pont volant (pont volant)

[ 4618 bridge used in sieges for surprising a fort or outwork that has but a narrow moat. It is composed of two small bridges laid one above the other, and so contrived that, by the aid of cords and pulleys, the upper one may be pushed forward till it reaches the destined point. ponty (pon'ti), n.; pl. ponties (-tiz). Same as pontil. ponty-sticker (pon'ti-stik"ėr), n. In gla - mak ing, a workman who affixes a quantity of blown gla to the ponty or pontil. pony (pō'ni), n.; pl. ponies (-niz). [Formerly also poney, powney; prob. colt: see pullen. The word is thus ult. connected with Gr. πῶλος, a foal: see foal. The Gael. ponaidh, as well as Ir. poni, a pony, F. poney, a pony, are from E.] 1. A very small horse; specifically, a horse le than 13 hands in height. The Shetland breed of ponies are stoutly built, active and hardy, with very full mane and tail, and of gentle, docile disposition. In western parts of the United States all the small hardy horses (mustangs or broncos) used by the Indians are called ponies. I have bought two more ponies , so we are strong in pigmy quadrupeds. Sydney Smith , To Mrs. Holland, June 3, 1835. A pony must be le than 52 inches (13 hands) from the ground to the top of the withers. Ponies , as a rule, will do far more work than a full-sized horse. Encyc . Brit ., XII. 191. 2. The sum of £25. [English sporting slang.] He is equally well amused whether the play is high or low, but the stake he prefers is fives and ponies. Greville, Memoirs, Aug. 15, 1818. 3. A translation of a Greek or Latin author used unfairly in the preparation of le ons; hence, any book so used: same as horsel, 9. [School and college slang.]-4. A very small drinking-gla . (a) Agla holding about a mouthful of spirits, as brandy. (b) A gla holding about a gill of beer. 5. The quantity (of liquor) contained in such a gla .-6. A small raft of logs. [Delaware.] -7. In the West Indies, a small tree, Tecoma serrati folia. [Pony is used in composition to denote something small of its kind, as pony - saw, pony - engine, etc.]-Jerusalem pony, an a . [Slang.]=Syn. 1. Pony, Colt, Filly. A pony is a small horse, especially of a small breed, as a Shetland pony; a colt is a young horse, and distinctively a male; a filly is a young mare.