King James Bible Dictionary

PLAT, verb transitive [from plait, or plat flat.]

To weave; to form by texture. Matthew 27:1.

PLAT'

PLA'TANE, noun [Latin platanus.] The planetree, which see.

PLAT'BAND, noun A border of flowers in a garden, along a wall or the side of a parterre.

1. In architecture, a flat square molding whose highth much exceeds its projecture, such as the faces of an architrave.

2. The lintel of a door or window.

3. A list or fillet between the flutings of a column.

PLATE, noun [Latin Latus, with the radical sense of laid, spread.]

1. A piece of metal, flat or extended in breadth.

2. Armor of plate composed of broad pieces, and thus distinguished from mail.

3. A piece of wrought silver, as a dish or other shallow vessel; hence, vessels of silver; wrought silver in general. plate by the laws of some states, is subject to a tax by the ounce.

4. A small shallow vessel, made of silver or other metal, or of earth glazed and baked, from which provisions are eaten at table. A wooden plate is called a trencher.

5. The prize given for the best horse in a race.

6. In architecture, the piece of timber which supports the ends of the rafters. [See Platform.]

PLATE, verb transitive To cover or overlay with plate or with metal; used particularly of silver; as plated vessels.

1. To arm with plate or metal for defense; as, to plate sin with gold.

Why plated in habiliments of war?

2. To adorn with place; as a plated harness.

3. To beat into thin flat pieces or lamens.

PLA'TED, participle passive Covered or adorned with plate; armed with plate; beaten into plates.

PLAT'EN, noun [from its flatness.] Among printers, the flat part of a press by which the impression is made.

PLA'TEY, adjective Like a plate; flat.

PLAT'FORM, noun [plat, flat, form.] The sketch of any thing horizontally delineated; the ichnography.

1. A place laid out after any model.

2. In the military art, an elevation of earth or a floor of wood or stone, on which cannons are mounted to fire on an enemy.

3. In architecture, a row of beams or a piece of timber which supports the timber-work of a roof, and lying on the top of the wall.

This in New England is called the plate.

4. A kind of terrace or broad smooth open walk on the top of a building, as in the oriental houses.

5. In ships, the orlop. [See Orlop.]

6. Any number of planks or other materials forming a floor for any purpose.

7. A plan; a scheme; ground-work.

8. In some of the New England states, an ecclesiastical constitution, or a plan for the government of churches; as the Cambridge or Saybrook platform

Platic aspect, in astrology, a ray cast from one planet to another, not exactly, but within the orbit of its own light.

PLATI'NA

PLA'TING, participle present tense Overlaying with plate or with a metal; beating into thin lamens.

PLA'TING, noun The art or operation of covering any thing with plate or with a metal, particularly of overlaying a baser metal with a thin plate of silver. The coating of silver is soldered to the metal with tin or a mixture of three parts of silver with one of brass.

PLATINIF'EROUS, adjective [platina and fero, to produce.]

Producing patina; as platiniferous sand.

PLATI'NUM, noun A metal discovered in the mines of Choco in Peru, nearly of the color of silver, but less bright, and the heaviest of the metals. Its specific gravity is to that of water as 23 to 1. It is harder than iron, undergoes no alteration in air, resists the action of acids and alkalies, is very ductile and capable of being rolled into thin plates.

PLATON'IC, adjective Pertaining to Plato the philosopher, or to his philosophy, his school or his opinions.

Platonic love, is a pure spiritual affection subsisting between the sexes, unmixed with carnal desires, and regarding the mind only and its excellencies; a species of love for which Plato was a warm advocate.

Platonic year, the great year, or a period of time determines by the revolution of the equinoxes, or the space of time in which the stars and constellations return to their former places in respect to the equinoxes. This revolution, which is calculated by the precession of the equinoxes, is accomplished in about 25, 000 years.

PLATON'ICALLY, adverb After the manner of Plato.

PLA'TONISM, noun The philosophy of Plato, consisting of three branches, theology, physics and mathematics. Under theology is included moral philosophy. The foundation of Plato's theology is the opinion that there are two eternal, primary, independent and incorruptible principles or causes of all things, and matter, from which all things are made. It was a fundamental maxim with him that from nothing, nothing can proceed. While therefore he held God to be the maker of the universe, he held matter, the substance of which the universe was made, to be eternal.

PLA'TONIST

PLA'TONIZE, verb intransitive To adopt the opinions or philosophy of Plato.

PLA'TONIZE, verb transitive To explain on the principles of the Platonic school, or to accommodate to those principles.

PLA'TONIZED, participle passive Accommodated to the philosophy of Plato.

PLA'TONIZER, noun One that adheres to the philosophy of Plato; a follower of Plato.

PLA'TONIZING, participle present tense Adopting the principles of Plato; accommodating to the principles of the Platonic school.

PLATOON', noun A small square body of soldiers or musketeers, drawn out of a battalion of foot when they form a hollow square, to strengthen the angles; or a small body acting together, but separate from the main body; as, to fire by platoons.

PLAT'TER, noun [from plate.] A large shallow dish for holding the provisions of a table.

1. One that plats or forms by weaving. [See Plat.]

PLAT'TER-FACED, adjective Having a broad face.

PLAT'TING, participle present tense Weaving; forming by texture.

PLAT'TING, noun Work done by platting or interweaving.

PLAT, noun [Latin latus; or from the root of place.] A small piece of ground, usually a portion of flat even ground; as a flowery plat; a plat of willows.

PLAT, adjective Plain; flat. [Not used.]

PLAT, adverb Plainly; flatly; downright. [Not used.]

1. Smoothly; evenly. [Not used.]

PLAT'YPUS, noun A quadruped of New Holland, whose jaws are elongated into the shape of a duck's bill. The body is covered with thick hair and the feet are webbed.

This animal has been arranged with the Mammalia, but it is now presumed to be oviparous; at least its breasts have not hitherto been observed.