פִּירְכּוּס II, (פִּרְכֵּס II) jerking motion, struggling, spasmodic movement, as a symptom of vitality. Ḥull. 38ᵃ הרי זה פ׳ these are symptoms of vitality (proving that the slaughtered animal was not on the point of dying a natural death). Ib. פ׳ שאמרו בתחלת שחיטה the symptoms of vitality of which they speak refer to the beginning of the slaughtering act. Ab. Zar. 16ᵃ חיה … בהמה דקה לפ׳ a large beast of chase is like a small domestic animal as regards the symptoms of vitality required at slaughtering; a. e.