A man goes into a pet shop to buy a parrot.
The shop owner points to three identically looking parrots on a perch and says:
"The parrot on the left costs $500."
"Why does the parrot cost so much?", asks the guest.
The owner says,
"Well, the parrot knows how to use a computer."
The man then asks about the next parrot. He is told that this one costs $1000, because it can do everything the other parrot can do, plus it knows how to use the UNIX operating system.
Naturally, the increasingly startled man asks about the third parrot. He is told that it costs $2000. Needless to say this begs the question,
"What can it do?"
To which the owner replies,
"To be honest I have never seen it do a thing, but the other two call him boss!"
—n. Meeting for discussion (orig. Among n. American indians). —v. Hold a powwow. [algonquian]
PRAISE
—v. (-sing) 1 express warm approval or admiration of.
- glorify (god) in words. —n. Praising; commendation. [french preisier from latin pretium price]
PRANCE
—v. (-cing) 1 (of a horse) raise the forelegs and spring from the hind legs.
- walk or behave in an elated or arrogant manner. —n. Prancing, prancing movement. [origin unknown]
PRAYER
n. - a request or thanksgiving to god or an object of worship. B formula used in praying (the lord's prayer). C act of praying. D religious service consisting largely of prayers (morning prayer).
- entreaty to a person. [latin: related to *precarious]
- n. Person who prays.
PREACH
v. - (also absol.) Deliver (a sermon); proclaim or expound (the gospel etc.).
- give moral advice in an obtrusive way.
- advocate or inculcate (a quality or practice etc.). preacher n. [latin praedico proclaim]
PREAMP
n. = *preamplifier. [abbreviation]
PRECIS
—n. (pl. Same) summary, abstract. —v. (-cises; -cised; -cising) make a precis of. [french]
PREFAB
n. Colloq. Prefabricated building. [abbreviation]
PREFER
v. (-rr-) 1 (often foll. By to, or to + infin.) Like better (prefers coffee to tea).
- submit (information, an accusation, etc.) For consideration.
- promote or advance (a person). [latin praefero -lat-]
PREFIX
—n. - verbal element placed at the beginning of a word to qualify its meaning (e.g. Ex-, non-).
- title before a name (e.g. Mr). —v. (often foll. By to) 1 add as an introduction.
