<B>parasite, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>an animal or plant that lives on or in another from which it gets its food, always at the expense of the host. It may or may not injure the host, but it is usually unable to exist independently. Lice and tapeworms are parasites on animals. Mistletoe is a parasite on oak trees. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) a person who lives on others without making any useful and fitting return; hanger-on. <BR> <I>Ex. The lazy man was a parasite on his family. Nine people out of ten looked on him as something of a parasite, with no real work in the world (John Galsworthy).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B><B>=parasite plane.</B> <DD><B> 4. </B>in ancient Greece: <DD><B> a. </B>a person who ate at the table or at the expense of another, earning meals by flattery or wit. <DD><B> b. </B>a priest's assistant who was admitted with the priests to the feast after a sacrifice. </DL>
<A NAME="parasitedrag">
<B>parasite drag,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the drag caused by skin friction and the shape of those surfaces of an aircraft which do not contribute lift, such as the fuselage, nacelles, and ducts. </DL>
<A NAME="parasitemia">
<B>parasitemia, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Medicine.) the presence of parasites in the blood. </DL>
<A NAME="parasiteplane">
<B>parasite plane,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> an aircraft designed to be carried aloft by another aircraft and launched in flight. </DL>
<A NAME="parasitic">
<B>parasitic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>of or like a parasite; living on others. <BR> <I>Ex. The white blood cells constitute a gendearmery which is always ready to repeal parasitic invasion by engulfing the microscopic invaders and then digesting them (Scientific American).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>caused by parasites. <BR> <I>Ex. a parasitic disease.</I> adv. <B>parasitically.</B> </DL>
<B>parasiticide, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> that kills parasites. <DD><I>noun </I> a substance, such as a chemical compound or other agent, that kills parasites. </DL>
<A NAME="parasiticjaeger">
<B>parasitic jaeger,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the commonest variety of jaeger, a hawklike sea bird of arctic regions with two pointed central tail feathers; arctic skua. </DL>
<A NAME="parasiticstomatitis">
<B>parasitic stomatitis,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a form of stomatitis caused by a parasitic fungus; thrush. </DL>
<A NAME="parasitism">
<B>parasitism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1a. </B>the relationship between two organisms in which one obtains benefits at the expense of the other, often injuring it. <BR> <I>Ex. Parasitism even goes so far as to destroy the cells of the life form that gives a home to the parasite (Emory S. Bogardus).</I> <DD><B> b. </B>parasitic infestation. <DD><B> c. </B>a disease caused by parasites. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) the practice of living as a human parasite. </DL>
<A NAME="parasitize">
<B>parasitize, </B>transitive verb, <B>-ized,</B> <B>-izing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> to infest as a parasite; be parasitic upon. <BR> <I>Ex. Certain bee flies parasitize velvet ants, and robber flies have been observed to capture bee flies (Scientific American).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="parasitoid">
<B>parasitoid, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> any one of various insects, especially wasps, that feed as larvae on other insects, causing their death when they complete their own development. <DD><I>adj. </I> having to do with or characteristic of parasitoids. <BR> <I>Ex. a parasitoid wasp, parasitoid predators.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="parasitological">
<B>parasitological, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having to do with parasitology. </DL>
<A NAME="parasitologist">
<B>parasitologist, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an expert in parasitology. </DL>
<A NAME="parasitology">
<B>parasitology, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the branch of biology or of medicine dealing with parasites and parasitism. </DL>
<A NAME="parasitosis">
<B>parasitosis, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any parasitic condition or disease; parasitism. </DL>
<A NAME="paraskenia">
<B>paraskenia, </B>noun pl.<DL COMPACT><DD> the side wings of an ancient Greek theater, projecting from the stage toward the audience. </DL>
<A NAME="parasol">
<B>parasol, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a light umbrella used especially as a protection against the sun; sunshade. It is often brightly colored. <BR> <I>Ex. The ladies sat protecting their complexions under large beach umbrellas and small ruffled parasols (New Yorker).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="parasolant">
<B>parasol ant,</B> <B>=leaf-cutter ant.</B></DL>
<A NAME="parasolmushroom">
<B>parasol mushroom,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a tall, white or light-tan, edible mushroom that resembles a parasol, growing usually in the fall. </DL>
<A NAME="parastatal">
<B>parastatal, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> serving the state or government indirectly or in an auxiliary capacity; working with the state though not officially apart of it. <BR> <I>Ex. The [Uganda] Government monopoly of importing is to be exercised through parastatal bodies, such as the National Trading Corporation, and the Uganda Development Corporation (London Times).</I> <DD><I>noun </I> a parastatal group. </DL>
<A NAME="parastichy">
<B>parastichy, </B>noun, pl. <B>-chies.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Botany.) a spiral arrangement of lateral members, such as leaves or scales, where the internodes are short and the members closely crowded, as in the houseleek and pine cone. </DL>
<A NAME="parasympathetic">
<B>parasympathetic, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> of or having to do with the part of the autonomic nervous system that produces such involuntary responses as dilating blood vessels, increasing the activity of digestive and reproductive organs and glands, contracting the pupils of the eyes, slowing down the heartbeat, and others, opposed to the action of the sympathetic nervous system. <DD><I>noun </I> a nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system. </DL>
<A NAME="parasynapsis">
<B>parasynapsis, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the side-by-side union of chromosomes during synapsis. </DL>
<A NAME="parasynthesis">
<B>parasynthesis, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the formation of words by adding prefixes or suffixes to a compound or phrase. (Examples:) <BR> <I>Ex. free trade + -er = free-trader; great heart + -ed = great-hearted.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="parasynthetic">
<B>parasynthetic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having to do with parasynthesis. <BR> <I>Ex. Parasynthetic compounds of this same type are dressmaker, innkeeper, ... and woodpecker (Simeon Potter).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="paratactic">
<B>paratactic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of, having to do with, or characterized by parataxis. adv. <B>paratactically.</B> </DL>
<B>parataxis, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Grammar.) the arranging of clauses one after the other without connectives showing the relation between them. (Example:) The rain fell; the river flooded; the house was washed away. </DL>
<A NAME="parathion">
<B>parathion, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a yellow or brown liquid, highly toxic to man, that is used to kill mites, aphids, and other insect pests. </DL>
<A NAME="parathormone">
<B>parathormone, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the hormone produced by the parathyroid glands, which regulates the way the body uses calcium and phosphorus. </DL>
<A NAME="parathyroid">
<B>parathyroid, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>near the thyroid gland. <DD><B> 2. </B>of, having to do with, or obtained from the parathyroid glands. <BR> <I>Ex. Parathyroid extract can increase survival following irradiation by more than 50% (Science News Letter). Parathyroid hormone ... directs the removal of calcium from bone and its release into the blood (Time).</I> <DD><I>noun </I> one of the parathyroid glands. </DL>
<A NAME="parathyroidectomize">
<B>parathyroidectomize, </B>transitive verb, <B>-mized,</B> <B>-mizing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> to perform a parathyroidectomy on. </DL>
<A NAME="parathyroidectomy">
<B>parathyroidectomy, </B>noun, pl. <B>-mies.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the surgical removal of a parathyroid gland or glands. </DL>
<A NAME="parathyroidglands">
<B>parathyroid glands,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> small endocrine glands in or near the thyroid gland. Their secretion, which enables the body to use calcium and phosphorous, is necessary for life. There are usually four parathyroid glands. </DL>
<A NAME="paratransit">
<B>para-transit, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> transportation for carrying people from one place to another intermediate between conventional private and public forms of transportation. <BR> <I>Ex. Para-transit covered a multitude of services, including shared taxis, jitney buses, dial-a-ride, and car pools (Richard Casement).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="paratroop">
<B>paratroop, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with paratroops. <BR> <I>Ex. a paratroop division.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="paratrooper">
<B>paratrooper, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a soldier trained to use a parachute for descent from an aircraft into a battle area or behind enemy lines. </DL>
<A NAME="paratroops">
<B>paratroops, </B>noun pl.<DL COMPACT><DD> troops trained to use parachutes for descent from an aircraft into a battle area or behind enemy lines. </DL>
<A NAME="paratuberculosis">
<B>paratuberculosis, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a usually fatal, bacterial disease of cattle, sheep, and goats characterized by intestinal infection; Johne's disease. </DL>
<A NAME="paratyphoid">
<B>paratyphoid, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> of the nature of or having to do with paratyphoid fever. <DD><I>noun </I> <B>=paratyphoid fever.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="paratyphoidfever">
<B>paratyphoid fever,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a bacterial disease resembling typhoid fever but usually milder, caused by salmonella organisms. It occurs in different varieties and with different effects in man, domestic fowl, and other animals. </DL>
<A NAME="paravance">
<B>paravance,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (French.) in advance. </DL>
<A NAME="paravane">
<B>paravane, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a device shaped somewhat like a torpedo, with sawlike teeth at the front end and sides, towed usually as one of a pair at an angle outward from the stern of a minesweeper or destroyer so as to cut the mooring cables of mines, causing them to rise to the surface of the water at a safe distance from the ship, where they are exploded or sunk by gunfire. <DD><B> 2. </B>a somewhat similar device loaded with a heavy explosive charge and linked to the vessel by a cable through which it may be exploded electrically, used against submarines. </DL>
