Pet"er (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Petered (?);
p. pr. & vb. n.
Petering.]
[Etymol. uncertain.]
To become exhausted; to run out; to fail; -- used generally with out; as, that mine has
petered out. [Slang, U.S.]
Pe"ter (?), n. A common baptismal name for a man. The name of one of the
apostles,
Peter boat, a fishing boat, sharp at both
ends, originally of the Baltic Sea, but now common in certain English rivers.
-- Peter Funk, the auctioneer in a mock auction. [Cant, U.S.]
-- Peter pence, or Peter's pence. (a)
An annual tax or tribute, formerly paid by the English people to the pope, being a penny
for every house, payable on Lammas or
St.Peter's day; -- called also Rome scot, and hearth money.
(b) In modern times, a voluntary contribution made by Roman Catholics to the private purse of the pope. -- Peter's fish (Zoöl.), a haddock; -- so called because the black spots, one on each side,
behind the gills, are traditionally said to have
been caused by the fingers of St. Peter, when he caught the
fish to pay
the tribute. The name is
applied, also, to other fishes having similar spots.
Hear it pronounced