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Plashy

Watery; abounding with puddles; splashy.

Plasm

A mold or matrix in which anything is cast or formed to a particular shape.

Plasma

A variety of quartz, of a color between grass green and leek green, which is found associated with common chalcedony. It was much esteemed by the ancients for making engraved ornaments.

Plasmic

Of, pertaining to, or connected with, plasma; plasmatic.

Plasmid

A piece of DNA, usually circular, functioning as part of the genetic material of a cell, not integrated with the chromosome and replicating independently of the chromosome, but transferred, like the chromosome, to subsequent generations of daughter cells. In bacteria, plasmids often carry the genes for antibiotic resistance; they are exploited in genetic engineering as the vehicles for introduction of extraneous DNA into cells, to alter the genetic makeup of the cell. The cells thus altered may produce desirable proteins which are extracted and used; in the case of genetically altered plant cells, the altered cells may grow into complete plants with changed properties, as for example, increased resistance to disease.

Plasmin

A proteid body, separated by some physiologists from blood plasma. It is probably identical with fibrinogen.

Plasmodial

Of or pertaining to, or like, a plasmodium; as, the plasmodial form of a life cycle.

Plasmodium

A jellylike mass of free protoplasm, without any union of am/boid cells, and endowed with life and power of motion.

Plasmogen

The important living portion of protoplasm, considered a chemical substance of the highest elaboration. Germ plasm and idioplasm are forms of plasmogen.

Plasmon butter Plasmon

A flourlike food preparation made from skim milk, and consisting essentially of the unaltered proteid of milk. It is also used in making biscuits and crackers, for mixing with cocoa, etc. A mixture of this with butter, water, and salt is called Plasmon butter, and resembles clotted cream in appearance.

Plasson

The albuminous material composing the body of a cytode.

Plaster

To cover with a plaster, as a wound or sore.

Plasterwork

Plastering used to finish architectural constructions, exterior or interior, especially that used for the lining of rooms. Ordinarly, mortar is used for the greater part of the work, and pure plaster of Paris for the moldings and ornaments.

Plastic

Having the power to give form or fashion to a mass of matter; as, the plastic hand of the Creator.

plastic

A substance composed predominantly of a synthetic organic high polymer capable of being cast or molded; many varieties of plastic are used to produce articles of commerce (after 1900). [MW10 gives origin of word as 1905]

Plastide Plastid

A formative particle of albuminous matter; a monad; a cytode. See the Note under Morphon.

Plastidule

One of the small particles or organic molecules of protoplasm.

Plastin

A substance associated with nuclein in cell nuclei, and by some considered as the fundamental substance of the nucleus.

Plastography

The art of forming figures in any plastic material.

Plastron

A piece of leather stuffed or padded, worn by fencers to protect the breast.

Plat

The flat or broad side of a sword.

Platanus

A genus of trees; the plane tree.

Platband

A border of flowers in a garden, along a wall or a parterre; hence, a border.

Plate

To cover or overlay with gold, silver, or other metals, either by a mechanical process, as hammering, or by a chemical process, as electrotyping.

plate tectonics

A geological theory which holds that the crust of the earth (the lithosphere) is divided into a small number of large separate plates which float and move slowly around on the more plastic asthenosphere, breaking apart and moving away from each other at points where magma upwells from below, and, driven by such upwellings and other currents on the athenosphere, sliding past each other, colliding with each other, and in some cases being submerged (subducted) one below the other. This theory is now widely accepted, and explains many geological phenomena such as the clustered locations of earthquakes, mountain building, volcanism, and the similarities observed between the geology of continents, such as South America and Africa which are now far apart, but, according to the theory, were once joined together. The motions of such tectonic plates are very slow, typically only several centimeters per year, but over tens and hundreds of millions of years, cause very large changes in the relative positions of the continents. The consequence of such movement of plates is called continental drift.

Plate-gilled

Having flat, or leaflike, gills, as the bivalve mollusks.

Plateau

A flat surface; especially, a broad, level, elevated area of land; a table-land.

Plateful

Enough to fill a plate; as much as a plate will hold.

Platen

The part of a printing press which presses the paper against the type and by which the impression is made. Hence, an analogous part of a typewriter, on which the paper rests to receive an impression. The movable table of a machine tool, as a planer, on which the work is fastened, and presented to the action of the tool; -- also called table.

Plater

A horse that runs chiefly in plate, esp. selling-plate, races; hence, an inferior race horse.

Plateresque

Resembling silver plate; -- said of certain architectural ornaments.

Plating

The art or process of covering anything with a plate or plates, or with metal, particularly of overlaying a base or dull metal with a thin plate of precious or bright metal, as by mechanical means or by electro-magnetic deposition.

Platinic

Of, pertaining to, or containing, platinum; -- used specifically to designate those compounds in which the element has a higher valence, as contrasted with the platinous compounds; as, platinic chloride (PtCl4).

Platinichloric

Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid consisting of platinic chloride and hydrochloric acid, and obtained as a brownish red crystalline substance, called platinichloric, or chloroplatinic, acid.

Platiniridium

A natural alloy of platinum and iridium occurring in grayish metallic rounded or cubical grains with platinum.

Platinochloric

Pertaining to, derived from, or designating, an acid consisting of platinous chloride and hydrochloric acid, called platinochloric acid, or chloroplatinous, acid.

Platinochloride

A double chloride of platinum and some other metal or radical; a salt of platinochloric acid.

Platinocyanic

Pertaining to, derived from, or designating, an acid compound of platinous cyanide and hydrocyanic acid. It is obtained as a cinnaber-red crystalline substance.

Platinocyanide

A double cyanide of platinum and some other metal or radical; a salt of platinocyanic acid.

Platinoid

An alloy of German silver containing tungsten; -- used for forming electrical resistance coils and standards.

Platinotype

A permanent photographic picture or print in platinum black.

Platinous

Of, pertaining to, or containing, platinum; -- used specifically to designate those compounds in which the element has a lower valence, as contrasted with the platinic compounds; as, platinous chloride (PtCl2).

Platinum

A metallic element of atomic number 78, one of the noble metals, classed with silver and gold as a precious metal, occurring native or alloyed with other metals and also as the platinum arsenide (sperrylite). It is a heavy tin-white metal which is ductile and malleable, but very infusible (melting point 1772/ C), and characterized by its resistance to strong chemical reagents. It is used for crucibles in laboratory operations, as a catalyst, in jewelry, for stills for sulphuric acid, rarely for coin, and in the form of foil and wire for many purposes. Specific gravity 21.5. Atomic weight 195.1. Symbol Pt. Formerly called platina.

Platitude

The quality or state of being flat, thin, or insipid; flat commonness; triteness; staleness of ideas of language.

Platitudinarian

One addicted to uttering platitudes, or stale and insipid truisms.

Platitudinous

Abounding in platitudes; of the nature of platitudes; uttering platitudes.

Platonic

A follower of Plato; a Platonist.

Platonism

The doctrines or philosophy by Plato or of his followers.

Platonist

One who adheres to the philosophy of Plato; a follower of Plato.

Platonize

To explain by, or accomodate to, the Platonic philosophy.

Platoon

Formerly, a body of men who fired together; also, a small square body of soldiers to strengthen the angles of a hollow square. Now, in the United States service, half of a company.

Plattdeutsch

The modern dialects spoken in the north of Germany, taken collectively; modern Low German. See Low German, under German.

Platten

To flatten and make into sheets or plates; as, to platten cylinder glass.

Platter

A large plate or shallow dish on which meat or other food is brought to the table.

Platting

Plaited strips or bark, cane, straw, etc., used for making hats or the like.

Platy

Like a plate; consisting of plates.

Platycnemic

Of, relating to, or characterized by, platycnemism.

Platycoelian

Flat at the anterior and concave at the posterior end; -- said of the centra of the vertebr/ of some extinct dinouaurs.

Platyelminthes

A class of helminthes including the cestodes, or tapeworms, the trematodes, and the turbellarians. Called also flatworms.

Platymeter

An apparatus for measuring the capacity of condensers, or the inductive capacity of dielectrics.

Platypod

An animal having broad feet, or a broad foot.

Platyptera

A division of Pseudoneuroptera including the species which have four broad, flat wings, as the termites, or white-ants, and the stone flies (Perla).

Platyrhine

Having the nose broad; -- opposed to leptorhine. One of the Platyrhini.

Platyrhini

A division of monkeys, including the American species, which have a broad nasal septum, thirty-six teeth, and usually a prehensile tail. See Monkey.

Plaudit

A mark or expression of applause; praise bestowed.

Plausible

Worthy of being applauded; praiseworthy; commendable; ready.

Play

Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols.

Playa

A beach; a strand; in the plains and deserts of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, a broad, level spot, on which subsequently becomes dry by evaporation.

playact

To perform on a stage or theater.

Playbill

A printed programme of a play, with the parts assigned to the actors.

Playbook

A book of dramatic compositions; a book of the play.

Playday

A day given to play or diversion; a holiday.

Player

One who plays, or amuses himself; one without serious aims; an idler; a trifler.

player piano

A mechanically operated piano that uses a roll of perforated paper to activate the keys.

Playfellow

A companion in amusements or sports; a playmate.

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