POR
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POR
POOSHTAY Bundee, Tnd. embank-ments of rivers. It likewise meansbridges thrown over rivers.
POOSKUT, lnd. a small weight,measuring eight koonchys, or sixty-fourhandfuls; one koonchy being equal toeight handfuls.
POPON rouge , Fr. a red tuft, madeof feathers or worsted, which is wornin the caps or hats of some particularcorps: especially in those of grenadiers,&c.
POPULAR, (populaire , Fr.) belong-ing to the people; also in request amongthe common people.
A Popular general , a chief who, byhis success in war, and good conducttowards his fellow soldiers, is belovedand esteemed by them.
POPULARITY, (popularity Fr.) gra-ciousness among the people.
POPULATION , Papulaey, (populu-tion , Fr.) the state of a country withrespect to numbers of people.
Titede PORC, Fr. Ste Coin de Ma-noeuvre MiUtaire : also Tile .
PORCH, (porchc, Fr.) in architec-ture, a kind of vestibule, supported by-columns, much used at the entrance ofancient churches.
In the ancient architecture, Porchwas a vestibule, or disposition, of insu-lated columns, usually crowned with apediment, forming a covert-place beforethe principal door of either a temple orpalace. When they had four columnsin front, they were called tetrastyles ;when six, hexastyles; when eight, oc-tastyles; when ten, decastyles ; and soon.
POREE, Fr. See Stcher a l r Ombre.
PORIME, | in geometry, is a theo-
PORIMA, $ rem, or proposition, soeasy to be demonstrated, that it is al-most self-evident, as that a chord is allof it within the circle. Aporime, on thecontrary, is that which is so difficult asto be almost impossible to be demon-strated. As were formerly the lunes ofHippocrates .
PORISTICK method , in mathematics,is that which determines when, by whatmeans, and in how many different wavs,any problem may be resolved.
PORPHYRY, (porphyre , Fr.) a pre-cious kind of marble, of a brownish redcolour, frequently interspersed withwhite stains, anciently brought fromEgypt , and exceeding all other in hard-ness. The French have found out a
method of cutting porphyry with aniron saw, without teeth, and a kind offree-stone, pulverized, and water. Theauthors of this invention, according tothe Builder’s Dictionary, pretend theycould perform the whole contour of acolumn hereby, had they matter towork on.
PORT, portte , Fr. the tonnage of avessel.
Port de Varme , Fr. the carriage ofthe firelock.
Fenner les Ports, Fr. to lay a ge-neral embargo upon shipping. Duringthe French monarchy, this practice fre-quently .occurred fur the purpose ofsecuring able-bodied seamen.
PORT, a piece of iron, which belongsto the hit of a horse’s bridle, and actsupon the inside of the mouth. It isaiso called upset. A restive horse iskept in subjection, more or less, ac-cording to the size of the port within,and the length of the branches whichare outside.
Port , (port, Fr.) a harbour; a safestation for ships. The French also usethe word Havre to signify port.
PORTABLE Mantlets , large shields,called pavoises , which were u«ed by theancients iu the attack of fortified places.
Portable arms , or weapons , (armesportatives, Fr.) such as muskets, car-vbines, swords, pikes, &c. which may becarried by an individual.
PORTAL, in architecture, signifiesthe face or frontispiece of a church,viewed on the side wherein the greatdoor is; also, the great door or gate ofa palaCe , &c.
Portal, (portail, Fr.) the front orfacade of a large building, where theprincipal gate stands.
Portal, in architecture^ little squarecorner of a room, cut off from the restof the room by a wainscot; frequent inancient buildings.
It is also used for a little gate, wherethere are two gates of different sizes.It likewise sometimes signifies a kind ofarch of joiner’s work before a door.
Portal also means, generally, gates,openings, &c. According to Mr. Addi-son, as quoted by Dr. Johnson, theportal consists of a composite order,unknown to the ancients.
Tirer a bout PORT ANT, Fr, to fireat an object which lies as far off as acannon, or musket, can carry.
Tirer d bout Portant, Fr. to fire and