• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

2 : a hidden danger or difficulty

Synonyms

booby trap, catch, snag; also snare, trap, web; hazard, peril, risk; bombshell, surprise; bait, lure

danger, hazard, menace, peril, risk, threat, trouble—more at DANGER

pith noun 1 : loose spongy tissue esp. in the center of the stem of vascular plants

2 : the essential part : CORE

Synonyms

core, crux, gist, heart, nub, pivot—more at CRUX

pithy adjective pith·i·er; -est 1 : consisting of or filled with pith

2 : having substance and point : CONCISE

Synonyms

brief, compact, compendious, concise, crisp, epigrammatic, laconic, succinct, summary, terse—more at CONCISE

piti·able adjective 1 : arousing or deserving pity : PITIFUL

2 : of a kind to evoke mingled pity and contempt esp. because of inadequacy

piti·ful adjective 1 : arousing or deserving pity

2 : arousing pitying contempt (as by meanness or inadequacy)

— piti·ful·ly adverb

Synonyms

[1] heartbreaking, miserable, pathetic, piteous, poor, rueful, sorry, wretched

[2] contemptible, despicable, lousy, nasty, scabby, scurvy, sorry, wretched—more at CONTEMPTIBLE

piti·less adjective : devoid of pity : MERCILESS

— pit·i·less·ly adverb

Synonyms

callous, cold-blooded, hard, heartless, inhuman, inhumane, merciless, obdurate, ruthless, soulless, stony, uncharitable, unfeeling, unsparing, unsympathetic—more at HARD

pi·ton noun [ORIGIN: F]

: a spike, wedge, or peg that can be driven into a rock or ice surface as a support

pit·tance noun : a small portion, amount, or allowance

Synonyms

mite, peanuts, shoestring, song—more at MITE

pit·ted adjective : marked with pits

1pitter–patter noun : a rapid succession of light taps or sounds

— pitter–patter adverb or adjective

2pitter–patter verb : to go pitter-patter

Synonyms

beat, palpitate, pulsate, pulse, throb—more at PULSATE

pi·tu·i·tary noun, plural -i·tar·ies : PITUITARY GLAND

— pituitary adjective

pituitary gland noun : a small oval endocrine gland located at the base of the brain that produces various hormones that affect most basic bodily functions (as growth and reproduction)

pit viper noun : any of various mostly New World venomous snakes with a sensory pit on each side of the head and hollow perforated fangs

1pity noun, plural pit·ies [ORIGIN: ME pite, fr. AF pité, fr. L pietas piety, pity, fr. pius pious]

1 : sympathetic sorrow : COMPASSION

2 : something to be regretted

Synonyms

charity, commiseration, compassion, feeling, heart, humanity, kindliness, kindness, mercy, sympathy—more at HEART

2pity verb pit·ied; pity·ing : to feel pity for

Synonyms

bleed, commiserate, feel, sympathize; also care (for); grieve (for), sorrow (for); love; tolerate, understand

1pivot noun 1 : a fixed pin on which something turns

2 : a person, thing, or factor having a major or central role, function, or effect

— pivot adjective

Synonyms

core, crux, gist, heart, nub, pith—more at CRUX

2pivot verb : to turn on or as if on a pivot

Synonyms

revolve, roll, rotate, spin, swing, swirl, turn, twirl, twist, wheel, whirl—more at TURN

piv·ot·al adjective : vitally important : CRITICAL

Synonyms

critical, crucial, key, vital—more at CRUCIAL

pix plural of PIC

pix·el noun : any of the small elements that together make up an image (as on a television screen)

pix·ie also pixy noun, plural pix·ies : FAIRY; especially : a mischievous sprite

Synonyms

brownie, dwarf, elf, fairy, fay, gnome, hobgoblin, leprechaun, puck, troll—more at FAIRY

piz·za noun [ORIGIN: It]

: an open pie made of rolled bread dough spread with a spiced mixture (as of tomatoes, cheese, and ground meat) and baked

piz·zazz or pi·zazz noun 1 : GLAMOUR

2 : VITALITY

piz·ze·ria noun : an establishment where pizzas are made and sold

piz·zi·ca·to adverb or adjective [ORIGIN: It]

: by means of plucking instead of bowing — used as a direction in music

pj's noun plural : PAJAMAS

pk abbreviation 1 park

2 peak

3 peck

4 pike

pkg