pith

Noun (1)

pith (usually uncountable, plural piths)

1. (usually) The soft, spongy substance inside plant parts; specifically, the parenchyma in the centre of the roots and stems of many plants and trees.
   • This ſvveete ſmelling Reede is of a darke dun colour, full of ioints and knees eaſie to be broken into ſmall ſplinters, hollovv and full of a certaine vvhite pith, cobvveb vviſe, ſomevvhat gummie in eating, and hanging in the teeth, and of a ſharpe bitter taſte.1597, John Gerarde [i.e., John Gerard], “Of Aromaticall Reedes”, in The Herball or Generall Historie of Plantes. […], London: […] Edm[und] Bollifant, for Bonham and Iohn Norton, →OCLC, book I, page 56
   • Some make inciſion into the very Vine braunch, as farre as to the pith and marrovv vvithin (to divert the moiſture that feedeth the grape:) others lay the cluſters a drying upon tile-houſes: and all this is done vvith the grapes of the Vine Helvenaca.1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book XIV.] Foureteene Sorts of Sweet Wines.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie...

   Synonyms:

   marrow, medulla

2. (usually) The albedo (“whitish inner portion of the rind”) of a citrus fruit.
3. (broadly, usually) The soft tissue inside a human or animal body or one of their organs; specifically, the spongy interior substance of a horn or the shaft of a feather.

   Synonyms:

   medulla

4. (broadly, usually) Chiefly of animals: the soft tissue inside a spinal cord; the spinal marrow; also, the spinal cord itself.
   • Becauſe many do hold this opinion that this diſeaſe doth conſume the marrovv of the backe: […] [s]ome againe, do tvvine out the pith of the backe vvith a long vvire thruſt vp into the horſſes head, and ſo into his necke and backe, vvith vvhat reaſon I knovv not.1607, Conradus Gesnerus [i.e., Conrad Gessner]; Edward Topsell, “Of the Horsse. [Of the Mourning of the Chine.]”, in The Historie of Foure-footed Beastes. […], London: […] William Iaggard, →OCLC...

   Synonyms:

   medulla

5. (broadly, obsolete, usually) Synonym of diploe (“the thin layer of soft, spongy, or cancellate tissue between the bone plates which constitute the skull”).

   Synonyms:

   diploe

6. (broadly, obsolete, rare, usually) The soft tissue of the brain.
   • Verily if vvee take a right vievv of this laxe pith or marrovv in Mans head, neither our ſenſe nor underſtanding can diſcover any thing more in this ſubſtance that can pretend to ſuch noble operations as free Imagination and ſagacious collections of Reaſon, then vve can diſcern in a Cake of Sevvet...1653, Henry More, “Of the Nature of the Soul of Man, whether She be a Meere Modification of the Body, or a Substance Really Distinct, and then whether Corporeall or Incorporeall”, in An Antidote...
7. (Ireland, Southern-England, West-Country, broadly, usually) The soft inner portion of a loaf of bread.
   • The berrie Coccum Gnidium, in colour reſembleth the Scarlet graine; in quantitie a pepper corne, but that it is bigger: of an ardent and cauſticke qualitie it is, and therefore they uſe to lap it in the ſoft crum or pith of a loafe of bread, and ſo ſvvallovv it, for feare it ſhould burne the throat...1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book XXVII.] Of the Berrie Called Coccum Gnidium. […].”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The...
   • Buck Mulligan slit a steaming scone in two and plastered butter over its smoking pith. He bit off a soft piece hungrily.1922 February 2, James Joyce, “[Episode 10: Wandering Rocks]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC, part II [Odyssey], page 239
8. (figuratively, usually) The central or innermost part of something; the core, the heart.
   • In these days folk still believed in witches and trembled at a curse; and this one, falling so pat, like a wayside omen, to arrest me ere I carried out my purpose, took the pith out of my legs.1886 May 1 – July 31, Robert Louis Stevenson, “I Come to My Journey’s End”, in Kidnapped, being Memoirs of the Adventures of David Balfour in the Year 1751: […], London; Paris: Cassell & Company...

   Synonyms:

   kernel, marrow

9. (figuratively, usually) The essential or vital part of something; the essence.
   • The pith of my idea is that people should choose their own work hours.
   • Of the thyngꝭ [thyngs] which we have ſpoken⸝ this is the pyth: […]1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Hebrews viij:[1], folio cccvij, recto

   Synonyms:

   crux, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, kernel, marrow, meat, medulla, nitty-gritty

10. (figuratively, usually) Physical power or strength; force, might.
    • Iron bovves, and ſtele bovves, have bene of longe time, and alſo novv are uſed among the Turkes, but yet they muſt nedes be unprofitable. For if braſſe, iron, or ſtele, have their ovvne ſtrengthe and pithe in them, they be farrre^([sic]) above mans ſtrengthe: if they be made meete for mans...1545, Roger Ascham, Toxophilus, the Schole of Shootinge […], London: […] Edouardi Whytchurch, →OCLC
    • But thy auld tail thou vvad hae vvhiſkit, / An' ſpread abreed thy vveel-fill'd briſket, / VVi' pith an' povv'r, […][1786, Robert Burns, “The Auld Farmer’s New-year Morning Salutation to His Auld Mare, Maggie, on Giving Her the Accustomed Ripp of Corn to Hansel in the New-year”, in Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish...
11. (figuratively, usually) A quality of courage and endurance; backbone, mettle, spine.
12. (figuratively, usually) The energy, force, or power of speech or writing; specifically, such force or power due to conciseness; punch, punchiness.
    • I founde in myne owneſelfe, that litle fruite there commeth of the goſpell, if a man reade it but ſluggiſhely, and ſuperficially renne it ouer. But in caſe a mã [man] do with diligent and exquiſite meditacion kepe hymſelf occupied therin, he ſhal fele a certaine vertue and pith ſuche as he ſhall...1549 February 10 (Gregorian calendar; indicated as 1548), Erasmus, “The Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Ghospell of S. Luke. The Preface of Erasmus vnto His Paraphrase vpon the Ghospell of Luke. Unto...
13. (figuratively, usually) Chiefly in of (great) pith and moment: gravity, importance, substance, weight.
    • For though my ryme be ragged, / Tattered and iagged, / Rudely rayne beaten, / Rusty and moughte eaten, / If ye take well therwith, / It hath in it some pyth.1521–1522, John Skelton, “Here after Followeth a Litel Boke Called Colyn Cloute, […]”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume I, London: Thomas Rodd, […]...
    • Thus Conſcience does make Covvards of vs all, / And thus the Natiue hevv of Reſolution / Is ſicklied o're, vvith the pale caſt of Thought, / And enterprizes of great pith and moment, / VVith this regard their Currants turne avvay, / And looſe the name of Action.c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...

Verb

pith (third-person singular simple present piths, present participle pithing, simple past and past participle pithed)

1. (transitive) To render insensate or kill (an animal, especially cattle or a laboratory animal) by cutting, piercing, or otherwise destroying the spinal cord.
2. (transitive) To extract the pith from (something or (figurative) someone).
   • And yet, instead of exclaiming "Send this inconceivable Satanist to the stake," the respectable newspapers pith me by announcing "another book by this brilliant and thoughtful writer."1901–1903, [George] Bernard Shaw, “To Arthur Bingham Walkley”, in Man and Superman. […], Westminster [London]: Archibald Constable & Co., published 1903, →OCLC, page xxxiv

Adjective

UK/paɪθ/

pith (not comparable)

1. (transitive) The ordinal form of the number pi (π; approximately 3.14159…).
   • The pith root of pi is approximately 1.439…
   • (e^pi*i*i/2), or e^(-pi/2), which is the reciprocal of the square root of e to the pith power.1998 June 21, Hbr…@my-dejanews.com, “For what x is x^x real?”, in alt.algebra.help (Usenet), message-ID <6mhv6n$13l$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com>

Noun (2)

UK/paɪθ/

pith (plural piths)

1. (transitive) One divided by pi, that is, 1/π (approximately 0.31831…).
   • not only that, but your "radian" axis can be labelled as *being* in units of pis, as opposed to the redundancy of 0pi, pi/2, pi etc.; conversely, your circumferential measure can be rational (or units) and your radius can be transcendental (or piths .-)1997 April 26, Brian Hutchings, “Trigonometric Functions”, in sci.math (Usenet), message-ID <1997Apr26.204554.24471@lafn.org>
   • thought it was the two-sixths power of pi, and teh^([sic]) secondpower of six piths2016 April 2, abu.ku…@gmail.com, “pi^2/6 and 6/pi^2”, in sci.math (Usenet), message-ID <d1d13d13-c4c0-43c3-b4cb-7911dcb24cc7@googlegroups.com>