pal|lia|tive /pæ liət I v, [AM ] -e I t-/ (palliatives )
1 N‑COUNT A palliative is a drug or medical treatment that relieves suffering without treating the cause of the suffering.
2 N‑COUNT A palliative is an action that is intended to make the effects of a problem less severe but does not actually solve the problem. [FORMAL ] □ The loan was a palliative, not a cure, for ever-increasing financial troubles.
pal|lid /pæ l I d/
1 ADJ Someone or something that is pallid is pale in an unattractive or unnatural way. □ …helpless grief on pallid faces.
2 ADJ You can describe something such as a performance or book as pallid if it is weak or not at all exciting. □ …a pallid account of the future of transport.
pal|lor /pæ lə r / N‑SING If you refer to the pallor of someone's face or skin, you mean that it is pale and unhealthy. □ [+ of ] The deathly pallor of her skin had been replaced by the faintest flush of color.
pal|ly /pæ li/ ADJ If you are pally with someone, you are friendly with them. [INFORMAL ]
palm /pɑː m/ (palms , palming , palmed )
1 N‑VAR A palm or a palm tree is a tree that grows in hot countries. It has long leaves growing at the top, and no branches.
2 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] The palm of your hand is the inside part. □ [+ of ] Dornberg slapped the table with the palm of his hand. □ He wiped his sweaty palm.
3 PHRASE If you have someone or something in the palm of your hand , you have control over them. □ Johnson thought he had the board of directors in the palm of his hand.
▸ palm off PHRASAL VERB If you say that someone has palmed something off on you, you feel annoyed because they have made you accept it although it is not valuable or is not your responsibility. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V n P + on ] I couldn't keep palming her off on friends. □ [be V -ed P + with ] Joseph made sure that he was never palmed off with inferior stuff.
▸ palm off with PHRASAL VERB [usu passive] If you say that you are palmed off with a lie or an excuse, you are annoyed because you are told something in order to stop you asking any more questions. [mainly BRIT , DISAPPROVAL ] □ [be V -ed P + with ] Mark was palmed off with a series of excuses.
palm|cord|er /pɑː mkɔː r də r / (palmcorders ) N‑COUNT A palmcorder is a small video camera that you can hold in the palm of your hand.
palm|is|try /pɑː m I stri/ N‑UNCOUNT Palmistry is the practice and art of trying to find out what people are like and what will happen in their future life by examining the lines on the palms of their hands.
pa lm oil N‑UNCOUNT Palm oil is a yellow oil which comes from the fruit of certain palm trees and is used in making soap and sometimes as a fat in cooking.
Pa lm Su n|day N‑UNCOUNT Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter. It is the day when Christians remember Jesus Christ's arrival in Jerusalem a few days before he was killed.
palo|mi|no /pæ ləmiː noʊ/ (palominos ) N‑COUNT A palomino is a horse which is yellowish or cream in colour and has a white tail.
pal|pable /pæ lpəb ə l/ ADJ You describe something as palpable when it is obvious or intense and easily noticed. □ The tension between Amy and Jim is palpable. ● pal|pably /pæ lpəbli/ ADV □ The scene was palpably intense to watch.
pal|pi|tate /pæ lp I te I t/ (palpitates , palpitating , palpitated )
1 VERB If someone's heart palpitates , it beats very fast in an irregular way, because they are frightened or anxious. □ [V ] He felt suddenly faint, and his heart began to palpitate.
2 VERB If something palpitates , it shakes or seems to shake. [LITERARY ] □ [V -ing] She lay on the bed, her eyes closed and her bosom palpitating. [Also V ]
pal|pi|ta|tion /pæ lp I te I ʃ ə n/ (palpitations ) N‑VAR When someone has palpitations , their heart beats very fast in an irregular way. □ Caffeine can cause palpitations and headaches.
pal|sy /pɔː lzi/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Palsy is a loss of feeling in part of your body.
2 → see also cerebral palsy
pal|try /pɔː ltri/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A paltry amount of money or of something else is one that you consider to be very small. □ …a paltry fine of £150.
pam|pas /pæ mpəs, -əz/ N‑SING The pampas is the large area of flat, grassy land in South America.
pam|per /pæ mpə r / (pampers , pampering , pampered ) VERB If you pamper someone, you make them feel comfortable by doing things for them or giving them expensive or luxurious things, sometimes in a way which has a bad effect on their character. □ [V n] Why don't you let your mother pamper you for a while? □ [V pron-refl] Pamper yourself with our luxury gifts. ● pam|pered ADJ □ …today's pampered superstars.
pam|phlet /pæ mflət/ (pamphlets ) N‑COUNT A pamphlet is a very thin book, with a paper cover, which gives information about something.
pam|phlet|eer /pæ mflət I ə r / (pamphleteers ) N‑COUNT A pamphleteer is a person who writes pamphlets, especially about political subjects.
pan ◆◇◇ /pæ n/ (pans , panning , panned )
1 N‑COUNT A pan is a round metal container with a long handle, which is used for cooking things in, usually on top of a cooker or stove. □ Heat the butter and oil in a large pan.
2 VERB [usu passive] If something such as a film or a book is panned by journalists, they say it is very bad. [INFORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] His first high-budget movie, called 'Brain Donors', was panned by the critics.