'Mount of piety' definitions:
Definition of 'Mount of piety'
From: GCIDE
- Mount \Mount\ (mount), n. [OE. munt, mont, mount, AS. munt, fr. L. mons, montis; cf. L. minae protections, E. eminent, menace: cf. F. mont. Cf. Mount, v., Mountain, Mont, Monte, Montem.]
- 1. A mass of earth, or earth and rock, rising considerably above the common surface of the surrounding land; a mountain; a high hill; -- used always instead of mountain, when put before a proper name; as, Mount Washington; otherwise, chiefly in poetry. [1913 Webster]
- 2. A bulwark for offense or defense; a mound. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
- Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem. --Jer. vi. 6. [1913 Webster]
- 3. [See Mont de pi['e]t['e].] A bank; a fund. [1913 Webster]
- 4. (Palmistry) Any one of seven fleshy prominences in the palm of the hand which are taken as significant of the influence of "planets," and called the mounts of Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, the Moon, Saturn, the Sun or Apollo, and Venus. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
- Mount of piety. See Mont de pi['e]t['e]. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'mount of piety'
From: GCIDE
- Mont de pi'et'e \Mont" de pi`['e]`t['e]"\ [F., fr. It. monte di piet[`a] mount of piety.] One of certain public pawnbroking establishments which originated in Italy in the 15th century, the object of which was to lend money at a low rate of interest to poor people in need; -- called also mount of piety. The institution has been adopted in other countries, as in Spain and France. See Lombard-house. [1913 Webster]