A little boy comes home with his mother from a trip down town. Above his head he has a big bunch of balloons.
- Why do you need so many? - Asks his father. - Did not your mother and I teach you that you should save your money?
- I did not spend any! Its just that every time Mummy bought something the salesperson gave me a free balloon.
- relating to the whole of a continent, racial group, religion, etc. (pan-american). [greek pan, neuter of pas pantos all]
- —n. - a broad usu. Metal vessel used for cooking etc. B contents of this.
- panlike vessel in which substances are heated etc.
- similar shallow container, e.g. The bowl of a pair of scales.
- lavatory bowl.
- part of the lock in old guns.
- hollow in the ground (salt-pan). —v. (-nn-) 1 colloq. Criticize severely.
- a (foll. By off, out) wash (gold-bearing gravel) in a pan. B search for gold thus. pan out 1 (of an action etc.) Turn out; work out well or in a specified way.
- (of gravel) yield gold. panful n. (pl. -s). Panlike adj. [old english]
- —v. (-nn-) 1 swing (a film camera) horizontally to give a panoramic effect or to follow a moving object.
- (of a camera) be moved thus. —n. Panning movement. [from *panorama]
PAP
test n. Cervical smear test. [papanicolaou, name of a us scientist]
- n. - soft or semi-liquid food for infants or invalids.
- light or trivial reading matter. [low german or dutch]
- n. Archaic or dial. Nipple. [scandinavian]
PAR
avion adv. By airmail. [french, = by aeroplane]
- excellence adv. Being the supreme example of its kind (the short story par excellence). [french]
- n. - average or normal amount, degree, condition, etc. (feel below par).
- equality; equal status or footing (on a par with).
- golf number of strokes a first-class player should normally require for a hole or course.
- face value of stocks and shares etc. (at par).
- (in full par of exchange) recognized value of one country's currency in terms of another's. par for the course colloq. What is normal or to be expected. [latin, = equal]
- var. Of *para-1 before a vowel or h (parody).
PAS
de deux n. Dance for two. [french, = step for two]
- n. (pl. Same) step, esp. In ballet. [french, = step]
PAT
Abbr. Patent.
- —v. (-tt-) 1 strike gently with a flat palm, esp. In affection, sympathy, etc.
- flatten or mould by patting. —n. - light stroke or tap, esp. With the hand in affection etc.
- sound made by this.
- small mass (esp. Of butter) formed by patting. pat on the back congratulatory gesture. [probably imitative]
- —adj. - prepared or known thoroughly.
- apposite or opportune, esp. Glibly so (a pat answer). —adv. - in a pat manner.
- appositely. have off pat know or have memorized perfectly. [related to *pat1]
PAW
—n. - foot of an animal having claws or nails.
- colloq. Person's hand. —v. - strike or scrape with a paw or foot.
- colloq. Fondle awkwardly or indecently. [french poue from germanic]
PAX
n. - kiss of peace.
- (as int.) Slang call for a truce (used esp. By schoolchildren). [latin, = peace]
PAY
phone n. Coin-box telephone.
- —v. (past and past part. Paid) 1 (also absol.) Give (a person etc.) What is due for services done, goods received, debts incurred, etc. (paid him in full).
- a give (a usu. Specified amount) for work done, a debt, etc. (they pay £6 an hour). B (foll. By to) hand over the amount of (a debt, wages, etc.) To (paid the money to the assistant).
- a give, bestow, or express (attention, a compliment, etc.) (paid them no heed). B make (a visit) (paid a call on their uncle).
- (also absol.) (of a business, attitude, etc.) Be profitable or advantageous to (a person etc.).
- reward or punish (shall pay you for that).
- (usu. As paid adj.) Recompense (work, time, etc.) (paid holiday).
- (usu. Foll. By out, away) let out (a rope) by slackening it. —n. Wages. in the pay of employed by. Pay back 1 repay.
- punish or have revenge on. Pay for 1 hand over the money for.
- bear the cost of.
- suffer or be punished for (a fault etc.). Pay in pay (money) into a bank etc. Account. Pay its (or one's) way cover costs. Pay one's last respects attend a funeral to show respect. Pay off 1 dismiss (workers) with a final payment.
- colloq. Yield good results; succeed.
- pay (a debt) in full. Pay one's respects make a polite visit. Pay through the nose colloq. Pay much more than a fair price. Pay up pay the full amount (of). Put paid to colloq. - deal effectively with (a person).
- terminate (hopes etc.). payee n. [latin paco appease: related to *peace]
PCB
abbr. - polychlorinated biphenyl, any of several toxic aromatic compounds formed as waste in industrial processes.
