/pith/ , n.
1. Bot. the soft, spongy central cylinder of parenchymatous tissue in the stems of dicotyledonous plants.
2. Zool. the soft inner part of a feather, a hair, etc.
3. the important or essential part; essence; core; heart: the pith of the matter.
4. significant weight; substance; solidity: an argument without pith.
5. Archaic. spinal cord or bone marrow.
6. Archaic. strength, force, or vigor; mettle: men of pith.
v.t.
7. to remove the pith from (plants).
8. to destroy the spinal cord or brain of.
9. to slaughter, as cattle, by severing the spinal cord.
[ bef. 900; ME; OE pitha; c. D pit. See PIT 2 ]