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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Pyramid \Pyr"a*mid\, n. [L. pyramis, -idis, fr. Gr. ?, ?, of
Egyptian origin: cf. F. pyramide.]
[1913 Webster]
1. A solid body standing on a triangular, square, or
polygonal base, and terminating in a point at the top;
especially, a structure or edifice of this shape.
[1913 Webster]

2. (Geom.) A solid figure contained by a plane rectilineal
figure as base and several triangles which have a common
vertex and whose bases are sides of the base.
[1913 Webster]

3. pl. (Billiards) The game of pool in which the balls are
placed in the form of a triangle at spot. [Eng.]
[1913 Webster]

4. (Finance) a fraudulent investment scheme in which the
manager promises high profits, but instead of investing
the money in a genuine profit-making activity, uses the
money from later investors to pay the profits to earlier
investors; -- also called {pyramid scheme} or {pyramid
operation}. This process inevitably collapses when
insufficient new investors are available, leaving the
later investors with total or near-total losses of their
investments. The managers usually blame government
regulations or interference for the collapse of the
scheme, rather than admit fraud.
[PJC]

{Altitude of a pyramid} (Geom.), the perpendicular distance
from the vertex to the plane of the base.

{Axis of a pyramid} (Geom.), a straight line drawn from the
vertex to the center of the base.

{Earth pyramid}. (Geol.) See {Earth pillars}, under {Earth}.


{Right pyramid} (Geom.) a pyramid whose axis is perpendicular
to the base.
[1913 Webster]


Pyramid \Pyr"a*mid\, v. i. (Speculation)
To enlarge one's holding or interest in a series of
operations on a continued rise or decline by using the
profits to buy or sell additional amounts on a margin, as
where one buys on a 10% margin 100 shares of stock quoted at
100, holds it till it rises to 105, and then uses the paper
profit to buy 50 shares more, etc. The series of operations
constitutes a pyramid. A similar process of reinvesting gains
or winnings (as of a gamble), but not involving operation on
margin, is called a {parlay}.
[Webster 1913 Suppl. PJC]


Pyramid \Pyr"a*mid\, v. t. (Speculation)
To use, or to deal in, in a pyramiding transaction. See
{Pyramid}, v. i.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]