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Poconos, the
Plym-outh¹ /'plɪməθ/ a port and base for the British navy, in
Devon, southwest England, known in the UK especially for its
connection with Francis DRAKE, the 16th century EXPLORER
and navy commander, and known in the US as the place
from which the PILGRIM FATHRS sailed to America
Plymouth² trademark a type of US car made by the Chrysler
company
,Plymouth 'Brethren, the a Christian religious group that
has simple ceremonies and no priests. They also have strict
rules about family life, sex, and what their members wear.
'Plymouth, Colony the second English town to be built in
North America, in 1620, (=the first was in JAMESTOWN,
Virginia), in what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts. The
SETTLERS, known as the PILGRIM FATHRS, were PURITANS who
sailed on the ship MAYFLOWER from Plymouth, England.
Only half of them were still alive after the first winter in
America, but the town grew. According to old stories, the
settlers' first steps when they landed in America were on a
large rock, today called PLYMOUTH ROCK. → see also
THANKSGIVING
,Plymouth 'Rock a large rock on the coast at Plymouth,
Massachusetts, on which the PILGRIM FATHRS are said to
have taken their first steps in America when they landed
there in 1620
plywood /'plaɪwʊd/ n [U] a material made of several thin
sheets of wood stuck together to form a strong board
pm, PM /piː 'em/ abbrev. for post meridiem=(Lat) after midday
(used after numbers expressing time): *the 8 pm (train) to*
*London* → see also AM
PM /piː 'em/ n inflml, especially BrE abbrev. for Prime Minister: *an*
*urgent meeting with the PM*
PMS /piː em 'es/ n [U] AmE abbrev. for premenstrual syndrome;
unpleasant physical and emotional feelings felt by many
women just before their PERIOD; PMT BrE
PMT /piː em 'tiː/ n [U] BrE abbrev. for premenstrual tension;
PMS AmE
pneumatic /njuː'mætɪk||nuː-/ adj 1 worked by air pressure:
*a pneumatic pump* 2 containing air: *a pneumatic tyre*
→-ally /kli/ adv
pneumatic 'drill especially BrE || jackhammer especially AmE
-n a powerful hand-held tool (a type of DRILL) that is worked
by air pressure and is used for breaking up hard materials,
especially road surfaces
pneu-mo-nia /njuː'məʊniə||nuː-/ n [U] a serious disease of
the lungs with INFLAMMATION and difficulty in breathing:
*You'll catch pneumonia if you go out in the snow without a*
*coat!*
PO /piː 'əʊ/ abbrev. for 1 POST OFFICE 2 PETTY OFFICER 3
POSTAL ORDER
Po, the /pəu/ the largest river in northern Italy
POA, the /piː əʊ 'eɪ/ abbrev. for the Prison Officers' Associa-
tion; a TRADE UNION in the UK for people who work in
prisons, guarding prisoners
poach¹ /pəʊtʃ/ v [T] to cook (especially eggs or fish) in
gently boiling water or other liquid: *poached eggs on toast*
poach² v 1 [I;T] to catch or shoot (animals, birds, or fish)
without permission on private land: *The gamekeeper caught*
*him poaching (pheasants).* 2 [I(on); T (from)] to take or use
unfairly (an idea, person etc belonging to or claimed by
someone else): *A rival company poached our ideas and mar-*
*keted them very successfully.* | *One of our key employees had*
*been poached by a competitor.* (=they had persuaded him/her
to go and work for them) —er n
PO Box /'piː əʊ boks||-,bɑːks/ also post office box n fml
a numbered box in a POST OFFICE, to which someone's mail
can be sent and from which they can collect it: *For further*
*details, write to PO Box 179.*
Poc-a-hon-tas /ˌpkə'hɒntəs||ˌpɑkə'hɑːn-/ (1595–1617) a
Native American woman, who was the daughter of Chief
Powhatan of the Powhatan tribe. Pocahontas saved the life
of Captain John Smith, leader of the English people who
had gone to live in JAMESTOWN, Virginia, when he was about
to be killed by her father. She then helped to develop friendly
relations between the English and the Native Americans.
Later Pocahontas married an Englishman and went to Eng-
land, where she died of SMALLPOX.
pocked /'pɒkt||'pɑːkt/ adj POCKMARKED
pock-et¹ /'pɒkɪt||'pɑː-/ n 1 a small flat cloth bag sewn into
or onto a garment, for keeping small articles in: *standing*
*with his hands in his pockets* | *My keys are in my coat pocket.* |
*The policeman made me turn out my pockets.* (=empty them
and show him what was inside) 2 [C usually sing.] (a supply of)
money; income: *He paid for it out of his own pocket.* | *A lot of*
*demands have been made on my pocket* (=I have had to spend
a lot) *recently.* | *a range of family holidays to suit every*
*pocket* (=for people of all incomes) 3 a container for small
or thin articles made by fitting a piece of cloth, net etc, into
the inside of a case or a car door, onto the back of an aircraft
seat etc 4 [(of)] a small area or group that exists separated
from others like it: *Pockets of mist could be seen down by the*
*river.* | *The invaders met pockets of resistance* (=small groups
of people who fought against them) *in some cities.* → see
also AIRPOCKET 5 any of the six small net bags round the
table used in BILLIARDS, into which a ball can roll 6 be/live
in each other's pockets especially BrE inflml (of two people)
to be together too much 7 have someone in one's pocket to
have complete influence over someone 8 have something
in one's pocket to be (almost) certain of gaining something
or being successful in something: *The Democrats have got the*
*election in their pocket.* 9 in pocket BrE having made a
profit: *I bought it for £500 and sold it for £550, so I was in*
*pocket on the deal/I ended up £50 in pocket.* 10 out of pocket
BrE having paid a certain amount, usually without good
results: *I bought a new cigarette lighter and it broke; now I'm*
*£10 out of pocket.* → see also OUT-OF-POCKET
EXPENSES 11 put one's hand in one's pocket to spend or
give money → see also line one's pockets (LINE³)
pocket² v [T] 1 to put into one's pocket: *He pocketed his*
*wallet and car keys.* 2 to take or get (money), especially
dishonestly: *We gave him £10 to buy presents for the children,*
*but he pocketed most of it.* 3 (in games like BILLIARDS) to hit
(a ball) into a POCKET¹
pocket³ adj [A] 1 small enough to be carried in the pocket: *a*
*pocket camera* 2 smaller than the usual size: *a pocket battle-*
*ship*
pock-et-book /'pɒkɪtbʊk||'pɑːr-/ n 1 a small note-
book 2 AmE old-fash a woman's HANDBAG, especially one
without a shoulder STRAP
pocket 'calculator n a small piece of electronic equip-
ment which a person can carry with them and with which
they can do calculations. People use them at school, college,
work, and in the shops.
'pocket change n [U] AmE 1 a small or unimportant
amount of money 2 coins that you carry in your pocket
pock-et-ful /'pɒkɪtful||'pɑːr-/ n [(of)] the amount that a
pocket will hold
pocket-handkerchief¹ n fml a handkerchief made of
material, not paper
pocket-handkerchief² adj [A] inflml, especially BrE square and
very small: *a pocket-handkerchief garden*
pock-et-knife /'pɒkɪtnaɪf||'pɑːr-/ n pl. -knives /-naɪvz/ a
small knife with one or more blades that fold into the handle;
PENKNIFE
'pocket money n [U] 1 especially BrE || allowance AmE —
money given weekly to a child by its parents 2 inflml a little
money to buy oneself things
'pocket veto n AmE a VETO (=disapproval) of a BILL by the
President in which he takes no action on the bill. The
President has ten days to either sign or refuse to accept a
bill. If he takes no action and Congress is not working when
the bill is returned to them at the end of the ten days, then
the bill fails and does not become law and this is called a
pocket veto.
pock-mark /'pɒkmɑːk||'pɑːrmɑːrk/ n a hollow mark left on
the skin where a small diseased area has been, especially one
caused by the disease SMALLPOX
pock-marked /'pɒkmɑːkt||'pɑːrmɑːrkt/ also pocked adj
[(with)] covered with pockmarks: *a pockmarked face* | *(fig.)* *The*
*metal surface was pockmarked with little holes.*
Pocono-nos, the /'pɔːkənoʊz/ also the Pocono 'Moun-
tains n [plural] a group of mountains in Pennsylvania, US,
which are part of the APPALACHIANS. The mountains are a
popular place for short holidays, especially HONEYMOONS, and