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

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.

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

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

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

A small dish.

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.

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

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

One of a pair of a paired organs.

To place on a platform.

A member of the Platyhelminthes.

Same as Platyelminthes; -- an older term.

See Platen.

Platinum.

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.

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).

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.

Yielding platinum; as, platiniferous sand.

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

To cover or combine with platinum.

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

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

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

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

A cathode.

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

A permanent photographic picture or print in platinum black.

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).

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.

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

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

To utter platitudes or truisms.

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

Flatly. See Plat, a.

Flatness.

See Planimeter.

A follower of Plato; a Platonist.

Of or pertaining to Plato, or his philosophy, school, or opinions.

In a Platonic manner.

The doctrines or philosophy by Plato or of his followers.

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

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

One who Platonizes.

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.

See Lodge, n.

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

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

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

Having a broad, flat face.

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

Like a plate; consisting of plates.

Broad-headed.

Of, relating to, or characterized by, platycnemism.

Lateral flattening of the tibia.

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

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

Same as Platyelminthes.

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

An animal having broad feet, or a broad foot.

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

The duck mole. See under Duck.

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

To applaud.

A mark or expression of applause; praise bestowed.

Applauding; commending.

Something worthy of praise.

Worthy of being applauded; praiseworthy; commendable; ready.

To render plausible.

Quality of being plausible.

In a plausible manner.

Applauding; manifesting praise.

Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols.

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.

To perform on a stage or theater.

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

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

A day given to play or diversion; a holiday.

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

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

A companion in amusements or sports; a playmate.

A playfellow.

Sportive; gamboling; frolicsome; indulging a sportive fancy; humorous; merry; as, a playful child; a playful writer.

Play of children.

One who frequents playhouses, or attends dramatic performances.

Frequenting playhouses; as, the playgoing public. The practice of going to plays.

A piece of ground used for recreation; as, the playground of a school.

A building used for dramatic exhibitions; a theater.

a. vb. n. of Play.

A playwright.

A companion in diversions; a playfellow.

Playful; wanton; sportive.

See Pleyt.

A thing to play with; a toy; anything that serves to amuse.

Time for play or diversion.

A maker or adapter of plays.

A writer of plays; a dramatist; a playwright.

A public square in a city or town.

That which is alleged by a party in support of his cause; in a stricter sense, an allegation of fact in a cause, as distinguished from a demurrer; in a still more limited sense, and in modern practice, the defendant's answer to the plaintiff's declaration and demand. That which the plaintiff alleges in his declaration is answered and repelled or justified by the defendant's plea. In chancery practice, a plea is a special answer showing or relying upon one or more things as a cause why the suit should be either dismissed, delayed, or barred. In criminal practice, the plea is the defendant's formal answer to the indictment or information presented against him.

To unite by interweaving, as branches of trees; to plash; to interlock.

To discuss, defend, and attempt to maintain by arguments or reasons presented to a tribunal or person having uthority to determine; to argue at the bar; as, to plead a cause before a court or jury.

Capable of being pleaded; capable of being alleged in proof, defense, or vindication; as, a right or privilege pleadable at law.

One who pleads; one who argues for or against; an advotate.

The act of advocating, defending, or supporting, a cause by arguments.

In a pleading manner.

The mutual pleas and replies of the plaintiff and defendant, or written statements of the parties in support of their claims, proceeding from the declaration of the plaintiff, until issue is joined, and the question made to rest on some single point.

Pleasure; merriment; gayety; delight; kindness.

A wit; a humorist; a buffoon.

Of pleasing speech.

In a pleasant manner.

The state or quality of being pleasant.

That which denotes or promotes pleasure or good humor; cheerfulness; gayety; merriment; especially, an agreeable playfulness in conversation; a jocose or humorous remark; badinage.

To afford or impart pleasure; to excite agreeable emotions.

Experiencing pleasure.

An officious person who courts favor servilely; a pickthank.

One who pleases or gratifies.

An object of pleasure.

Capable of affording pleasure or satisfaction; gratifying; abounding in pleasantness or pleasantry.

To take pleasure; to seek pursue pleasure; as, to go pleasuring.