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OF THE GAELIC LANGUAGE.
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pit, hollow or pit (Dict. only), κúσθος, M. G. pit (D. of L.), Manx pitt, Ir. pit; from Ag. S. pyt, pit, well, now pit, from Lat. puteus, well. for force, cf. Br. fetan, fountain, fete, κúσθος. The non-existent Dict. meaning is due to the supposed force of topographic pit discussed in the next article.
Pit-, prefix in farm and townland names in Pictland, meaning "farm, portion"; O. G. pet, pett, g. pette (B. of Deer), a Pictish word allied to W. peth, part, Gaelic cuid. See further under cuid and pìos.
piùg, a plaintive note (H.S.D.); cf. W. puch, sigh. Onomatopoetic?
piuthar, sister, Ir. siur, E. Ir. siur, fiur, g. sethar, fethar, O. Ir. siur, W. chwaer, Corn. huir, Br. hoar: *svesôr, g. svestros (Stokes); Lat. soror (= sosor); Eng. sister; Lit. sesüó; Skr. svâsar.
plab, soft noise as of a body falling into water; from Sc. plope, Dial. Eng. plop: onomatopoetic like plump. Skeat compares Eng. blab. See plub.
placaid, a wooden dish; through Sc. (?) from Fr. plaquette, plaque, a plate, whence Eng. placard, Sc. placad. M'A. gives also the meaning "flat, broad, good-natured female", which is a metaphoric use.
plaibean, a lump of raw flesh, a plump boy; founded on Sc. plope, as in plab above. Cf. Eng. plump.
plaide, a blanket, Ir. ploid; Eng. plaid, Sc. plaiden, coarse woollen cloth, like flannel, but twilled: all are founded on Lat. pellis, but whether invented by Gadelic or English is at present doubtful. Skeat says it is Celtic, a view which, as the case stands, has most to say for it; cf. G. peallaid, sheepskin. Dunbar's "Hieland Pladdis".
plàigh, a plague, Ir. pláigh, E. Ir. plág, W. pla; from Lat. plâga, disaster, M. Eng. pláge, Eg. plague.
plais, a splash; from Sc. plash, to strike water suddenly, Eng. plash, splash.
plam, anything curdled: cf. Br. plommein, a clot, as of blood. See slaman. M'A. gives it the meaning of "fat blubber cheek". Arg. has "bainne plumaichte", curdled or soured mild.
plang, a plack - a Scots coin; from Sc. plack, a copper coin equal to four pennies Scots, which came with the Flemish, etc., and is allied to Fr. plaque, used of coin, though really a "metal dish, etc.". See placaid.
plangaid, a blanket; Ir. plainceud (Fol.); from the Eng.
plannta, a plant, Ir. planda; from Eng. plant, Lat. planta.
