n. [ L. par, adj., equal. See Peer an equal. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Equal value; equality of nominal and actual value; the value expressed on the face or in the words of a certificate of value, as a bond or other commercial paper. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Equality of condition or circumstances. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An amount which is taken as an average or mean. [ Eng. ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

4. (Golf) The number of strokes required for a hole or a round played without mistake, two strokes being allowed on each hole for putting. Par represents perfect play, whereas bogey makes allowance on some holes for human frailty. Thus if par for a course is 75, bogey is usually put down, arbitrarily, as 81 or 82. If par for one hole is 5, a bogey is 6, and a score of 7 strokes would be a double bogey. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

At par, at the original price; neither at a discount nor at a premium; -- used especially of financial instruments, such as bonds. --
Above par, at a premium. --
Below par, (a) at a discount. (a) less than the expected or usual quality; -- of the quality of objects and of the performance of people; as, he performed below par in the game. --
On a par, on a level; in the same condition, circumstances, position, rank, etc.; as, their pretensions are on a par; his ability is on a par with his ambition. --
Par of exchange. See under Exchange. --
Par value, nominal value; face value; -- used especially of financial instruments, such as bonds. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

prep. [ F., fr. L. per. See Per. ] By; with; -- used frequently in Early English in phrases taken from the French, being sometimes written as a part of the word which it governs; as, par amour, or paramour; par cas, or parcase; par fay, or parfay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) See Parr. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The southern arm of the Amazon in Brazil; also, a seaport on this arm. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. Short for Pará rubber. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n. [ Turk., fr. Per. pārah a piece. ] A piece of Turkish money, usually copper, the fortieth part of a piaster, or about one ninth of a cent. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Gr. para` beside; prob. akin to E. for- in forgive. Cf. For-. ] 1. A prefix signifying alongside of, beside, beyond, against, amiss; as parable, literally, a placing beside; paradox, that which is contrary to opinion; parachronism. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Chem.) A prefix denoting: (a) Likeness, similarity, or connection, or that the substance resembles, but is distinct from, that to the name of which it is prefixed; as paraldehyde, paraconine, etc.; also, an isomeric modification. (b) Specifically: (Organ. Chem.) That two groups or radicals substituted in the benzene nucleus are opposite, or in the respective positions 1 and 4; 2 and 5; or 3 and 6, as paraxylene; paroxybenzoic acid. Cf. Ortho-, and Meta-. Also used adjectively. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_; to pass over. ] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, a nitrogenous acid which is obtained by the oxidation of uric acid, as a white crystalline substance (C3N2H2O3); -- also called oxalyl urea. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Gr. &unr_; to grow beside. See Para-, and -blast. ] (Biol.) A portion of the mesoblast (of peripheral origin) of the developing embryo, the cells of which are especially concerned in forming the first blood and blood vessels. C. S. Minot. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to the parablast; as, the parablastic cells. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. parabole, L. parabola, fr. Gr. &unr_; a placing beside or together, a comparing, comparison, a parable, fr. &unr_; to throw beside, compare; para` beside + &unr_; to throw; cf. Skr. gal to drop. Cf. Emblem, Gland, Palaver, Parabola, Parley, Parabole, Symbol. ] A comparison; a similitude; specifically, a short fictitious narrative of something which might really occur in life or nature, by means of which a moral is drawn; as, the parables of Christ. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Declare unto us the parable of the tares. Matt. xiii. 36. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- See Allegory, and Note under Apologue. [ 1913 Webster ]