- Doctor, doctor! I"ve had a sore stomach ever since I ate three crabs last week.
- Did they smell bad when you took them out of their shells?
- What do you mean "took them out of their shells"?
v. (-ting) pacify; conciliate. placatory adj. [latin placo appease]
PLACEBO
n. (pl. -s) 1 medicine with no physiological effect prescribed for psychological reasons.
- dummy pill etc. Used in a controlled trial. [latin, = i shall be acceptable]
PLACKET
n. - opening or slit in a garment, for fastenings or access to a pocket.
- flap of fabric under this. [var. Of *placard]
PLANNER
n. - person who plans new towns etc.
- person who makes plans.
- list, table, etc., with information helpful in planning.
PLANTER
n. - manager or owner of a plantation.
- container for house-plants.
PLASTER
cast n. - bandage stiffened with plaster of paris and applied to a broken limb etc.
- statue or mould made of plaster.
- of paris n. Fine white gypsum plaster for plaster casts etc.
- —n. - soft mixture of lime, sand, and water etc. Applied to walls, ceilings, etc., to dry into a smooth hard surface.
- = *sticking-plaster.
- = *plaster of paris. —v. - cover (a wall etc.) With plaster.
- coat, daub, cover thickly.
- stick or apply (a thing) thickly like plaster.
- (often foll. By down) smooth (esp. Hair) with water etc.
- (as plastered adj.) Slang drunk. plasterer n. [greek emplastron]
PLASTIC
arts n.pl. Arts involving modelling or the representation of solid objects.
- bomb n. Bomb containing plastic explosive.
- explosive n. Putty-like explosive.
- surgery n. Reconstruction or repair of damaged or unsightly skin, muscle, etc., esp. By the transfer of tissue. plastic surgeon n.
- —n. - synthetic resinous substance that can be given any shape.
- (in full plastic money) colloq. Credit card(s). —adj. - made of plastic.
- capable of being moulded; pliant, supple.
- giving form to clay, wax, etc. plasticity n. Plasticize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). Plasticizer n. (also -iser). Plasticky adj. [greek: related to *plasma]
PLATEAU
—n. (pl. -x or -s) 1 area of fairly level high ground.
- state of little variation after an increase. —v. (plateauing, plateaus, plateaued) (often foll. By out) reach a level or static state after an increase. [french: related to *plate]
PLATOON
n. - subdivision of a military company.
- group of persons acting together. [french peloton diminutive of pelote *pellet]
PLATTER
n. Large flat dish or plate. [anglo-french plater: related to *plate]
