📖 P — The English dictionary · page 32

pit — Everyday, meaning 1: A pit is a large hole in the ground, dug by people or made naturally.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A pit is a coal mine (UK).↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (US, Canada) A pit is the hard stone in the middle of some fruits, like a peach or cherry.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: In motor racing, the pits are the place beside the track where cars stop for fuel and new tyres.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: (slang, UK) A very messy room or place can be called a pit.↗ Everyday, meaning 6: To pit one person against another is to make them compete or fight.↗ Everyday, meaning 7: The pit of your stomach is the deep inside of your belly, where you feel fear.↗ Everyday, meaning 8: Pit can also mean the hollow place under your arm, the armpit.↗ Example: The workers dug a deep pit for the new pond.↗ · (Bible) Joseph's brothers threw him into a dry pit.↗ · My great-grandad worked down the pit in Wales.↗ · (US) Be careful not to swallow the cherry pit.↗ · The racing car came into the pits for new tyres.↗ · The final pitted our school against last year's champions.↗ · I had a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach before the test.↗ · (informal) Losing the match in the last minute was the pits.↗ · (slang, UK) Your bedroom is a total pit — tidy it!↗ · “Here, in my left arm-pit,” answered he.↗ · And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.↗ (Torah GEN.37.29, JPS 1917)↗ · and they took him, and cast him into the pit — and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.↗ (Torah GEN.37.24, JPS 1917)↗ · the owner of the pit shall make it good; he shall give money unto the owner of them, and the dead beast shall be his.↗ (Torah EXO.21.34, JPS 1917)↗ · For they have digged a pit for my soul.↗ (Prophets JER.18.20, JPS 1917)↗ · Terror and the pit are come upon us, desolation and destruction.↗ (Writings LAM.3.47, JPS 1917)↗ · That he should still live alway, that he should not see the pit.↗ (Writings PSA.49.10, JPS 1917)↗

pitch — Everyday, meaning 1: A pitch is a field marked out for a sport, like a football, rugby or cricket pitch (mainly UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Pitch is how high or low a sound is.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To pitch a tent means to put it up.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: To pitch means to throw a ball, especially in baseball or softball, and a pitch is that throw.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: Pitch black or pitch dark means completely dark.↗ Everyday, meaning 6: Pitch is a black sticky substance made from tar.↗ Everyday, meaning 7: A pitch is a talk to persuade people, like a sales pitch.↗ Everyday, meaning 8: To pitch can mean to fall forward or a ship rocking up and down.↗ Everyday, meaning 9: Pitch can also mean the highest or lowest level of something, like a level of excitement.↗ Early Modern English, meaning 1: In the Torah "pitch" means to set up a tent or camp; in the fairy tale it means a high degree, as in "to the highest pitch".↗ Example: The football pitch was muddy after the rain.↗ · A whistle has a very high pitch.↗ · Tighten the guitar string to make the pitch higher.↗ · We pitched our tent near the lake.↗ · He threw the fastest pitch of the game.↗ · The cave was pitch black.↗ · Everyone pitched in to clean up the classroom.↗ · The mouse made a high-pitched squeak.↗ · She made a great pitch for her idea.↗ · His words excited my curiosity to the highest pitch.↗ · And they journeyed from Dophkah, and pitched in Alush.↗ (Torah NUM.33.13, JPS 1917)↗ · And they journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and pitched in Hazeroth.↗ (Torah NUM.33.17, JPS 1917)↗ · And they journeyed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah.↗ (Torah NUM.33.18, JPS 1917)↗ · And Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.↗ (Prophets 2SA.17.26, JPS 1917)↗ · Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves against Lehi.↗ (Prophets JDG.15.9, JPS 1917)↗ · And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way.↗ (Prophets 1SA.26.3, JPS 1917)↗ · The families of the Gershonites were to pitch behind the tabernacle westward;↗ (Torah NUM.3.23, JPS 1917) · His words excited my curiosity to the highest pitch.↗ (The Arabian Nights Entertainments) · The families of the sons of Kohath were to pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward;↗ (Torah NUM.3.29, JPS 1917)

pitcher — Everyday, meaning 1: A pitcher is a large jug with a handle and a lip for pouring drinks such as water, milk or juice (US: any jug; UK: often a big pottery jug).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (sport) In baseball and softball, the pitcher is the player who throws the ball to the batter.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A pitcher plant is a plant with jug-shaped leaves that trap and digest insects.↗ Example: Please fill the pitcher with cold water.↗ · A pitcher of lemonade stood on the picnic table.↗ · The pitcher holds 2 litres; how many 250 ml cups can you fill?↗ · Our team's pitcher threw three strikes in a row.↗ · She wants to be the pitcher in the softball team.↗ · A pitcher plant traps flies inside its slippery leaves.↗ · Dad poured milk from the pitcher into our glasses.↗ · So saying, she broke her pitcher and went home.↗ · And she said: 'Drink, my lord'; and she hastened, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.↗ (Torah GEN.24.18, JPS 1917)↗ · And the servant ran to meet her, and said: 'Give me to drink, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher.'↗ (Torah GEN.24.17, JPS 1917)↗ · And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said: Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also.↗ (Torah GEN.24.46, JPS 1917)↗ · The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!↗ (Writings LAM.4.2, JPS 1917)↗ · And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them horns, and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers.↗ (Prophets JDG.7.16, JPS 1917)↗ · Before the silver cord is snapped asunder, and the golden bowl is shattered, and the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel falleth shattered, into the pit; (Writings ECC.12.6, JPS 1917)↗

pitchfork — Everyday, meaning 1: A pitchfork is a farm tool with a long handle and two or three metal prongs, used for lifting hay.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) «Raining pitchforks» means raining very hard.↗ Example: The farmers came with rakes, brooms and pitchforks.↗ · It was so dark he could see nothing, and it was raining pitchforks.↗ · He lifted the hay with a pitchfork.↗

pitchy — Everyday, meaning 1: Pitchy means as black as pitch, the sticky black stuff made from tar.↗ Old use, found in fairy tales.↗ Example: Upon the ground the land was pitchy black.↗ · The cave was pitchy dark.↗ · Her hair was pitchy black.↗

piteous — Everyday, meaning 1: Piteous means so sad or weak that it makes people feel pity.↗ Old use, found in older stories.↗ Example: They heard a loud, piteous cry.↗ · His piteous sobs filled the room.↗ · Her piteous face made everyone feel sorry.↗

piteously — Everyday, meaning 1: In a way that makes people feel pity, very sadly.↗ Example: The puppy whined piteously at the door.↗ · Toad wept piteously in his dungeon.↗ · The kitten mewed piteously in the rain.↗ · The lost lamb bleated piteously.↗ · The baby cried piteously all night.↗ · He begged piteously for help.↗ · The Mouse, terrified, piteously entreated him to spare its life.↗

pitiable — Everyday, meaning 1: Pitiable means so poor, weak or sad that people feel pity for it.↗ Example: He returned in a pitiable condition.↗ · The poor dog looked pitiable in the rain.↗

pitiful — Everyday, meaning 1: Pitiful means making you feel sorry for someone.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Pitiful can also mean very poor or useless: a pitiful effort.↗ Example: Pinocchio told his pitiful tale.↗ · The lost kitten gave a pitiful mew.↗ · His effort was pitiful; he scored only one goal.↗

pitifully — Everyday, meaning 1: In a way that makes people feel pity.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Disappointingly, very: «pitifully small», «pitifully few».↗ Example: The stray dog was pitifully thin.↗ · The kitten cried pitifully.↗ · Only a pitifully small crowd came.↗ · He sobbed pitifully when his toy broke.↗ · The house was pitifully cold.↗ · There were pitifully few apples left.↗ · The merchant, protesting his innocence, bewailed his wife and children, and tried pitifully to avert his fate.↗

pitiless — Everyday, meaning 1: Pitiless means showing no kindness or pity; cruel.↗ Example: The king was a stern and pitiless ruler.↗ · The wicked witch was pitiless to the girl.↗ · The storm was pitiless.↗

pitta — Everyday, meaning 1: Pitta (or pita) is a flat round or oval bread from the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East that can be opened into a pocket and filled with food.↗ Example: I had a pitta filled with chicken and salad.↗ · Cut the pitta open to make a pocket.↗ · We dipped pitta bread in hummus.↗ · Toast the pitta so it puffs up.↗ · Mum packed a cheese pitta for my lunch.↗ · Falafel tastes great in a warm pitta.↗

pituitary — Everyday, meaning 1: (science) The pituitary gland is a small gland, about the size of a pea, under the brain; it makes hormones that control growth and many other body processes.↗ Example: The pituitary gland is about the size of a pea.↗ · The pituitary makes growth hormone.↗ · Doctors checked her pituitary gland.↗ · The pituitary is called the master gland.↗ · The pituitary sits just below the brain.↗ · Hormones from the pituitary travel in the blood.↗

pity — Everyday, meaning 1: Pity is a feeling of sadness for someone who is suffering or in trouble.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: «It's a pity» or «what a pity» means it is sad or a shame that something happened.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To pity someone means to feel sorry for them.↗ Example: I felt pity for the lost puppy in the rain.↗ · It's a pity you can't come to my party.↗ · What a pity the match was cancelled!↗ · The giant took pity on the hungry boy and gave him bread.↗ · She doesn't want pity; she wants help.↗ · I pity anyone who has to walk home in this storm.↗ · It would be a pity to waste all this food.↗ · That would have been a pity.↗ · then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall have no pity.↗ (Torah DEU.25.12, JPS 1917)↗ · And thine eye shall not pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.↗ (Torah DEU.19.21, JPS 1917)↗ · thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him; (Torah DEU.13.8, JPS 1917)↗ · For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem?↗ (Prophets JER.15.5, JPS 1917)↗ · Then was the LORD jealous for His land, and had pity on His people.↗ (Prophets JOL.2.18, JPS 1917)↗ · and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.'↗ (Prophets 2SA.12.6, JPS 1917)↗

pityingly — Everyday, meaning 1: Pityingly means in a way that shows you feel sorry for someone.↗ Example: "You poor fellow," said the boy pityingly.↗ · He looked at the hare pityingly.↗ · She shook her head pityingly.↗

pivot — Everyday, meaning 1: A pivot is the fixed point or pin on which something turns or balances.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To pivot is to turn around on one point.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A pivot is the most important part that everything else depends on.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: In basketball and netball, to pivot is to keep one foot still and turn on it.↗ Example: A seesaw balances on a pivot in the middle.↗ · The pivot of a pair of scissors is the screw that joins the blades.↗ · In netball you can pivot on your landing foot.↗ · She pivoted and ran the other way.↗ · The door pivots on its hinges.↗ · Move the weight further from the pivot to lift more.↗ · The whole plan pivoted on the weather.↗ · The compass needle turns on a tiny pivot.↗

pixel — Everyday, meaning 1: A pixel is one of the tiny coloured dots or squares that make up a picture on a screen or a digital photo.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Pixels are also a way of measuring screen or picture size: 1,920 pixels wide.↗ Example: Zoom in on the photo and you can see each pixel.↗ · We made pixel art of a cat on squared paper.↗ · My camera takes 12-megapixel photos.↗ · The image went blocky and pixelated when I stretched it.↗ · Each pixel can show millions of colours.↗ · A picture 8 pixels by 8 pixels has 64 pixels in total.↗

pixie — Everyday, meaning 1: A small make-believe creature in stories, like a tiny elf or fairy with pointed ears, who loves mischief.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) A small, lively, cheeky child or person.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A «pixie cut» or «pixie hat» is a very short hairstyle or a pointed hat.↗ Example: A tiny pixie hid in the flowerpot.↗ · The pixies played tricks on the farmer.↗ · She got a pixie cut at the hairdresser.↗ · 5 pixies shared 20 berries equally.↗ · Grandma knitted me a red pixie hat.↗ · Peter Pan uses fairy dust, not pixie dust!↗ · My little sister is a real pixie, always dancing about.↗

pixy — Everyday, meaning 1: A small magical creature in stories, like a fairy or elf, often with pointed ears and a pointed hat, known for tricks.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) A pixie cut is a very short hairstyle.↗ Example: The pixy hid the farmer's boots.↗ · In the story, pixies danced in a ring of mushrooms.↗ · Tinker Bell sprinkles pixie dust.↗ · She wore a pointy pixie hat in the snow.↗ · My sister got a pixie cut.↗ · Grandma says pixies live under the old bridge.↗ · In fact, they were up to all kinds of mischief; and Dame Goody knew that she had got into a house of pixies.↗

pizza — Everyday, meaning 1: A pizza is a flat round bread baked with tomato, cheese and other toppings on top.↗ It comes from Italy.↗ Example: A pizza is cut into 8 slices.↗ · Tom ate 3 slices of the pizza.↗ · They ordered 4 pizzas for 12 children.↗ · Each pizza costs 9 dollars.↗ · We had pizza for dinner on Friday.↗ · What toppings do you like on your pizza?↗ · If you eat 2 of 8 slices, you eat a quarter of the pizza.↗ · Pizza comes from Italy.↗