PE'ONY, _a plant of the genus_ PAEONIA, _having beautiful showy flowers_:
"Paeon," its discoverer.
PET'REL, _an ocean bird_: diminutive of Peter, probably so called in
allusion to "St. Peter's" walking on the sea.
PHA'ETON, _an open carriage_: "Phaethon," the fabled son of Phoebus or the
Sun, whose chariot he attempted to drive.
PINCH'BECK, _an alloy of copper and zinc resembling gold_: said to be from
one "Pinchbeck," the inventor.
QUAS'SIA, _a bitter wood used as a tonic_: "Quassy," a negro who discovered
its qualities.
RODOMONTADE', _vainbluster_: "Rodomonte," a boasting hero who figures in
Ariosto's poem of the _Orlando Furioso_.
SILHOUETTE (sil oo et'), _the outline of an object filled in with black
color_: "Silhouette" (see Webster).
TAN'TALIZE, _to torment or tease_: "Tantalus," according to the poets, an
ancient king of Phrygia, who was made to stand up to the chin in water with
fruit hanging over his head, but from whom both receded when he wished to
partake.
TYPHOON', _a violent hurricane which occurs in the Chinese seas_: "Typhon,"
a fabled giant who was taught to produce them.
VOLCA'NO, _a burning mountain_: "Vulcan," the god of fire.
2.--ADJECTIVES.
AMER'ICAN, _relating to America_: from "Amerigo (Latin, _Americus_)
Vespucci"--contemporary of Columbus.
A'RIAN, _relating to Arius_: a theologian of the 4th century who denied the
divinity of Christ.
ARISTOTE'LIAN, _relating to the deductive method of reasoning set forth by
Aristotle_: a Greek philosopher of the 4th century B.
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