| pet1 |
an animal, usu. domesticated or tamed, kept in one's home for companionship rather than practical use. [7 definitions] |
| pet2 |
a sulky mood or fit of temper; peeve; petulance. |
| petal |
one of the separate, modified leaves, usu. of a different color from the plant's other leaves, that form the outer part of a flower head. |
| petard |
an explosive device formerly used in warfare to breach a defensive fortification. |
| petcock |
a small valve or faucet used to drain from or lower the pressure in a pipe, boiler, steam engine, or the like. |
| Peter |
one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ and a leader in the establishment of the Christian church, often considered the first pope. [2 definitions] |
| peter |
(informal) to dwindle gradually to the point of stopping or disappearing altogether (usu. fol. by "out"). |
| peter out |
to decrease very, very gradually until nothing remains; dwindle to nothing. |
| Peter Pan |
the title character of J.M. Barrie's early twentieth-century play, a young boy who never grows up. |
| Peter Paul Rubens |
a Flemish painter (b.1577--d.1640). |
| Peter Principle |
the satiric idea that employees of large organizations tend to be promoted until they reach the level at which they are incompetent. |
| pet-friendly |
allowing or catering to pets. |
| petiole |
the thin stalk by which a leaf is attached to a stem. [2 definitions] |
| petit |
less serious or important in law; minor. |
| petit bourgeois |
of the lower middle class, esp. in a capitalist society. |
| petite |
of a girl or woman, short and slender. [2 definitions] |
| petit four |
a small fancy teacake, usu. cut from spongecake, that is frosted on three sides and often decorated. |
| petition |
a formal request that is usu. written, often signed by many people, and addressed to an authority that is empowered to grant some right or benefit. [7 definitions] |
| petit jury |
a group of twelve citizens selected to witness a civil or criminal trial and empowered to decide, after discussing the evidence and issues presented, whether a defendant is guilty or not. (Cf. grand jury.) |
| petit larceny |
see "petty larceny." |
| petit mal |
a form of epilepsy characterized by unconsciousness for short periods of time, but usu. no convulsions. (Cf. grand mal.) |