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pitch
of pirates who never succeed in robbing anyone. It contains
the well-known songs *The Very Model of a Modern Major
General* and *A Policeman's Lot is Not a Happy One*.
**Pi·rel·li cal·en·dar** /pɪˌreli ˈkæləndə/ *n* a CALENDAR
(=printed table of the days, weeks, and months of the year)
produced every year by the Pirelli tyre company. Each
month shows a photograph of an attractive young woman
with almost no clothes on.
**pir·ou·ette** /ˌpɪruˈet/ *n* a very fast turn made on one toe or
the front part of one foot, especially by a BALLET dancer: *to
dance/do a pirouette* —**pirouette** *v* [I]
**Pi·sa** /ˈpiːzə/ *n* a city in north central Italy, famous for the
LEANING TOWER of PISA and for its CATHEDRAL
**pis·ca·to·ri·al** /ˌpɪskəˈtɔːriəl/ *adj* *fml* or *pomp* connected
with fishing or fishermen
**Pis·ces** /ˈpaɪsiːz/ *n* **1** [U] the 12th sign of the ZODIAC,
represented by two fish, which some people believe affects
the character and life of people born between February 20
and March 20 **2** also **Piscean** [C] someone who was born
between February 20 and March 20 —**Piscean** *adj*
**pish** /pɪʃ/ *interj* *old use* (used to express feelings of not very
strong anger or impatience)
**piss¹** /pɪs/ *v* *taboo slang* **1** [I] to URINATE **2** [I+I (DOWN)] especially
BrE (of rain) to fall heavily: *It's pissing down.* **3** **piss oneself**
especially BrE to laugh uncontrollably
**piss about/around** *phr v* [I] *taboo slang* to act in a foolish
irresponsible way; waste time
**piss off** *phr v* **1** [I usually imperative] *taboo slang* to go
away **2** [T[piss sbdy. ⇔ off]] *slang, not taboo* **a)** BrE [usually pass.] to
cause to lose interest; BORE: *She's rather pissed off with her
job.* **b)** to annoy: *The way he insults his friends behind their
backs really pisses me off.*
**piss²** *n* *taboo slang* **1** [U] URINE **2** [S] an act of urinating
(URINATE): *to have/take a piss* **3** **take the piss out of** BrE to
make fun of ➔ see also PISS-TAKE **4** **be on the piss** BrE *slang*
to be out drinking a lot of alcohol: *We always end up at
Remo's Kebab House after a night on the piss.* | *The pub was
full of a noisy group of lads out on the piss.*
**Pis·sar·ro, Ca·mille** /pɪˈsɑːrəʊ, kæˈmiːl/ (1830–1903) a
French artist who was a leading member of the IMPRESSION-
ISTS
**pissed** /pɪst/ *adj* [F] **1** BrE *taboo slang* drunk **2** AmE *slang, not
taboo* annoyed or angered **3** **pissed as a newt, pissed out
of one's head/mind** BrE *taboo slang* very drunk
**'piss-take** *n* [C usually sing.] *taboo slang* an act of making fun of
someone ➔ see also **take the piss out of** (PISS)
**'piss-up** *n* *taboo slang*, especially BrE an occasion of drinking lots
of alcohol
**pis·ta·chi·o** /pɪˈstɑːʃiəʊ||prɪˈstæ-/ *n* *pl.* **-chios** a small green
nut: *pistachio ice cream*
**pis·til** /ˈpɪstl/ *n* *tech* the female seed-producing part of a
flower
**pis·tol** /ˈpɪstl/ *n* a small gun held in one hand: *to draw/aim/
fire a pistol*
**pis·ton** /ˈpɪstən/ *n* a part of an engine consisting of a short
solid pipe-shaped piece of metal that fits tightly into a
CYLINDER (=a tube). It is moved up and down in the tube by
means of pressure or explosion, and causes other parts of the
engine to move.
**'piston ring** *n* a circular metal spring used to stop gas or liquid
escaping from between a piston and its CYLINDER
**pit¹** /pɪt/ *n* **1** [C] a hole in the ground: *They dug a pit to bury
the rubbish.* ➔ compare PITS **2** [C] a coal mine: *plans for the
closure of uneconomic pits* | *He worked all his life down the
pit.* (=in the coal industry) **3** [(the) C usually sing.] also **orchestra
pit** — the space below and in front of a theatre stage where
musicians play the music for a performance **4** [(the) C usually
sing.] the seats at the back of the ground floor of a theatre,
behind the STALLS **5** [C often pl.] a small hollow mark or place
in the surface of something, especially as left on the face after
certain diseases, especially SMALLPOX **6** AmE for PITS **7** [C
usually sing.] BrE *humor* one's bed: *in my pit* **8** [the S] especially *bibl*
for HELL **9** **pit of one's stomach** the hollow place just below
the chest, especially thought of as being the place where fear
is felt ➔ see also PITS, ARMPIT, SANDPIT
**pit²** *v* **-tt-** [T] to mark with PITS: *the deeply/heavily pitted
surface of the metal*
**pit sbdy./sthg. against sbdy./sthg.** *phr v* [T] to set against in
a competition to see which is better, who will win etc:
*pitting his strength against that of a man twice his size* | *In
the quiz she had to pit her wits* (=match her mental ability)
*against some very clever people.*
**pit³** *n* AmE for STONE⁴
**pit⁴** *v* **-tt-** [T] AmE for STONE²
**pit·a bread** /ˈpiːtə bredl|ˈpiːtə-/ AmE for PITTA BREAD
**'pit-a-pat** also **pitter-patter** *adv* *infml* with many quick light
beats or steps: *His heart went pit-a-pat.* | *The rain fell pitter-
patter against the window.* —**pit-a-pat, pitter-patter** *n* [(the)
S, adj A]
**,pit bull 'terrier** also **,pit 'bull** *n* a very strong and often
violent American fighting dog ➔ see picture at DOG
**CULTURAL NOTE** Pit bull terriers are considered to be very
dangerous, especially when their owners are unable to
control them properly, and they have caused terrible
injuries to children and adults. In Britain, the law prevents
pit bull terriers being sold, bred, or brought into the
country, and they must wear a MUZZLE (=a covering round
the mouth to prevent the dog from biting) when they are
in a public place.
pitch
**pitch¹** /pɪtʃ/ *v* **1** [T] to set up (a tent, camp etc), especially
for a short time: *They pitched camp by the river.* ➔ opposite
STRIKE **2** [T+obj+adv/prep] to set the degree or highness or
lowness of (a sound, music etc): *This song is pitched too high
for my voice.* ➔ see also HIGH-PITCHED, LOW-
PITCHED **3** [T+obj+adv/prep] to express in a way suitable to be
understood by particular people: *He pitched his speech at a
very simple level so that even the children could under-
stand.* **4** [I+adv/prep; T+obj+adv/prep] to (cause to) fall heavily or
suddenly forwards or outwards: *His foot caught in a rock and
he pitched forwards.* **5** [I] (of a ship or aircraft) to move
along with the back and front going up and down: *The ship
pitched violently in the stormy sea.* ➔ compare ROLL,
YAW **6** [T+obj+adv/prep] to throw, especially in a way that
shows dislike or annoyance; TOSS: *He screwed up the letter
and pitched it into the fire.* **7** [I] (of a ball in cricket or GOLF)
to hit the ground **8** (in GOLF) to hit (the ball) in a high
ARC **9** [T] (of a cricketer) to make (a ball) hit the ground
when bowling (BOWL) **10** [I;T] (in the game of BASEBALL) to
aim and throw (a ball) **11** [I+adv/prep] to slope downwards:
*The roof of this house pitches sharply.* ➔ see also PITCHED
**pitch in** *phr v* [I] *infml* **1** to start to work or eat eagerly,
especially in a group: *If we all pitch in and help we should get
the job finished this afternoon.* **2** [with] to add one's help or
support: *The local council pitched in with an offer of a free
van.*
**pitch²** *n* **1** [C] BrE || field AmE — (in sport) a special marked-
out area of ground on which football, HOCKEY, NETBALL, etc,
are played: *The crowd invaded the pitch at the end of the
match.* **2** [C] the degree of highness or lowness of a musical
note or speaking voice ➔ see also CONCERT PITCH **3** [S(of);U]
degree; level: *Disagreement reached such a pitch that we
thought a fight would break out.* | *Speculation about the
forthcoming election was at fever pitch* (=at the highest
degree). **4** [C] a place in a public area, such as a street or
market, where someone regularly tries to get money from
people who are passing, e.g. by performing, selling things
etc **5** [S] a backward and forward movement of a ship or
aircraft ➔ compare ROLL **6** [S;U (of)] (especially in building)