\Palm\, v. t.
To ``grease the palm'' of; to bribe or tip. [Slang]

\Palm\, n. [OE. paume, F. paume, L. palma, Gr. ?, akin to
Skr. p[=a]ni hand, and E. fumble. See {Fumble}, {Feel}, and
cf. 2d {Palm}.]
1. (Anat.) The inner and somewhat concave part of the hand
   between the bases of the fingers and the wrist.
         Clench'd her fingers till they bit the palm.
                                               --Tennyson.
2. A lineal measure equal either to the breadth of the hand
   or to its length from the wrist to the ends of the
   fingers; a hand; -- used in measuring a horse's height.
Note: In Greece, the palm was reckoned at three inches. The
      Romans adopted two measures of this name, the lesser
      palm of 2.91 inches, and the greater palm of 8.73
      inches. At the present day, this measure varies in the
      most arbitrary manner, being different in each country,
      and occasionally varying in the same. --Internat. Cyc.
3. (Sailmaking) A metallic disk, attached to a strap, and
   worn the palm of the hand, -- used to push the needle
   through the canvas, in sewing sails, etc.
4. (Zo["o]l.) The broad flattened part of an antler, as of a
   full-grown fallow deer; -- so called as resembling the
   palm of the hand with its protruding fingers.
5. (Naut.) The flat inner face of an anchor fluke.

\Palm\, n. [AS. palm, L. palma; -- so named fr. the leaf
resembling a hand. See lst {Palm}, and cf. {Pam}.]
1. (Bot.) Any endogenous tree of the order {Palm[ae]} or
   {Palmace[ae]}; a palm tree.
Note: Palms are perennial woody plants, often of majestic
      size. The trunk is usually erect and rarely branched,
      and has a roughened exterior composed of the persistent
      bases of the leaf stalks. The leaves are borne in a
      terminal crown, and are supported on stout, sheathing,
      often prickly, petioles. They are usually of great
      size, and are either pinnately or palmately many-cleft.
      There are about one thousand species known, nearly all
      of them growing in tropical or semitropical regions.
      The wood, petioles, leaves, sap, and fruit of many
      species are invaluable in the arts and in domestic
      economy. Among the best known are the date palm, the
      cocoa palm, the fan palm, the oil palm, the wax palm,
      the palmyra, and the various kinds called cabbage palm
      and palmetto.
2. A branch or leaf of the palm, anciently borne or worn as a
   symbol of victory or rejoicing.
         A great multitude . . . stood before the throne, and
         before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palme
         in their hands.                       --Rev. vii. 9.
3. Hence: Any symbol or token of superiority, success, or
   triumph; also, victory; triumph; supremacy. ``The palm of
   martyrdom.'' --Chaucer.
         So get the start of the majestic world And bear the
         palm alone.                           --Shak.
{Molucca palm} (Bot.), a labiate herb from Asia ({Molucella
   l[ae]vis}), having a curious cup-shaped calyx.
{Palm cabbage}, the terminal bud of a cabbage palm, used as
   food.
{Palm cat} (Zo["o]l.), the common paradoxure.
{Palm crab} (Zo["o]l.), the purse crab.
{Palm oil}, a vegetable oil, obtained from the fruit of
   several species of palms, as the African oil palm
   ({El[ae]is Guineensis}), and used in the manufacture of
   soap and candles. See {El[ae]is}.
{Palm swift} (Zo["o]l.), a small swift ({Cypselus
   Batassiensis}) which frequents the palmyra and cocoanut
   palms in India. Its peculiar nest is attached to the leaf
   of the palmyra palm.
{Palm toddy}. Same as {Palm wine}.
{Palm weevil} (Zo["o]l.), any one of mumerous species of very
   large weevils of the genus {Rhynchophorus}. The larv[ae]
   bore into palm trees, and are called {palm borers}, and
   {grugru worms}. They are considered excellent food.
{Palm wine}, the sap of several species of palms, especially,
   in India, of the wild date palm ({Ph[oe]nix sylvestrix}),
   the palmyra, and the {Caryota urens}. When fermented it
   yields by distillation arrack, and by evaporation jaggery.
   Called also {palm toddy}.
{Palm worm}, or {Palmworm}. (Zo["o]l.)
   (a) The larva of a palm weevil.
   (b) A centipede.

\Palm\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Palmed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Palming}.]
1. To handle. [Obs.] --Prior.
2. To manipulate with, or conceal in, the palm of the hand;
   to juggle.
         They palmed the trick that lost the game. --Prior.
3. To impose by fraud, as by sleight of hand; to put by
   unfair means; -- usually with off.
         For you may palm upon us new for old. --Dryden.