Sorbate
Potassium sorbate is a potassium salt version of sorbic acid, a polyunsaturated
fat used to inhibit mold growth. It was first discovered by the French in the
1850's, having been derived from the rowan tree. It is widely used in the food
industry. It has been found to be non-toxic even when taken in large
quantities, and breaks down in the body into water and carbon dioxide in the
Kreb's Cycle.
Potassium Tartrate
see "Tartar"
Potassium Thiocyanide
Potassium Thiocyanide is a sulphocyanate. It is colourless, easily dissolvable
crystals used in dyeing.
Potential Energy
Potential energy is energy possessed by a body by virtue of its position.
Poudrette
Poudrette is a powdery manure obtained from ordure. It takes a long time to
prepare, is pulverulent, brown in colour and almost inodorous.
Pounce
Pounce is a fine powder formerly used to prevent ink from spreading on paper,
now superseded by blotting-paper.
Poundage
Poundage was a duty on all imports and exports imposed in 1302 and abolished in
1787.
Poundal
The poundal is the imperial unit of force, now replaced in the SI system by the
newton. One poundal equals 0.1383 newtons. It is defined as the force necessary
to accelerate a mass of one pound by one foot per second per second.
Powernote MMX
The Powernote MMX is a laptop PC from Powercom. It is based upon an Intel
Pentium MMX processor clocked at 166 mhz and is supplied with 32 mb of RAM, 810
mb EIDE hard disk, CD-ROM, 1.44 mb floppy drive and a Neomagic 2093ZV graphics
accelerator.
PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint is one of the most useful presentation programs available.
Its unique approach gives you the ability to create overheads, 35mm slides,
notes for yourself, and handouts for your audience. PowerPoint lets you plan,
compose, and create an entire presentation in a simple, structured manner.
PowerPoint lets you create, manage, edit, and manipulate slides. Powerful word
processing capabilities and some drawing capabilities are built into the
program. The product lets you integrate elements created elsewhere. When
creating presentations using the Slide Master, you can create a standard format
template, including text and graphics, for all slides. Free-form design lets
you integrate what you need on a slide including typeset-quality text,
diagrams, graphs, and illustrations. Graphics from the clipboard or scrapbook
can be integrated into a PowerPoint slide or you can use the Paste From command
to import information from files of other applications. The program's text
capabilities include multiple fonts, sizes, and styles. It also includes a
spell checker and a find-and-replace text command that works with slides, note
pages, and handout pages. You can also create diagrams with its drawing tools
which include lines, ellipses, rectangles, and rounded rectangles. The
slide-management tools let you rearrange and refine your presentation. A slide
sorter displays your slide show on-screen in thumbnail sketch view. You can
delete, copy, and rearrange slides and add slides from other presentations. You
can also edit the slides by double clicking on them. A slide show feature lets
you preview your slides in sequence if you want to rehearse your presentation.
Speaker's notes and audience handouts (with two, three, or six slides per page)
can be created at the same time you create slides through a user-definable
notepage associated with each slide. You can output slides to a printer,
slide-making device, or the Genigraphics slidemaking bureau (a driver is
d).
Poynings' Law
Poynings' Law (the statute of Drogheda) was an act of the Irish parliament,
passed in 1495, whereby all general statutes before that time in England were
declared of force in Ireland. It was so named from Sir Edward Poynings, deputy
of Ireland under Henry VII in 1494 when he suppressed the revolt of Perkin
Warbeck.
Pozzolana
Pozzolana or pozzuolana is a sort of mortar produced in Italy and formed of
volcanic ashes. When mixed with a small portion of lime it quickly hardens even
under water. This singular property rendered it very useful in the erection of
moles and other buildings in maritime situations.
Pozzuolana
see "Pozzolana"
Praemunire
In English law, praemunire is a kind of offence of a nature of contempt against
the Sovereign and the government. The last prosecution of praemunire took place
in the reign of Charles II.
Praseodymium
Praseodymium is a metal element with the symbol Pr used as a pigment in glass.
Pre-Cambrian
The Pre-Cambrian period was the second geological period. It was the time when
the first animal life appeared, about 1,125,000,000 years ago.
Precipitate
In chemistry, a precipitate is an insoluble liquid that separates from solution.
Presto
Presto is a musical term designating a faster rate of movement than that
indicated by allegro.
Primates
see "primate"
Primero
Primero is an old Italian card game which became popular throughout Europe in
the 16th century and perhaps earlier. It is a showdown game in which players
are dealt four cards. The combination which gives its name to the game is the
prime, which consists of one card of each suit.
Prince Rupert's Drops
Prince Rupert's Drops are drops of glass thrown while in a state of fusion into
water, and thus suddenly consolidated, taking generally a form somewhat like a
tadpole. The thick end may be struck with a hammer without breaking, but should
the smallest part of the tail be nipped off, or the surface scratched with a
diamond, the whole flies into fine dust with an almost explosive force. This
phenomena is due to the state of strain in the interior of the mass of glass,
caused by the sudden consolidation of the crust which is formed while the
internal mass is still liquid. This tends to contract on cooling, but is
prevented by the molecular forces which attach it to the crust. This
philosophical toy gets its name from being invented or being brought first into
notice by Prince Rupert, nephew of Charles I.
Prince Rupert's Metal
see "Prince's Metal"
Prince's Metal
Prince's Metal (or Prince Rupert's Metal) is imitation gold made from copper
and zinc.
Prism
A prism is a solid figure that is essentially triangular in shape and made of a
transparent material. They are used in physics to deviate or disperse a ray in
optical instruments or laboratory experiments. If a narrow beam of white light
is passed through a prism it is split into a range of colours. The light is
split because each of the colours is refracted by a different amount, because
each is light of a different wavelength.
Procomm
Procomm is a shareware communications program for the IBM PC usually used for
accessing dial-up services such as BBS.
Profane Oaths Act
The Profane Oaths Act of 1745 makes it a punishable offence in Britain to curse
or swear blasphemously.
PROLOG
Prolog is a computer programming language used mainly for artificial
intelligence.
Promethium
Promethium is a metal element with the symbol Pm.
Propaganda
Propaganda was an association established in Rome in 1622 for the purpose of
diffusing a knowledge of Roman Catholicism throughout the world.
Propane
Propane is an alkene hydrocarbon.
Propane
Propane is a gaseous hydrocarbon found in petroleum. It has the formulae c3h8.
Propylaea
Propylaea is an architectural term referring to the entrance to a Greek temple.
Propylene glycol monomethyl ether
Propylene glycol monomethyl ether is a glycol ether primarily used in the
manufacture of lacquers and paints, as an anti-freeze in industrial engines, a
tailing agent for inks used on very high-speed presses, a coupling agent for
resins and dyes in water-based inks, and a solvent for celluloses, acrylics,
dyes, inks, and stains. It is also used in cleaning products such as glass and
rug cleaners, carbon and grease removers, and paint and varnish removers; and
in pesticide formulations as a solvent for applications to crops and animals.
Propylene glycol monomethyl ether is a colourless liquid with a sweet
ether-like odour and bitter taste. It is soluble in water, ether, acetone, and
benzene. It is also known as 1-methyl-2-hydroxypropane.
Propylene oxide
Propylene oxide is a colourless liquid with an ether-like odour that is used
mainly as a chemical intermediate in the production of polyurethane polyols,
which are used to make polyurethane foams, coatings, and adhesives. It is used
in the manufacture of propylene glycol, which is used in fiberglass-reinforced
plastics, foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, cigarette tobacco, packaging
materials, dyes, and hydraulic fluids. It is also used in the preparation of
glycol ethers, dipropylene glycol, industrial polyglycols, lubricants,
surfactants, oil demulsifiers, isopropanolamines, and as a solvent and soil
sterilant. It is used in fumigation chambers for the sterilization of packaged
foods; as a stabilizer for methylene chloride, fuel, and heating oils; in
treating wood for termite resistance; as an acid scavenger and pH control
agent; for removing residual catalysts from crude polyolefins; in fuel-air
explosives in munitions; and as a component of Zeospan, a polyether rubber.
Propylene oxide is a volatile, flammable liquid that is soluble in water,
alcohol, and ether. It is highly dangerous when exposed to heat or flame. It
has a violent reaction with hydrogen chloride, chlorosulfonic acid, hydrogen
fluoride, and oleum. It should not be stored in the presence of acids, bases,
chlorides of iron, aluminum, and tin, or peroxides of iron and aluminum; any of
these may cause violent polymerization. Propylene oxide is miscible with most
organic solvents, and forms a two-layer system with water. It is incompatible
with anhydrous metal chlorides, iron, strong acids, caustics, and peroxides,
and reacts vigorously with oxidizing materials. When exposed to flame,
propylene oxide can explode. Polymerization may occur due to high temperatures
or contamination with alkalis, aqueous acids, amines, and acidic alcohols.
Propylene oxide is also known as epoxypropane; 1,2-epoxypropane; methyl
ethylene oxide; methyl oxirane; propene oxide; and 1,2-propylene oxide.
Derivatives of
e oxide are polyether polyols; propylene glycol; di- and tripropylene glycol;
poly (propylene glycol)s; surfactants; glycol ethers; and isopropanolamines.
Proscenium
A proscenium is that part in a theatre from the curtain or drop-scene to the
orchestra. The term is also applied to the curtain and the ornamental framework
from which it hangs.
Proscription
In Roman history, proscription was a mode of getting rid of enemies, first
resorted to by Sulla in 82 BC. Under Sulla lists of names were drawn up and
posted in public places with the promise of a reward to any person who should
kill any of those named in the lists, and the threat of death to those who
should aid or shelter any of them. Their property was also confiscated, and
their children declared incapable of honours.
Prose
Prose is ordinary spoken or written language, untrammelled by poetic measure,
and thus used in contradistinction to verse or poetry.
Prosody
Prosody is that part of grammar which treats of the quantity of syllables, of
accent, and of the laws of versification. Though chiefly restricted to
versification, it may also be extended to prose composition. In the Greek and
Latin languages every syllable had its determinate length or quantity, and
verses were constructed by systems of recurring feet, each foot containing a
definite number of syllables, possessing a certain quantity and arrangement.
Prostin
Prostin is a tradename for alprostadil.
Protactinium
Protactinium is a rare actinide element with the symbol Pa.
Protein
Protein is a long chain molecule made up of amino acids joined by peptide
bonds. Protein forms the structural material of bodily tissues.
Proteins
see "protein"
Protium
Protium is an isotope of hydrogen.
Proton
A proton is a positively charged sub atomic particle.
Prussic Acid
see "Hydrocyanic Acid"
Psearch
Psearch by Patri-Soft is an extension to the DOS computer operating system. You
provide words or phrases, and it will scan directories to find files containing
the text. Extensive file selection and pattern matching are provided. It
provides an intelligent display of found text with a scroll back and program
launcher. Psearch saves search results for later review. Psearch was
recommended in PC World as one of the Best of Shareware products in 1990.
Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is a theory and treatment method for neuroses developed by Freud.
Psychology
Psychology was originally thought of as a department of philosophy which dealt
with the mind. Today, it is recognised as the science of the nature, function
and phenomena of the human mind and human behaviour.
Pub
A pub is a house licensed for the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Publisher's Paintbrush
Publisher's Paintbrush by ZSoft is a full-featured freehand-painting program
that offers all the standard capabilities found in other painting programs (it
is a superset of PC Paintbrush), plus some capabilities desktop publishers will
find invaiuable. When creating or scanning a 300-dpi image, a 62 screen image
is produced. Rather than editing the image screen-by-screen, you can zoom out
and work on the multiscreen image in its entirety. The editing you do in normal
mode can be handled in the zoomout mode. The program lets you take full
advantage of scanners, laser printers, and desktop publishing programs. Used
with scanners, Publisher's Paintbrush gives you control over brightness and
contrast, the resolution at which you want to scan the image, and the location
on the page you want to scan. Publisher's Paintbrush lets you define the exact
dimensions on the page of your scanned image which greatly reduces the amount
of time it takes to scan and edit images. Publisher's Paintbrush has very
strong typography capabilities, making it ideal for creating illustrations that
require sophisticated type. Type sizes are adjustable to any point size. You
can slant the type to any angle to get curved type, italicise it as much or as
little as you would like, and set the line and character spacing. Leading and
keming are also adjustable. Publisher's Paintbrush lets you edit at the pixel
level with 300 dpi full-page output.
Puffer
Puffer by Kent Briggs is a password-based data file and e-mail encryption
utility for Microsoft Windows. It allows you to keep your personal, business,
and electronic transmitted data private. Puffer uses the highly rated Blowfish
algorithm for fast, secure encryption and the Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) for
key generation. Three output formats are supported including binary,
self-extracting executables, and 7-bit text for Internet e-mail. Puffer also
includes a three-pass, secure file wipe feature.
Pukhtu
Pukhtu is a dialect of the language Pushtu.
Pulu
Pulu is a silky fibrous substance obtained from ferns of the genus Cibotium,
and formerly used for stuffing mattresses.
Pump
A pump is a machine for moving fluid from one place to another.
Pumpernickel
Pumpernickel is a German wholemeal rye bread. It is dark brown and often
sweetened and spiced.
Punch
A punch is a machine for making or starting holes. Punch, or The London
Charivari, was an illustrated weekly comic paper published in London first on
July 17th 1841. It ceased publication in the 1990s and has since been restarted
with limited success.
Punch and Judy
Punch and Judy is a puppet show in which the chief protagonist, Punch
(punchinello) strangles his child, beats his wife, Judy, to death and assaults
a policeman amongst other gruesome acts. The show was first popular in England
during the reign of Queen Anne, and is still a favourite among children at the
seaside.
Puncheon
A puncheon was a liquid measure of capacity containing from 84 to 120 gallons.
In beer it was equal to one and a third hogsheads, or seven firkins.
Punchinello
see "Punch and Judy"
Punkah
Originally, a punkah was a portable fan made from the leaf of the palmra, but
in Anglo-Indian parlance a large fixed and swinging fan formed of cloth
attached to a rectangular frame suspended from the ceiling and pulled backwards
and forwards by means of a cord, thus causing a current of air in the apartment.
Punt
A punt is a rectangular flat-bottomed boat used for fishing and shooting in
shallow waters. The most common method of propulsion is by pushing with a pole
against the bottom of the river, a process known as punting.
Purgative
A purgative is a substance which causes evacuation by the bowels.
Purilase
Purilase are enzymes used to assist the breakdown of starch in effluent
treatment plants.
Purim
Purim is a Jewish festival observed on the 14th and 15th of Adar (March),
instituted to commemorate the preservation of the Jews in Persia from the
destruction threatened them by the schemes of Haman.
Purisol
Purisol is a specialised macro-nutrient solution to enhance performance in
biological effluent treatment plants
Purl
Purl is a hot beer flavoured with gin, sugar and ginger. It was popular in
England around the end of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century.
Purple
Purple is a secondary colour compounded by the union of the primaries blue and
red. As a dye it was originally obtained from Tyrian dye.
Pus
Pus is a yellowish liquid that forms in the body as a result of bacterial
infection.
Push
Push is a partnership card game related to contract rummy.
Pushtu
Pushtu is a vernacular language of Aryan origin spoken in Afghanistan.
Pustulant
A pustulant is a counter-irritant such as croton oil.
Putty
Putty is a kind of paste or cement compounded of whiting or soft carbonate of
lime and linsead-oil, beaten or kneaded to the consistency of dough. It is used
by glaziers for fitting window panes and also by house painters to stop up
holes in wood-work prior to painting.
Putty-Powder
Putty-powder is a pulverised oxide of tin sometimes mixed with oxide of lead.
It is extensively used for polishing and other purposes in glass and marble
works.
Pyramids
In billiards, pyramids is a game played with 15 red balls and 1 white ball. The
red balls are placed together in the shape of a triangle, or pyramid at the
spot. The object of the game being to pot the most balls. This game was popular
around 1900, and may perhaps have developed into the modern game of Pool.
Pyrheliometer
The pyrheliometer is an instrument devised by Pouillet for measuring the
intensity of the heat of the sun. It consists of a shallow cylindrical vessel
of thin silver or copper, containing water or mercury in which a thermometer is
plunged. The upper surface of the vessel is covered with lamp-black so as to
make it absorb as much heat as possible, and the vessel is attached to a
support in such a way that the upper surface can be always made to receive the
rays of the sun perpendicularly.
Pyridoxine
see "Vitamin B6"
Pyrogallic Acid
Pyrogallic Acid (pyrogallol) is an acid obtained by the dry distillation of
gallic acid. It forms colourless, odourless crystals, is readily soluble in
water, alcohol and ether and its alkaline solution readily absorbs oxygen. It
is used as a developer in photography.
Pyrogallol
see "Pyrogallic Acid"
Pyroligneous Acid
Pyroligneous Acid is an impure acetic acid obtained by the distillation of wood.
Pyrometer
A pyrometer is a device for measuring temperatures outside of the range of a
mercurial thermometer.
Pyrophone
A pyrophone is a musical instrument, in which the various notes are produced by
the burning of hydrogen gas within glass tubes of varying lengths and sizes.
Pyroscope
A pyroscope is an instrument for measuring the intensity of heat radiating from
a hot body, or the frigorific influence of a cold body.
Pyrrhic Dance
The Pyrrhic Dance was an ancient Greek dance which consisted of moves
representing an attempt to avoid the strokes of an enemy in battle. It was
viewed as a kind of training for war.
Pythian Games
The Pythian Games were a Greek athletic contest originally limited to musical
competitions, and instituted in 527 BC in honour of Pythian Apollo and held
every 4 years at Delphi. The prize was a wreath of laurel.
Pyx
A pyx was a covered vessel used in the Roman Catholic church to contain the
consecrated host. In ancient times it was sometimes made in the shape of a dove.
Pyxidium
In botany, a pyxidium is a capsule with a lid, as seen in the henbane and in
the fruit of the monkey-pot tree.
