pith

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pith / pi[unvoicedth]/ • n. 1. soft or spongy tissue in plants or animals, in particular: ∎  spongy white tissue lining the rind of an orange, lemon, and other citrus fruits. ∎  Bot. the spongy cellular tissue in the stems and branches of many higher plants. ∎ archaic spinal marrow.2. fig. the essence of something: the pith and core of socialism.3. fig. forceful and concise expression: he writes with a combination of pith and exactitude.• v. [tr.] 1. dated, chiefly fig. remove the pith from.2. rare pierce or sever the spinal cord of (an animal) so as to kill or immobilize it.DERIVATIVES: pith·less adj.

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