n. A pole set up as the sign of an alehouse. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The opposite pole; anything diametrically opposed. Geo. Eliot. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a pole with red and white spiral stripes; -- usually found outside a barbershop. It is often electrically powered, so as to be turning when the barbershop is open for business and stationary when the shop is closed. It symbolizes the practise of surgery, some aspects of which which used to be performed by barbers. [ PJC ]

n. [ L. bibliopola, Gr. &unr_;; &unr_; book + &unr_; to sell: cf. F. bibliopole. ] One who sells books. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The exact opposite. [ 1913 Webster ]

The German prose offers the counterpole to the French style. De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A pole used to display a flag. [ PJC ]

n. A person who sits for an extended period of time on top of a flagpole or other high column; -- a publicity stunt performed for various reasons. [ PJC ]

He [ Shipwreck Kelly ] was the great flagpole sitter of the thirties, the founding father of the whole discipline, who provided inspiration for many and even the pseudonym for one -- Van Nolan, who also called himself Shipwreck. Any serious polesitter believes himself an avatar of Shipwreck Kelly, and I was then and am now no exception. From: John A. Gould, Aerie (Berkshire Review, Volume XI, Number 1, Spring, 1975).

The two other holy men in Gregory's narrative had more exotic origins than the pair that has just been seen. Gregory encountered one of them when on a journey to the north-eastern parts of the Frankish kingdom. This was a Lombard, named Vulfolaic, who had spent some years in the arduous exercise of being a stylite, the Christian equivalent of a flagpole sitter; in other words, Vulfolaic was a monk whose main austerity consisted in living on top of a pillar. By carrying out this feat in the rain, snow, and frost of the Moselle valley, Vulfolaic had convinced the local population to overthrow and abandon the idol of Diana to which they were addicted. Walter Goffart, FOREIGNERS IN THE HISTORIES OF GREGORY OF TOURS (https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/flor/article/download/15346/20501).

a. (Mining) One of the thick laths or poles driven horizontally ahead on top of a set of the main timbering in advancing a level in loose ground.
Syn. -- spile{ 4 }; spill{ 2d }. [ RDH ]

n. (Building) A pole for supporting a scaffold. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The lodgepole pine..
Syn. -- shore pine, spruce pine, Pinus contorta. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A tall, narrow 2-needled pine (Pinus contorta) of the coastal Northwestern U. S., having a red to yellow-brown bark fissured into small squares and bearing egg-shaped cones.
Syn. -- shore pine, lodgepole pine, spruce pine, Pinus contorta. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A dipole with opposing magnetic poles. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A physical quantity associated with the magnetic field of a dundamental particle; as, An orbiting electron in an atom will have a magnetic dipole moment. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

(Physics), a hypothetical subatomic particle having only one type of magnetic charge, the magnetic analogue of an electrically charged particle; it has only one magnetic pole instead of the two observed in all common magnetic object; -- it was still not observed as of 1998. [ PJC ]

n. 1. Either of two points where the lines of force of the earth's magnetic field are vertical. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. One of the two ends of a magnet where the magnetic field is strongest. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A tall pole erected in an open place and wreathed with flowers, about which the rustic May-day sports were had. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. métropole. See Metropolis. ] A metropolis. [ Obs. ] Holinshed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A monopolist. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From the Emperor Napoleon 1. ] 1. A French gold coin of twenty francs, no longer minted or circulated. It bore the portrait of Napoleon I. or Napoleon III. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

2. (Card Playing) (a) A game in which each player holds five cards, the eldest hand stating the number of tricks he will bid to take, any subsequent player having the right to overbid him or a previous bidder, the highest bidder naming the trump and winning a number of points equal to his bid if he makes so many tricks, or losing the same number of points if he fails to make them. (b) A bid to take five tricks at napoleon. It is ordinarily the highest bid; but sometimes bids are allowed of wellington, or of blucher, to take five tricks, or pay double, or treble, if unsuccessful. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

3. A Napoleon gun. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

4. A kind of top boot of the middle of the 19th century. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

5. A shape and size of cigar. It is about seven inches long. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

6. a puff pastry confection, usually layered, with a filling of custard or cream, or sometimes jelly. [ PJC ]

def>Napoleon Bonaparte (or Buonaparte), Born at Ajaccio, Corsica, Aug. 15, 1766, or, according to some, at Corte, Jan. 7, 1768; died at Longwood, St. Helena, May 5, 1821. Emperor of the French 1804-14.

He was the son of Charles Marie Bonaparte and Laetitia Ramolino; studied at the military school of Brienne 1779-84, and at that of Paris 1784-85; and received a lieutenant's commission in the French army in 1785. He opposed the patriot movement under Paoli in Corsica in 1793; commanded the artillery in the attack on Toulon in the same year; served in the army in Italy in 1794; and, as second in command to Barras, subdued the revolt of the sections at Paris in Oct., 1795. He married Josephine de Beauharnais March 9, 1796. Toward the close of this month (March 27) he assumed command at Nice of the army in Italy, which he found opposed by the Austrians and the Sardinians. He began his campaign April 10, and, after defeating the Austrians at Montenotte (April 12), Millesimo (April 14), and Dego (April 15), turned (April 15) against the Sardinians, whom he defeated at Ceva (April 20) and Mondovi (April 22), forcing them to sign the separate convention of Cherasco (April 29). In the following month he began an invasion of Lombardy, and by a brilliant series of victories, including those of Lodi (May 10) and Arcole (Nov. 15-17), expelled the Austrians from their possessions in the north of Italy, receiving the capitulation of Mantua, their last stronghold, Feb. 2, 1797. Crossing the Alps, he penetrated Styria as far as Leoben, where he dictated preliminaries of peace April 18. The definitive peace of Campo-Formio followed (Oct 17). By the treaty of Campo-Formio northern Italy was reconstructed in the interest of France, which furthermore acquired the Austrian Netherlands, and received a guarantee of the left bank of the Rhine. Campo-Formio destroyed the coalition against France, and put an end to the Revolutionary war on the Continent. The only enemy that remained to France was England. At the instance of Bonaparte the Directory adopted the plan of attacking the English in India, which involved the conquest of Egypt. Placed at the head of an expedition of about 85, 000 men, he set sail from Toulon May 19, 1798; occupied Malta June 12; disembarked at Alexandria July 2; and defeated the Mamelukes in the decisive battle of the Pyramids July 21. He was master of Egypt, but the destruction of his fleet by Nelson in the battle of the Nile (Aug. 1) cut him off from France and doomed his expedition to failure. Nevertheless he undertook the subjugation of Syria, and stormed Jaffa March 7, 1799. Repulsed at Acre, the defense of which was supported by the English, he commenced a retreat to Egypt May 21. He inflicted a final defeat on the Turks at Abukir July 26; transferred the command in Egypt to Kléber Aug. 22; and, setting sail with two frigates, arrived in the harbor of Fréjus Oct. 9. During his absence a new coalition had been formed against France, and the Directory saw its armies defeated, both on the Rhine and in Italy. With the assistance of his brother Lucien and of Sieyès and Roger Ducos, he executed the coup d'etat of Brumaire, whereby he abolished the Directory and virtually made himself monarch under the title of first consul, holding office for a term of 10 years. He crossed the Great St. Bernard in May, 1800, and restored the French ascendancy in Italy by the victory of Marengo (June 14), which, with that won by Moreau at Hohenlinden (Dec. 8), brought about the peace of Lunéville (Feb. 9, 1801). The treaty of Lunéville, which was based on that of Campo-Formio, destroyed the coalition, and restored peace on the Continent. He concluded the peace of Amiens with England March 27, 1802. After the peace of Lunéville he commenced the legislative reconstruction of France, the public institutions of which had been either destroyed or thrown into confusion during the Revolution. To this period belong the restoration of the Roman Catholic Church bythe Concordat (concluded July 15, 1801), the restoration of higher education by the erection of the new university (May 1, 1802), and the establishment of the Legion of Honor (May 19, 1802): preparation had been previously made for the codification of the laws.
He was made consul for life Aug. 2, 1802; executed the Duc d'Enghien March 21, 1804; was proclaimed hereditary emperor of the French May 18, 1804 (the coronation ceremony took place Dec. 2, 1804); and was crowned king of Italy May 26, 1805. In the meantime England had been provoked into declaring war (May 18, 1803), and a coalition consisting of England, Russia, Austria, and Sweden was formed against France in 1806: Spain was allied with France. The victory of Nelson at the battle of Trafalgar (Oct. 21, 1805) followed the failure of the projected invasion of England. Breaking up his camp at Boulogne, he invaded Austria, occupied Vienna, and (Dec. 2, 1805) defeated the allied Russians and Austrians at Austerlitz. The Russians retired from the contest under a military Convention; the Austrians signed the peace of Presburg (Dec. 26, 1805); and the coalition was destroyed. His intervention in germany brought about the erection of the Confederation of the Rhine July 12, 1806. This confederation, which was placed under his protection, ultimately embraced nearly all the states of Germany except Austria and Prussia. Its erection, together with other provocation, caused Prnssia to mobilize its army in Aug., and Napoleon presently found himself opposed by a coalition with Prussia, Russia, and England as its principal members. He crushed the Prussian army at Jena and Auerstädt Oct. 14; entered Berlin Oct. 27; fought the Russians and Prussians in the drawn battle of Eylau Feb. 7-8, 1807; defeated the Russians at the battle of Friedland June 14; and compelled both Russia and Prussia to conclude peace at Tilsit July 7 and 9, 1807, respectively. Russia became the ally of France; Prussia was deprived of nearly half her territory. Napoleon was now, perhaps, at the height of his power. The imperial title was no empty form. He was the head of a great confederacy of states. He had surrounded the imperial throne with subordinate thrones occupied by members of his own family. His stepson Eugène de Beauharnais was viceroy of the kingdom of Italy in northern and central Italy; his brother Joseph was king of Naples in southern Italy; his brother Louis was king of Holland; his brother Jerome was king of Westphalia; his brother-in-law Murat was grandduke of Berg. The Confederation of the Rhine existed by virtue of his protection, and his troops occupied dismembered Prussia. He directed the policy of Europe.
England alone, mistress of the seas, appeared to stand between him and universal dominion. England was safe from invasion, but she was vulnerable through her commerce. Napoleon undertook to starve her by closing the ports of the Continent against her commerce. This policy, known as "the Continental system," was inaugurated by the Berlin decree in 1806, and was extended by the Milan decree in 1807. To further this policy he resolved to seize the maritime states of Portugal and Spain. His armies expelled the house of Braganza from Portugal, and Nov. 30, 1807, the French entered Lisbon. Under pretense of guarding the coast against the English, he quartered 80, 000 troops in Spain, then in 1808 enticed Ferdinand VII. and his father Charles IV. (who had recently abdicated) to Bayonne, extorted from both a renunciation of their claims, and placed his brother Joseph on the Spanish throne. An uprising of the Spaniards took place, followed by a popular insurrection in Portugal, movements which found response in Germany. The seizure of Spain and Portugal proved in the end a fatal error. The war which it kindled, known as the Peninsular war, drained him of his resources and placed an enemy in his rear when northern Europe rose against him in 1813. The English in 1808 landed an army in Portugal, whence they expelled the French, and penetrated into Spain. Napoleon, securing himself against Austria by a closer alliance with the czar Alexander at Erfurt (concluded Oct. 12, 1808), hastened in person to Spain. With 250, 000 men, drove out the English, and entered Madrid (Dec. 4, 1808). He was recalled by the threatening attitude of Austria, against which he precipitated war in April, 1809. He occupied Vienna (May 13), was defeated by the archduke Charles at Aspern and Essling (May 21-22), defeated the archduke at Wagram (July 5-6), and concluded the peace of Schönbrunn Oct. 14, 1809. He divorced Josephine Dec. 16, 1809, and married Maria Louisa of Austria March 11 (April 2), 1810. He annexed the Papal States in 1809 (the Pope being carried prisoner to France), and Holland in 1810. The refusal of Alexander to carry out strictly the Continental system, which Napoleon himself evaded by the sale of licenses, brought on war with Russia. He crossed the Niemen June 24, 1812; gained the victory of Borodino Sept. 7; and occupied Moscow Sept. 14. His proffer of truce was rejected by the Russians, and he was forced by the approach of winter to begin a retreat (Oct. 19). He was overtaken by the winter, and his army dwindled before the cold, hunger, and the enemy. He left the army in command of Murat Dec. 4, and hastened to Paris. Murat recrossed the Niemen Dec. 13, with 100, 000 men), the remnant of the Grand Army of 600, 000 veterans. The loss sustained by Napoleon in this campaign encouraged the defection of Prussia, which formed an alliance with Russia at Kalisch Feb. 28, 1813. Napoleon defeated the Russians and Prussians at Lützen May 2, and at Bautzen May 20-21. Austria declared war Aug. 12, and Napoleon presently found himself opposed by a coalition of Russia, England, Sweden, Prussia, and Austria, of which the first three had been united since the previous year. He won his last great victory at Dresden Aug. 26-27, and lost the decisive battles of Leipsic (Oct. 16, 18, and 19), Laon (March 9-10, 1814), and Arcis-sur-Aube (March 20-21). On March 31 the Allies entered Paris. He was compelled to abdicate at Fontainebleau April 11, but was allowed to retain the title of emperor, and received the island of Elba as a sovereign principality, and an aunual income of 2, 000, 000 francs. He arrived in Elba May 4. The Congress of Vienna convened in Sept., 1814, for the purpose of restoring and regulating the relations between the powers disturbed by Napoleon. Encouraged by the quarrels which arose at the Congress between the Allies, Napoleon left Elba Feb. 26, 1816; landed at Cannes March 1; and entered Paris March 20, the troops sent against him, including Ney with his corps, having joined his standard. At the return of Napoleon, the Allies again took the field. He was finally overthrown at Waterloo June 18, 1815, and the Allies entered Paris a second time July 7. After futile attempts to escape to America, he surrendered himself to the British admiral Hotham at Rochefort July 16. By a unanimous resolve of the Allies he was transported as prisoner of war to St. Helena, where he arrived on Oct. 16, 1815, and where he was detained the rest of his life.


The spelling Buonaparte was used by Napoleon's father, and by Napoleon himself down to 1796, although the spelling Bonaparte occurs in early Italian documents.

Aug. 15, 1769, is the commonly accepted date of Napoleon's birth, and Jan. 7, 1768 that of the birth of his brother Joseph. It has been said, but without good reason, that these dates were interchanged at the time of Napoleon's admission to the military school of Brienne in 1779, no candidate being eligible after 10 years of age.
Century Dict. 1906

a. Of or pertaining to Napoleon I., or his family; resembling, or having the qualities of, Napoleon I. Lowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A supporter of the dynasty of the Napoleons. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Gr. filopo`lemos fond of war, warlike; fi`los loving + po`lemos war. ] Fond of polemics or controversy. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. G. Pole a Pole, Polen Poland. ] A native or inhabitant of Poland; a Polander. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ As. pāl, L. palus, akin to pangere to make fast. Cf. Pale a stake, Pact. ] 1. A long, slender piece of wood; a tall, slender piece of timber; the stem of a small tree whose branches have been removed; as, specifically: (a) A carriage pole, a wooden bar extending from the front axle of a carriage between the wheel horses, by which the carriage is guided and held back. (b) A flag pole, a pole on which a flag is supported. (c) A Maypole. See Maypole. (d) A barber's pole, a pole painted in stripes, used as a sign by barbers and hairdressers. (e) A pole on which climbing beans, hops, or other vines, are trained. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A measuring stick; also, a measure of length equal to 5&unr_; yards, or a square measure equal to 30&unr_; square yards; a rod; a perch. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pole bean (Bot.), any kind of bean which is customarily trained on poles, as the scarlet runner or the Lima bean. --
Pole flounder (Zool.), a large deep-water flounder (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus), native of the northern coasts of Europe and America, and much esteemed as a food fish; -- called also craig flounder, and pole fluke. --
Pole lathe, a simple form of lathe, or a substitute for a lathe, in which the work is turned by means of a cord passing around it, one end being fastened to the treadle, and the other to an elastic pole above. --
Pole mast (Naut.), a mast formed from a single piece or from a single tree. --
Pole of a lens (Opt.), the point where the principal axis meets the surface. --
Pole plate (Arch.), a horizontal timber resting on the tiebeams of a roof and receiving the ends of the rafters. It differs from the plate in not resting on the wall. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Poled p. pr. & vb. n. Poling. ] 1. To furnish with poles for support; as, to pole beans or hops. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To convey on poles; as, to pole hay into a barn. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To impel by a pole or poles, as a boat. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To stir, as molten glass, with a pole. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. polus, Gr. &unr_; a pivot or hinge on which anything turns, an axis, a pole; akin to &unr_; to move: cf. F. pôle. ] 1. Either extremity of an axis of a sphere; especially, one of the extremities of the earth's axis; as, the north pole. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Spherics) A point upon the surface of a sphere equally distant from every part of the circumference of a great circle; or the point in which a diameter of the sphere perpendicular to the plane of such circle meets the surface. Such a point is called the pole of that circle; as, the pole of the horizon; the pole of the ecliptic; the pole of a given meridian. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Physics) One of the opposite or contrasted parts or directions in which a polar force is manifested; a point of maximum intensity of a force which has two such points, or which has polarity; as, the poles of a magnet; the north pole of a needle. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The firmament; the sky. [ Poetic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Shoots against the dusky pole. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Geom.) See Polarity, and Polar, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

Magnetic pole. See under Magnetic. --
Poles of the earth, or
Terrestrial poles (Geog.), the two opposite points on the earth's surface through which its axis passes. --
Poles of the heavens, or
Celestial poles, the two opposite points in the celestial sphere which coincide with the earth's axis produced, and about which the heavens appear to revolve. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To fell with or as if with a poleax; -- often used figuratively; as, the entire department was poleaxed after the takeover. [ WordNet 1.5 + PJC ]

2. Stunned; astonished;; as, we couldn't speak, poleaxed by the sight in fronnt fo us. [ PJC ]

{ } n. [ OE. pollax; cf. OD. pollexe. See Poll head, and Ax. ] Anciently, a kind of battle-ax with a long handle; later, an ax or hatchet with a short handle, and a head variously patterned; -- used by soldiers, and also by sailors in boarding a vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Probably fr. F. poule hen, and originally, a poultry cat, because it feeds on poultry. See Poultry. ] (Zool.) (a) A small European carnivore of the Weasel family (Putorius fœtidus). Its scent glands secrete a substance of an exceedingly disagreeable odor. Called also fitchet, foulmart, and European ferret. (b) The zorilla. The name is also applied to other allied species. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Etymology uncertain. ] A sort of coarse canvas; poldway. [ Obs. ] Howell. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without a pole; as, a poleless chariot. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;; &unr_; war + &unr_; leader, from &unr_; to be first. ] (Gr. Antiq.) In Athens, originally, the military commanderin-chief; but, afterward, a civil magistrate who had jurisdiction in respect of strangers and sojourners. In other Grecian cities, a high military and civil officer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_; warlike, fr.&unr_; war: cf. F. polémique. ] 1. Of or pertaining to controversy; maintaining, or involving, controversy; controversial; disputative; as, a polemic discourse or essay; polemic theology. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Engaged in, or addicted to, polemics, or to controversy; disputations; as, a polemic writer. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who writes in support of one opinion, doctrine, or system, in opposition to another; one skilled in polemics; a controversialist; a disputant. [ 1913 Webster ]

The sarcasms and invectives of the young polemic. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A polemic argument or controversy. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Polemic; controversial; disputatious. -- Po*lem"ic*al*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

Polemical and impertinent disputations. Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster]

n. A polemic. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. polémique. ] The art or practice of disputation or controversy, especially on religious subjects; that branch of theological science which pertains to the history or conduct of ecclesiastical controversy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A polemic. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Bot.) Of or pertaining to a natural order of plants (Polemoniaceæ), which includes Polemonium, Phlox, Gilia, and a few other genera. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ n. [ NL., fr. Gr.&unr_; a kind of plant. ] (Bot.) A genus of gamopetalous perennial herbs, including the Jacob's ladder and the Greek valerian. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; war + -scope: cf. F. polémoscope. ] An opera glass or field glass with an oblique mirror arranged for seeing objects that do not lie directly before the eye; -- called also diagonal opera glass, or side opera glass. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Polemic. ] Warfare; war; hence, contention; opposition. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ It., fr. L. polenta peeled barley. ] Pudding made of Indian meal; also, porridge made of chestnut meal. [ Italy ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who poles. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An extortioner. See Poller. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Polaris, or the north star. See North star, under North. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A guide or director. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Toward a pole of the earth. “The regions further polewards.” Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Polliwig. ] (Zool.) The European spotted goby (Gobius minutus); -- called also pollybait. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) See Poly. [ 1913 Webster ]