PARADOX, par'a-doks, _n._ that which is contrary to received opinion, or that which is apparently absurd but really true.--_n._ PAR'ADOXER.--_adjs._ PARADOX'IC, -AL, of the nature of a paradox: inclined to paradoxes, said of persons.--_adv._ PARADOX'ICALLY.--_ns._ PARADOX'ICALNESS; PARADOX'IDES, a genus of trilobites; PAR'ADOXIST; PAR'ADOXY, the quality of being paradoxical.--HYDROSTATIC PARADOX (see HYDROSTATICS). [Through Fr. and L., from Gr. _paradoxon_--_para_, contrary to, _doxa_, an opinion.]
PARADOXURE, par-a-dok's[=u]r, _n._ a civet-like carnivore of Southern Asia and Malaysia, the palm-cat of India.--_adj._ PARADOX[=U]'RINE, having a paradoxical or peculiarly curling tail.
PARaeSTHESIA, par-es-th[=e]'si-a, _n._ abnormal sensation. [Gr. _para_, beyond, _aisth[=e]sis_, sensation.]
PARAFFIN, par'af-fin, _n._ a white, transparent, crystalline substance, obtained from shale, coal-tar, &c., much used instead of wax, tallow, &c.
in making candles--so named as having little affinity--for an alkali--also PAR'AFFINE.--_v.t._ to coat or impregnate with paraffin.--_ns._ PAR'AFFIN-OIL, any of the mineral burning oils associated with the manufacture of paraffin; PAR'AFFIN-SCALE, unrefined paraffin. [Fr.,--L.
_parum_, little, _affinis_, allied.]
PARAFFLE, pa-raf'l, _n._ (_Scot._) any pretentious display.
PARAGASTRIC, par-a-gas'trik, _adj._ lying alongside the gastric cavity: pertaining to the paragaster or the cavity of the sac of a sponge.
PARAGE, par'[=a]j, _n._ equality in law: a woman's portion at marriage.
[_Par._]
PARAGENESIS, par-a-jen'e-sis, _n._ hybridism.--_adjs._ PARAGENET'IC; PARAGEN'IC, originating with the germ or at the genesis of an individual.
[Gr. _para_, beside, _genesis_, birth.]
PARAGEUSIA, par-a-g[=u]'si-a, _n._ perverted sense of taste--also PARAGEU'SIS.--_adj._ PARAGEU'SIC. [Gr. _para_, beside, _geusis_, taste.]
PARAGLENAL, par-a-gl[=e]'nal, _n._ the coracoid of a fish--also _adj._ [Gr.
_para_, beside, _gl[=e]n[=e]_, a socket.]
PARAGLOBULIN, par-a-glob'[=u]-lin, _n._ a globulin found in blood-serum, fibrino-plastin.--Also PARAGL[=O]'BIN.
PARAGLOSSA, par-a-glos'a, _n._ one of the two appendages of the ligula in insects.--_adjs._ PARAGLOSS'AL; PARAGLOSS'ATE, provided with paraglossae.
[Gr. _para_, beside, _gl[=o]ssa_, the tongue.]
PARAGNATHOUS, par-ag'n[=a]-thus, _adj._ having both mandibles of equal length.--_n._ PARAG'N[=A]THISM. [Gr. _para_, beside, _gnathos_, the jaw.]
PARAGOGE, par-a-g[=o]'j[=e], _n._ the addition of a letter or a syllable to the end of a word, as _amidst_ for _amid_, _generical_ for _generic_--also called _epithesis_ and _ecstasis_, as opposed to _prosthesis_ and _apocope_.--_adjs._ PARAGOG'IC, -AL, forming a paragoge: relating to, or of the nature of, paragoge: added on: additional.--PARAGOGIC FUTURE, the cohortative tense in Hebrew grammar--a lengthened form of the imperfect or future tense, usually confined to the first person, giving the sense of 'let me' or 'let us.' [L.,--Gr. from _para_, beyond, _agein_, to lead.]
PARAGON, par'a-gon, _n._ a pattern or model with which comparisons are made: (_Spens._) a companion or a rival: something supremely excellent: a size of printing-type intermediate between great-primer and double pica, equal to 20 points in the newer system.--_v.t._ to compare: to bring into comparison with: (_Shak._) to surpass. [O. Fr., from Sp. compound prep.
_para con_, in comparison with--L. _pro_, for, _ad_, to, _con=cum_, with.]
PARAGRAM, par'a-gram, _n._ a play upon words: a pun.--_n._ PARAGRAM'MATIST, a punster. [Gr. _para_, beside, _gramma_, something written, _graphein_, to write.]
PARAGRAPH, par'a-graf, _n._ a distinct part of a discourse or writing marked by --, or by being begun on a new line, at more than the usual distance from the margin: a short passage, or a collection of sentences with unity of purpose.--_v.t._ to form into paragraphs.--_ns._ PAR'AGRAPHER, PAR'AGRAPHIST, one who writes in paragraphs, esp. for newspapers.--_adjs._ PARAGRAPH'IC, -AL.--_adv._ PARAGRAPH'ICALLY. [The mark -- is the reversed initial of this word, which is, through Fr. and Low L., from Gr. _paragraphos_--_para_, beside, _graphein_, to write.]
PARAHELIOTROPISM, par-a-h[=e]-li-ot'r[=o]-pizm, _n._ the diurnal sleep of plants.--_adj._ PARAHELIOTROP'IC. [Gr. _para_, beside, _h[=e]lios_, the sun, _trepein_, to turn.]
PARAKEET. See PAROQUET.
PARALEIPSIS, par-a-l[=i]p'sis, _n._ (_rhet._) a figure by which one fixes attention on a subject by pretending to neglect it, as, 'I will not speak of his generosity, his gentleness of disposition, or his reverence for sacred things.' [Gr., from _paraleipein_, to leave on one side--_para_, beside, _leipein_, to leave.]
PARALIPOMENA, par-a-li-pom'e-na, _n.pl._ things passed over, but given in a supplement, specially the name given in the Septuagint to the First and Second Books of Chronicles, a recapitulation of Second Samuel and the Books of Kings. [Late L.,--Gr. _paraleipomena_--_paraleipein_, to pass over.]
PARALLAX, par'a-laks, _n._ an apparent change in the position of an object caused by change of position in the observer: (_astron._) the difference between the apparent and real place of a star or other celestial object.--_adjs._ PARALLAC'TIC, -AL. [Gr. _parallaxis_--_para_, beside, _allassein_, to change--_allos_, another.]
PARALLEL, par'al-lel, _adj._ side by side: (_geom._) extended in the same direction and equi-distant in all parts: with the same direction or tendency: running in accordance with: resembling in all essential points: like or similar.--_n._ a line equi-distant from another at all points: a line drawn across a map or round a globe at right angles to the axis, marking latitude: likeness: a comparison: counterpart: (_pl._) trenches, dug parallel to the outline of a besieged fortress to protect the besiegers (_mil._).--_v.t._ to place so as to be parallel: to correspond, or to make to correspond, to:--_pr.p._ par'alleling or par'allelling; _pa.p._ par'alleled or par'allelled.--_n._ PAR'ALLELISM, state of being parallel: resemblance: comparison: likeness of form or meaning, as of two statements, clauses, or verses.--_adj._ PARALLELIS'TIC, of the nature of, or involving, parallelism.--_adv._ PAR'ALLELLY.--PARALLEL BARS, a pair of bars securely fixed, 4 to 6 feet above the ground, and about 1 feet apart, used in gymnastics to strengthen the arms; PARALLEL FORCES, forces which act in parallel lines, having a single resultant, readily found by the method of moments; PARALLEL MOTION, a name given to any linkage by which circular motion may be changed into straight-line motion; PARALLEL RULERS, a mathematical instrument for drawing parallel lines. [Fr.,--L.
_parallelus_--Gr. _parall[=e]los_--_para_, beside, _all[=e]l[=o]n_, of one another--_allos_, another.]
PARALLELEPIPED, par-al-lel-e-p[=i]'ped, _n._ a regular solid, the opposite sides and ends of which form three pairs of equal parallelograms.--Also PARALLELEP[=I]'PEDON, improperly PARALLELOP[=I]'PED, PARALLELOP[=I]'PEDON.
[L.,--Gr. _parall[=e]lepipedon_--_parall[=e]los_, _epipedon_, a plane surface--_epi_, on, _pedon_, the ground.]
PARALLELOGRAM, par-al-lel'[=o]-gram, _n._ a plane four-sided figure, the opposite sides of which are parallel and equal.--_adjs._ PARALLELOGRAMMAT'IC, -AL, PARALLELOGRAM'MIC, -AL. [Fr.,--L.,--Gr.
_parall[=e]los_, side by side, _gramma_, a line--_graphein_, to write.]
PARALOGISM, par-al'[=o]-jizm, _n._ reasoning beside the point: a conclusion not following from the premises--also PARAL'OGY.--_v.i._ PARAL'OGISE, to reason falsely. [Fr.,--L.,--Gr. _paralogismos_--_para_, beside, _logismos_--_logos_, discourse.]
PARALYSE, par'a-l[=i]z, _v.t._ to strike with paralysis or palsy: to make useless: to deaden the action of: to exhaust.--_n._ PARAL'YSIS, a loss of the power of motion, sensation, or function in any part of the body: palsy: loss of energy: state of being crippled.--_adj._ PARALYT'IC, of or pertaining to paralysis: afflicted with or inclined to paralysis.--_n._ one who is affected with paralysis.--GENERAL PARALYSIS, dementia paralytica.
[Fr.,--L.,--Gr. _paralyein_, _paralysein_--_para_, beside, _lyein_, loosen.]
PARAMAGNETIC, par-a-mag-net'ik, _adj._ See under DIAMAGNETIC.
PARAMASTOID, par-a-mas'toid, _adj._ situated near the mastoid, paroccipital.--_n._ a paramastoid process.
PARAMATTA, par-a-mat'a, _n._ a fabric like merino made of worsted and cotton. [From _Paramatta_ in New South Wales.]
PARAMECIUM, par-a-m[=e]'si-um, _n._ an infusorian in pond water or vegetable infusions--also _Slipper Animalcule_:--_pl._ PARAM[=E]'CIA. [Gr.
_param[=e]k[=e]s_, long-shaped, _para_, beside, _m[=e]kos_, length.]
PARAMENIA, par-a-m[=e]'ni-a, _n.pl._ disordered menstruation. [Gr. _para_, beside, _m[=e]n_, a month.]
PARAMERE, par'a-m[=e]r, _n._ (_biol._) a radiated part or organ: either half of a bi-laterally symmetrical animal--usually _Antimere_.--_adj._ PARAMER'IC. [Gr. _para_, beside, _meros_, a part.]
PARAMETER, par-am'[=e]-t[.e]r, _n._ (_geom._) the constant quantity which enters into the equation of a curve: in conic sections, a third proportional to any diameter and its conjugate diameter. [Gr. _para_, beside, _metron_, measure.]
PARAMNESIA, par-am-n[=e]'si-a, _n._ false memory. [Gr. _para_, beside, _mim-n[=e]skein_, to remind.]
PARAMO, par'a-m[=o], _n._ a bare wind-swept elevated plain. [Sp.]
PARAMORPH, par'a-morf, _n._ (_min._) a pseudomorph formed by a change in molecular structure without change of chemical composition.--_adjs._ PARAMORPH'IC, PARAMORPH'OUS.--_ns._ PARAMORPH'ISM, PARAMORPH[=O]'SIS. [Gr.
_para_, beside, _morph[=e]_, form.]
PARAMOUNT, par'a-mownt, _adj._ superior to all others: chief: of the highest order or importance--opp. to _Paravail_.--_n._ the chief: a superior.--_adv._ PAR'AMOUNTLY. [O. Fr. _par amont_, _par_--L. prep. _per_; cf. _Amount_.]
PARAMOUR, par'a-m[=oo]r, _n._ a lover of either sex, now usually in the illicit sense. [Fr. _par amour_, by or with love--L. _per amorem_.]
PARANEMA, par-a-n[=e]'ma, _n._ (_bot._) paraphysis.--_adj._ PARANEMAT'IC.
[Gr. _para_, about, _n[=e]ma_, a thread.]
PARANG, par'ang, _n._ a heavy Malay knife. [Malay.]
PARANGON, pa-rang'gon, _n._ a jeweller's term for a gem of remarkable excellence. [Fr.]
PARANOEA, par-a-n[=e]'a, _n._ chronic mental derangement--also PARANOI'A.--_ns._ PARANOE'AC, PARANOI'AC.--_adj._ PARANOE'IC. [Gr. _para_, beside, _noein_, to think.]