pew

n. [ OE. pewe, OF. puie parapet, balustrade, balcony, fr. L. podium an elevated place, a jutty, balcony, a parapet or balcony in the circus, where the emperor and other distinguished persons sat, Gr. po`dion, dim. of poy`s, podo`s, foot; -- hence the Latin sense of a raised place (orig. as a rest or support for the foot). See Foot, and cf. Podium, Poy. ] 1. One of the compartments in a church which are separated by low partitions, and have long seats upon which several persons may sit; -- sometimes called slip. Pews were originally made square, but are now usually long and narrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any structure shaped like a church pew, as a stall, formerly used by money lenders, etc.; a box in theater; a pen; a sheepfold. [ Obs. ] Pepys. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pew opener, an usher in a church. [ Eng. ] Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ So called from its note. ] 1. (Zool.) A common American tyrant flycatcher (Sayornis phœbe, or Sayornis fuscus). Called also pewit, and phœbe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The woodcock. [ Local, U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Wood pewee (Zool.), a bird (Contopus virens) similar to the pewee (See Pewee, 1), but of smaller size. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) Same as Pewit. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who occupies the same pew with another. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An intimate associate; a companion. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Prob. of imitative origin; cf. OD. piewit, D. kievit, G. kibitz. ] (Zool.) (a) The lapwing. (b) The European black-headed, or laughing, gull (Xema ridibundus). See under Laughing. (c) The pewee. [ Written also peevit, peewit, pewet. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. pewtyr, OF. peutre, peautre, piautre: cf. D. peauter, piauter, It. peltro, Sp. & Pg. peltre, LL. peutreum, pestrum. Cf. Spelter. ] 1. A hard, tough, but easily fusible, alloy, originally consisting of tin with a little lead, but afterwards modified by the addition of copper, antimony, or bismuth. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Utensils or vessels made of pewter, as dishes, porringers, drinking vessels, tankards, pots. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Pewter was formerly much used for domestic utensils. Inferior sorts contain a large proportion of lead. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One whose occupation is to make utensils of pewter; a pewtersmith. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]