See Also: puritanical(dictionary)
puritanical(dictionary)

physiognomy (iou) and puritanical (iou)


physiognomy (iou)



physiognomy noun. LME.
[Old French phisonomie (mod. physionomie) from medieval Latin phisonomia, physionomia, late Latin physiognomia from late Greek phusiognomia contr. of Greek phusiognomonia, from phusis Nature + gnomon-, gnomon interpreter: see -Y3. The g occurs from 16.]
1. The Art of judging character from the features of the face or the form of the body generally. LME.
2. A person's face or expression, esp. viewed as indicative of the mind and character; the General cast of features of a race; transf. the General appearance or external features of a thing, spec. (Ecology) of a plant community. LME.
N. Hawthorne The old highways..adapted themselves..to the physiognomy of the country. F. Tomlin Friends had begun to notice a change in Eliot's physiognomy.
b. A portrait. L15-E17.
3. Prediction of the future from the features of the face etc.; a fortune so foretold. Also, fortune foretold or character divined by Astrology. M16-M17.
4. fig. The ideal, mental, moral, or political aspect of anything as an indication of its character; characteristic aspect. L17.
physiognomer noun a physiognomist L15-E18.
physiognomic adjective of the Nature of or pertaining to physiognomy; pertaining to the face as indicative of character; skilled in physiognomy: E18.
physio'gnomical adjective physiognomic L16.
physio'gnomically adverb in a physiognomic manner; according to the rules of physiognomy; as regards characteristic features: E17.
physiognomist noun [French physiognomiste] a person skilled in physiognomy; a person who reads character (or, formerly, professed to predict the future) from a person's face: L16.
physiognomize verb trans. examine or study physiognomically; infer the character of from physiognomy: M17.

puritanical (iou)



puritanical adjective. Chiefly derog. Also Puritanical. E17.
[from PURITAN + -ICAL.]
Characteristic of or befitting a puritan, spec. (Hist.) a Puritan; of the late 16th and 17th cents; esp. practising or affecting strict religious or moral behaviour.
J. Wainwright The severe puritanical bulk of the chapel. Oxford Art Journal Greenberger's..almost puritanical disregard for pleasure.
puritanic adjective (now rare) = PURITANICAL E17.
puritanically adverb E17.