and abbots, and sometimes also by canons. - - Pectorial fins, or Pectorials (Zoöl.), fins situated on
the sides, behind the gills. See Illust. under Fin. — Pectorial rail. (Zoöl.) See Land rail (b) under
Land. — Pectorial sandpiper (Zoöl.), the jacksnipe (b).
Pectoral
(Pec"to*ral) n. [L. pectorale a breastplate, neut. of pectorials.]
1. A covering or protecting for the breast.
2. (Eccl.) (a) A breastplate, esp. that worn by the Jewish high person. (b) A clasp or a cross worn
on the breast.
3. A medicine for diseases of the chest organs, especially the lungs.
Pectorally
(Pec"to*ral*ly) adv. As connected with the breast.
Pectoriloquial
(Pec`to*ri*lo"qui*al) a. [Cf. F. pectoriloque.] Pertaining to, or of the nature of, pectoriloquy.
Pectoriloquism
(Pec`to*ril"o*quism) n. Pectoriloquy.
Pectoriloquous
(Pec`to*ril"o*quous) a. Pectoriloquial.
Pectoriloquy
(Pec`to*ril"o*quy) n. [L. pectus, -oris, the breast + loqui to speak: cf. F. pectoriloquie.]
(Med.) The distinct articulation of the sounds of a patient's voice, heard on applying the ear to the chest
in auscultation. It usually indicates some morbid change in the lungs or pleural cavity.
Pectose
(Pec"tose`) n. [Pectic + cellulose.] (Chem.) An amorphous carbohydrate found in the vegetable
kingdom, esp. in unripe fruits. It is associated with cellulose, and is converted into substances of the
pectin group.
Pectosic
(Pec*to"sic) a. (Chem.)Of, pertaining to, resembling, or derived from, pectose; specifically,
designating an acid supposed to constitute largely ordinary pectin or vegetable jelly.
Pectostraca
(||Pec*tos"tra*ca) n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. fixed + shell of a testacean.] (Zoöl.) A degenerate
order of Crustacea, including the Rhizocephala and Cirripedia.
Pectous
(Pec"tous) a. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or consisting of, pectose.
Pectus
(||Pec"tus) n.; pl. Pectora [L., the breast.] (Zoöl.) The breast of a bird.
Pecul
(Pec"ul) n. See Picul.
Peculate
(Pec"u*late) v. i. [imp. & p. p. Peculated ; p. pr. & vb. n. Peculating.] [L. peculatus, p.
p. of peculari to peculate, akin to peculium private property. See Peculiar.] To appropriate to one's
own use the property of the public; to steal public moneys intrusted to one's care; to embezzle.
An oppressive, . . . rapacious, and peculating despotism.
Burke. Peculation
(Pec`u*la"tion) n. The act or practice of peculating, or of defrauding the public by appropriating
to one's own use the money or goods intrusted to one's care for management or disbursement; embezzlement.
Every British subject . . . active in the discovery of peculations has been ruined.
Burke. Peculator
(Pec"u*la`tor) n. [L.] One who peculates. "Peculators of the public gold." Cowper.
Peculiar
(Pe*cul"iar) a. [L. peculiaris, fr. peculium private property, akin to pecunia money: cf. OF.
peculier. See Pecuniary.]