p

1.
n. (also p) (pl. Ps or P's) the sixteenth letter of the alphabet.
2.
abbr. (also P.)
1 (on road signs) parking.
2 Chess pawn.
3 Physics poise (unit).
4 proprietary.
3.
symb. Chem. the element phosphorus.

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[pē] I

(also p) n. (pl. Ps or P's [pēz]) the sixteenth letter of the alphabet

■ denoting the next after O (or N if O is omitted) in a set of items, categories, etc

- mind one's Ps and Qs

II 1.

abbr.

■ pastor

■ father

Origin:

Latin pater

■ (in tables of sports results) games played

■ (on an automatic gearshift) park

■ (on road signs and street plans) parking

■ peseta

■ peso

■ [in combination] (in units of measurement) peta- (10¹⁵)

27 PBq of radioactive material

■ Physics poise (unit of viscosity)

■ post

■ president

■ pressure

■ priest

■ prince

■ proprietary

■ progressive

2.

symbol

■ the chemical element phosphorus

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: the 16th letter of the English alphabet

[count]

a word that starts with a p

[noncount]

a word that starts with p

mind your p's and q's (also US watch your p's and q's)

: to be careful about behaving in a polite or proper way

We knew to mind our p's and q's around our aunt.

———————— II

abbr

1 or p. page

p. 46

◇ The abbreviation for “pages” is pp.

pp. 46–48

2 per

mph [=miles per hour]

3 Brit pence; penny

That costs 40p.

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P [P] (also p) [piː] [piː] noun countable, uncountable (pl. Ps, P's, p's [piːz] ; [piːz] )

the 16th letter of the English alphabet

•

‘Pizza’ begins with (a) P/‘P’.

see mind your Ps and Qs at ↑mind _v.

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P

the sixteenth letter of the alphabet in English and other modern languages, was the fifteenth in the ancient Roman alphabet, corresponding in position and value to the Greek Pi, Π, Π, earlier egpi1, egpi2, originally written from right to left egpi3, and identical with the Phenician and general Semitic Pe, forms of which were