As a senior citizen was driving down the freeway, his car phone rang. Answering, he heard his wife"s voice urgently warning him, "Herman, I just heard on the news that there"s a car going the wrong way on 280. Please be careful!"
"Heck," said Herman, "It"s not just one car. It"s hundreds of them!"
colloq. —adj. (esp. Intellectually) pretentious; not genuine. —n. Such a person; poseur. [from *pseudo-]
PSYCH
v. Colloq. - (usu. Foll. By up; often refl.) Prepare (oneself or another) mentally for an ordeal etc.
- (often foll. By out) intimidate or frighten (a person), esp. For one's own advantage.
- (usu. Foll. By out) analyse (a person's motivation etc.) For one's own advantage (can't psych him out). [abbreviation]
PUBES
n. (pl. Same) 1 lower part of the abdomen at the front of the pelvis.
- colloq. Pubic hair. [latin]
- pl. Of *pubis.
PUBIC
adj. Of the pubes or pubis.
PUBIS
n. (pl. Pubes) either of a pair of bones forming the two sides of the pelvis. [latin os pubis bone of the *pubes1]
PUDGY
adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. (esp. Of a person) plump, podgy. pudginess n. [cf. *podgy]
PUFFY
adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 swollen, puffed out.
- colloq. Short-winded. puffily adv. Puffiness n.
PUKKA
adj. Anglo-ind. Colloq. - genuine.
- of good quality; reliable (a pukka job). [hindi]
PULSE
—n. - a rhythmical throbbing of the arteries as blood is propelled through them, esp. In the wrists, temples, etc. B each beat of the arteries or heart.
- throb or thrill of life or emotion.
- general feeling or opinion.
- single vibration of sound, electric current, light, etc., esp. As a signal.
- n. (as sing. Or pl.) 1 edible seeds of various leguminous plants, e.g. Chick-peas, lentils, beans, etc.
- plant producing these. [latin puls]
PUNCH
card n. (also punched card or tape) card etc. Perforated according to a code, for conveying instructions or data to a data processor etc.
- —v. - strike, esp. With a closed fist.
- a pierce a hole in (metal, paper, etc.) As or with a punch. B pierce (a hole) thus. —n. - blow with a fist.
- ability to deliver this.
- colloq. Vigour, momentum; effective force.
- tool, machine, or device for punching holes or impressing a design in leather, metal, etc. puncher n. [var. Of pounce emboss]
- n. Drink of wine or spirits mixed with water, fruit juices, spices, etc., and usu. Served hot. [origin unknown]
- n. (punch) grotesque humpbacked puppet in punch and judy shows. as pleased as punch extremely pleased. [abbreviation of punchinello, name of the chief character in an italian puppet-show]
