Glossary beginning with P

p
Pack ice

Any area of sea ice that isn't attached to the shoreline or another land mass.

Pamphlets

Printed, unbound sheets of paper; often with news or political content.

Panopticon

A special type of prison, designed by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham, that allows a person to monitor all prisoners without being seen.

Paratroops

Soldiers who have been trained to parachute into enemy territory, usually also very skilled fighters. Also called paratroopers.

Persuasive language

Speech or writing that tries to influence and persuade its audience of a particular point of view.

Phrenological analysis

A popular 19th century 'science' which believed the bumps on people's heads could be used to descibe their personality.

Piety

Strict observance of Christian rules of behaviour.

Plagiarism

Deliberately using someone else's ideas without their permission or acknowledging the source.

Plebiscite

Similar to a referendum, a plebiscite polls the public's opinion on government policy but unlike a referendum, the government of the day is not bound to implement the result.

Portmanteau

A word made from combining two other words.

Posthumous

Something which happens after a person's death.

Prohibition

The policy of banning the sale of alcohol. In reality many 'sly grog' sellers and coffee tents ignored this law.

Propaganda

Biased reports or information designed to exert influence over a particular group, usually playing on fear or prejudice.

Protection racket

When people are forced to pay money to criminals who threaten them with violence

Protons

tiny particles inside an atom