PHRASES

Latin and French Words and Phrases, with their explanation in English.

Ab initio.—From the beginning.

Ab urbe condita.—From the building of the city; abridged A. U. C.

Ad arbitrium.—At pleasure.

Ad captandum.—To attract.

Ad captandum vulgus.—To ensnare the vulgar.

Ad eundem.—To the same.

Ad infinitum.—To infinity.

Ad interim.—In the meantime.

Ad libitum.—At pleasure.

Ad litem.—For the action (at law).

Ad referendum.—For consideration.

Ad valorem.—According to value.

Affaire de cœur.—A love affair; an amour.

A fin.—To the end.

À fortiori.—With stronger reason.

Aide-de-camp.—Assistant to a general.

A la bonne heure.—At an early hour; in the nick of time.

A-la-mode.—In the fashion.

Alias.—Otherwise.

Alibi.—Elsewhere; or, proof of having been elsewhere.

Alma mater (kind mother).—University.

A mensa et thoro.—From bed and board.

Amor patriæ.—The love of our country.

Anglicè.—In English.

Anno Domini.—In the year of our Lord; abr. A. D.

Anno mundi.—In the year of the world; abr. A. M.

À posteriori.—From a later reason, or from behind.

À priori.—From a prior reason.

À propos.—To the purpose; seasonably; or by-the-by.

Arcana.—Secrets.

Arcana imperii.—State secrets.

Arcanum.—Secret.

Argumentum ad fidem.—An appeal to our faith.

Argumentum ad hominem.—Personal argument.

Argumentum ad judicium.—An appeal to the common sense of mankind.

Argumentum ad passiones.—An appeal to the passions.

Argumentum ad populum.—An appeal to the people.

Argumentum baculinum.—Argument of blows.

Audi alteram partem.—Hear both sides.

Au fond.—To the bottom; or, main point.

Auri sacra fames.—The accursed thirst of gold.

Aut Cæsar aut nullus.—He will be Cæsar or nobody.

Auto-da-fé (Act of faith).—Burning of hereticks.

Bagatelle.—Trifle.

Beau monde (Gay world).—People of fashion.

Beaux esprits.—Men of wit.

Belles lettres.—Polite literature.

Billet doux.—Love letter.

Bon gré.—With a good grace.

Bon jour.—Good day.

Bon mot (A good word).—A witty saying.

Bon ton.—Fashion; high fashion.

Bonâ fide.—In good faith.

Boudoir.—A small private apartment.

Cacoethes carpendi.—A rage for collecting.

Cacoethes loquendi.—A rage for speaking.

Cacoethes scribendi.—Passion for writing.

Cæteris paribus.—Other circumstances being equal.

Caput mortuum (The dead head).—The worthless remains.

Carte blanche (A blank paper).—Unconditional terms; q. d. “There is a sheet of paper: write your own terms.”

Cessio bonorum.—Yielding up of goods.

Château.—Country seat.

Chef-d’œuvre.—Master piece.

Ci-devant.—Formerly.

Comme il faut.—As it should be.

Commune bonum.—A common good.

Communibus annis.—One year with another.

Compos mentis.—Of a sound and composed mind.

Con amore.—Gladly; with love.

Congé d’élire.—Permission to choose, or elect.

Contra.—Against.

Contra bonos mores.—Against good manners or morals.

Coup de grace.—Finishing stroke (Literally the blow of favour; because the bones having been broken separately on the rack, the last blow, which killed the man, was an act of grace to him).

Coup de main.—Sudden enterprize.

Coup d’œil.—View or glance.

Credat Judæus.—A Jew may believe it (but I will not).

Cui bono?—To what good will it tend?

Cui malo?—To what evil will it tend?

Cum multis aliis.—With many others.

Cum privilegio.—With privilege.

Curia advisari vult.—Court wishes to be advised; abr. cur. adv. vult.

Currente calamo.—With a running quill.

Custos rotulorum.—Keeper of the rolls.

Datum.—Point granted.

Debut.—Beginning.

De die in diem.—From day to day.

Dedimus potestatem.—We have given power.

De facto.—In fact.

Dei gratia.—By the grace, or favour, of God.

De jure.—By right.

De mortuis nil nisi bonum.—Of the dead let nothing be said but what is favourable.

De novo.—Anew.

Dénouement (Unravelling).—Finishing, or winding up.

Deo volente.—God willing.

Dépôt.—Store, or magazine.

Dernier ressort.—Last resort or resource.

Desideratum.—A thing desired.

Desunt cætera.—The other things are wanting.

Dieu et mon droit.—God and my right.

Domine dirige nos.—O Lord direct us.

Double entendre.—Double meaning.

Douceur.—Present, or bribe.

Dramatis personæ.—Characters of the drama.

Durante bene placito.—During pleasure.

Durante vita.—During life.

Ecce homo.—Behold the man.

Eclaircissement.—Explanation; clearing up.

Eclat.—Splendour.

Elève.—Pupil.

Embonpoint.—Jolly; in good case.

En flute.—Carrying guns on the upper deck only.

En masse.—In a mass; in a body.

En passant.—By the way; in passing.

Ennui.—Tiresomeness.

Entrée.—Entrance.

Ergo.—Therefore.

Errata.—Errors.

Esto perpetua.—May it last for ever.

Et cætera.—And the rest.

Ex.—Late; as the ex-minister means the late minister.

Ex cathedra (From the chair). Instructions given from a chair of authority.

Ex nihilo nihil fit.—“Nothing can come of nothing.”—King Lear.

Ex officio.—Officially, or by virtue of an office.

Ex parte.—On the part of, or one side.

Excerpta.—Extracts.

Exempli gratia.—As for example; abr. ex. gr., e. g.

Experto crede.—Believe one who has experience to justify his opinion.

Extempore.—Out of hand; without premeditation.

Fac simile.—Exact copy or resemblance.

Fata obstant.—The fates oppose it.

Faux pas.—Fault, or misconduct.

Felo de se (The felon of himself).—Self murderer.

Festina lente.—Hasten slowly. “Wisely and slow: they stumble that run fast.”—Friar in Romeo and Juliet.

Fête.—A feast or entertainment.

Fiat.—Let it be done, or made.

Finis.—End.

Finis coronat opus.—The end crowns the work.

Flagrante bello.—Whilst the war is raging.

Furor loquendi.—An eagerness for speaking.

Furor scribendi.—An eagerness for writing.

Genus irritabile.—The irritable tribe of poets.

Gratis.—For nothing.

Hauteur.—Haughtiness.

Hic et ubique.—Here and there and every where.

Honi soit qui mal y pense.—May evil happen to him who evil thinks of it.

Hora fugit.—The hour, or time, flies.

Humanum est errare.—It is the lot of humanity to err.

Ibidem.—In the same place; abr. ibid., ib.

Ich dien.—I serve.

Id est.—That is; abr. i. e.

Idem.—The same.

Imperium in imperio.—A government existing in another government.

Imprimatur.—Let it be printed.

Imprimis.—In the first place.

Impromptu.—In readiness.

In cœlo quies.—There is rest in heaven.

In commendam.—For a time; in trust.

In duplo.—Twice as much.

In forma pauperis.—As a pauper, or poor person.

In loco.—In the place.

In petto (in the bosom).—Hid, or in reserve.

In propria persona.—In his own person.

In statu quo.—In the same state or condition in which it was.

In terrorem (In terror).—As a warning.

In terrorem populi.—In terror to the people.

In toto.—Altogether.

In transitu.—On the passage.

In vino veritas.—There is truth in wine.

Incognito.—Disguised, or unknown.

Inter nos.—Between ourselves.

Innuendo.—By signifying.

Ipse dixit (Himself said it).—Mere assertion.

Ipso facto.—By the mere fact.

Ipso jure.—By the law itself.

Item.—Also, or article.

Je ne sais quoi.—I know not what.

Jeu de mots.—Play upon words.

Jeu d’esprit.—Play of wit; a witticism.

Jure divino.—By divine right.

Jure humano.—By human law.

Jus gentium.—The law of nations.

Labor omnia vincit.—Labour overcomes every thing.

L’argent.—Money, or silver.

Lex magna est, et prævalebit.—The law is great, and will prevail.

Lex talionis.—The law of retaliation.

Licentia vatum.—A poetical license.

Linguæ lapsus.—A slip of the tongue.

Locum tenens.—One who supplies the place of another; a substitute; a deputy.

Magna charta.—The great charter of England.

Magna est veritas et prævalebit.—The truth is most powerful; and will ultimately prevail.

Mal à propos.—Unseasonable, or unseasonably.

Malâ fide.—In bad faith.

Malgré.—With an ill grace.

Manu forti.—With a strong hand.

Mauvaise honte.—Unbecoming bashfulness.

Meditatione fugæ.—In contemplation of flight.

Memento mori.—Remember that thou must die.

Memorabilia.—Things to be remembered; matters deserving of record.

Meum et tuum.—Mine and thine.

Minutiæ.—Trifles.

Mirabile dictu.—Wonderful to tell.

Multum in parvo.—Much in a small space.

Mutatis mutandis.—After making the necessary changes.

Ne plus ultra.—No farther, or greatest extent.

Ne quid nimis.—Too much of one thing is good for nothing.

Necessitas non habet legem.—Necessity has no law.

Nemine contradicente.—Unanimously, no one disagreeing; abr. nem. con.

Nemine dissentiente.—Unanimously, or without a dissenting voice; abr. nem. dis.

Nemo me impune lacesset.—Nobody shall provoke me with impunity.

Nisi Dominus frustra.—Unless the Lord be with us, all efforts are in vain.

Nolens volens.—Willing or unwilling.

Nom de guerre.—Assumed name.

Non compos, or Non compos mentis.— Out of one’s senses.

Non est inventus.—Not found.

Nonchalance.—Indifference.

Nota bene.—Mark well.

Nunc pro tunc.—Now for then.

O tempora, O mores.—O the times, O the manners.

Omnes.—All.

Onus.—Burden.

Onus probandi.—Burden of proof.

Ore tenus.—From the mouth; by word of mouth.

Outré.—Preposterous.

Pari passu.—With an equal pace.

Passim.—Everywhere.

Pax in bello.—Peace in war.

Peccavi.—I have sinned.

Pendente lite.—While the action (at law) is pending, or while it is going on.

Per curiam.—By the court.

Per se.—Alone, or by itself.

Perdue.—Concealed.

Petit maître (Little master).—Fop.

Posse comitatus.—The power of the county.

Pour autre vie.—For the life of another.

Prima facie.—On the first face; at first view; at first sight.

Primum mobile.—The prime mover.

Principiis obsta.—Resist the first innovations.

Pro aris et focîs.—For our altars and our hearths.

Pro bono publico.—For the public good.

Pro et con.—For and against.

Pro forma.—For form’s sake.

Pro hac vice.—For this time.

Pro loco et tempore.—For the place and time.

Pro rege, lege, et grege.—For the king, the constitution, and the people.

Pro re natâ.—For the occasion.

Pro tanto.—For so much.

Pro tempore.—For the time, or for a time.

Protégé.—A person patronised and protected.

Quamdiu se bene gesserit.—As long as he shall have behaved well.

Quantum.—The due proportion.

Quantum meruit.—As much as he deserves.

Quare impedit (Why he hinders).—A law term, and means the writ which a person disturbed.

Quasi dicas.—As though thou shouldst say; abr. q. d.

Quid pro quo.—A mutual consideration.

Quid nunc?—What now?

Quis separabit.—Who shall separate us?

Quo animo.—The intention with which.

Quoad.—As to; as far as.

Quo jure?—By what right?

Quondam.—Formerly.

Re infectâ.—The business not being done.

Regina.—Queen.

Requiescat in pace.—May he (or she) rest in peace.

Res publica.—The common weal.

Resurgam.—I shall rise again.

Rex.—King.

Rouge.—Red, or red paint.

Rus in urbe.—The country in town.

Sang froid (Cold blood).—Coolness.

Sans.—Without.

Savant.—A learned man.

Scandalum Magnatum.—Scandal, or scandalous expressions, against the nobility; abr. scand. mag.

Semper eadem.—Always the same.

Senatus consultum.—A decree of the senate.

Seriatim.—In regular order.

Simplex munditiis.—Simply elegant; free from gaudy ornament.

Sine die.—Without mentioning any particular day.

Sine qua non (Without which, not).—Indispensable requisite, or condition.

Soi-disant (Self-styling).—Pretended.

Spectas et tu spectabere.—You see and you will be seen.

Status quo.—The state in which it was.

Sub pœna.—Under a penalty.

Sui generis.—Singular; unparalleled; of its own kind.

Summum bonum.—Greatest good.

Supra.—Above.

Suum cuique.—Let each man have his own.

Tapis.—Carpet.

Tête-à-tête.—Face to face, or private conversation of two persons.

Toties quoties.—As often as.

Trait.—Feature.

Tria juncta in uno.—Three joined in one.

Ultimus.—The last.

Un bel esprit.—A wit; a virtuoso.

Una voce.—Unanimously.

Unique.—Singular.

Uti possedetis.—As ye possess, or present possession.

Utile dulci.—Utility with pleasure.

Vade mecum (Go with me).—Constant companion.

Vale.—Farewell.

Valet-de-chambre.—A servant who assists his master in dressing.

Veluti in speculum.—As in a looking-glass.

Verbatim.—Word for word.

Versus.—Against.

Veto.—I forbid.

Vi et armis.—By force and arms.

Via.—By the way of.

Vice.—In the room of.

Vice versa.—The terms being exchanged; the reverse.

Vide.—See.

Vide ut supra.—See as above.

Vis poetica.—Poetic genius.

Viva voce.—By the living voice.

Vivant rex et regina.—Long live the king and queen.

Vive la bagatelle.—Success to trifles.

Vive le roi.—Long live the king.

Vox et præterea nihil.—A voice and nothing more.

Vox populi.—The voice of the people.

Vulgo.—Commonly.


Pi

Type promiscuously intermingled.

The American Printer: A Manual of Typography

Public domain (Project Gutenberg, pre-1930 text)


PICA

The name of a type, one size larger than Small Pica, and one smaller than English. In Moxon’s time seventy-five Pica bodies measured a foot. All the sizes of types larger than Canon, are named from the number of Pica bodies contained in their depth, as Four Line Pica, Five Line Pica, and so on indefinitely. Leads or space lines are also cast to proportionate parts of Pica, as four to Pica, six to Pica, &c.


pick

A particle of ink or paper imbedded in the hollow of a letter, filling up its face and occasioning a spot.


PICK BRUSH

A hard brush with rather fine hairs; it is used to brush picks or dirt out of a form, when working, and each press is generally supplied with one.


PICKER

A fine pointed bodkin, or a needle, with which to take picks out of a form.


PICKS

When either pieces of the skin or film that grows on ink with standing by, or any dirt, get into the hollows of the face of the letter, that film or dirt will fill or choke up the face of the letter, and print black; and is called a pick, because the pressman with the point of a needle picks it out.—M.


PIE

When a page is broken, those broken letters are called pie. See Broken Letters.—M. We now call it Pie when the letters are all mixed indiscriminately together.

It is equally the interest of the employer and the workman to prevent the accumulation of pie in a printing office, for it swallows up useful sorts, to the delay, loss, and disappointment of both parties; and if a strict method be not enforced to prevent its increase, a master may be continually casting sorts; and at last it becomes an Herculean task to clear it away. No receptacle for it should ever be accessible to the workmen; and no types should ever be put into the waste metal box but by the person who has the care of the materials, that he may be enabled to prevent any abuse of this kind; for it is too common a practice, both for boys and men, when an accident happens, to throw a great part of the pie into the waste metal box, to save themselves the trouble of distributing it.


pieced

When the space between bands, upon which the lettering is placed, has a piece of leather upon it different from the back, it is said to be pieced or titled.


pieced

Any space that has another leather upon it, as a lettering piece.

The Art of Bookbinding: A Practical Treatise


pieced

When the space between bands, where lettering or title is placed, has fastened to it a piece of leather different from the back, it is said to be pieced or titled.


PIG

Pressmen are called pigs by compositors, sometimes by way of sport, and sometimes by way of irritation; in the same way the press room is called a pigstye. When the compositors wish to teaze them, they will grunt when a pressman goes into the composing room; but they rarely venture to do this in the press room. In Moxon’s time they were called Horses. See Ancient Customs.


PIG

An ancient nickname given in derision by compositors to pressmen. The press-room was called a pigsty.


PIGEON HOLES

Wide whites between words, are by compositors (in way of scandal) called pigeon-holes, and are by none accounted good workmanship, unless in cases of necessity.—M. Cases of necessity do not make them good workmanship; and the only instances in which they are tolerated are when a page is small, and the type is large in proportion to it, and in columns of table work. In marginal notes they are avoided, by not of necessity spacing every line full out.


pigskin

Leather made of pigskin. It is very tough and if constantly handled wears well.


PILE OF BOOKS

When a work is finished at the press, it is gathered, collated, folded, and put into books, pressed, and then piled up in some convenient part of the warehouse, in readiness for delivery.

The piles are erected as a stone mason would build, in layers of four, five, six, or more books to each layer, according to the number printed, and the convenience in the warehouse; the books forming these layers are turned back and fore edge alternately, so that a single copy can be readily got, and in removing them they are less liable to get confused; the upper layer should always be laid in a different order from that below it, so that the book should invariably cross a joining of that under it; and when the pile is high, I would recommend some wrappers to be placed occasionally between the layers, they prevent the sides bulging out, and make the pile firm. It is necessary to wrap up each parcel of the bottom layer in brown paper or wrappers, to preserve the edges and backs of the books clean. For the protection of this bottom layer, the pile should be erected on a stage, or, in default of that, some wrappers and waste paper should be spread on the floor upon which to place it; for the pile should never be raised without something interposed between the books and the floor.


PILE OF PAPER

is made similar to a pile of books; but, as the paper always comes in to a printing office cased in wrappers, the precautions used in keeping a pile of books clean are not necessary. The number of bundles in the foundation will be determined by the quantity received. The warehouseman should invariably mark the wrapper of each bundle with the name of the work it is intended for, before it is piled away.


PILE OF PRINTED PAPER

During the progress of printing a work, the sheets are, after being dried, placed in piles, generally resting against a wall of the building.

When the sheets are taken down dry from the poles, they are knocked up even, and piled against a wall generally, upon a stage to keep the bottom of the pile out of the way of harm, or, in want of a stage, upon some wrappers and waste paper to keep the bottom sheets from the floor, one wrapper always placed so as to project and turn over about a ream of paper, and turned into the heap, to preserve the edges clean, the first signature being always at the bottom, and the following ones piled in consecutive order upon it; between each signature a label is inserted in front, with the name of the work and the signature. What are called tops are placed on the pile, and some waste paper, to preserve the top sheets from dust and other matters that might soil them. It is usual to place the bottom a few inches from, and to gradually incline it to, the wall, so that the upper part may rest against it: this causes the pile to stand firmer than it would do if piled perpendicularly.


PLANE DOWN

To make the face of all the types in a form even, by passing the face of the planer over them, and striking the back of it with a mallet.

When the quoins are pushed up with the fingers, previous to locking the form up, I would plane it down gently, striking the back of the planer with the side of my doubled hand, lifting the planer a little up each time it is advanced; after the quoins are tightened round the form, I would plane it down again gently with the mallet; and finally with firmer blows after it is locked up; always lifting the planer clear of the form at every advance that is made with it; if any thing be under the form, it will be perceived when you plane down with the hand; that part should be omitted being struck upon; and when the form is locked up it ought to be lifted, the substance that is under it taken away, the form then laid down again, the quoins of that quarter slackened, and planed down: but types that stand up from any cause should never be planed down while tightly locked up, as it is almost a certainty that they will be destroyed.


PLANER

A piece of beech wood, planed smooth and even on the face, to plane the types in a form down with, by striking it on the top with a mallet, to prevent any of them from standing up. It is usually made 9 inches long, 4¼ broad, out of 2 inch stuff, a little thicker in the crown, and the edges hollowed the long way, to facilitate the lifting of it about.


PLANER

A smooth block of wood used for levelling the surface of pages of type when imposed.


PLANETS

The names of seven planets are used in some instances for the seven days of the week, in the following manner:—

The Sun, Dies Solis, is Sunday.

The Moon, Dies Lunæ, is Monday.

Mars, Dies Martis, is Tuesday.

Mercury, Dies Mercurii, is Wednesday.

Jupiter, Dies Jovis, is Thursday.

Venus, Dies Veneris, is Friday.

Saturn, Dies Saturni, is Saturday.

In the Journals of the House of Lords, they use the term Dies Sabbati for Saturday, that day being the original Sabbath. See Astronomical Characters.


Planing down

To bring down types evenly on their feet, by laying a planer on the page and striking it firmly with a mallet.


PLANK

That part of a wooden press which forms the bottom of the coffin; it projects beyond the coffin where the tympan joints are placed, upon which part the gallows sockets are fixed; on the bottom the cramp irons; and to each end the girths, wherewith to run the carriage in and out.


plate

an illustration printed from a plate. Term often incorrectly applied to illustrations printed from woodcuts. Any full-page illustration printed on different paper to the book is usually called a “plate.”


plate

An illustration printed from a plate. Term often incorrectly applied to illustrations printed from wood-cuts. Also, any full page illustration printed on paper different from that of the rest of the book is usually called a “plate.”


PLATE PAPER

This paper takes a good impression; but, without great care at press, owing to its thickness and softness, it is by the process pressed into the interstices between the lines, which produces an impression of more than the surface, and, of course, of more than is wanted to appear, particularly in engravings on wood: the skill of the artist is thus rendered of little avail; and the delicacy and tone of the engraving are destroyed.

To control this evil, when thick plate paper is used, I would advise that it should be very slightly wetted; when a few impressions only are wanted, putting the pieces into a heap of damp paper for a short time will be sufficient; and to have only one thickness of stout paper in the tympans. See Paper. Wetting Paper.

Play with Quadrats. See Ancient Customs.—M. Also Jeff, and Throw.


PLATEN

The platen is commonly made of beechen plank, two inches and an half thick, its length about fourteen inches, and its breadth about nine inches.—M. This is the description of a platen for a two pull press of the old construction: they are now always made of well seasoned hard mahogany for wooden presses, thicker, and sometimes faced with iron.

The platen is that part of the machine which comes down upon the form, and, being acted upon by the spindle, produces the impression. Iron presses have nearly superseded wooden presses, and have of course iron platens; they are all one pull presses, and the platen ought to be made large enough to cover the types of as large a form as the press will contain. Whether they be of wood or of iron, the face of the platen, that is, the under side, which produces the impression, ought to be a true plane, as the least inequality in it produces an unequal impression, which causes a great deal of trouble at press to rectify it, more particularly in fine work.


platen

The part of a printing-press which, acted upon by the lever, gives the impression to a sheet.


PLATEN HOOKS

Four iron hooks screwed into the corners of the platen.—M. To tie it up by to the hose hooks. This is in wooden presses.


PLATEN PAN

A square pan on the top of the platen, in which the toe of the spindle works.—M. At present it is made round, of bell metal, with a stud of hardened steel in it, for the toe of the spindle to work on, and it fits into the platen plate with a square stem.


PLATEN PLATE

A square plate of iron inlaid on the top of the platen in wooden presses, in which is placed the platen pan.


Plough

The instrument used in cutting the edges of books and pasteboards.


Plough

The instrument used for cutting the edges when the book is in the lying press.


Plough

An instrument used in cutting the edges of books and boards.


PLOUGH KNIFE

The knife attached to the plough. |178|


PLURAL

For the plural number of nouns, See Orthography.


point

Holes made in the sheets by the printer; they serve as guides in folding.


point

Two thin pieces of steel with a point at one end, adjusted to the tympan with screws, to make register.


point

Small holes made in the sheets by the printer which serve as guides in registering and folding.


POINT HOLES

The two holes the points prick in a sheet of paper.—M. These holes are made by the point spurs when the white paper is working, and are for the purpose of making register with when the reiteration is worked by fitting these holes on the spurs, on the opposite side of the sheet of paper.


POINT HOLES

Fine holes made by the points to register the second impression by


POINT SCREWS

Two square headed and square shanked bolts with a screw at the end, that go through the grooves in the tympan, with a nut on the upper side, by which the points are firmly affixed to the tympan.


pointillé

The dotted style of Le Gascon.

Bib-li-op-e-gis-tic: Pertaining to the Art of Binding Books


Pointille style

The dotted style of ornament of Le Gascon.


POINTING

When the Pressmen are working the reiteration, and have to place the point holes, made when the white paper was worked, on the points, in order to make both sides of the sheet in register, it is frequently termed <i>Pointing</i>.


POINTS

Two thin pieces of iron, with points or spurs at one end, fixed to the tympan with screws, to make register with. See Register Spur.

Points. See Typographical Points.


POINTS

, ; : . - ? ! ( ’ ) [ * § † and other marks, are all by Printers and Founders called Points.—M. We have now in addition the ‡ ‖ ¶ ☞: but when we speak of points at the present day, it is generally understood to mean those only which are used in punctuation, from the comma to the apostrophe; the parenthesis and crotchet are spoken of by their names; and the others are usually styled marks, or references. For the uses of them, See Punctuation; and each point or reference under its own name.


POLES

To hang paper on to dry. They are about two inches and a half wide, made of inch white deal, and are placed across the room, about fourteen inches from the ceiling and nine or ten inches apart, resting at each end on a long piece of wood fastened to the walls of the room, in notches to retain them in their situations. They should always be kept clean, and, if they have not had paper hung on them for some time, the warehouseman should see that the dust be brushed off them before any more is hung up. See Hang up Paper. Peel.


polisher

A steel implement used in finishing.


polisher

A steel instrument for giving a gloss to the leather after finishing.


polisher

A steel instrument for giving a gloss to leather after finishing.


POLLING BACKWARD

There are instances when a piece of work has been in the hands of a companionship, and one of them has obtained a knowledge of the following copy having some fat in it, a short page or a blank page for instance, that he has delayed his own work in order to obtain this fat; and thus lose perhaps two shillings, which he might have earned in the time, to obtain an advantage to the amount of but one shilling. This is termed polling backwards.


POLONAISE

The Polish alphabet consists of twenty-four letters, viz.:—

In addition the following letters are accented, viz., consonants, b́ ć, ł, ḿ, ń, ṕ, ś, ẃ, ż, ź; vowels, á, é, ó, ą, ę.

When b́, ḿ, ń, ṕ, are accented, it is necessary to soften them a little by adding a very soft i, as drab́ (drabi).

When ć is accented, it takes the sound of ch French.

Ł, ł, has a peculiar pronunciation of its own, nothing equivalent to it in English.

When ś is accented, it takes the sound of a very feeble French ck.

When ẃ is accented, it takes the sound of f, with a very feeble i added.

When ź is accented, it takes the sound of ś.

ż (pointed) is pronounced as s in pleasure, or French j in jamais.

á is distinguished very little in pronunciation, but it serves to show certain forms in the declensions.

ó is pronounced as oo, or French ou.

é approaches the sound of the mute e in que, je, le.

ą is pronounced as the French nasal on.

ę is pronounced as the French nasal in.

k is used in all those foreign words which have originally a c before the vowels a, o, u.

ẃ is used only at the end of words.

Q and V are used only in foreign proper names, &c. and are not strictly to be considered as Polish letters.Grammaire Abrégée de la Langue Polonaise, par Jean Séverin Vater. Halle et Strasbourg, 1807.

Some Polish grammarians assert that the q is preferable to the q̦, as being more consistent with the general sound of the letter, and some books have been printed in which the q is substituted, but still q, is by far the most generally used.


POOR LAWS AMENDMENT

4 & 5 Will. 4. c 76. s. 86. “And be it further enacted, That no Advertisement inserted by or under the Direction of the said Commissioners in the London Gazette or any Newspaper, for the Purpose of carrying into effect any Provisions of this Act, nor any Mortgage, Bond, Instrument, or any Assignment thereof, given by way of Security, in pursuance of the Rules, Orders, or Regulations of the said Commissioners, and conformable thereto, nor any Contract or Agreement, or Appointment of any Officer, made or entered into in pursuance of such Rules, Orders, or Regulations, and conformable thereto, nor any other Instrument made in pursuance of this Act, nor the Appointment of any paid Officer engaged in the Administration of the Laws for the Relief of the Poor, or in the Management or Collection of the Poor Rate, shall be charged or chargeable with any Stamp Duty whatever.”

Poor, Relief of, Ireland. 1 & 2 Vict. c. 56. “An Act for the more effectual Relief of the destitute Poor in Ireland.

s. 96. “And be it enacted, that no Advertisement inserted by or under the Direction of the Commissioners in the London or Dublin Gazette, or any Newspaper, for the Purpose of carrying into effect any Provisions of this Act, nor any Charge, Mortgage, Bond, or Instrument given by way of Security in pursuance of the Orders of the Commissioners, and conformable thereto, nor any Transfer thereof, nor any Contract or Agreement made or entered into in pursuance of such orders, and conformable thereto, nor any Conveyance, Demise, or Assignment respectively, to or by the Commissioners, nor any Receipt for Rate, nor any other Instrument made in pursuance of this Act, nor the Appointment of any paid Officer engaged in the Administration of the Laws for the Relief of the Poor, or in the Management or Collection of the Poor Rate, shall be charged or chargeable with any Stamp Duty whatever.”


PORTUGUESE

The Portuguese alphabet contains twenty-four letters, being the same as the English, with the exception of K and W, which are not in their alphabet.

The tittle, or little dash, which the Portuguese call til, is set by them over some letters instead of m; as bẽ instead of bem; convẽ instead of convém; hũa instead of huma.

They also set their til ~ over the vowels ao, aa, in the end of words, thus aõ aã.

It may be observed that the curved mark ~ is the most perfect, though it is found necessary, in English types, frequently to substitute the plain ‾ instead of the curved.—Vieyra’s Portuguese Grammar, 9th edit.


POST HORSES

Penalty for forging Turnpike Tickets. By the Act 4 Geo. 4. c. 62. s. 41. it is enacted, “That if any Person shall falsely make, forge, or counterfeit, or cause or procure to be falsely made, forged, or counterfeited, or wilfully aid or assist in the false making, forging, or counterfeiting, any Ticket or Certificate by this Act authorized or directed to be used, with an Intent to defraud His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, or any Person or Persons, of any of the said Duties, or shall utter or publish as true any false, forged, or counterfeited Ticket or Certificate, with an Intent to defraud His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, or any Person or Persons, of any of the said Duties, every Person so offending in any or either of the Cases aforesaid shall forfeit and pay the Sum of Fifty Pounds.”


PRE-ANTEPENULTIMATE

The last syllable but three of a word.


Preparing

Comprising all the preliminary operations up to “forwarding,” including folding, gathering, collating, and sewing.


PRESS

The machine by means of which a printed impression of types and engravings in relief is obtained.

It is a curious circumstance, that from the first introduction of the art of printing in Europe, about 1440, till Earl Stanhope made a great improvement, the principle of the press remained the same, and even the construction of it underwent little alteration. The principle is simple; a level surface attached to the end of a screw, by which it is pressed upon the types with a sheet of paper interposed to receive the impression. The improvements that Lord Stanhope introduced were an increased power, by means of a compound lever attached to the screw: this increased power was the means of producing larger presses, which enabled the printers to print larger sheets of paper than before, with one pull, even to the extent of a double royal; and these new presses, being made of iron, produced better workmanship than wooden ones, with less trouble, the wooden platen being subject to be indented, which occasioned the impression to be irregular; this required much time and trouble to equalize it, particularly in fine work. This iron platen wears out types sooner than the wooden platen. Many of our most splendid books were printed with wooden presses. For some account of the most approved iron presses, see under their respective names.

Although there are but few wooden printing presses now made, iron presses having superseded them, yet, as there are many still in being, it may be useful to retain the knowledge of fixing them in a proper manner, on which account I shall give an old pressman’s directions for this purpose.

“To erect a Press.—The feet must be horizontal, and the cheeks perpendicular; then put the cap on the cheeks, and fix the stays as firmly as possible between the cap and a solid wall, or a strong beam: while the joiner is doing this, the pressman rubs well with black lead the tenons of the head and winter, the mortises in the cheeks, and all other parts where friction occurs. Place the winter horizontally, and on it put the carriage which contains the ribs; the joiner shortens or lengthens the fore stay under the carriage till the ribs become horizontal; lay the coffin on the ribs; bed the stone, which is a very particular point, as it must be perfectly horizontal, and ought to be of equal thickness, and as smooth on the under side as on the upper surface, so that if the face should be at any time so indented as not to be fit for work, the same stone will do by turning it over, and occasion very little trouble in bedding it, and will not be so liable to break in working down as a new one. Cartridge paper is the safest bedding, and stout tape laid even under the stone is preferable to cords, as I know it is a preventive to the stone breaking; and after it is bedded, the ends of the tape are easier put between the coffin and the stone than cord.

“The head being put in, and the box with the spindle in it, fix the shelves; then fix the platen; this must be done so exact as to touch the face of all the type at one and the same time: the way to know this, is by cutting four narrow slips of paper about six inches long, and, taking care that there is no dirt on the stone nor on the bottom of the form, plane it well down, place the four slips of paper, one on each of the four corner pages; bring down the platen so gently, that the corners of it may barely touch the slips of paper, with very little pressure; if they all bind alike at one instant, the platen hangs right; if not, alter the fixing till they equally bind.

“The rounce being set, and the upper and under bolsters made, the pressman lays on a heavy form without blank pages, if he can get one; and if it be a new press, he brings down the bar to the near cheek regularly, until the press be properly wrought down. As he goes on, the new scaleboards work close, and cause the press to lose power; the pressman must continue adding more, until there be a sufficient quantity in the head. If it be really necessary, put some scaleboards under the winter, but the fewer the better. Pieces of felt hat are preferable to scaleboards for loading the head of a press.

“I have always found the least slurring in presses that have solid fixed winters, and have often abolished slurring and mackling in old presses, by taking out all the scaleboard from beneath the winter, and substituting solid blocks of wood. The mortises which contain the tenons of the head ought always to be made long enough to contain all the spring that is necessary for a good press.

“Attention being required, and much time lost in working down a new press, two guineas are paid for doing justice to it.”


press

There are various kinds of presses,—viz.: laying or cutting, standing, stamping, embossing, gilding, and finishing.


press

Of various kinds, viz.: lying, cutting, standing, blocking, finishing, etc.


press

There are several kinds of presses, viz.: plough and press, for cutting, and standing, stamping, embossing, gilding, and finishing presses.


PRESS BAR

A curved bar of iron, one end of which goes through an opening in the spindle, and is secured by a screw in general, but sometimes by a square iron bolt which goes through an opening in the end of the bar, and as there is a shoulder that abuts against the square part of the spindle, both these methods draw it tight up, and attach it firmly to the spindle; at the other end there is a long, thick, tapering, wooden handle, through which the bar goes, and it is either secured by a screw, or the bar rivetted at the end with a collar round it. The bar to screw the book press down with is also called a Press Bar.


PRESS BOARDS

Boards made of deal, beech, elm, or mahogany, to place between paper in the book press. They are made smooth on both sides, and it is preferable to have them without a joint when it is practicable.


PRESS GOES

When the pressmen are at work, the press is said to go.—M.

Press goes Easy, Light. See Easy Pull.

Press goes Hard, Heavy. See Hard Pull.—M.


Press goes Hard

*Heavy*. See § 24. ¶ 5. and *Press goes Easie*, *Light*.


PRESS PIN

A small iron bar, wherewith to screw the book press down in the warehouse, till there is some pressure on the paper, when it is wrung down with the press bar.


press pin

A bar of iron used as a lever for standing presses; a smaller kind for lying presses.


press pin

an iron bar used for turning the screws of presses.


PRESS PROOF

A good impression of a sheet of a work, or of a job, to read it carefully by, and to mark the errors, previous to its being put to press.


PRESS STANDS STILL

When the pressmen are not at work, or have nothing to do, the press is said to stand still.


PRESS STONE

A stone fitted into the coffin, on which the form is placed to be printed. See Press.


pressing blocks

Blocks of wood used for filling up a standing press when there are not enough books.


pressing boards

Boards used for pressing books between.


pressing boards

Boards put between books when they are pressed. They are usually made of carefully seasoned wood, and have a heavy strip of brass about their edges, which projects a little above the board’s surface. Books are laid on the boards with their backs projecting over this band enough to bring the latter exactly into the groove of the joint. Another board is laid on these books in the same position as the first, and so on. All are then pressed.


Pressing plates

plates of metal japanned or nickelled, used for giving finish to the leather on a book.


Pressing plates

Thin plates of metal, japanned or nickeled, used to give a finish or polish to the leather on a book by placing them next to the leather and then subjecting book and plates to heavy pressure.


PRESSMAN

The man who executes printing at the press, and produces impressions from types and engravings in relief.

Pressmen’s Prices. See Scale.


PRESSWORK

Under the articles Engravings on Wood and Fine Presswork I have gone into detail respecting the manner of producing superior workmanship; it will not therefore be necessary to dwell at any great length upon presswork generally. As the finest presswork is the impression from the face of the types, and the face only, and there being little elastic substance between the platen and the types, those which are new, or not much worn, can only be used for this purpose. But as the greater number of books, and other articles, are printed at a much lower rate, the printer finds it necessary to use types that are often much worn, with the angles rounded off by use; the pressman is then obliged to have more blanket in the tympans, that their elasticity may penetrate between the types, and produce an impression from the rounded parts; he is obliged also to use a weaker ink, which distributes easily and readily; it also requires less beating and rolling; he is thus enabled to make greater despatch. The process of making ready is the same in both, but in this instance is not carried out to so much nicety, for the additional blankets preclude the necessity; still the impression must be pretty equal; the making of register is the same in both cases—page must fall exactly upon page; neither does it require so great a pull; yet it is requisite that the pressman should preserve the work of a proper colour, and that that colour should be uniform.

Prices Current. See Newspaper Postage.

First 5 PRICE tables

William Savage, A Dictionary of the Art of Printing, 1841