15,000 words and phrases from more than 50 languages and their

petit-bleu 244
fop; dandy; coxcomb; ladies' man. —petit mal, a mild form of
epilepsy. —petit point, small stitch used in needlepoint. —petit souper,
little supper; informal supper for a few close friends. —petit verre,
a small glass, esp. of liqueur.
petit-bleu [Fr], lit., small blue; telegram form, as used for sending
messages by pneumatic tubes in Paris.
petite [Fr; fern.], little; small; trim. —petite amie, small friend; girl
friend; mistress. —petite maîtresse [pi petites maîtresses], lady of
studied elegance; female dandy. —petite pièce, a short play; afterpiece.
petitio principii [L], begging of the question.
petit-lait [Fr], whey.
petits-chevaux [Fr], lit., little horses; a gambling game.
petits pois [Fr], little peas; green peas.
petits soins [Fr], small attentions.
petto [It; pi. petti], the breast; bosom; chest. —in petto, within one's
own breast; in secret. —voce di petto, chest voice: music.
peu à peu [Fr], little by little; by degrees.
peu de bien, peu de soin [Fr], little wealth, little care; few wares, few
cares.
peu de chose [Fr], a trifle.
peu de gens savent être vieux [Fr], few people know how to be old:
La Rochefoucauld.
peut-être [Fr], perhaps.
pezzo [It; pi. pezzi], piece; excerpt; musical selection.
Pfahlbauten [Ger; pi], lake dwellings. Cf. PALAFITTE.
φάρμακον νηττενθές [Gr; phármakon nepenthes], a drug that brings
forgetfulness after grief; the nepenthe of the gods,
φιλοσοφία ορεξις της θείας σοφίας [Gr; philosophía órexis tés theías
sophías ], philosophy is a yearning after heavenly wisdom: Plato.
phul [Hind], a flower: India.
φύσει σοφός μεν ουδείς [Gr; phúsei sofòs mèn oudeís], none are wise
by nature (or natural instinct): Aristotle.
piacere [It], please. —a piacere, at pleasure; ad lib.: music.
piacevole [It], pleasing; in a pleasing manner: music.
pia fraus [L], a pious fraud: Ovid.
piangendo [It], weepingly; plaintively: music.
pianissimo [It], very soft; very softly (abbr. pp.): music.
piano [It], soft; softly (abbr. p.): music.
piazza [It], place; open square; market place; U.S., veranda.
picador [Sp], participant in bullfight who spears the bull from horseback.
Pickelhaube [Ger], spiked helmet.
picot [Fr], one of the small projecting loops forming an edging on lace
and the like.
pièce [Fr], piece; portion; fragment; document; apartment; roast (of
meat); cannon; colloq., person. —pièce à pièce, bit by bit. —pièce de