<B>paralyze, </B>transitive verb, <B>-lyzed,</B> <B>-lyzing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>to affect with a lessening or loss of the power of motion or feeling; palsy. <BR> <I>Ex. His left arm was paralyzed.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) to make powerless or helplessly inactive; make ineffective; cripple; stun; deaden. <BR> <I>Ex. Fear paralyzed my mind. I overcame the extreme shyness that had formerly paralyzed me in her presence (Washington Irving).</I> (SYN) benumb, stupefy. noun <B>paralyzer.</B> adv. <B>paralyzingly.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="paramagnet">
<B>paramagnet, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a paramagnetic body or substance. </DL>
<A NAME="paramagnetic">
<B>paramagnetic, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> having to do with a class of substances, such as liquid oxygen, whose capability of being magnetized is slightly greater than that of a vacuum or unity, though much less than that of iron. The magnetization of such a substance is parallel to the lines of force in a magnetic field and proportional to the intensity of the magnetic field. <DD><I>noun </I> a paramagnetic substance. adv. <B>paramagnetically.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="paramagnetism">
<B>paramagnetism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the phenomena exhibited by paramagnetic substances. </DL>
<A NAME="paramatta">
<B>paramatta, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a lightweight cloth with a cotton (formerly, silk) warp and a merino wool filling, used for dresses. Also, <B>parramatta.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="paramecium">
<B>paramecium, </B>noun, pl. <B>-cia.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> an extremely small, one-celled animal shaped like a slender slipper, covered with cilia, and having a groove along one side leading into an open mouth. Paramecia live in almost all fresh water. <BR> <I>Ex. One strain of paramecium--the 'killer' strain--can produce a toxin which destroys another strain--the 'sensitive' strain (G. M. Wyburn).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="paramedic">
<B>paramedic</B> (1), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a medical corpsman who parachutes from an aircraft. <BR> <I>Ex. the rescue plane with paramedics aboard (Chicago Tribune).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="paramedic">
<B>paramedic</B> (2), noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> a medical technician or other auxiliary worker in medicine. <DD><I>adj. </I> <B>=paramedical.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="paramedical">
<B>paramedical, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having to do with medicine in an auxiliary capacity; involving services or studies that are related to but not part of the medical profession. <BR> <I>Ex. The complexity of health problems has given rise to many paramedical callings, from the university physiologist to the hospital aide (Harper's).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="paramenstrual">
<B>paramenstrual, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with the paramenstruum. </DL>
<A NAME="paramenstruum">
<B>paramenstruum, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a period of eight days comprising the four days preceding menstruation and the first four days of menstruation. <BR> <I>Ex. Recent studies have shown that in women half of all medical and surgical admissions to hospital occur during the paramenstruum ... At this time women appear to have a lowered pain threshold, lowered resistance to infection, and an increased tendency to fever and allergy (London Times).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="parament">
<B>parament, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a decorative ecclesiastical vestment. </DL>
<A NAME="parameter">
<B>parameter, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>(Mathematics.) a constant in a particular calculation or case that varies in other cases, especially a constant occurring in the equation of a curve or surface, by the variation of which the equation is made to represent a family of such curves or surfaces. <DD><B> 2. </B>a measurable factor which helps with other such factors to define a system. <BR> <I>Ex. Various individual experiments have climbed past various obstacles to reach positions close to the break-even level. In fact, in some instances two of the three essential parameters (density, temperature and confinement time) have already been achieved (Scientific American).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>any defining or characteristic factor. <BR> <I>Ex. the mind with all its parameters and limits ingrained through years of constant failure to aim beyond the "feasible" and "allowable," the "probable" (Atlantic).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="parametric">
<B>parametric, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of, having to do with, or in the form of a parameter. adv. <B>parametrically.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="parametricamplifier">
<B>parametric amplifier,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a high-frequency amplifier of very low noise that amplifies a signal by varying the capacitance or inductance. </DL>
<A NAME="parametricconversion">
<B>parametric conversion,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a process for changing a beam of light of one frequency into two beams of different frequencies. <BR> <I>Ex. the parametric conversion of X rays.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="parametrize">
<B>parametrize, </B>transitive verb, <B>-trized,</B> <B>-trizing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> to determine the parameters of. <BR> <I>Ex. The nuclear charge distribution ... can be parametrized directly using a suitable mathematical form which does not necessarily have fundamental significance (New Scientist).</I> noun <B>parametrization.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="paramilitarism">
<B>paramilitarism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> paramilitary principles and practices. </DL>
<A NAME="paramilitary">
<B>paramilitary, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>organized militarily, but not part of or in cooperation with the official armed forces of a country. <DD><B> 2. </B>of or having to do with a military force so organized and its tactics. <BR> <I>Ex. In the paramilitary arenas of subversion, intimidation, and insurrection, an open and peaceful society is again at a disadvantage (John F. Kennedy).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="paramnesia">
<B>paramnesia, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a perversion of the memory characterized by the illusory impression of having previously experienced, seen, heard, or otherwise sensed that with or in which one is involved at a given moment and for the first time. <DD><B> 2. </B>a condition, technically a form of aphasia, in which the correct use of words cannot be recalled. </DL>
<A NAME="paramnesic">
<B>paramnesic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of, causing, or resembling paramnesia. <BR> <I>Ex. The whole place took on a paramnesic air of unreality (Time).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="paramo">
<B>paramo, </B>noun, pl. <B>-mos.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a high plateau region in tropical South America, especially in the Andes, often bare of all vegetation except mosses, lichens, and the like, and swept constantly by strong, cold winds. </DL>
<A NAME="paramorph">
<B>paramorph, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Mineralogy.) a pseudomorph formed by a change in molecular structure without a change in chemical composition. </DL>
<A NAME="paramorphic">
<B>paramorphic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of, having to do with, or resembling a paramorph. </DL>
<A NAME="paramorphism">
<B>paramorphism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the change of one mineral to another having the same chemical composition but a different molecular structure. </DL>
<A NAME="paramount">
<B>paramount, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> chief in importance; above others; supreme. <BR> <I>Ex. Truth is of paramount importance. ... to make Britain the paramount power in India (Macaulay).</I> <DD><I>noun </I> an overlord; supreme ruler. adv. <B>paramountly.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="paramountcy">
<B>paramountcy, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the condition or status of being paramount; supremacy. <BR> <I>Ex. We have a duty to them, the duty of recognising the paramountcy of business interests (Punch).</I> </DL>
<B>paramour, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a person who takes the place of a husband or wife illegally. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Archaic.) a lover. </DL>
<A NAME="paramylum">
<B>paramylum, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a starchlike food reserve found in certain one-celled organisms, such as euglena. </DL>
<A NAME="paramyosin">
<B>paramyosin, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a fibrous form of myosin that freezes muscle tension. <BR> <I>Ex. Many mollusks have special muscles, usually containing a high proportion of paramyosin, which can maintain powerful contractions over long periods with a low energy expenditure (Graham Hoyle).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="paramyxovirus">
<B>paramyxovirus, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any one of a group of viruses that includes the viruses causing mumps and various respiratory diseases. </DL>
<A NAME="paranapine">
<B>parana pine,</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>an araucaria of Brazil, grown for its lumber. <DD><B> 2. </B>the wood of this tree, used in building and construction. </DL>
<A NAME="paranee">
<B>paranee, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the object of a paranoiac's delusions. <BR> <I>Ex. Every paranoiac has ... paranees who just can't wait to confirm his delusions of grandeur and even feed on them (Harper's).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="paranephric">
<B>paranephric, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with a paranephros. </DL>
<B>parang, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a large, heavy knife, somewhat like a machete, used by the Malayans and others as a tool or weapon. <BR> <I>Ex. One of Lingard's seamen at once retaliated by striking at the ... savage with his parang--three such choppers brought for the purpose of clearing the bush (Joseph Conrad).</I> </DL>
<B>paranoia, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a form of psychosis in which a person imagines that he is being persecuted or that he is very great or important. People suffering from paranoia maintain their intelligence, although paranoia is a chronic disorder whose symptoms approach schizophrenia the closer the consciousness comes to realizing the conflicts of personality. <BR> <I>Ex. The "Napoleonic complex" disease, paranoia may take the form either of belief that one has unique ability or that all the world is plotting against one (New York Times).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>an irrational distrust of others; complex of persecution. </DL>
<A NAME="paranoiac">
<B>paranoiac, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> a person afflicted with paranoia. <DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>of or like paranoia. <DD><B> 2. </B>afflicted with paranoia. adv. <B>paranoiacally.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="paranoic">
<B>paranoic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or characterized by paranoia; paranoid. adv. <B>paranoically.</B> </DL>
