📖 P — The English dictionary · page 7

paralyse — Everyday, meaning 1: To paralyse someone is to make them lose the ability to move part or all of their body, through injury or illness.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To paralyse something is to stop it working or moving normally, as snow can paralyse a city.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To be paralysed with fear means to be so frightened that you cannot move or act.↗ Example: The accident paralysed his legs, so he uses a wheelchair.↗ · The spider's venom paralyses the fly.↗ · Heavy snow paralysed the city for three days.↗ · She was paralysed with fear when she saw the bear.↗ · The power cut paralysed the trains.↗ · Some illnesses can paralyse muscles for a short time.↗ · Therein lives a poor paralysed girl; the window of her little room looks northward, the sun does not enter here.↗

paralysis — Everyday, meaning 1: Loss of the ability to move some or all of the body, usually because of injury or illness to the nerves.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A state of not being able to act, decide or work.↗ e.g. "a paralysis of fear", "traffic paralysis".↗ Example: After the accident he had paralysis in his legs.↗ · Polio once caused paralysis in many children.↗ · The snowstorm caused paralysis on the roads.↗ · She stood in a paralysis of fear.↗ · Some spiders' bites cause paralysis in insects.↗ · Many athletes with paralysis compete in the Paralympics.↗

paramecia — Everyday, meaning 1: Paramecia are tiny one-celled living things that live in fresh water and are shaped like a slipper; they swim using tiny hairs called cilia.↗ Example: We saw paramecia under the microscope.↗ · Paramecia live in pond water.↗ · Paramecia swim by waving tiny hairs called cilia.↗ · One paramecium is too small to see with your eyes.↗ · The paramecia ate the bacteria in the drop of water.↗ · Paramecia are shaped a bit like a slipper.↗

paramecium — Everyday, meaning 1: A paramecium is a tiny living thing made of just one cell, shaped like a slipper, that lives in ponds and fresh water.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: It moves by beating thousands of tiny hairs called cilia and can only be seen with a microscope.↗ Example: We saw a paramecium in a drop of pond water.↗ · A paramecium is made of just one cell.↗ · The paramecium swam fast using its tiny hairs.↗ · You need a microscope to see a paramecium.↗ · The teacher drew a paramecium shaped like a slipper.↗ · A paramecium eats bacteria.↗ · Many paramecia were moving on the slide.↗

paramedic — Everyday, meaning 1: A paramedic is a trained person who gives emergency medical help to sick or hurt people and takes them to hospital in an ambulance.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A paramedic works fast at the scene of an accident, at home or in the street, before a doctor can see the patient.↗ Example: The paramedics arrived in an ambulance with flashing lights.↗ · A paramedic checked the boy's breathing and pulse.↗ · Mum called 999 and the paramedics came in ten minutes.↗ · The paramedic put a bandage on the cyclist's leg.↗ · My uncle trained for years to become a paramedic.↗ · Paramedics carried the old man to the ambulance on a stretcher.↗ · When you call for help, stay calm so the paramedics can find you quickly.↗

paramilitary — Everyday, meaning 1: adjective.↗ e.g. Organised like an army, but not part of a country's official army.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: noun.↗ e.g. A group like this, or a member of it.↗ Example: Paramilitary groups fought during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.↗ · The police sent in a paramilitary unit.↗ · The news reported attacks by paramilitaries.↗ · They wore paramilitary uniforms but were not soldiers.↗ · Peace agreements asked paramilitaries to give up their weapons.↗ · The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 helped bring peace in Northern Ireland.↗

paramount — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) Paramount means more important than anything else.↗ Example: On a school trip, safety is paramount.↗ · The welfare of the child is paramount.↗ · Honesty is of paramount importance.↗ · For the climbers, good ropes were paramount.↗ · In a fire, getting out quickly is paramount.↗ · Clean water is paramount for health.↗

paranoid — Everyday, meaning 1: (everyday) Too worried that people are against you, talking about you or trying to trick you, without good reason.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (medicine) Having an illness that makes a person have strong false beliefs that others want to harm them.↗ Example: I'm paranoid that I left the oven on.↗ · Don't be paranoid; they weren't laughing at you.↗ · He became paranoid that someone was reading his diary.↗ · It's sensible to be careful online, not paranoid.↗ · She felt paranoid after the scary film and checked the locks twice.↗ · The doctor helped the paranoid patient feel safe.↗

parapet — Everyday, meaning 1: A parapet is a low wall along the edge of a bridge, roof or tower, to stop people falling off.↗ Example: The monster rested a claw on the parapet of the bridge.↗ · The fox leaned over the parapet and smiled.↗ · Stand back from the parapet on the roof.↗ · When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a parapet for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thy house, if any man fall from thence.↗ (Torah DEU.22.8, JPS 1917)↗

paraphrase — Everyday, meaning 1: To paraphrase is to say or write the same thing again in other words.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A paraphrase is the new sentence that says the same thing in different words.↗ Example: Paraphrase the problem before you solve it.↗ · She paraphrased the question.↗ · Write a paraphrase of the story.↗ · Paraphrase the paragraph without copying the author's words.↗ · To paraphrase my teacher: «Check your work twice».↗ · His paraphrase kept all the facts.↗ · Can you paraphrase what your partner said?↗ · Source.--I have paraphrased the well-known poem of Hon.↗

parasite — Everyday, meaning 1: A parasite is a living thing that lives on or inside another living thing and takes its food from it, often harming it: fleas, lice, ticks and tapeworms are parasites.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A person who lives off other people and gives nothing back is called a parasite (an unkind word).↗ Example: A flea is a tiny parasite that lives on dogs and cats.↗ · Ticks are parasites that suck blood.↗ · The vet gave our puppy medicine against parasites.↗ · Head lice are parasites that live in hair.↗ · Mistletoe is a plant parasite that grows on trees.↗ · Some parasites live inside the stomach of animals.↗ · In the story the lazy cousin was called a parasite because he never helped.↗

parasitic — Everyday, meaning 1: Living on or inside another living thing (the host) and taking food from it, often harming it.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Caused by parasites: a parasitic disease.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (about people, disapproving) Taking from others without giving anything back.↗ Example: Head lice are parasitic insects that live in hair.↗ · Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows on trees.↗ · Some wasps are parasitic and lay eggs inside caterpillars.↗ · Washing your hands helps stop parasitic worms spreading.↗ · The vet gave the dog a tablet for parasitic worms.↗ · The story's villain lived a parasitic life, spending other people's money.↗

parasitism — Everyday, meaning 1: (science) A way of living in which one living thing (the parasite) lives on or inside another (the host) and takes food from it, harming it.↗ Example: Fleas on a dog are an example of parasitism.↗ · We learned about parasitism in science.↗ · The cuckoo's tricks are a kind of parasitism.↗ · Mistletoe lives by parasitism on trees.↗ · Parasitism harms the host.↗ · Ticks live by parasitism and can spread disease.↗

parasol — Everyday, meaning 1: A parasol is a small umbrella held over the head to keep off the sun.↗ Example: The lady held a pink parasol against the sun.↗ · A slave held a great parasol over his head.↗ · She sheltered her face with a silk parasol.↗

parcel — Everyday, meaning 1: A thing or things wrapped in paper or put in a box so it can be sent by post or given to someone.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A piece of land.↗ e.g. "a parcel of land".↗ Everyday, meaning 3: As a verb, "parcel up" means wrap something into a package, and "parcel out" means share something out in parts.↗ Example: A parcel came for Mum this morning.↗ · The parcel weighs 2 kilograms.↗ · We played pass the parcel at Ella's party.↗ · Please do not open a parcel addressed to someone else.↗ · The farmer sold a small parcel of land.↗ · Grandma parcelled up some cookies and sent them to us.↗ · The teacher parcelled out the jobs among the groups.↗ · Getting wet is part and parcel of a camping trip.↗ · One day the Emperor received a large parcel on which was written ‘The Nightingale.’↗ · And he bought the parcel of ground, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of money.↗ (Torah GEN.33.19, JPS 1917)↗ · And he said unto the near kinsman: 'Naomi, that is come back out of the field of Moab, selleth the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's; (Writings RUT.4.3, JPS 1917)↗

parched — Everyday, meaning 1: Very dry because of heat and lack of rain.↗ e.g. "parched fields".↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) Very thirsty.↗ e.g. "I'm parched!"↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (of food) Dried or roasted, as in "parched corn".↗ Example: After the long summer, the grass was parched.↗ · "I'm parched!↗ Can I have some water?"↗ · The farmer looked sadly at his parched fields.↗ · The desert sun parched the travellers' lips.↗ · Rain finally fell on the parched earth.↗ · Drink water often on hot days so you don't get parched.↗ · He could hardly draw breath he was so worn out, and his mouth was parched by thirst.↗ · And if thou bring a meal-offering of first-fruits unto the LORD, thou shalt bring for the meal-offering of thy first-fruits corn in the ear parched with fire, even groats of the fresh ear.↗ (Torah LEV.2.14, JPS 1917)↗ · And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor fresh ears, until this selfsame day, until ye have brought the offering of your God; it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.↗ (Torah LEV.23.14, JPS 1917)↗ · The wilderness and the parched land shall be glad; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.↗ (Prophets ISA.35.1, JPS 1917)↗ · brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and meal, and parched corn, and beans, and lentils, and parched pulse, (Prophets 2SA.17.28, JPS 1917)↗ · God maketh the solitary to dwell in a house; He bringeth out the prisoners into prosperity; the rebellious dwell but in a parched land.↗ (Writings PSA.68.7, JPS 1917)↗

parchment — Everyday, meaning 1: A material for writing on, made long ago from the thin, dried skin of a sheep, goat or calf.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A document written on it: an old parchment.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Thick, stiff, yellowish paper made to look like it (parchment paper); also baking paper.↗ Example: Magna Carta was written on parchment.↗ · The White Rabbit unrolled the parchment scroll.↗ · The pirate's map was drawn on old parchment.↗ · Monks copied books onto parchment by hand.↗ · Line the cake tin with baking parchment.↗ · The old man's skin looked like parchment.↗ · We made our certificates look like parchment.↗ · CLIO, the muse of History, holds in her hand a roll of parchment, and wears a wreath of laurel.↗

pardon — Everyday, meaning 1: (polite) A word you say when you did not hear what someone said and want them to repeat it.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (polite) Pardon me: sorry, or excuse me, after a small accident such as a burp or bumping someone.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: An official decision that a person will not be punished for a crime.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (verb, formal) To forgive someone or free them from punishment.↗ Example: Pardon?↗ I didn't hear the question.↗ · Pardon me, could I get past?↗ · I beg your pardon, I think that is my seat.↗ · The king pardoned the thief.↗ · The prisoner was given a pardon.↗ · Pardon me for asking, but where did you buy that hat?↗ · «Pardon my French,» said Dad after he swore at the traffic.↗ · Will you please pardon my rudeness?↗ · And the LORD said: 'I have pardoned according to thy word.↗ (Torah NUM.14.20, JPS 1917)↗ · Take heed of him, and hearken unto his voice; be not rebellious against him; for he will not pardon your transgression; for My name is in him.↗ (Torah EXO.23.21, JPS 1917)↗ · Pardon, I pray Thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of Thy lovingkindness, and according as Thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.'↗ (Torah NUM.14.19, JPS 1917)↗ · We have transgressed and have rebelled; Thou hast not pardoned.↗ (Writings LAM.3.42, JPS 1917)↗ · For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying: 'The good LORD pardon (Writings 2CH.30.18, JPS 1917)↗ · Happy is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is pardoned.↗ (Writings PSA.32.1, JPS 1917)↗

pare — Everyday, meaning 1: To cut away the thin outer skin or edge of something, such as fruit or nails, with a knife.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To make something smaller bit by bit: «pare down», «pare back» costs or a list.↗ Example: Mum pared the apple in one long curly strip.↗ · Use a paring knife to pare the potatoes.↗ · We had to pare down our list of party guests.↗ · The school pared back spending on trips this year.↗ · She pared her story down to 300 words.↗ · Grandpa pared his fingernails on the porch.↗ · then thou shalt bring her home to thy house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; (Torah DEU.21.12, JPS 1917)↗

parent — Everyday, meaning 1: A parent is a mother or a father.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A parent is also any adult who brings up a child, like a step-parent or a foster parent.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To parent is to bring up and look after a child.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: A parent animal or plant is one that has young.↗ Example: 12 parents came to the school play.↗ · Each child brought 1 parent to the trip.↗ · Tickets cost 5 dollars for parents and 3 for children.↗ · How many parents came if 20 children came with both parents?↗ · Please give this letter to your parents.↗ · Baby birds are fed by their parents.↗ · Some children live with one parent.↗ · Ask your parent or carer before you go online.↗ · Kittens look like their parents.↗ · Youth’s first duty is reverence to parents.↗ · The Third Path is the Sanctifying Intelligence, and is the basis of foundation of Primordial Wisdom, which is called the Former of faith, and its roots, Amen; and it is the parent of Faith, from which virtues doth Faith emanate.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887)↗