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public bar
be some psychological explanation for his bad health. 2 at the psychological moment infml just at the right time: If you ask him at the psychological moment, he may say yes. —cally /kli/ adv: psychologically unstable/disturbed
psy·cho·log·i·cal 'warfare n [U] action taken to lessen enemy courage and loyalty by spreading fear, anxiety, different political beliefs etc
psy·chol·o·gist /saɪˈkɒlədʒɪst||-ˈkaɪ-/ n 1 a person who is trained in psychology: police psychologists ➔ compare PSYCHIATRIST 2 infml a person who understands people's characters: He fancies himself as a bit of a psychologist. | a good psychologist
psy·chol·o·gy /saɪˈkɒlədʒi||-ˈkaɪ-/ n 1 [U] the study or science of the mind and the way it works and influences behaviour: educational psychology 2 [C,U] infml a particular person's character and the way this influences their behaviour 3 [U] infml cleverness in understanding people: You'll have to use a bit of psychology if you want to persuade them.
psy·cho·path /'saɪkəpæθ/ n a person who has a serious disorder of character that may cause violent or criminal behaviour ➔ compare SOCIOPATH —ic /ˌsaɪkə'pæθɪk / adj —ically /kli/ adv
psy·cho·sis /saɪˈkəʊsɪs/ n pl. -ses /siːz/ [C,U] a serious disorder of the mind that may produce character changes and makes one lose touch with reality ➔ see also PSYCHOTIC
psy·cho·so·mat·ic /ˌsaɪkəʊsəˈmætɪk||-kəsə-/ adj 1 (of an illness) caused by fear or anxiety in the mind rather than by a physical disorder 2 concerning the relationship between the mind and the body in illness: psychosomatic medicine —ally /kli/ adv
psy·cho·ther·a·py /ˌsaɪkəʊˈθerəpi/ n [U] tech the treatment of DEPRESSION, anger, and other strong feelings, as well as disorders of the mind using psychology rather than drugs, operations etc —pist n
psy·chot·ic /saɪˈkɒtɪk||-ˈkaɪ-/ adj, n tech (of or being) a person suffering from psychosis: psychotic behaviour | He became (a) psychotic. —ally /kli/ adv
psy·cho·tro·pic /ˌsaɪkəˈtrəʊpɪk / adj tech (of drugs) having an effect on your mind
pt written abbrev. for 1 part 2 payment 3 PINT(s) 4 point 5 (often cap.) port: Pt Moresby
PT /ˌpiː ˈtiː/ n [U] old-fash, especially BrE abbrev. for physical training (=physical exercise, especially as a school subject) ➔ see PE
PTA /ˌpiː tiː ˈeɪ/ n abbrev. for Parent-Teacher Association; an organization of parents and teachers that tries to help and improve a particular school: an active member of the PTA ➔ compare PTO²
PT boat /ˌpiː ˈtiː bəʊt/ n a small, fast boat used by the US military forces, especially during World War II. It was used especially for firing TORPEDOES (=explosive weapons that travel under the sea) at enemy ships. Many Americans remember that President John F. KENNEDY fought during World War II in a PT boat, called PT 109, and that when it was sunk, Kennedy led the men to safety.
Pte BrE the written abbrev. for PRIVATE²: Pte Larry Grossman
pter·o·dac·tyl /ˌterəˈdæktɪl||-tl, -tɪl/ n a flying animal that lived many millions of years ago
PTO¹ /ˌpiː tiː ˈəʊ/ n BrE abbrev. for please turn over; written at the bottom of a page to tell the reader to look at the next page
PTO² AmE abbrev. for Parent-Teacher Organization; a group of parents and teachers of a school who raise money for equipment, hold meetings and entertainments etc
Ptol·e·ma·ic sys·tem, the /ˌtɒlɪˈmeɪ-ɪk ˌsɪstəm||ˌtɑl-/ the idea developed by the scientist PTOLEMY in the 2nd century AD, according to which the Earth was at the centre of the universe with the sun, stars, and PLANETS all travelling in circles around it. This idea was generally believed to be true until the 16th century when Nicholas COPERNICUS developed the COPERNICAN SYSTEM and proved that the Ptolemaic System was wrong.
Ptol·e·my¹ /ˈtɒləmi||ˈtɑː-/ (?AD100-AD170) a Greek ASTRONOMER and MATHEMATICIAN who lived and worked in Egypt. He studied the stars, and believed that the Earth was at the centre of the universe, and that the stars, the sun, and the PLANETS all travelled in circles around the Earth. This idea is known as the Ptolemaic System, and it was generally believed to be true until Nicholas COPERNICUS proved that it was wrong at the beginning of the 16th century.
Ptolemy² the name used by the family of kings who ruled Egypt from the 4th century BC to the 1st century BC
pto·maine /ˈtəʊmeɪn, təʊˈmeɪn/ adj [A] concerning or caused by poisonous substances formed by bacteria in decaying meat: ptomaine poisoning
pty written abbrev for PROPRIETARY (used in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa after the name of a business company): Australian Wine Growers Pty
pub /pʌb/ also public house BrE infml — n (especially in Britain) a building, not a club or hotel, where alcohol may be bought and drunk during fixed hours: They've gone down to the pub. | the landlord of the pub ➔ see also LOCAL; compare BAR and see Feature on page A24
'pub,·crawl n especially BrE slang a visit to several pubs one after another, usually having a drink at each place. People who go on a pub-crawl are usually young men and often get drunk: Taxi-drivers dislike picking up people who have been on a pub-crawl. —pub-crawl v [I]
pu·ber·ty /ˈpjuːbətɪl-ər-/ n [U] the stage of change in the human body from childhood to the adult state in which it is possible to produce children
pubes /ˈpjuːbz/ n [P] infml PUBIC hair (=hair around the sexual organs)
pu·bic /ˈpjuːbɪk/ adj [A] of or near the sexual organs: pubic hair
pub·lic¹ /ˈpʌblɪk/ adj 1 [no comp.] of, for, or concerning people in general: The rise in drug-taking is a matter of public concern. | The regulations were changed as a result of public pressure. | The government's attitude to this is a public disgrace/scandal. 2 [no comp.] for the use of everyone; not private: a public fountain | Is this garden public? 3 [no comp.] connected with the government and the services it provides for the people: a new policy on public spending | to hold public office (=be a government minister etc) 4 (able to be) known to all or to many; not secret: The news was not made public for several days. | Don't talk about it here; this place is too public. | a public inquiry into the causes of the accident 5 go public to become a PUBLIC COMPANY 6 in the public eye (of a person) often seen in public or on television, or mentioned in newspapers ➔ compare PRIVATE —ly adv: publicly humiliated
public² n 1 [the+sing./pl. v] people in general: The town gardens are open to the public/to members of the public daily. | The British public is/are not really interested in this issue. ➔ see also JOE BLOGGS 2 [S;U+sing./pl. v] any group considered in terms of its relation to a particular person, activity etc: The singer tried to please his public by singing old songs. | Is there a public for that sort of book? (=will people be interested in it?) 3 in public in the presence of strangers or of many people ➔ opposite in private (PRIVATE²)
public 'access n [U] the right of people in general to go on to certain land: The Ramblers Association is protesting about the lack of public access to parts of the North Yorkshire moors.
public 'access ,channel n COMMUNITY CHANNEL
public-ad'dress ,system n ➔ see PA¹
public af'fairs n [P] events and questions, especially political ones, which concern most people: There's a programme on TV every week which discusses public affairs in a non-partisan manner.
pub·li·can /ˈpʌblɪkən/ n 1 infml, especially BrE a person who runs a PUB ➔ compare INNKEEPER 2 a tax collector in ancient Rome
pub·li·ca·tion /ˌpʌblɪˈkeɪʃən/ n 1 [U] the act of making something known to the public: the publication of the election results 2 [U] the offering for sale to the public of something printed: The book is ready for publication. 3 [C] something published (PUBLISH), such as a book or magazine: The library gets the usual monthly publications.
public 'bar n a plain room in a PUB, typically with no CARPET, no comfortable chairs, and no decorations, where games such as DARTS and POOL are played. In the past this was the part of a pub used by WORKING CLASS men. ➔ compare SALOON BAR