<B>pulsejet, </B>noun, or <B>pulsejet engine,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a type of jet engine into which the air necessary for the burning of the fuel is admitted by valves in spurts; resonant jet; aeroresonator. <BR> <I>Ex. This helicopter was powered with pulsejets, which is what the Nazi V-1 buzz bombs were (Harper's).</I> </DL>
<B>pulser, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Electronics.) an instrument that produces recurring high voltage pulses of short duration. <BR> <I>Ex. The voltage required ... is provided by an electronic pulser, which removes the voltage from the crystal in less than 10 nanoseconds (New Scientist).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="pulses">
<B>pulses, </B>noun pl.<DL COMPACT><DD> See under <B>pulse</B> (1). </DL>
<A NAME="pulsetaker">
<B>pulse-taker, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) a person who seeks to find out what views or sentiments are held and by what proportion of the people, or any particular segment of the people. <BR> <I>Ex. Farm pulse-takers now predict a similar outcome in votes late this year (Wall Street Journal).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="pulsetaking">
<B>pulse-taking, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) the process of conducting a survey to find out what views or sentiments are popular in respect to a subject. </DL>
<A NAME="pulsetimemodulation">
<B>pulse-time modulation,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a system of radio transmission in which successive electromagnetic waves of short duration, timed to transmit the amplitude and pitch of the signal, are produced by modulation of the carrier. (Abbr:) PTM (no periods). </DL>
<A NAME="pulsewarmer">
<B>pulse warmer,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a covering for the wrist to protect against cold; wristlet. </DL>
<A NAME="pulsewave">
<B>pulse wave,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the wave of raised tension and arterial expansion which starts from the aorta with each ventricular systole and travels to the capillaries. </DL>
<A NAME="pulsimeter">
<B>pulsimeter, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an instrument for measuring and recording the strength or quickness of the pulse. </DL>
<A NAME="pulsion">
<B>pulsion, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the act of driving or pushing forward. </DL>
<A NAME="pulsometer">
<B>pulsometer, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a pump operated by steam but having no piston. <DD><B> 2. </B><B>=pulsimeter.</B> </DL>
<B>pulu, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a yellowish, silky, vegetable wool obtained from the base of the leafstalks of the Hawaiian tree ferns, formerly used for stuffing pillows and mattresses. </DL>
<A NAME="pulv">
<B>pulv.,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> powder (used in prescriptions). </DL>
<A NAME="pulverable">
<B>pulverable, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> that can be reduced to dust or powder. </DL>
<B>pulverize, </B>verb, <B>-ized,</B> <B>-izing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to grind to powder or dust. <DD><B> 2. </B>to break to pieces; demolish. <BR> <I>Ex. The hurricane pulverized the houses on the beach. (Figurative.) to pulverize a wall of prejudice, (Figurative.) to pulverize the hopes of the people.</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> to become dust. <BR> <I>Ex. (Figurative.) The stern old faiths have all pulverized (Emerson).</I> noun <B>pulverization.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="pulverizer">
<B>pulverizer, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a person or thing that pulverizes. <DD><B> 2. </B>a machine for breaking the soil, crushing stone, or grinding grain. <DD><B> 3. </B>a bird that habitually rolls or wallows in the dust or takes sand baths. </DL>
<B>pulverulent, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>consisting of fine powder. <DD><B> 2. </B>crumbling to dust. <BR> <I>Ex. pulverulent rock.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>covered with dust or powder. </DL>
<A NAME="pulvillus">
<B>pulvillus, </B>noun, pl. <B>-villi.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a cushionlike pad or process on the foot of an insect, such as the fly, by which it can adhere to walls and ceilings. </DL>
<B>pulvinus, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ni.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> any cushionlike swelling at the base of a leaf or leaflet atthe point of junction with the axis. </DL>
<A NAME="puma">
<B>puma, </B>noun, pl. <B>-mas</B> or (collectively) <B>-ma.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a large, tawny wildcat found in many parts of North and South America; cougar; mountain lion; panther. <DD><B> 2. </B>its fur. </DL>
<A NAME="pumice">
<B>pumice, </B>noun, verb, <B>-iced,</B> <B>-icing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> a light, spongy natural glass thrown up from volcanoes, used for cleaning, smoothing, and polishing. Pumice can be used in both lump and powdered form. <BR> <I>Ex. Pumice, which comes from lava, has long been used for grinding and polishing, and for the building of roads (Frank Press).</I> <DD><I>v.t. </I> to clean, smooth, or polish with pumice. <BR> <I>Ex. to pumice one's skin. The slab is then pumiced to reduce it to a level surface (Ernest Spon).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="pumiceous">
<B>pumiceous, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> consisting of or resembling pumice. </DL>
<A NAME="pumicestone">
<B>pumice stone,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> pumice in lump form. </DL>
<A NAME="pummel">
<B>pummel, </B>verb, <B>-meled,</B> <B>-meling</B> or (especially British) <B>-melled,</B> <B>-melling,</B> noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t., v.i. </I> to strike or beat; beat with the fists; pommel. <DD><I>noun </I> <B>=pommel.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="pummelo">
<B>pummelo, </B>noun, pl. <B>-los.</B> <B>=pomelo.</B></DL>
<A NAME="pump">
<B>pump</B> (1), noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a machine for forcing liquids, air, or gas into or out of things. <BR> <I>Ex. a water pump, an oil pump. The design of rocket pumps again demands careful choice of materials (D. Hurden).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>any medium or device used for raising atoms to an excited state. <DD><B> 3. </B>the act of pumping. <DD><B> 4. </B>(Informal.) the heart. <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to move (liquids or gases) by a pump. <BR> <I>Ex. Pump water from the well into the pail.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to remove water or other liquid or gas from by a pump. <BR> <I>Ex. to pump out a flooded cellar, to pump a well dry.</I> <DD><B> 3a. </B>to provide (a laser) with the energy to raise atoms in its active medium, such as ruby or helium, to an excited state. <BR> <I>Ex. Many lasers ... are excited (or "pumped," as we say in the laboratory) by light. Others may be made to lase by radio waves, or by an electric current, or by chemical reactions (National Geographic Magazine).</I> <DD><B> b. </B>to raise (atoms) to an excited state by means of a light source or electron bombardment. <DD><B> 4. </B>to move by a pump handle. <BR> <I>Ex. (Figurative.) He pumped my hand.</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>(Figurative.) to draw, force, move up, pour forth, or eject, as if from a pump. <BR> <I>Ex. to pump air into one's lungs. Bill purchases by the Federal Reserve naturally have the opposite effect of pumping money into the banks (Wall Street Journal).</I> <DD><B> 6. </B>(Figurative.) to shoot or fire in a stream. <BR> <I>Ex. to pump shells into the enemy lines.</I> <DD><B> 7. </B>(Figurative.) to get information out of; try to get information out of. <BR> <I>Ex. Don't let them pump you.</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>to work a pump. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) to work as a pump does. <BR> <I>Ex. to pump for words.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>(Figurative.) to move up and down like a pump handle. <BR><I>expr. <B>prime the pump,</B> <DD><B> a. </B>to stimulate business or the economy, especially by government spending. </I> <I>Ex. The government can prime the pump by finding markets for equipment and by direct financial aid (New Scientist).</I> <DD><B> b. </B>to lead or encourage any activity or enterprise. <BR> <I>Ex. Meanwhile, he is priming the pump, with an eye on the political future which undoubtedly lies ahead of him (Sunday Times).</I> <BR><I>expr. <B>pump up,</B> </I>to inflate (an automobile tire, a football, or other object that is filled with a fluid such as compressed air) by pumping air into it. <BR> <I>Ex. to pump up the tire on a bicycle.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="pump">
<B>pump</B> (2), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a low shoe with a thin sole and no fasteners. <BR> <I>Ex. black patent-leather dancing pumps.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="pumpable">
<B>pumpable, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> that can be pumped. <BR> <I>Ex. It is a major problem to maintain a low-viscosity, readily pumpable mud at a high specific gravity (New Scientist).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="pumpaction">
<B>pump-action, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (of a shotgun or rifle) having a mechanism that ejects the used shell, reloads, and cocks the piece, by pushing a slide forward and back on the underside of the barrel. </DL>
<A NAME="pumpage">
<B>pumpage, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the work done in pumping. <DD><B> 2. </B>the quantity pumped. <BR> <I>Ex. Maximum pumpage rate of all stations totals 215,000,000 gallons daily (Wall Street Journal).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="pumpedstorage">
<B>pumped storage,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a system for generating electric power by using a man-made reservoir elevated over a body of water and pumping the water upwards by means of reversible turbines which then serve as generators as the water is released downwards. </DL>
<A NAME="pumper">
<B>pumper, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a fire engine with pumps for pumping water through a hose. <DD><B> 2. </B>a person or thing that pumps. </DL>
<A NAME="pumpernickel">
<B>pumpernickel, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a heavy, dark, slightly sour bread made from coarse, whole rye. </DL>
<A NAME="pumpgun">
<B>pump gun,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a rifle or shotgun from which a used shell may be ejected and a fresh one placed in firing position from a magazine by pushing a slide on the underside of the barrel forward and back. </DL>
<A NAME="pumphouse">
<B>pump house,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the place where a pump or pumps are installed and operate. </DL>
<A NAME="pumpingstation">
<B>pumping station,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> an installation of pumps used to propel water, oil, or gas through a pipeline, irrigation canal, or electrical generator. </DL>
