List of Abbreviations Used in This Dictionary (part 6)

Catherine-wheel, kath′e-rin-hwēl, n. (archit.) an ornamented window or compartment of a window, of a circular form, with radiating divisions of various colours: (her.) a wheel set round with teeth: a kind of firework which in burning rotates like a wheel.—Catherine pear, a small and early variety of pear.—Turn Catherine-wheels, to make a series of somersaults sideways. [From St Catherine of Alexandria, whom legend makes to suffer martyrdom in the 4th century by torture on a wheel.]

Catheter, kath′e-tėr, n. a tube to be introduced through the urethra into the bladder to draw off the urine, or for injecting air or fluids into the Eustachian tube.—ns. Cath′eterism; Cathetom′eter, an instrument for measuring small differences of level of different liquids in tubes; Cath′etus, a straight line falling perpendicularly on another straight line or surface. [Gr. kathetos, perpendicular, kathetēr, from kathienai, to send down.]

Cathisma, ka-thiz′ma, n. in Greek use, a portion of the psalter, there being altogether twenty cathismata: a troparion or short hymn used as a response. [Gr., kathizein, to sit down.]

Cathode, kath-ōd′, n. the negative pole or electrode of a galvanic battery, as opposed to anode: the surface in contact with the negative pole: the object to be coated in electroplating—adj. Cath′odal. [Gr. kathodos, a going down, kata, down, hodos, a way.]

Cat-hole. See Cat.

Catholic, kath′ol-ik, adj. universal: general, embracing the whole body of Christians: orthodox, as opposed to heterodox and sectarian—applied esp. to the Christian Church before the great schism between the East and the West: liberal, the opposite of exclusive: relating to the name claimed by its adherents for the Church of Rome as the alleged sole visible representative of the church founded by Christ and His apostles—the characteristic marks of the Catholic Church being universality, antiquity, unity: relating to the Roman Catholics.—n. an adherent of the R.C. Church.—v.t. Cathol′icise, to make Catholic.—ns. Cathol′icism, Catholic′ity, universality: liberality or breadth of view: the tenets of the R.C. Church; Cathol′icon, a universal remedy or panacea; Cathol′icos, the Patriarch of Armenia.—Catholic creditor (law of Scot.), one whose debt is secured over several or the whole subjects belonging to the debtor—e.g. over two or more heritable estates; Catholic emancipation, the relief of the Roman Catholics from certain vexatious penal regulations and restrictions, granted in 1829; Catholic or General epistles, the name given to certain epistles in the canon addressed not to particular churches or individuals, but either to the Church universal or to a large and indefinite circle of readers—originally only 1 John and 1 Peter, but, as early as the 3d century, also James, Jude, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John; Catholic king, a title given specially to the king of Spain.—Old Catholics, the title assumed by a number of Catholics who at Munich protested against the new dogma of the personal infallibility of the pope in all ex cathedrâ deliverances proclaimed by the Vatican Council in 1870—now a considerable communion or church in Germany and Switzerland. [Gr. katholicos, universal—kata, throughout, holos, the whole.]

Catiline, kat′il-īn, n. the type of a daring and reckless conspirator, from L. Sergius Catilina, whose plot to destroy Rome was foiled by Cicero, 63 B.C.—adj. Cat′ilinārian.

Catkin. See Cat.

Cat-log, kat′-log, n. (Shak.). Catalogue.

Catonian, ka-tō′ni-an, adj. resembling Cato, the Roman Censor (died 149 B.C.), or Cato Uticensis (95-46 B.C.), both remarkable for gravity of manners—hence grave, severe, unbending.

Catoptric, kat-op′trik, adj. relating to catoptrics or vision by reflection.—n.pl. Catop′trics, the part of optics which treats of reflected light. [Gr.; from katoptron, a mirror—kata, against, optesthai, to see.]

Cat's-tail. See Cat.

Cattle, kat′l, n.pl. beasts of pasture, esp. oxen, bulls, and cows: sometimes also horses, sheep, &c.—ns. Catt′leman, one who tends cattle, or who rears them on a ranch; Catt′le-plague, plague or disease among cattle, esp. that known as rinderpest or steppe murrain; Catt′le-show, an exhibition or show of cattle or other domestic animals in competition for prizes. [O. Fr. catel, chatel—Low L. captale, orig. capital, property in general, then esp. animals—L. capitalis, chief—caput, the head, beasts in early times forming the chief part of property.]

Catty, kat′i, n. the Chinese kin or pound, usually a little over 1¼ lb. avoirdupois.

Caucasian, kaw-kā′zhi-an, adj. pertaining to Mount Caucasus or the country around it.—n. the name adopted by Blumenbach for one of his main ethnological divisions of mankind, by him made to include the two great groups, the Aryan and the Semitic; used by later anthropologists for the fair type of man as opposed to the Mongolic or yellow type.

Caucus, kaw′kus, n. a private meeting of political wire-pullers to agree upon candidates to be proposed for an ensuing election, or to fix the business to be laid before a general meeting of their party: applied loosely to any influential committee in a constituency. [Ety. dub.; perh. John Smith's Algonkin word Caw-cawaassough, an adviser; perh. a corr. of 'caulkers' meetings.']

Caudal, kaw′dal, adj. pertaining to the tail: having a tail or something like one.—adj. Cau′dāte, tailed. [L. cauda.]

Caudex, kaw′deks, n. (bot.) the stem of a tree, esp. of a palm or tree-fern:—pl. Caud′ices, Caud′exes.—n. Caudicle, the stalk of the pollen-masses of certain orchids. [L.]

Caudle, kaw′dl, n. a warm drink, sweetened and spiced, given to the sick, esp. women in childbed.—v.t. to give a caudle to, to mix. [O. Fr. chaudel—L. calidus, hot.]

Caudron, kaw′dron, n. (Spens.). Same as Cauldron.

Caught, kawt, pa.t. and pa.p. of Catch.

Cauk, kawk, n. chalk: sulphate of baryta or heavy spar. [A form of Chalk.]

Cauker. See Caulk.

Caul, kawl, n. a net or covering for the head: the membrane covering the head of some infants at their birth. [O. Fr. cale, a little cap, prob. Celt.; cf. Ir. calla, a veil, hood.]

Cauld, kawld, n. (Scot.) a dam in a stream, a weir.

Cauldrife, kawld′-rīf, adj. (Scot.) cold, chilly, lifeless, without vigour.

Cauldron, Caldron, kawl′dron, n. a large kettle for boiling or heating liquids. [O. Fr. caudron—L. caldarium—calidus, hot—calēre, to be hot.]

Caulescent, kaw-les′ent, adj. (bot.) having a stem rising above the ground—also Caulif′erous.—n. Cau′licle, a rudimentary stem.—adj. Caulic′olous, growing on a stem.—n.pl. Cauliculā′ta, the black or antipatharian corals.—adj. Caulic′ulāte.—n. Caulic′ulus, one of the slender stems springing from the caules or main stalks supporting the volutes in the Corinthian capital.—adjs. Caul′iform, having the form of a stem; Caulig′enous, borne upon the stem; Caul′inary, Cau′line, belonging to a stem.—n. Cau′lis, the stem of a plant: one of the main stems at the angles of the Corinthian capital. [L. caulis, a stalk.]

Cauliflower, kaw′li-flow′ėr, n. a variety of cabbage, the eatable part of which is the deformed inflorescence or head. [Earlier cole-florye, colie-florie—Low L. cauli-flora—L. caulis, cabbage. See Cole and Flower.]

Caulk, Calk, kawk, v.t. to press oakum and untwisted rope into the seams of a ship to render it watertight.—ns. Caulk′er, one who caulks: a dram: a big lie—also Cauk′er; Caulk′ing; Caulk′ing-ī′ron, an instrument like a chisel used for pressing oakum into the seams of ships. [O. Fr. cauquer, to press—L. caclāre, to tread—calx, heel.]

Cause, kawz, n. that which produces an effect: that by or through which anything happens: motive: inducement: a legal action between contending parties: sake, advantage: that side of a question which is taken up by an individual or party: (Shak.) accusation: (Shak.) matter, affair in general.—v.t. to produce: to make to exist: to bring about: (Spens.) to give excuses.—conj. (dial.) because.—adj. Caus′al, relating to a cause or causes.—n. Causal′ity, the working of a cause: (phren.) the faculty of tracing effects to their causes.—adv. Caus′ally, according to the order of causes.—ns. Causā′tion, the act of causing: the bringing about of an effect; the relation of cause and effect; Causā′tionism, the theory of causation; Causā′tionist, a believer in the foregoing.—adj. Caus′ative, expressing causation.—n. a form of verb or noun expressing such.—adv. Caus′atively.—adj. Cause′less, having no cause or occasion.—adv. Cause′lessly.—ns. Cause′lessness; Caus′er, one who causes an effect to be produced.—Cause célèbre, a convenient French term for a specially interesting and important legal trial, criminal or civil.—Final cause, the end or object for which a thing is done, esp. the design of the universe; First cause, the original cause or creator of all.—Hour of cause (Scot.), hour or time of trial.—Secondary causes, such as are derived from a primary or first cause.—Have or Show cause, to have to give reasons for a certain line of action; Make common cause (with), to unite for a common object; Show cause (Eng. law), to argue against the confirmation of a provisional order or judgment.—For Occasional causes, see Occasionalism. [Fr.,—L. causa.]

Causerie, kōz′ri, n. a talk or gossip: a paragraph of chat about literature or art; a short and informal essay on any subject in a newspaper or magazine—as in Sainte-Beuve's famous Causeries du Lundi. [Fr.]

Causeway, kawz′wā, Causey, kawz′e, n. a raised way through a marsh: a pathway raised and paved with stone: a paved street.—v.t. to pave.—p.adjs. Cause′wayed, Caus′eyed. [Causeway is formed from Causey and Way. Causey is in M. E. causee—O. Fr. caucie—Low L. calciata—L. calx, heel.]

Caustic, kaws′tik, adj. burning: (fig.) bitter, severe, cutting: (math.) noting an envelope of rays of light proceeding from a fixed point and reflected (catacaustic) or refracted (diacaustic) by a surface or a curve.—n. a substance that exerts a corroding or disintegrating action on the skin and flesh.—adv. Caus′tically.—n. Caustic′ity, quality of being caustic.—Caustic alkali (chem.), a name given to the hydrates of potassium and sodium, called caustic potash and caustic soda respectively; Caustic ammonia, ammonia as a gas, or in solution; Caustic lime, quicklime.—Common caustic, potash; Lunar caustic, nitrate of silver in sticks for surgical use. [L.,—Gr. kaustikos—kai-ein, kaus-ein, to burn.]

Cautel, kaw′tel, n. (Shak.) craft: insidious purpose: caution: wariness: a traditionary caution or written direction about the proper manner of administering the sacraments.—adj. Cau′telous (Shak.), cautious: insidious: artful. [Fr. cautèle—L. cautela—cavēre, cautum, to guard against.]

Cauterise, kaw′tėr-īz, v.t. to burn with a caustic or a hot iron: (fig.) to sear.—ns. Cau′ter, Cau′tery, a burning with caustics or a hot iron: a burning iron or caustic used for burning tissue; Cauterisā′tion, Cau′terism. [Fr. cautériser—Low L. cauterizāre—Gr. kautēr, a hot iron—kai-ein, to burn.]

Caution, kaw′shun, n. heedfulness: security: warning: a surety: (Scot.) bail.—v.t. to warn to take care.—adj. Cau′tionary, containing caution: given as a pledge.—ns. Cau′tioner, one who cautions or advises: (Scots law) a surety; Cau′tionry, the act of giving security for another.—adj. Cau′tious, possessing or using caution: watchful: prudent.—adv. Cau′tiously.—n. Cau′tiousness.—Caution money, money paid in advance as security for good behaviour. [Fr.,—L. caution-em—cavēre, to beware.]

Cavalcade, kav-al-kād′, n. a train or procession of persons on horseback.—v.i. to go in a cavalcade. [Fr., through It. and Low L. forms from L. caballus, a horse.]

Cavalier, kav-al-ēr′, n. a knight: a Royalist in the great Civil War: a swaggering fellow: a gallant or gentleman in attendance upon a lady, as her escort or partner in a dance or the like: in military fortification, a raised work so situated as to command the neighbouring country.—adj. like a cavalier: gay: war-like: haughty, supercilious, free-and-easy.—v.i. to act as cavalier.—adj. Cavalier′ish.—n. Cavalier′ism.—adv. Cavalier′ly.—n. Cavalier′o, a cavalier.—Cavaliere-servente (It.), one who waits upon a lady, esp. a married lady, with fantastic devotion—a cicisbeo. [Fr.,—It. cavallo. See Cavalcade.]

Cavalry, kav′al-ri, n. horse-soldiers: a troop of horse or horsemen. [Fr. cavallerie—It. cavalleria—L. caballarius, horseman.]

Cavass. See Kavass.

Cavatina, kav-at-ē′na, n. a short form of operatic air, of a smooth and melodious character, differing from the ordinary aria in consisting only of one part, and frequently appearing as part of a grand scena. [It.]

Cave, kāv, n. a hollow place in the earth: a den: any small faction of seceders from a political party.—v.t. to hollow out.—v.i. to lodge in a cave.—n. Cave′-bear (Ursus spelæus), a fossil bear of the Quaternary epoch.—n.pl. Cave′-dwell′ers, prehistoric men who lived in caves.—n. Cav′ing, yielding.—To cave in, of land, to slip, to fall into a hollow: to yield to outside pressure, to give way, collapse. [Fr.,—L. cavus, hollow.]

Caveat, kā′ve-at, n. a notice or warning: a formal warning, entered in the books of a court or public office, that no step shall be taken in a particular matter without notice to the person lodging the caveat, so that he may appear and object. [L., 'let him take care'—cavēre, to take care.]

Cavendish, kav′en-dish, n. tobacco moistened and pressed into quadrangular cakes. [Possibly from the name of the original manufacturer.]

Cavern, kav′ėrn, n. a deep hollow place in the earth.—v.t. to put in a cavern: to hollow out, in the form of a cavern.—adjs. Cav′erned, full of caverns: dwelling in a cavern; Cav′ernous, hollow: full of caverns.—adv. Cav′ernously.—adj. Caver′nūlous, full of little cavities. [Fr.,—L. caverna—cavus, hollow.]

Cavesson, kav′es-on, n. a nose-band for a horse. [Fr.,—It.—L. capitia, capitium, a head-covering.]

Cavetto, ka-vet′to, n. a hollowed moulding whose curvature is the quarter of a circle, used chiefly in cornices. [It.; dim. of cavo—L. cavus, hollow.]

Caviare, Caviar, kav-i-är′, or kav-i-ār′ (originally four syllables), n. an article of food made from the salted roes of the sturgeon, &c.: (fig.) something whose flavour is too fine for the vulgar taste. [Prob. the 16th-cent. It. caviale; the Turk, khāvyār is prob. borrowed.]

Cavicorn, kav′i-korn, adj. hollow-horned, as a ruminant.—n. one of the Cavicor′nia, a family contrasted with the solid-horned ruminants, or deer (Cervidæ). [L. cavus, hollow, cornu, a horn.]

Cavie, kāv′i, n. a hen-coop or cage. [Dut. kevie; Ger. käfig.]

Cavil, kav′il, v.t. to make empty, trifling objections: to use false arguments:—pr.p. cav′illing; pa.p. cav′illed.—n. a frivolous objection.—ns. Cavillā′tion, Cav′illing; Cav′iller. [O. Fr. caviller—L. cavillāri, to practise jesting—cavilla, jesting.]

Cavity, kav′it-i, n. a hollow place: hollowness: an opening.—adj. Cav′itied. [L. cavitas, -tatem—cavus, hollow.]

Cavo-rilievo, kä′vō-rē-lyā′vō, n. a kind of relief in which the highest surface is level with the plane of the original stone, which is left round the outlines of the design.—Also Intaglio-rilievo and Cœlanaglyphic sculpture. [It. cavo, hollow, rilievo, relief. See Cave and Relief.]

Cavort, kav-ort′, v.i. (U.S. slang) to curvet, bound. [Explained as a corr. of Curvet.]

Cavy, kāv′i, n. a genus of Rodents, best known by the domesticated species, the common guinea-pig. [Cabiai, the native name in French Guiana.]

Caw, kaw, v.i. to cry as a crow.—n. the cry of a crow—also Kaw.—n. Caw′ing. [From the sound.]

Cawk, kawk, n. a miner's familiar name for heavy spar. [Prov. Eng. cauk, Chalk.]

Cawker. Same as Calker.

Caxon, kak′son, n. a kind of wig formerly worn. [Origin obscure.]

Caxton, kaks′ton, n. a book printed by William Caxton (1422-91), the first English printer: a kind of printing-type in imitation of Caxton's.

Cay, kā, n. a low islet, the same as Key. [Sp. cayo.]

Cayenne, kā-en′, Cayenne-pepper, kā-en′-pep′ėr, n. a very pungent red pepper, made from several species of capsicum.—adj. Cayenned′, seasoned with cayenne. [Usually referred to Cayenne in French Guiana; but there is little doubt the word is Brazilian.]

Cayman, kā′man, n. a local name loosely applied to various species of alligator—to that of the Mississippi, and more frequently to others found in tropical or subtropical America. [Sp. caiman, most prob. Carib.]

Cazique, a form of Cacique.

Cease, sēs, v.i. to give over: to stop: to be at an end (with from).—v.t. to put an end to.—n. (Shak.) extinction.—adj. Cease′less, without ceasing: incessant.—adv. Cease′lessly.—n. Ceas′ing.—Without cease, continually. [Fr. cesser—L. cessāre, to give over—cedĕre, to yield, give up.]

Cebadilla. See Cevadilla.

Cebus, sē′bus, n. a genus of South American monkeys—Cebidæ (seb′i-dē) is sometimes applied to all the broad-nosed New-World monkeys (Platyrrhini) with prehensile tails, in contrast to the Pithecidæ. [Gr. kēbos.]

Cecidomyia, ses-i-dom-ī′ya, n. a genus of dipterous (two-winged) insects in the Tipularia (gnat and mosquito) division. [Gr. kēkis, -idos, juice.]

Cecils, sē′silz, n.pl. minced meat, bread crumbs, onions, &c., made up into balls and fried.

Cecity, sē′si-ti, n. blindness. [L. cæcitas—cæcus, blind.]

Cedar, sē′dar, n. a large evergreen tree remarkable for the durability and fragrance of its wood; applied also to many more or less similar trees, as the Barbadoes cedar, properly a juniper, and the Bastard Barbadoes cedar, properly a Cedrela (used for canoes, cigar-boxes, blacklead pencils).—adj. made of cedar.—adjs. Cē′dared, covered with cedars; Cē′darn (Milton), pertaining to or made of cedar; Cē′drine, belonging to the cedar-tree; Cē′dry, obsolete form of Cē′dary, having the colour or properties of cedar. [L.—Gr. kedros.]

Cede, sēd, v.t. to yield or give up to another.—v.i. to give way. [L. cedĕre, cessum, to yield, give up.]

Cedilla, se-dil′la, n. a mark placed under the letter c (thus ç), esp. in French, to show that it is to have its soft sound of s, where one would expect the hard, as before a, o, u. [Sp. (Fr. cédille, It. zediglia), all from zēta, the Greek name of z.]

Cedrate, sē′drāt, n. the citron. [Fr.,—L. citrus.]

Cedrela, sed′rē-la, n. a tropical genus of Meliaceæ, allied to mahogany, whose wood is popularly called cedar.—adj. Cedrelā′ceous. [Gr. kedrelatē—kedros, cedar, elatē, the silver fir.]

Cedula, sed′ū-lä, n. a South American promissory-note or mortgage-bond on lands. [Sp. Cf. Schedule.]

Cee-spring, C-spring, sē′-spring, n. a spring supporting the frame of a carriage, in the shape of a C.

Ceil, Ciel, sēl, v.t. to overlay the inner roof of a room, generally to plaster it: to wainscot.—n. Ceil′ing, the inner roof of a room. [Prob. conn. with Fr. ciel, It. cielo, Low L. cælum, a canopy.]

Celadon, sel′a-don, n. a pale-green colour. [Fr.]

Celandine, sel′an-dīn, n. swallow-wort, the popular name (and corruption) of Chelidonium majus, a perennial papaveraceous (poppy) herb, so named because it was supposed to flower when the swallows appeared, and to perish when they departed. [O. Fr. celidoine—Gr. chelidonion—chelidōn, a swallow.]

Celebrate, sel′e-brāt, v.t. to make famous: to distinguish by solemn ceremonies, as a festival or an event: to perform with proper rites and ceremonies, as mass, the eucharist, marriage, &c.: to publish the praises of.—n. Cel′ebrant, one who celebrates: the principal officiant at the holy communion.—adj. Cel′ebrated, distinguished: famous.—ns. Celebrā′tion, act of celebrating any solemn ceremony, as the eucharist (high, if with music, &c.; low, if without): an extolling; Celebrāt′or, one who celebrates; Celeb′rity, the condition of being celebrated: fame: notoriety: a person of distinction or fame. [L. celebrāre, -ātum—celeber, frequented.]

Celerity, sel-er′it-i, n. quickness: rapidity of motion. [Fr.,—L. celeritas—celer, quick.]

Celery, sel′er-i, n. a kitchen vegetable cultivated for its long blanched succulent stalks. [Fr. céleri—L. and Gr. selīnon, parsley.]

Celestial, sel-est′yal, adj. heavenly: dwelling in heaven: in the visible heavens.—n. an inhabitant of heaven.—adv. Celest′ially.—The Celestial Empire, a name for China. [Through Fr. from L. cœlestis—cœlum, heaven.]

Celestine, sel′es-tīn, or sel-es′tin, n. one of an order of monks following the rule of St Benedict, wearing a white garment with black hood and scapulary, founded about 1254 by Peter da Murrone, who became Pope Celestine V. in 1294, and resigned after five years—'the great refusal' of Dante.

Celestine, sel′es-tin, n. a mineral, native sulphate of strontia.—Also Cel′estite. [From its sky-blue colour.]

Celiac, sē′li-ak, adj. Same as Cœliac.

Celibacy, sel′i-bas-i, or se-lib′as-i, n. a single life: an unmarried state.—adjs. Celibatā′rian, favouring celibacy; Cel′ibate, living single.—n. one unmarried, or not allowed to marry. [L. cœlebs, single.]

Cell, sel, n. a small room in a prison, monastery, &c.: a cave: a small shut cavity: the grave: a unit-mass of living matter, whether rounded off by itself, as in the simplest plants or animals, and in the youngest stage of all organisms, or associated with other cells to form a higher unity.—adjs. Celled, having cells, cellular; Cellif′erous, having or producing cells; Cell′ular, Cell′ulated, consisting of or containing cells.—n. Cell′ule, a little cell.—adj. Cellulif′erous, having or producing little cells.—n. Cell′uloid, a hard elastic compound used for ivory, obtained by hydraulic pressure from pyroxylin, mixed with camphor, &c.—adj. Cell′ulose, containing cells.—n. the substance of which the permanent cell-membranes of plants are composed. [O. Fr. celle—L. cella, conn. with celāre, to cover.]

Cella, sel′a, n. the body of the temple, as distinguished from the portico, &c.

Cellar, sel′ar, n. any underground room or vault: a cell underground, where stores are kept, esp. wine, &c.—v.t. to store in a cellar.—ns. Cell′arage, space for cellars: cellars: charge for storing in cellars; Cell′arer, Cell′arist, one who has charge of the cellar: an officer in a monastery who has the charge of procuring and keeping the provisions; Cell′aret, an ornamental case for holding bottles; Cell′arman, one who has the care of a cellar.—adj. Cell′arous (Dickens), belonging to a cellar: excavated: sunken. [O. Fr. celier—L. cellarium—cella.]

Cello, chel′o, for Violoncello; sometimes written 'Cello.—Cellist, 'Cellist, for Violoncellist.

Cellulares, sel-ū-lā′rez, n.pl. a name sometimes applied to the Cryptogamia—properly only to the mosses and lower cryptogams.

Celt, selt, n. a cutting instrument of stone or bronze found in ancient barrows. [Founded on Celte, perh. a misreading for certe ('surely'), in the Vulgate, Job, xix. 24, there being apparently no such Latin word as celtes, a chisel.]

Celt, selt, n. one of the Celts, an Aryan race, now represented by the Bretons, the Welsh, the Irish, and the Scottish Highlanders—also Kelt.—adj. Celt′ic.—ns. Celt′icism, a Celtic idiom or custom; Celtomā′nia. [L. Celtæ; Gr. Keltoi or Keltai.]

Cement, se-ment′, n. anything that makes two bodies stick together: mortar: a bond of union.—v.t. to unite with cement: to join firmly.—n. Cementā′tion, the act of cementing: the process by which iron is turned into steel, glass into porcelain, &c.—done by surrounding them with a cement or powder and exposing them to heat.—adjs. Cement′atory, Cementi′tious, having the quality of cementing or uniting firmly. [O. Fr. ciment—L. cæmentum, chip of stone used to fill up in building a wall, cædimentum—cædĕre, to cut.]

Cemetery, sem′e-tėr-i, n. a burying-ground. [Low L. cæmeterium—Gr. koimētērion.]

Cenacle, sen′a-kl, n. a supper-room, esp. that in which the Last Supper was eaten by Jesus and His disciples. [Fr. cénacle—L. cenaculum.]

Cenobite. Same as Cœnobite.

Cenotaph, sen′ō-taf, n. a sepulchral monument to one who is buried elsewhere. [Fr.,—L.—Gr. kenotaphion—kenos, empty, and taphos, a tomb.]

Cenozoic, sē-no-zō′ik, adj. Same as Cainozoic.

Cense, sens, v.t. to burn incense before: (obs.) to think.—n. (obs.) a public rate or tax: rank, condition. [See Census.]

Censer, sens′ėr, n. a pan in which incense is burned. [O. Fr. censier, encensier (mod. encensoir)—Low L. incensorium—L. incendĕre, incensum, to burn.]

Censor, sen′sor, n. in ancient Rome, an officer who kept account of the property of the citizens, imposed taxes, and watched over their morals: an officer who examines books or newspapers before they are printed: one who censures or blames.—adjs. Censō′rial, belonging to a censor, or to the correction of public morals; Censō′rious, expressing censure: fault-finding—also Censō′rian.—adv. Censō′riously.—ns. Censō′riousness; Cen′sorship, office of censor: time during which he holds office.—Censorship of the press, a regulation of certain governments, by which books and newspapers must be examined by officers, whose approval is necessary to their publication. [L.,—censēre, to weigh, to estimate.]

Censure, sen′shūr, n. an unfavourable judgment: blame: reproof: (obs.) criticism, judgment generally.—v.t. to blame: to condemn as wrong.—adj. Cen′surable, deserving of censure: blamable.—n. Cen′surableness.—adv. Cen′surably. [L. censūra, an opinion, a severe judgment—censēre, to estimate or judge.]

Census, sen′sus, n. an official enumeration of the inhabitants of a country, and of statistics relating to them.—adj. Cen′sual, relating to or containing a census. [L. census, a register.]

Cent, sent, n. a hundred: an American coin—the hundredth part of a dollar.—ns. Cent′age, rate by the hundred; Cent′al, a weight of 100 lb. proposed for general adoption, legalised in 1878.—Per cent., by the hundred. [L. centum, a hundred.]

Centaur, sen′tawr, n. a fabulous monster, half-man, half-horse.—adj. Centau′rian. [L.,—Gr. kentauros; ety. dub.]

Centaury, sen′taw-ri, n. an annual with pink or rose-coloured flowers, possessing the tonic and other medicinal virtues of gentian, esteemed in medicine since the days of Galen.

Centenary, sen′tin-ar-i (also sometimes sen-tēn′ar-i and even sen-ten′ar-i), n. a hundred: a century or hundred years.—adj. pertaining to a hundred.—ns. Centenā′rian, one a hundred years old; Centenā′rianism; Centenier (sen′ten-ēr), a centurion: a police-officer in Jersey. [L.,—centeni, a hundred each—centum.]

Centennial, sen-ten′i-al, adj. happening once in a hundred years.—n. a hundredth anniversary. [Coined from L. centum, and annus, a year.]

Center. See Centre.

Centering, sen′tėr-ing, n. (archit.) the framework upon which an arch or vault of stone, brick, or iron is supported during its construction.

Centesimal, sen-tes′i-mal, adj. hundredth.—adv. Centes′imally. [L. centesimus—centum.]

Centifolious, sen-ti-fō′li-us, adj. hundred-leaved.

Centigrade, sen′ti-grād, adj. having a hundred degrees: divided into a hundred degrees, as the centigrade thermometer constructed by Celsius (1701-44), in which freezing-point is zero and boiling-point is 100° (for its relation to the Fahrenheit scale, see Thermometer). [L. centum, and gradus, a step, a degree.]

Centigramme, sen′ti-gram, n. in the Metric System, the hundredth part of a gramme, or .1543248 of a gr. troy. [Fr.,—L. centum, a hundred, and Gramme.]

Centilitre, sen′ti-lē-tr, n. the hundredth part of a litre, a little more than 6⁄10ths of a cubic inch. [Fr.,—L. centum, a hundred, and Litre.]

Centime, sen-tēm′, n. the hundredth part of anything, esp. a French coin, the hundredth part of a franc. [Fr.,—L. centum, a hundred.]

Centimetre, sen′ti-mē-tr, n. a lineal measure, the hundredth part of a metre—0.3937 inches. [Fr.,—L. centum, a hundred, metrum, Gr. metron, a measure.]

Centinel. Same as Sentinel.

Centipede, sen′ti-pēd, n. a general name for the members of one of the orders of the class Myriapoda, being segmented animals bearing jointed appendages, having a well-defined head furnished with feelers and jaws, and breathing by means of air-tubes or tracheæ. [L. centum, and pes, pedis, a foot.]

Centner, sent′ner, n. a common name on the Continent for a hundredweight.

Cento, sen′to, n. a name applied to literary trivialities in the form of poems manufactured by putting together distinct verses or passages of one author, or of several authors, so as to make a new meaning: a composition formed by joining scraps from other authors: expressing contempt, a mere string of commonplace phrases and quotations:—pl. usually Cen′tos.—ns. Cen′toist; Cen′tonism, Cen′toism. [L. cento, Gr. kentrōn, patchwork.]

Centre, Center, sen′tėr, n. the middle point of anything, esp. a circle or sphere: the middle: the point toward which all things move or are drawn: the chief leader of an organisation—head-centre: the men of moderate political opinions in the French Chamber, sitting right in front of the president, with extreme men on the right and on the left—further subdivisions are Right-centre and Left-centre: the Ultramontane party in Germany.—v.t. to place on or collect to a centre.—v.i. to be placed in the middle:—pr.p. cen′tring, cen′tering; pa.p. cen′tred, cen′tered.—adj. Cen′tral, belonging to the centre, principal, dominant: belonging to a nerve-centre, of affections caused by injury to the brain or spinal cord.—ns. Centralisā′tion, Cen′tralism, the tendency to administer by the sovereign or central government matters which would be otherwise under local management.—v.t. Cen′tralise, to draw to a centre.—n. Central′ity, central position.—advs. Cen′trally, Cen′trically.—ns. Cen′tre-bit, a joiner's tool, turning on a centre, for boring circular holes—one of the chief tools of the burglar; Cen′tre-board, a shifting keel, fitted to drop below and in line with the keel proper in order to increase or diminish the draught of a boat—much used in United States racing yachts; Cen′tre-piece, an ornament for the middle of a table, ceiling, &c.—adjs. Cen′tric, Cen′trical, relating to, placed in, or containing the centre.—ns. Cen′tricalness, Centric′ity; Cen′trum, the body of a vertebra.—Central fire, said of a cartridge in which the fulminate is placed in the centre of the base, as opposed to rim fire; Central forces, forces whose action is to cause a moving body to tend towards a fixed point called the centre of force.—Centre of attraction, the point to which bodies tend by the force of gravity; Centre of buoyancy, or displacement, the point in an immersed body at which the resultant vertical pressure may be supposed to act; Centre of gravity, a certain point, invariably situated with regard to the body, through which the resultant of the attracting forces between the earth and its several molecules always passes; Centre of inertia, or mass, the centre of a set of parallel forces acting on all the particles of a body, each force being proportional to the mass of the particle on which it acts; Centre of oscillation, the point in a body occupied by that particle which is accelerated and retarded to an equal amount, and which therefore moves as if it were a single pendulum unconnected with the rest of the body; Centre of percussion, the point in which the direction of a blow, given to a body, intersects the plane in which the fixed axis and the centre of inertia lie, making the body begin to rotate about a fixed axis, without causing any pressure on the axis; Centre of pressure, the point at which the direction of a single force, which is equivalent to the fluid pressure on the plane surface, meets the surface. [Fr.,—L. centrum—Gr. kentron, a sharp point.]

Centrifugal, sen-trif′ū-gal, adj. relating to the force directed towards the centre of curvature constantly required to keep a body moving in a curve instead of in its natural straight line: (bot.) applied to an inflorescence when the development proceeds from the apex towards the base of the axis or leaf, as opposed to centripetal, when it is from the base upwards towards the apex.—n. Cen′trifuge, a centrifugal machine. [L. centrum, and fug-ĕre, to flee from.]

Centripetal, sen-trip′et-al, adj. of a force impelling a body towards some point as a centre. [L. centrum, and pet-ĕre, to seek.]

Centrobaric, sen-tro-bar′ik, adj. relating to the centre of gravity. [L. centrum, and Gr. baros, weight.]

Centrode, sen′trōd, n. a locus traced out by the successive positions of an instantaneous centre of pure rotation.

Centumvir, sen-tum′vir, n. one of the Roman judges chosen annually for civil suits, originally 105 in number (three from each of the thirty-five tribes):—pl. Centum′virī.—n. Centum′virate. [L. centum, a hundred, and vir, a man.]

Centuple, sen′tū-pl, adj. hundredfold.—v.t. Centū′plicate, to multiply a hundred times.—n. Centuplicā′tion. [L. centuplex—centum, and plicāre, to fold.]

Century, sen′tū-ri, n. a hundred, or something consisting of a hundred in number, as sonnets, &c.: a hundred years.—adj. Centū′rial.—ns. Centū′riātor, the centuriators of Magdeburg were a group of Reformed divines who in the 16th century compiled a church history in 13 vols., each volume covering a century; Centū′rion, among the Romans, the commander of a hundred men.—Century plant (see Agave). [L. centuria—centum.]

Ceorl, churl, n. before the Norman Conquest an ordinary freeman not of noble birth. [A.S.]

Cephalaspis, sef-a-las′pis, n. a genus of fossil Ganoid fishes found in the Upper Silurian and Devonian measures. [Gr. kephalē, the head, aspis, a shield.]

Cephalic, se-fal′ik, adj. belonging to the head—also Cephalis′tic.—ns. Cephalag′ra, gout in the head; Cephalal′gia, Ceph′algy, headache.—adjs. Cephalal′gic; Ceph′alate, having a head, as a mollusc.—n. Cephalī′tis, inflammation of the brain.—adjs. Ceph′aloid, in the form of the head: spherical.—ns. Ceph′alo-thō′rax, the anterior division of the body in arthropods; Cephalot′omy, the dissection of the head.—adj. Ceph′alous, having a head. [Gr. kephalikos—kephalē, the head.]

Cephalopoda, sef-al-op′od-a, n.pl. the highest class of molluscs, usually large animals, exclusively marine, with well-developed head region, but having the ventral surface grown round the mouth and split up into arms bearing suckers—more commonly cuttlefish.—adj. Ceph′alopod. [Gr. kephalē, the head, pous, podos, the foot.]

Cephaloptera, sef-a-lop′tėr-a, n. a name formerly used for a genus of rays. [Gr. kephalē, the head, ptera, wings.]

Ceramic, se-ram′ik, adj. pertaining to pottery. [Gr. keramos, potter's earth.]

Cerasine, ser′a-sin, n. the insoluble portion of the gum which exudes from the cherry, &c. [L. cerasus, Gr. kerasos, the cherry-tree.]

Cerastes, se-ras′tēz, n. a genus of poisonous snakes having a horny process over each eye. [L.; Gr. kerastēs—keras, a horn.]

Cerate, sē′rāt, n. a compound of wax with other oily or medicinal substances in such proportions as to form a stiff ointment.—adj. Cē′rated.—n. Cero′mancy, divination from figures produced by melted wax when dropped into water. [L. cerāre, cerātum, to cover with wax, cera, wax.]

Ceratitis, ser-a-tī′tis, n. inflammation of the cornea.—Also Keratī′tis.

Ceratode, ser′a-tōd, n. the horny skeletal substance of sponges—also Cer′atose.—adjs. Cerat′odous, Cer′atose.

Ceratoid, ser′a-toid, adj. horny.

Ceraunic, se-raw′nik, adj. pertaining to, or produced by, thunder.—ns. Cerau′nite, a belemnite; Cerau′noscope, an apparatus for imitating thunder and lightning in ancient mysteries. [Gr. keraunos, a thunderbolt.]

Cerberus, ser′bėr-us, n. (myth.) the monster that guarded the entrance to Hades, a dog with three, according to some a hundred, heads.—adj. Cerbē′rian. [L.—Gr. Kerberos.]

Cercaria, ser-kā′ri-a, n. the technical name applied to an embryonic form of many flukes.—adj. Cercā′rian. [Gr. kerkos, a tail.]

Cere, sēr, v.t. to cover with wax.—n. the bare waxlike patch at the base of the upper part of the beak in birds.—adj. Cerā′ceous, of or like wax.—ns. Cerā′go, a wax-like substance (bee-bread) used by bees as food; Cere′cloth, Cere′ment, a cloth dipped in melted wax in which to wrap a dead body: a winding-sheet or grave-clothes generally.—adjs. Cē′reous, waxy; Cē′ric.—ns. Cē′rin, Cē′rine, the portion of wax which dissolves in boiling alcohol: a waxy substance obtained by boiling grated cork in alcohol; Cē′rograph, a writing on wax: an encaustic painting.—adjs. Cerograph′ic, -al.—ns. Cerog′raphist; Cerog′raphy, the art of writing or engraving on wax.—adj. Ceroplas′tic, modelled or moulded in wax.—n. the art of modelling in wax.—n. Cer′osine, a wax-like substance produced on the surface of certain species of sugar-cane. [L. cera, cog. with Gr. kēros, wax; Gr. graphein, to write, plassein, to mould.]

Cereal. See Ceres.

Cerebrum, ser′e-brum, n. the front and larger part of the brain.—adjs. Cerebell′ar, Cerebell′ous.—n. Cerebell′um, the hinder and lower part of the brain.—adj. Cer′ebral, pertaining to the cerebrum.—ns. Cer′ebralism, the theory that all mental operations originate in the cerebrum; Cer′ebralist.—v.i. Cer′ebrate, to show brain action.—n. Cerebrā′tion, action of the brain, conscious or unconscious, marked by molecular changes in the cerebrum.—adjs. Cer′ebric, cerebral; Cereb′riform, brain-shaped.—ns. Cer′ebrin, a name given to several nitrogenous non-phosphorised substances obtained from the brain; Cerebrī′tis, inflammation of the cerebrum.—adj. Cer′ebro-spīn′al, relating to the brain and spinal cord together.—Cerebral hemispheres, the two great divisions of the cerebrum. [L. cerebrum, the brain; prob. cog. with Gr. kara, the head, kranion, the cranium.]

Ceremony, ser′e-mo-ni, n. a sacred rite: the outward form, religious or otherwise: any empty form without inwardness: pomp or state; a portent or omen.—adj. Ceremō′nial, relating to ceremony.—n. outward form: a system of ceremonies.—n. Ceremō′nialism, adherence to outward form.—adv. Ceremō′nially.—adj. Ceremō′nious, full of ceremony: particular in observing forms: precise.—adv. Ceremō′niously.—n. Ceremōniousness.—Master of ceremonies, the person who directs the form and order of the ceremonies to be observed on some public occasion. [Fr.—L. cærimonia, sanctity.]

Ceres, sē′rēz, n. the Roman name for the Greek Demētēr, goddess of tillage and corn.—adj. Cē′real, relating to corn or edible grain.—n.pl. Cē′reals, the grains used as food, such as wheat, barley, &c. [L. prob. from root of creāre, to create.]

Cereus, sē′ri-us, n. a large genus of cactuses, including some of the most imposing forms. [L., 'waxen.']

Cerge, sėrj, n. a large wax-candle burned before the altar.—Also Cierge, Serge. [O. Fr.,—L. cereus—cera, wax.]

Cerinthian, ser-in′thi-an, adj. pertaining to Cerinthus, one of the earliest heretics in the Christian Church, against whose crude Gnosticism the Gospel of John was written, according to Irenæus.

Ceriph. Same as Serif.

Cerise, ser-ēz′, n. and adj. a light and clear red colour. [Fr., 'cherry.']

Cerium, sē′ri-um, n. a rare metal found in the mineral Cē′rite, which is its hydrated silicate. [Named from the plant Ceres.]

Cern, sėrn (Shak.). Concern.

Ceromancy. See Cerate.

Ceroon. See Seroon.

Ceroplastic. See Cere.

Certain, sėr′tān, or sėr′tin, adj. sure: not to be doubted: resolved: fixed: regular: inevitable: some: one.—advs. Cer′tainly, (Scot.) Cer′ty, Cer′tie.—ns. Cer′titude, Cer′tainty.—'A certain person,' implying some degree of contempt; A lady of a certain age, of an age best not stated accurately—at least no longer young.—For certain, assuredly.—Moral certainty, a conviction so justifiable that one is morally entitled to act on it. [O. Fr.,—L. certus—cern-ĕre, to decide.]

Certes, sėr′tēz, adv. certainly: in sooth. [Fr.]

Certificate, sėr-tif′i-kāt, n. a written declaration of some fact: a testimonial of character or definite statement of qualifications.—v.t. to give a certificate.—ns. Certificā′tion; Certif′icatory, a certificate—also adj.—n. Cer′tifier, one who certifies.—v.t. Cer′tify, to make known as certain: to inform: to declare in writing:—pr.p. cer′tifying; pa.p. cer′tified. [Fr. certificat—L. certificāre, certus, and facĕre, to make.]

Certiorari, sėr-shi-o-rā′ri, n. the writ by which, since the abolition of imprisonment for debt and the consequent disuse of the better-known writ, habeas corpus, causes are removed from inferior courts of record into the High Court of Justice. [Low L., 'be informed of'—certior, comp. of certus, certain.]

Cerulean, se-rū′le-an, adj. sky-blue: dark-blue; sea-green.—adj. Cerū′leous. [L. cæruleus.]

Cerulein, sėr-ū′lē-in, n. a coal-tar colour chiefly used in dyeing cotton fabrics, producing fast olive-green shades.

Cerumen, se-rū′men, n. the yellow waxy matter secreted in the ear.—adj. Cerū′minous. [L. cera, wax.]

Ceruse, sē′rōōs, or ser-ūs′, n. white-lead, the native carbonate of lead.—n. Cē′rusite. [Fr.,—L. cerussa, conn. with cera, wax.]

Cervical, sėr′vi-kal, adj. belonging to the neck. [Fr.,—L. cervix, cervicis, the neck.]

Cervine, sėr′vīn, adj. relating to deer. [L. cervinus, cervus, a stag.]

Cesarean. See Cæsarean.

Cesarevitch. See Czar.

Cespitose, ses′pi-tōs, adj. turfy: growing in tufts.—Also Ces′pitous. [L. cespes, cespitis, turf.]

Cess, ses, n. a tax, a local rate.—v.t. to impose a tax.—Out of all cesse (Shak.), excessively, immoderately. [Shortened from Assess.]

Cessation, ses-ā′shun, n. a ceasing or stopping: a rest: a pause. [Fr.,—L. cessation-em. See Cease.]

Cesse, ses, v.i. (Spens.). Same as Cease.

Cession, sesh′un, n. a yielding up.—n. Ces′sionary, one to whom an assignment has been legally made.—Cessio bonōrum (Scots law), before 1880 a debtor's surrender of his estate to his creditors in return for a judicial protection from imprisonment in respect of his debts. [Fr.—L. cession-em. See Cede.]

Cesspool, ses′pōōl, n. a pool or hollow in which filthy water collects. [Acc. to Skeat, from Celt. soss-pool, a pool into which foul messes flow. Cf. Scot. soss, a mixed dirty mess.]

Cestoid, ses′toid, n. one of a family of flat worms of internal parasitic habit, having a long strap-like body divided into numerous segments: a tapeworm.—Also Cestoid′ean. [L. cestus, Gr. kestos, a girdle, a strap, and eidos, form.]

Cestracion, ses-trā′si-on, n. a generic name for the hammer-headed sharks. [Formed from Gr. kestra, a weapon.]

Cestui, sest′wē, n. any person who—in such phrases as Cestui que trust, a person entitled to the benefit of a trust, a beneficiary in Scots law phraseology. [O. Fr.]

Cestus, ses′tus, n. the girdle of Venus, which had power to awaken love: an ancient boxing-glove loaded with lead or iron. [L.—Gr. kestos, a girdle.]

Cesura. See Cæsura.

Cesure, sē′zūr, n. a breaking off: (Spens.) a cæsura.

Cetacea, se-tā′shi-a, n.pl. an order of mammals of aquatic habit and fish-like form, including the Toothed whales, or Odontoceti, and the Baleen whales, or Mystacoceti. To the former belong the Sperm whales, the Bottlenose, the genus Platanista and its allies, and the great family of Dolphins; to the latter, the Right Whale (Balæna), the Humpbacks, and the Rorquals.—n. Cetā′cean.—adj. Cetā′ceous.—n. Cetol′ogy, that part of zoology which treats of whales. [L.,—Gr. kētos, any sea-monster.]

Ceteosaurus, set-e-o-saw′rus, n. a large dinosaurian reptile belonging to the Jurassic system. [Gr. kētos, whale, sauros, lizard.]

Cevadilla, sev-a-dil′a, n. the dark acrid seeds of a Mexican bulbous plant of the lily family, yielding veratrin, formerly used as an anthelmintic: the plant itself.—Also Cebadill′a. [Sp.,—L. cibāre, to feed, cibus, food.]

Ceylonese, sē-lon-ēz′, adj. of or belonging to Ceylon.—n. a native of Ceylon.

Chablis, shab′lē, n. a celebrated white Burgundy wine made at Chablis, near Auxerre, in France.

Chabouk, tschä′bōōk, n. a Persian horsewhip. [Pers.]

Chace. See Chase (1).

Chack, chak, n. a snack or slight hasty meal. [Imit.]

Chacma, chak′ma, n. a South African baboon.

Chaco. Same as Shako.

Chaconne, shak-on′, n. an old dance, with slow movement, the music, a series of variations on a ground bass, mostly eight bars in length, appearing in sonatas as well as ballets. [Fr.,—Sp. chacona—Basque chucun, pretty.]

Chad, shad, n. a kind of fish. [See Shad.]

Chætodon, kē′to-don, n. a typical genus of a family of bony fishes, known as Squamipennes. [Gr. chaitē, hair, odous, odont-, tooth.]

Chætopod, kē′to-pod, n. a class of worms including familiar types like the Earthworm, the Fisherman's Lobworm, and the Sea-mouse—often included under the title of Annelids or ringed worms. [Gr. chaitē, hair, and pous, pod-, foot.]

Chafe, chāf, v.t. to make hot by rubbing: to fret or wear by rubbing: to cause to fret or rage (with against, at).—v.i. to fret or rage.—n. heat caused by rubbing: rage: passion.—ns. Chaf′er (obs.), a chafing-dish, a saucepan; Chaf′ing-dish, a dish or vessel in which anything is made hot: a kind of portable grate; Chaf′ing-gear, mats, spun-yarn, battens, &c., put upon the rigging and spars of a ship to prevent their being chafed. [Fr. chauffer—L. calefacĕre—calēre, to be hot, and facĕre, to make.]

Chafer, chāf′ėr, n. a kind of beetle, the cockchafer. [A.S. cefer; cog. with Dut. kever, Ger. käfer.]

Chaff, chaf, n. a general name for the husks of corn or other grain as threshed or winnowed: refuse, or worthless matter: light banter, badinage.—v.t. to banter, or tease, by some raillery.—ns. Chaff′-cut′ter, Chaff′-en′gine, a machine for cutting straw or hay into chaff.—n. and p.adj. Chaff′ing.—adv. Chaff′ingly.—adjs. Chaff′less; Chaff′y. [A.S. ceaf; cf. Dut. kaf.]

Chaffer, chaf′ėr, v.t. to buy.—v.i. to bargain: to haggle about the price.—ns. Chaff′erer, a haggler about the price; Chaff′ery, buying and selling: (Spens.) haggling. [M. E. chapfare, a bargain, from A.S. ceap, price, faru, way.]

Chaffinch, chaf′insh, n. a little song-bird of the finch family. [Said to delight in chaff. See Finch.]

Chaffron. See Chamfrain.

Chaft, chaft, n. (Scot. and Northern English) the jaw. [Ice. kjaptr; cf. Sw. käft, Dan. kieft.]

Chagan, kag-än′, n. an early form of Khan.

Chagrin, sha-grēn′, n. that which wears or gnaws the mind: vexation: annoyance.—v.t. to vex or annoy.—p.adj. Chagrined′. [Fr. chagrin, shagreen, rough skin, ill-humour.]

Chain, chān, n. a series of links or rings passing through one another: a number of things coming after each other: anything that binds: a connected course or train of events: in surveying, often called Gunter's chain, a measure of 100 links, 66 feet long (10 sq. chains make an acre): (pl.) fetters, bonds, confinement generally.—v.t. to fasten: to fetter: to restrain: (Shak.) to embrace.—ns. Chain′-arm′our, chain-mail; Chain′-bolt, a large bolt used to secure the chain-plates to the ship's side; Chain′-bridge, a bridge suspended on chains: a suspension-bridge; Chain′-cā′ble, a cable composed of iron links.—p.adj. Chained, bound or fastened, as with a chain: fitted with a chain.—n. Chain′-gang, a gang of convicts chained together.—adj. Chain′less, without chains: unfettered.—ns. Chain′let, a small chain; Chain′-mail, mail or armour made of iron links connected together, much used in Europe in the 12th and 13th centuries; Chain′-mould′ing, moulding in the form of a chain; Chain′-pier, a pier supported by chains like a chain-bridge.—n.pl. Chain′-plates, on shipboard, iron plates bolted below the channels to serve as attachments for the dead-eyes, through which the standing rigging or shrouds and back-stays are rove and secured.—ns. Chain′-pump, a pump consisting of buckets or plates fastened to an endless iron chain, and used for raising water; Chain′-rule, an arithmetical rule, so called from the terms of the problem being stated as equations, and connected, as if by a chain, so as to obtain by one operation the same result as would be obtained by a number of different operations in simple proportion: the rule for solving problems by compound proportion; Chain′-shot, two bullets or half-bullets fastened together by a chain, used formerly in naval engagements to destroy rigging, now replaced by case-shot and shrapnel-shell; Chain′-stitch, a peculiar kind of stitch resembling the links of a chain; Chain′-work, work consisting of threads, cords, &c., wrought with open spaces like the links of a chain: network. [Fr. chaine—L. catēna.]

Chair, chār, n. a movable seat for one, with a back to it: a covered vehicle for one person, as a sedan-chair: the seat or office of one in authority, as a judge, a bishop, or the person presiding over any meeting—hence 'to take the chair' = to assume the place of president; 'to address the chair' = to direct one's speech to the chairman; 'to support the chair' = to uphold the authority of the chairman—often, when endangered in a public meeting, asserted by cries of 'Chair!': the seat from which a professor delivers his lectures, the office or function of a professor—'socialists of the chair' = mere doctrinaire or theoretical advocates of socialism: cast-iron supports for rails under the permanent way in a railway, held by wooden wedges, and spiked on to transverse wooden sleepers.—v.t. to place in a seat of authority: to carry publicly in triumph.—n. Chair′-bed, a kind of chair capable of being turned into a bed.—n.pl. Chair′-days (Shak.), used figuratively to denote the evening of life.—ns. Chair′man, the man who takes the chair, or presides at an assembly or meeting: one who carries a sedan or Bath chair; Chair′manship; Chair′-or′gan, a corruption of choir-organ (q.v.); Chair′woman. [Fr. chaire—L.—Gr. kathedra.]

Chaise, shāz, n. a light open carriage for one or more persons: a travelling carriage (see Post-chaise).—adj. Chaise′less.—n. Chaise-longue, a couch. [Fr., a Parisian pronunciation of chaire. See Chair.]

Chal, chal, n. fellow: person:—fem. Chai. [Gipsy.]

Chalcedony, kal-sed′ō-ni, or kal′-, n. a beautiful mineral of the quartz family, consisting of quartz with some admixture of opal—it is generally translucent, has a somewhat waxy lustre, and is in colour generally white or bluish-white.—adj. Chalcedon′ic.—n. Chalced′onyx, an agate formed of a white opaque chalcedony alternating with a grayish translucent chalcedony. [Prob. from Chalcedon, in Asia Minor.]

Chalcography, kal-kog′ra-fi, n. the art of engraving on copper or brass.—ns. Chalcog′rapher, Chalcog′raphist. [Gr. chalkos, copper, graphein, to write.]

Chaldaic, kal-dā′ik, Chaldee, kal′dē, adj. relating to Chaldea.—n. the language of the Chaldeans.—n. Chal′dāism, a Chaldaic idiom.—adj. Chaldē′an, Chaldaic.—n. a native of Chaldea.

Chalder, chawl′dėr, n. an old Scotch dry measure, containing 16 bolls. [Prob. a form of Chaldron.]

Chaldron, chawl′drun, n. an old coal-measure, holding 36 heaped bushels (= 25½ cwt.). [Fr. chaudron. See Cauldron.]

Chalet, sha-lā′, n. a summer hut used by Swiss herdsmen among the Alps: a urinal. [Fr.]

Chalice, chal′is, n. a cup or bowl: a communion-cup.—adj. Chal′iced, cup-like. [Fr. calice—L. calix, calicis; Gr. kylix, a cup. Calyx is a different word, but from the same root.]

Chalk, chawk, n. the well-known white substance, a carbonate of lime.—v.t. to rub or manure with chalk.—v.i. to mark with chalk: in a tavern, to write the score with chalk.—ns. Chalk′iness; Chalk′-pit, a pit in which chalk is dug; Chalk′-stone, a stone or piece of chalk: (pl.) the white concretions formed round the joints in chronic gout.—adj. Chalk′y.—Chalk for cheese, a small price for a good article.—Chalking the door, in Scotland, a form of warning tenants to remove from burghal tenements.—Chalk out, to trace out, as with chalk, to plan.—By a long chalk, by a considerable distance, referring to the habit of scoring with chalk. [A.S. cealc, like Fr. chaux, is from L. calx, limestone.]

Challenge, chal′enj, v.t. to call on one to settle a matter by fighting or by any kind of contest: to claim as one's own: to accuse; to object to.—n. a summons to a contest of any kind, but esp. a duel: a calling of any one or anything in question: exception to a juror: the demand of a sentry.—adj. Chall′engeable, that may be challenged.—n. Chall′enger, one who challenges to a combat of any kind: a claimant: one who objects, calls in question. [O. Fr. chalenge, a dispute, a claim—L. calumnia, a false accusation—calvi, calvĕre, to deceive.]

Challis, shal′is, or shal′i, n. a fine fabric of silk and worsted used for ladies' dresses. [Fr.]

Chalumeau, shal-ū-mō′, n. a musical instrument: a shepherd's pipe. [Fr.,—O. Fr. chalemel—Low L. calamellus, dim. of calamus, a pipe, a reed.]

Chalybean, ka-lib′ē-an, adj. (Milton) forged by the Chalybes: well tempered.—adj. Chalyb′eāte, containing iron.—n. a water or other liquor containing iron. [Gr. chalyps, chalybos, steel, so called from the Chalybes, a nation in Pontus famous for steel.]

Chalybite, kal′i-bīt, n. native iron protocarbonate—siderite.

Cham, kam, n. an obsolete form of Khan.

Chamade, sham′ad, n. a signal inviting a parley. [Fr.]

Chamber, chām′bėr, n. an apartment: the place where an assembly meets: an assembly or body of men met for some purpose, as a chamber of commerce: a hall of justice: a compartment: a cavity: the back end of the bore of a gun.—v.t. to put in a chamber: to confine.—v.i. to be wanton.—ns. Cham′ber-coun′cil (Shak.), a private or secret council; Cham′ber-coun′sel, -coun′sellor, a counsel who gives his advice privately, but does not plead in court.—adj. Cham′bered.—ns. Cham′berer, a man of intrigue: (Shak.) a gallant; Cham′ber-fell′ow, one occupying the same chamber.—n.pl. Cham′ber-hang′ings (Shak.), the hangings or tapestry of a chamber.—ns. Cham′bering (B.), lewd behaviour; Cham′ber-lye (Shak.), urine; Cham′ber-maid, a female servant who has the care of bedrooms; Cham′ber-pot, a necessary bedroom vessel—often merely Cham′ber; Cham′ber-prac′tice, the business of a chamber-counsellor (q.v.). [Fr. chambre—L. camera—Gr. kamara, a vault, a room.]

Chamberlain, chām′bėr-lān, or -lin, n. an officer appointed by a king or nobleman, or by a corporation, to perform domestic and ceremonial duties.—n. Cham′berlainship.—Lord Chamberlain, an officer of high standing in the royal household, having control over all the officers and servants 'above stairs,' except those of the bedchamber, over the establishment attached to the Chapel Royal, the physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries of the household; Lord Great Chamberlain, a hereditary officer who has the government of the palace of Westminster, and upon solemn occasions the keys of Westminster Hall and of the Court of Requests are delivered to him. [O. Fr. chambrelenc; Old Ger. chamerling—L. camera, a chamber, and affix -ling or -lenc = Eng. -ling in hireling.]

Chambertin, shang′bert-ang, n. a famous red Burgundy from the vineyard of that name near Dijon, in France.

Chameleon, ka-mēl′yun, n. a small lizard famous for changing its colour: (fig.) an inconstant person.—adjs. Chamel′eonic, Chamel′eon-like. [L. chamæleon—Gr. chamaileōn—chamai (= L. humi), on the ground, dwarf, and leōn, a lion.]

Chamelot, kam′e-lot, n. (Spens.). Camlet.

Chamfer, cham′fėr, n. a bevel or slope made by paring off the edge of anything originally right-angled, either in wood or stone work: a groove, channel, or furrow.—v.t. to cut or grind off bevel-wise, as a corner: to channel or make furrows upon; to flute, as a column.—adj. Cham′fered, furrowed, grooved, wrinkled. [Fr. chanfrein—O. Fr. chanfraindre, which acc. to Dr Murray may be from chant fraindre—L. cantum frangĕre, to break the edge or side.]

Chamfrain, cham′fren, n. a piece of leather or plate of steel to protect the face of a horse in battle.—Also Cham′fron, Chaf′fron. [Fr. chanfrein; origin unknown.]

Chamlet, kam′let, n. Same as Camlet.

Chamois, sha′moi, sham′i, or sham′waw, n. a goat-like species or genus of antelope inhabiting the Alps and other high mountains of southern and central Europe: a soft kind of leather originally made from its skin. [Fr.,—Teut.; cf. mod. Ger. gemse, a chamois.]

Chamomile. See Camomile.

Champ, champ, v.i. to make a snapping noise with the jaws in chewing.—v.t. to bite or chew: to crush: to mash.—n. champing.—n. Champ′ing, the action of the verb champ: mashing. [Older form cham, most prob. from Scand.]

Champac, cham′pak, n. an Indian tree of great beauty, much venerated by Brahminists and Buddhists.—Also Cham′pak. [Hind.]

Champagne, sham-pān′, n. a light sparkling wine from Champagne in France. Still or non-effervescent champagne is also made.

Champaign, sham-pān′, adj. level, open.—n. an open, level country.—n. Champ (her.), the field of a shield.—The Champagne, level land. [A doublet of Campaign, from O. Fr. champaigne—L. campania, a plain.]

Champerty, sham′pėr-ti, n. an illegal bargain whereby the one party is to assist the other in recovering property, and is to share in the proceeds.—n. Cham′part, the division of the produce of land, the right of the feudal lord. [Norm. Fr.—L. campi pars, part of the field.]

Champignon, sham-pin′yon, n. a mushroom, esp. the Fairy-ring Agaric. [Fr.]

Champion, cham′pi-un, n. one who fights in single combat for himself or for another: one who defends a cause: a successful combatant: in boxing, running, &c., one who has excelled all others: a hero:—fem. Cham′pioness.—adj. acting as champion, first: first-class.—v.t. (obs.) to challenge: to defend: to support.—n. Cham′pionship. [Fr.,—Low L. campio, campion-em—L. campus, a plain, a place for games.]

Chance, chans, n. that which falls out or happens: an unexpected event: risk: opportunity: possibility of something happening: probability: (pl.) misfortunes.—v.t. to risk.—v.i. to happen.—adj. happening by chance.—adv. perchance.—n. Chance′-com′er, one who comes by chance or unexpectedly.—adjs. Chance′ful (Spens.), full of risk or danger, hazardous; Chanc′y (coll.), lucky, bringing good luck: also risky, uncertain.—By chance, accidentally; Even chance, the probability being equally for or against.—How chance? (Shak.) how does it happen that?—Stand a good chance, to have a reasonable expectation; Take one's chance, to accept what happens: to risk an undertaking; The main chance, the chief object (often used of matrimony): what is most important. [O. Fr. cheance—Low L. cadentia—L. cadĕre, to fall.]

Chancel, chan′sel, n. the eastern part of a church, originally separated from the nave by a screen of lattice-work, so as to prevent general access thereto, though not to interrupt either sight or sound. [O. Fr.,—L. cancelli, lattices.]

Chancellor, chan′sel-or, n. (Shak.) secretary: the president of a court of chancery or other court: the official who keeps the registers of an order of knighthood: the titular head of a university: (Scot.) the foreman of a jury.—ns. Chan′cellorship; Chan′cellory.—Chancellor of a cathedral, an officer who formerly had charge of the chapter library, custody of the common seal, superintendence of the choir practices, and headship of the cathedral schools; Chancellor of a diocese, an ecclesiastical judge uniting the functions of vicar-general and official principal, appointed to assist the bishop in questions of ecclesiastical law, and hold his courts for him; Chancellor of the Exchequer, the chief minister of finance in the British government; Lord Chancellor, Lord High Chancellor, the presiding judge of the Court of Chancery, the keeper of the great seal, and the first lay person of the state after the blood-royal. [Fr. chancelier—Low L. cancellarius, orig. an officer that had charge of records, and stood near the cancelli (L.), the crossbars that surrounded the judgment-seat.]

Chance-medley, chans′-med-li, n. homicide justifiable because done in the hot blood caused by an unprovoked assault—the word has no reference to homicide by accident: inadvertency. [O. Fr. chance medlée, mingled chance. 'From the fact that medley is also a noun, and chance-medley a possible combination in the sense of "fortuitous medley," the meaning has often been mistaken' (Dr Murray).]

Chancery, chan′sėr-i, n. formerly the highest court of justice next to the House of Lords, presided over by the Lord High Chancellor—now a division of the High Court of Justice: a court of record generally: (slang) the position of a boxer's head when under his adversary's arm: (obs.) the office of a chancellor or ambassador.—Chancery office, in Scotland, an office in the General Register House at Edinburgh, managed by a director, in which all royal charters of novodamus, patents of dignities, gifts of offices, remissions, legitimations, presentations, commissions, and other writs appointed to pass the Great and Quarter Seals are recorded.—In Chancery, in litigation, as an estate: (slang) in an awkward predicament. [Fr. chancellerie.]

Chancre, shang′kėr, n. an ulcer arising from the direct application of syphilitic poison.—adjs. Chan′croid, Chan′crous. [Fr.; a form of Canker.]

Chandelier, shan-de-lēr′, n. a frame with branches for holding lights.—ns. Chand′ler, originally a candle maker and dealer: a dealer generally; Chand′lering.—adv. Chand′lerly.—ns. Chand′lery, goods sold by a chandler; Ship′-chand′ler, dealer in general stores for ships. [Fr.,—Low L. candelaria, a candlestick—L. candēla, a candle.]

Change, chānj, v.t. to alter or make different: to put or give for another: to make to pass from one state to another: to exchange.—v.i. to suffer change: to change one's clothes.—n. the act of changing: alteration or variation of any kind: (Shak.) exchange: (Shak.) fickleness: a shift: variety: small coin: also used as a short term for the Exchange.—ns. Changeabil′ity, Change′ableness, fickleness: power of being changed.—adj. Change′able, subject or prone to change: fickle: inconstant.—adv. Change′ably.—adj. Change′ful, full of change: changeable.—adv. Change′fully.—ns. Change′fulness; Change′-house (Scot.), a small inn or alehouse.—adj. Change′less, without change: constant.—ns. Change′ling, a child taken or left by the fairies in place of another—usually an under-sized, crabbed child: one apt to change; Chang′er, one who changes the form of anything: one employed in changing or discounting money; Chang′ing-piece (Shak.), a fickle person.—Change colour, to blush or turn pale; Change one's mind, to form a different opinion; Change one's self, to change one's clothes; Change one's tune, to change from joy to sorrow: to change one's manner of speaking.—Put the change on, to delude, trick.—Ring the changes, to go through the various changes in ringing a peal of bells: to go over in every possible order: to pass counterfeit money: to bemuddle a shopman into giving too much change. [Fr. changer—Late L. cambiāre—L. cambīre, to barter.]

Chank, changk, Chank-shell, changk′-shel, n. the popular name of the shell of several species of Turbinella, a genus of Gasteropod molluscs, natives of the East Indian seas, used as ornaments by Hindu women. [Hind. cantch.]

Channel, chan′el, n. the bed of a stream of water: the deeper part of a strait, bay, or harbour: a strait or narrow sea: a groove or furrow: means of passing or conveying: (Scot.) gravel.—v.t. to make a channel: to furrow: to convey.—p.adj. Chann′elled.—The Channel, the English Channel. [O. Fr. chanel, canel—L. canalis, a canal.]

Channel, chan′el, n. a flat piece of wood or iron projecting horizontally from a ship's side to spread the shrouds and keep them clear of the bulwarks—fore, main, and mizzen channels. [Corr. of Chain-wale. Cf. Gunnel.]

Chanson, shan′son, n. a song.—n. Chan′sonette. [Fr.]

Chant, chant, v.t. to sing: to celebrate in song: to recite in a singing manner: to sell horses fraudulently.—n. song: melody: a kind of sacred music, in which prose is sung.—ns. Chant′er, Chant′or, a singer: a precentor: in a bagpipe, the pipe with finger-holes, on which the melody is played: one who cries up horses; Chant′ress; Chant′ry, an endowment, or chapel, for the chanting of masses; Chant′y, a sailor's song, usually with a drawling refrain, sung in concert while raising the anchor, &c. [Fr. chanter—L. cantāre, canĕre, to sing.]

Chantage, shan-täj′, chant′āj, n. extortion of money by threats of scandalous revelations. [Fr.]

Chanterelle, shan-ter-el′, n. the highest string of the violin, &c.: a yellowish edible mushroom. [Fr.]

Chanticleer, chant′i-klēr, n. a cock. [From the name of the cock in the old beast-epic of Reynard the Fox.] [O. Fr. chanter, to sing, cler, clear.]

Chaos, kā′os, n. shapeless mass: disorder: the state of matter before it was reduced to order by the Creator.—adj. Chaot′ic, confused.—adv. Chaot′ically. [Gr.]

Chap, chap, v.i. to crack: to strike, of a clock, &c.: to knock at a door.—v.t. to fissure.—n. crack: an open fissure in the skin, caused by exposure to frost: a knock.—adj. Chap′less.—p.adj. Chapped, cracked, of a heavy soil in dry weather, or of the skin in frost: cut short.—adj. Chap′py. [M. E. chappen; cog. with Dut. and Ger. kappen.]

Chap, chap, n. a fellow, originally a customer, from Chapman.—n. Chap′pie, a familiar diminutive.

Chap, chap, n. generally pl. the jaws.—adj. Chap′fall′en, a variant of Chop-fallen (q.v.). [Northern Eng. and Scot. chafts—Scand., as Ice. kjaptr, the jaw.]

Chaparral, chap-a-ral′, n. dense tangled brushwood. [Sp., prob. Basque achaparra.]

Chap-book. See Chapman.

Chape, chāp, n. the plate of metal at the point of a scabbard: the catch or hook by which the sheath of a weapon was attached to the belt.—adj. Chape′less. [Fr.,—Low L. capa, a cap.]

Chapeau, sha-pō′, n. a hat. [Fr.]

Chapel, chap′el, n. a place of worship inferior or subordinate to a regular church, or attached to a palace, garrison, prison, school, college, &c.: an oratory in a mausoleum, &c., or a cell of a church containing its own altar: a dissenters' place of worship, as of Nonconformists in England, Roman Catholics or Episcopalians in Scotland, &c.: a chapel service—hence 'to keep one's chapels'—to make the requisite number of attendances at such: an association of workmen in a printing-office.—n. Chap′elry, the jurisdiction of a chapel.—Chapel cart (see Cart).—Chapel of ease, a chapel for worshippers far from the parish church; Chapel Royal, the oratory of a royal palace; Lady chapel, such a chapel dedicated to the Virgin; Proprietary chapel, one that is the property of a private person or persons. [O. Fr. capele—Low L. cappella, dim. of cappa, a cloak or cope; orig. from the cloak of St Martin.]

Chaperon, shap′e-rōn, n. a kind of hood or cap: one who attends a lady in public places as a protector.—v.t. to attend a lady to public places.—n. Chap′eronage. [Fr., a large hood—chape, a hooded cloak—Low L. cappa. See Cape.]

Chapiter, chap′i-tėr, n. the head or capital of a column. [Fr. chapitel—Low L. capitellum, dim. of L. caput, the head.]

Chaplain, chap′lān, or chap′lin, n. a clergyman attached to a ship of war, a regiment, a public institution, or private family.—ns. Chap′laincy, Chap′lainry, Chap′lainship. [O. Fr. chapelain—Low L. capellanus—capella. See Chapel.]

Chaplet, chap′let, n. a garland or wreath for the head: a circlet of gold, &c.: a string of beads used in counting prayers, one-third of a rosary in length: anything in a string: a metal support of a cylindrical pipe.—adj. Chap′leted. [O. Fr. chapelet—chape, a head-dress.]

Chapman, chap′man, n. one who buys or sells: an itinerant dealer, a pedlar: (obs.) a purchaser.—n. Chap′-book, a name given to the books which were formerly sold by chapmen. [A.S. céap-man—céap, trade, and mann, man; cf. Ger. kaufmann, and see Cheap.]

Chapter, chap′tėr, n. a main division of a book, or of anything: a subject or category generally: an assembly of the canons of a cathedral or collegiate church, or the members of a religious or military order: an organised branch of some society or fraternity.—v.t. to put into chapters: to take to task.—n. Chap′ter-house.—Chapter-and-verse, the exact reference to the passage of the authority for one's statements.—The chapter of accidents, the catalogue of unforeseen events.—To the end of the chapter, throughout the whole subject. [O. Fr. chapitre—L. capitulum, dim. of caput, the head. From the practice of reading to the assembled canons or monks a capitulum or chapter of their rule, or of the Scriptures, the men themselves came to be called in a body the capitulum or chapter, and their meeting-place the chapter-house.]

Chaptrel, chap′trel, n. the capital of a pillar which supports an arch. [Dim. of Chapiter.]

Char, chär, n. a small fish of the salmon kind, found in mountain lakes and rivers. [Prob. Celt.; cf. Gael, ceara, red, blood-coloured.]

Char, chär, v.t. to roast or burn until reduced to carbon or coal, to scorch:—pr.p. char′ring; pa.p. charred.—adj. Char′ry, pertaining to charcoal. [Prob. formed from char-coal.]

Char. See Chare.

Char-à-banc, shar′-a-bang, n. a long light vehicle with transverse seats. [Fr.]

Character, kar′ak-tėr, n. a letter, sign, figure, stamp, or distinctive mark: a mark of any kind, a symbol in writing, &c.: writing generally, handwriting: a secret cipher: any essential feature or peculiarity: nature: (obs.) personal appearance: the aggregate of peculiar qualities which constitutes personal or national individuality: moral qualities especially, the reputation of possessing such: a formal statement of the qualities of a person who has been in one's service or employment: official position, rank, or status, or a person who has filled such: a person noted for eccentricity: a personality as created in a play or novel (Shak. Char′act).—v.t. to engrave, imprint, write: to represent, delineate, or describe.—n. Characterisā′tion.—v.t. Char′acterise, to describe by peculiar qualities: to distinguish or designate.—ns. Char′acterism; Characteris′tic, that which marks or constitutes the character.—adjs. Characteris′tic, -al, marking or constituting the peculiar nature.—adv. Characteris′tically.—adj. Char′acterless, without character or distinctive qualities.—ns. Char′acterlessness; Char′actery, writing: impression: that which is charactered.—In character, in harmony with the part assumed, appropriate, as a Character actor, one who tries to represent eccentricities. [Fr. caractère—L. character—Gr. charaktēr, from charass-ein, to cut, engrave.]

Charade, shar-äd′, n. a species of riddle, the subject of which is a word proposed for solution from an enigmatical description of its component syllables and of the whole—the charade is often acted. [Fr.; ety. dub. Littré gives Prov. charrada, chatter; Prof. Skeat quotes Sp. charrada, the speech of a clown.]

Charcoal, chär′kōl, n. charred wood or coal made by charring wood; the carbonaceous residue of vegetable, animal, or mineral substances when they have undergone smothered combustion. [The first element of the word is of doubtful origin.]

Chare, chār, Char, chär, n. an occasional piece of work, an odd job: (pl.) household work—in America usually Chore.—v.i. to do odd jobs of work: to do house-cleaning.—n. Char′woman, a woman hired by the day to do odd jobs of domestic work. [A.S. cerran, cierran, to turn.]

Charet, chär′et, n. (Spens.) same as Chariot.

Charge, chärj, v.t. to load, to put into, to fill (with): to load heavily, burden: to fill completely: to cause to receive electricity: to lay a task upon one, to enjoin, command: to deliver officially an injunction, as a judge to a jury, a bishop or archdeacon to his clergy, or a senior to a junior minister at a Presbyterian ordination: to bring an accusation against: to exact a sum of money from, to ask as the price.—v.i. to make an onset.—n. that which is laid on: cost or price: the load of powder, &c., for a gun: attack or onset: care, custody: the object of care, esp. a minister of religion's flock or parish: an accumulation of electricity in a Leyden jar: command: exhortation: accusation: (pl.) expenses.—adj. Charge′able, liable to be charged, imputable: blamable: (B.) burdensome.—n. Charge′ableness.—adv. Charge′ably.—adj. Charge′ful (Shak.), expensive.—n. Charge′-house (Shak.), a common school where a fee was charged, in distinction to a free-school.—adj. Charge′less.—n. Charg′er, a flat dish capable of holding a large joint, a platter: a war-horse.—Give in charge, to hand over to the police. [Fr. charger—Low L. carricāre, to load—L. carrus, a wagon. See Car, Cargo.]

Chargé-d'affaires, shar′zhā-da-fār′, n. a fourth-class diplomatic agent, accredited, not to the sovereign, but to the department for foreign affairs—he also holds his credentials only from the minister: the person in charge for the time. [Fr.]

Charily, Chariness. See Chary.

Chariot, char′i-ot, n. a four-wheeled pleasure or state carriage: a car used in ancient warfare: a light four-wheeled carriage with back-seats.—v.t. to carry in a chariot.—v.i. to ride in a chariot.—n. Charioteer′, one who drives a chariot.—v.t. and v.i. to drive or to ride in such. [Fr., dim. of char, a Car.]

Charism, kar′izm, n. a free gift of grace.—adj. Charismat′ic. [Gr. charisma—charis, grace.]

Charity, char′i-ti, n. (N.T.) universal love: the disposition to think favourably of others, and do them good: almsgiving: (pl.) affections.—adj. Char′itable, of or relating to charity: liberal to the poor.—n. Char′itableness.—adv. Char′itably.—Cold as charity, an ironical phrase implying the coldness of much so-called charity, which should naturally be warm. [Fr. charité—L. caritat-em, carus, dear.]

Charivari, shär′i-vär′i, n. a French term used to designate a wild tumult and uproar, produced by the beating of pans, kettles, and dishes, mingled with whistling, bawling, groans, and hisses, expressive of displeasure against an individual—the 'rough music' not unknown in England as a popular protest against an unequal marriage, or the like. [Ety. dub.; the word, as suggesting derision, has been adopted as a name by satirical journals.]

Chark, chärk, v.t. to burn to charcoal.—n. charcoal, coke.

Charlatan, shär′la-tan, n. a mere talking pretender: a quack.—adj. Charlatan′ic.—ns. Char′latanism, Char′latanry. [Fr.,—It. ciarlatano—ciarlare, to chatter, an imit. word.]

Charles's Wain, n. a name given to the seven bright stars in Ursa Major, the Plough. [A.S. Carles wægn, Carl being Charlemagne.]

Charley, Charlie, chär′li, n. a night-watchman: the small triangular beard familiar in the portraits of Charles I.: the fox.—n. Char′ley-pitch′er (slang), one who makes a living by the thimble-and-pea trick.

Charlock, chär′lok, n. a plant of the mustard family, with yellow flowers, that grows as a weed in cornfields. [A.S. cerlic.]

Charlotte, shär′lot, n. a dish of apple marmalade covered with crumbs of toast.—Charlotte russe, a custard enclosed in a kind of sponge-cake.

Charm, chärm, n. a spell: something thought to possess occult power, a metrical form of words: attractiveness: a trinket worn on a watch-guard: the blended singing of birds, children, &c.: (pl.) female beauty or other personal attractions: that which can please irresistibly.—v.t. to influence by a charm: to subdue by secret influence: to enchant: to delight, to allure.—adj. Charmed, protected, as by a special charm.—n. Charm′er.—adj. Charm′ful, abounding with charms.—p.adj. Charm′ing, highly pleasing: delightful: fascinating.—adv. Charm′ingly.—adj. Charm′less, wanting or destitute of charms. [Fr. charme—L. carmen, a song.]

Charneco, chär′ne-ko, n. (Shak.) a kind of sweet wine. [Prob. from the name of a village near Lisbon.]

Charnel, chär′nel, adj. of, or pertaining to, a charnel or burial-place, as in 'charnel-vault,' &c.: sepulchral, death-like.—n. Char′nel-house, a place where the bones of the dead are deposited. [O. Fr. charnel—Low L. carnāle—L. carnalis, caro, carnis, flesh.]

Charon, kā′ron, n. in Greek mythology, the ferryman who rowed the shades of the dead across the river Styx in the lower world: a ferryman generally. [Gr.]

Charpie, shär′pē, n. lint shredded down so as to form a soft material for dressing wounds. [O. Fr. charpir—L. carpĕre, to pluck.]

Charpoy, char′poi, n. the common Indian bedstead, sometimes handsomely wrought and painted. [Hind. chaārpāī—Pers. chihār-pāī, four feet.]

Charqui, chär′kē, n. beef cut into long strips and dried in the sun—jerked beef. [Peruv.]

Charr. Same as Char (1).

Chart, chärt, n. a marine or hydrographical map, exhibiting a portion of a sea or other water, with the islands, coasts of contiguous land, soundings, currents, &c: an outline-map, or a tabular statement giving information of any kind.—adjs. Chartā′ceous; Chart′less. [O. Fr. charte—L. charta, a paper.]

Charter, chärt′er, n. any formal writing in evidence of a grant, contract, or other transaction, conferring or confirming titles, rights, or privileges, or the like: the formal deed by which a sovereign guarantees the rights and privileges of his subjects, like the famous Mag′na Chart′a, signed by King John at Runnymede, 15th June 1215, or the Charte of Louis XVIII. at the Restoration in 1814, or that sworn by Louis-Philippe, 29th August 1830: any instrument by which powers and privileges are conferred by the state on a select body of persons for a special object, as the 'charter of a bank:' a patent: grant, allowance: immunity.—v.t. to establish by charter: to let or hire, as a ship, on contract.—p.adj. Chart′ered, granted or protected by a charter: privileged: licensed: hired by contract. [O. Fr. chartre—L. cartula, carta.]

Charterhouse, chärt′ėr-hows, n. a Carthusian monastery: the famous hospital and school instituted in London in 1611, on the site of a Carthusian monastery—now transferred—the 'masterpiece of Protestant English charity' in Fuller's phrase.—ns. Char′treuse, a Carthusian monastery, esp. the original one, the Grande Chartreuse near Grenoble in France: a famous liqueur, green, yellow, or white, long manufactured here by the monks from aromatic herbs and brandy: a kind of enamelled pottery: a pale greenish colour; Char′treux, a Carthusian: the Charterhouse School.

Charter-party, chärt′ėr-pär′ti, n. the common written form in which the contract of affreightment is expressed—viz. the hiring of the whole or part of a ship for the conveyance of goods. [Fr. charte-partie, lit. a divided charter, as the practice was to divide it in two and give a half to each person. L. charta partīta.]

Chartism, chärt′izm, n. a movement in Great Britain for the extension of political power to the working-classes, rising out of widespread national distress and popular disappointment with the results of the Reform Bill of 1832—its programme, the 'People's Charter,' drawn up in 1838, with six points: (1) Manhood Suffrage; (2) Equal Electoral Districts; (3) Vote by Ballot; (4) Annual Parliaments; (5) Abolition of Property Qualification; and (6) Payment of Members of the House of Commons.—n. Chart′ist, a supporter of chartism.

Chartography. See Cartography.

Chartreuse, Chartreux. See Charterhouse.

Chartulary. Same as Cartulary.

Charwoman. See Chare.

Chary, chār′i, adj. sparing: cautious.—adv. Char′ily.—n. Char′iness. [A.S. cearig—cearu, care.]

Charybdis, kar-ib′dis, n. a dangerous whirlpool between Italy and Sicily, and opposite to Scylla, the two together providing a proverbial alternative of ruin hardly to be escaped.

Chase, chās, v.t. to pursue: to hunt: to drive away, put to flight.—n. pursuit: a hunting: that which is hunted: ground abounding in game.—n. Chase′port, the porthole at the bow or stern of a vessel, through which the chase-gun is fired.—Beasts of chase, properly the buck, doe, fox, marten, and roe: wild beasts that are hunted generally.—Wild-goose chase, any foolish or profitless pursuit. [O. Fr. chacier, chasser—L. captāre, freq. of capĕre, to take.]

Chase, chās, v.t. to decorate metal-work, whether hammered or punched up, by engraving the exterior.—ns. Chas′er, one who practises chasing; Chas′ing, the art of representing figures in bas-relief by punching them out from behind, and then carving them on the front: the art of cutting the threads of screws. [Short for Enchase.]

Chase, chās, n. a case or frame for holding types: a groove. [Fr. châsse, a shrine, a setting—L. capsa, a chest. See Case.]

Chasericulture, chas-er-i-kul′tūr, n. the combined industries of tea-growing and of silk-production. [A combination of Chinese cha, tea, chasze, the former tea valuers of Canton, and L. sericum, silk.]

Chasm, kazm, n. a yawning or gaping hollow: a gap or opening: a void space.—adjs. Chasmed; Chasm′y. [Gr. chasma, from chain-ein, to gape; cf. Chaos.]

Chasse, shäs, n. a dram or liqueur taken after coffee, to remove the taste.—Also Chasse-café [Fr. chasse-café—chasser, to chase, remove.]

Chassé, shäs′ā, n. a kind of gliding step in dancing.—v.t. to make such a step: (slang) to dismiss. [Fr.]

Chassepot, shas′po, n. the kind of bolt-action breechloading rifle adopted by the French army in 1866. [From Antoine Alphonse Chassepot, the inventor.]

Chasseur, sha-sār′, n. a hunter or huntsman: one of a select body of French light troops, either infantry or cavalry; a domestic dressed in military garb in the houses of the great. [Fr. chasser, to hunt.]

Chaste, chāst, adj. modest; refined; virtuous: pure in taste and style.—adv. Chaste′ly.—ns. Chaste′ness, the quality of being chaste; Chas′tity, sexual purity: virginity: refinement of language: moderation. [O. Fr. chaste—L. castus, pure.]

Chasten, chās′n, v.t. to free from faults by punishing—hence to punish, to purify or refine: to restrain or moderate.—p.adj. Chas′tened, purified: modest.—n. Chas′tenment.

Chastise, chas-tīz′, v.t. to inflict punishment upon for the purpose of correction: to reduce to order or to obedience.—adj. Chastīs′able.—n. Chas′tisement.

Chasuble, chaz′ū-bl, n. a sleeveless vestment worn over the alb by the priest while celebrating mass. [O. Fr. chesible—Low L. casubula—L. casula, a mantle, dim. of casa, a hut.]

Chat, chat, v.i. to talk idly or familiarly:—pr.p. chat′ting; pa.p. chat′ted.—n. familiar, idle talk.—n. Chat′tiness.—adj. Chat′ty, given to chat, talkative. [Short for Chatter.]

Chat, chat, n. a genus of small birds in the thrush family, of which the wheatear is a familiar example. [From the sound of their voice.]

Chateau, sha-tō′, n. a castle, a great country-seat, esp. in France (common in place-names, and connected with wines, as 'Château Lafitte,' 'Château Yqem,' &c.).—ns. Chatelain (shat′e-lān), a castellan; Chat′elaine, a female castellan: an ornamental appendage, suitable to a lady chatelaine, consisting of short chains bearing keys, corkscrew, scissors, &c., attached to the waist-belt: a similar thing in miniature attached to the watch-chain.—Château en Espagne, a castle in the air. [O. Fr. chastel (Fr. château)—L. castellum, dim. of castrum, a fort.]

Chaton, sha-tong′, n. the head of a ring. [Fr.]

Chatoyant, shat-oi′ant, adj. with a changing lustre, like a cat's eye in the dark. [Fr.]

Chatta, chät′a, n. an umbrella. [Hind.]

Chattel, chat′l, n. any kind of property which is not freehold, distinguished further into chattels-real and chattels-personal, the latter being mere personal movables—money, plate, cattle, and the like; the former including leasehold interests.—Goods and chattels, all corporeal movables. [O. Fr. chatel—Low L. captale—L. capitale, &c., property, goods.]

Chatter, chat′er, v.i. to talk idly or rapidly: to sound as the teeth when one shivers.—ns. Chatt′erbox, one who chatters or talks incessantly; Chatt′erer, one that chatters: an idle talker: a significant popular name applied to the birds of a small family of finch-like perching birds, as the Bohemian wax-wing and the cedar bird of America; Chatt′ering, noise like that made by a magpie, or by the striking together of the teeth: idle talk. [From the sound.]

Chatty, chat′i, n. an earthen water-pot in India. [Hind.]

Chaucerian, chä-sē′ri-an, adj. pertaining to Chaucer, or like him.—n. a devoted student of Chaucer.—n. Chau′cerism, anything characteristic of Chaucer.

Chaud-mellé, shōd-mā′lā, n. a fight arising in the heat of passion: the killing of a man in such a fight.—Also Chaud′-med′ley. [O. Fr. chaude-mellee, hot fight. See Mêlée.]

Chaufe, Chauff (Spens.). Forms of Chafe.

Chauffer, chaw′fėr, n. a metal box for holding fire, a portable furnace or stove. [See Chafer.]

Chauffeur, shōf-fėr, n. a motor-car attendant. [Fr.]

Chausses, shōs, or shō′sez, n.pl. any closely fitting covering for the legs, hose generally: the defence-pieces for the legs in ancient armour.—n. Chaussure′, a general name for boots and shoes. [O. Fr. chauces—L. calcias, pl. of calcia, hose.]

Chautauquan, sha-taw′kwan, adj. pertaining to a system of instruction for adults by home reading and study under guidance, evolved from the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle, organised in 1878.

Chauvinism, shō′vin-izm, n. an absurdly extravagant pride in one's country, with a corresponding contempt for foreign nations—the French equivalent of the Jingoism of London music-halls.—ns. Chau′vin, Chau′vinist.—adj. Chauvinist′ic. [Fr. chauvinisme, from Chauvin, a figure in La Cocarde tricolore.]

Chavender, chav′en-der, n. the chub or cheven.

Chaw, chaw, n. (Spens.) the jaw—usually pl.—v.t. to chew, still used of tobacco.—n. Chaw′-bā′con, a country clown, a rustic fellow.—Chawed up, destroyed. [See Jaw.]

Chawdron, chaw′dron, n. (Shak.) part of the entrails of an animal. [O. Fr. chaudun.]

Chay, a vulgar form of Chaise.

Chaya-root. Same as Shaya-root.

Cheap, chēp, adj. low in price: of a place where prices are low, as 'a cheap market:' of a low price in relation to the value: easily obtained: of small value, or reckoned at such.—v.t. Cheap′en, to ask the price of a thing: to make cheap, to lower the price of: to lower the reputation of: to beat down the price of.—n. Cheap′ener.—adv. Cheap′ly.—n. Cheap′ness.—Cheap Jack, or John, a travelling hawker who pretends to give great bargains; Cheap labour, labour paid at a poor rate; Cheap trip, an excursion by rail or steamer at a reduced fare; Cheap-tripper, one who goes on such a trip.—Dirt cheap, ridiculously cheap.—On the cheap, cheap or cheaply.—To be cheap of anything (Scot.), to get off with less than one deserved or expected, as of punishment. [Orig. good cheap, i.e. a good bargain; A.S. ceap, price, a bargain; A.S. céapian, Ice. kaupa, Ger. kaufen, to buy; Scot. coup—all borrowed from L. caupo, a huckster.]

Cheat, chēt, v.t. to deceive, defraud, impose upon.—v.i. to practise deceit.—n. a fraud: one who cheats.—ns. Cheat′er, one who cheats: (Shak.) an officer who collected the fines to be paid into the Exchequer; Cheat′ery (coll.), cheating.—Put a cheat upon, to deceive.—Tame cheater, a decoy. [M. E. cheten, a form of escheten, to escheat.]

Check, chek, v.t. to bring to a stand: to restrain or hinder: to rebuke: to control an account, &c., by comparison with certified data, vouchers, &c.: to place in check at chess: to mark with a pattern of crossing lines.—n. a term in chess when one party obliges the other either to move or guard his king: anything that checks: a sudden stop, repulse, or rebuff: (B., Shak.) a rebuke: a mark put against items in a list: an order for money (usually written Cheque): any counter-register used as security, a counterfoil: a token, of printed paper or metal, given to a railroad passenger to make secure the after-identification of his luggage, to a person leaving his seat in a theatre with the intention of returning, &c.: (U.S.) a counter used in games at cards—hence 'to pass in one's checks' = to die: a pattern of cross lines forming small squares, as in a chessboard: any fabric woven with such a pattern.—adj. (her.) divided into small squares by transverse, perpendicular, and horizontal lines.—ns. Check′-clerk, a clerk who checks accounts, &c.; Check′er, one who hinders or rebukes; Check′er-board, a board on which checkers or draughts is played; Check′-key, a latch-key; Check′mate, in chess, a check given to the adversary's king when in a position in which it can neither be protected nor moved out of check, so that the game is finished: a complete check: defeat: overthrow.—v.t. in chess, to make a movement which ends the game: to defeat.—ns. Check′-rein, a coupling rein, a strap hindering the horse from lowering its head; Check′-string, a string by which the occupant of a carriage may attract the driver's notice; Check′-tak′er, the collector of admission tickets at a theatre, railway-train, &c.; Check′-weigh′er, one who on the part of the men checks the weight of coal sent up to the pit-mouth. [O. Fr. eschec, eschac (Low L. scaccus, scāchus, It. scacco, Sp. jaque, Ger. scach), through Ar. from Pers. shāh, king—Checkmate being O. Fr. eschec mat—Ar. shāh māt(a), 'the king is dead,' i.e. can make no further move.]

Checker. See Chequer.

Checker-berry, chek′ėr-beri, n. an American name for the winter-green (q.v.).

Checkers, chek′ėrz, n.pl. the game of draughts.

Checklaton, chek′la-ton, n. (Spens.) a cloth of gold or other rich material.—Also Cic′latoun. [O. Fr. ciclaton, from Ar., prob. from the same root as scarlet.]

Cheddar, ched′ar, n. an excellent kind of cheese first made in Somersetshire. [From the village of Cheddar in Somersetshire.]

Cheek, chēk, n. the side of the face below the eye, the fleshy lateral wall of the mouth: effrontery, impudence, as in 'to have the cheek' to do anything, 'to give cheek:' one of the side-posts of a door or window: the cheek-strap of a horse's bridle, the ring at the end of the bit: anything arranged in internal pairs.—v.t. to address insolently.—ns. Cheek′bone, the bone of the cheek; Cheek′-pouch, a dilatation of the skin of the cheek, forming a bag outside the teeth, as in monkeys, &c.; Cheek′-tooth, a molar tooth.—adj. Cheek′y, insolent, saucy.—Cheek by jowl, side by side.—To one's own cheek, for one's own private use. [A.S. céce, céace, the cheek, jaw; cf. Dut. kaak.]

Cheep, chēp, v.i. to chirp, as a young bird.—n. any similar sound. [From the sound, like Chirp.]

Cheer, chēr, n. disposition, frame of mind (with good, &c.): joy: a shout of approval or welcome: kind treatment: entertainment: fare, food.—v.t. to comfort: to encourage: to applaud: to inspirit—'to cheer up.'—v.i. in such phrases as 'How cheer'st thou?'—refl. as in 'Cheer thee.'—n. Cheer′er, one who, or that which, cheers.—adj. Cheer′ful, of good spirits: joyful: lively.—advs. Cheer′fully, Cheer′ily.—ns. Cheer′fulness; Cheer′iness; Cheer′ishness (Milton), cheerfulness.—adj. Cheer′less, without comfort: gloomy.—n. Cheer′lessness.—adj. Cheer′ly, cheerful.—adv. in a cheery manner: heartily.—adj. Cheer′y, cheerful: promoting cheerfulness. [O. Fr. chiere, the countenance—Low L. cara, the face.]

Cheese, chēz, n. a wholesome article of food, made into a round form, from the curd of milk coagulated by rennet, separated from the whey, and pressed into a hard mass.—ns. Cheese′-cake, a cake made of soft curds, sugar, and butter, or whipped egg and sugar; Cheese′-hop′per, the larva of a small fly, remarkable for its leaping power, found in cheese; Cheese′-mite, a very small insect which breeds in cheese; Cheese′-mong′er, a dealer in cheese; Cheese′-par′ing (Shak.), paring, or rind, of cheese.—adj. mean and parsimonious.—ns. Cheese′-press, a machine in which curds for cheese are pressed; Cheese′-renn′et, the plant Ladies' bed-straw, so called because used as rennet in curdling milk; Cheese′-vat, a vat or wooden case in which curds are pressed; Chees′iness.—adj. Chees′y, having the nature of cheese.—Cheese it (slang), stop, have done, run off.—Green Cheese, cheese not yet dried.—To make cheeses, to whirl round and then sink down suddenly so as to make the petticoats stand out like a cheese. [A.S. cése, cýse, curdled milk (Ger. käse)—L. caseus.]

Cheese, chēz, n. (slang) the correct thing, of excellent quality, [Colonel Yule explains it as Pers. and Hind. chīz, thing, the expression having formerly been common among young Anglo-Indians, e.g. 'These cheroots are the real chīz,' i.e. the real thing.]

Cheetah, chē′tah, n. an Eastern animal like the leopard, used in hunting. [Hind, chītā—Sans. chitraka, chitrakāya, having a speckled body.]

Chef, shef, n. a master-cook; a reliquary in the shape of a head.—adj. chief, as in Chef d'œuvre, masterpiece, [Fr. See Chief.]

Cheiromancy, kī′ro-man-si, n. the art of telling fortunes by the lineaments of the hand—also Cheiros′ophy.—adj. Cheirosoph′ical.—n. Cheiros′ophist, [Gr. cheir, the hand, manteia, prophecy.]

Cheiroptera, kī-rop′tėr-a, n.pl. the order of Bats.—adj. Cheirop′terous. [Gr. cheir, the hand, pteron, a wing.]

Cheirotherium, kī-ro-thēr′i-um, n. the name originally given to the Labyrinthodont, from its peculiar hand-like impressions in the Triassic rocks.—adj. Cheirothē′rian. [Gr. cheir, hand, thērion, beast.]

Chela, kē′la, n. the prehensile claw of a crab or scorpion.—adj. Chē′late.—n. Chē′lifer, the book-scorpion.—adjs. Chelif′erous; Chē′liform. [L.,—Gr. chēlē.]

Chela, chē′la, n. a novice in esoteric Buddhism.—n. Chē′laship. [Hind. chēlā, servant.]

Chelicera, kēl-is′er-a, n. a technical term, usually restricted to the biting organs which form the first pair of appendages in spiders, scorpions, and other Arachnida:—pl. Chelic′eræ (-rē). [Gr. chēlē, a crab's claw, keras, horn.]

Chelonia, ke-lō′ni-a, n. an order of vertebrate animals including the tortoise and turtle.—adj. and n. Chelō′nian. [Gr. chelōnē, a tortoise.]

Chemise, she-mēz′, n. a woman's shirt or sark, a smock or shift.—n. Chemisette′, a kind of bodice worn by women, the lace or muslin which fills up the open front of a woman's dress. [Fr. chemise—Low L. camisia, a nightgown, surplice.]

Chemistry, kem′is-tri, formerly Chym′istry, n. the science which treats of the properties of substances both elementary and compound, and of the laws of their combination and action one upon another.—adjs. Chem′ic, -al (Chem′ico-, in many compound words), Chemiat′ric (a Paracelsian term, Gr. chēmeia, chemistry, iatreia, medical treatment).—adv. Chem′ically.—n.pl. Chem′icals, substances which form the subject of chemical effects.—ns. Chem′ism, chemical action; Chem′ist, one skilled in chemistry, specially a druggist or apothecary.—Chemical affinity, the name given to the tendency to combine with one another which is exhibited by many substances, or to the force by which the substances constituting a compound are held together; Chemical notation, a method of expressing the composition of chemical substances and representing chemical changes, by certain known symbols and formulæ; Chemical works, manufactories where chemical processes are carried on for trade, as alkali works, &c. [From Alchemy (q.v.).]

Chemitype, kemi′-tīp, n. the chemical process for obtaining casts in relief from an engraving.—n. Chem′itypy.

Chemosh, kē′mosh, n. the national god of Moab: any false god.

Chenille, she-nēl′, n. a thick, velvety-looking cord of silk or wool (and so resembling a caterpillar), used in ornamental sewing and manufactured trimmings. [Fr. chenille, a caterpillar—L. canicula, a hairy little dog, canis, a dog.]

Cheque, Check, chek, n. a money order on a banker payable at demand.—ns. Cheque′-book, a book containing cheque forms given by a bank to its customers; Cheq′uer, Check′er, a chess-board: alternation of colours, as on a chess-board: (pl.) draughts: chess-men.—v.t. to mark in squares of different colours: to variegate: interrupt.—adjs. Cheq′uered, Check′ered, variegated, like a chess-board: varying in character.—ns. Cheq′uer-work, any pattern having alternating squares of different colours; Blank′-cheque, a cheque signed by the owner, but without having the amount to be drawn indicated; Cross′-cheque, an ordinary cheque with two transverse lines drawn across it, which have the effect of making it payable only through a banker. [See Check.]

Cherimoyer, cher-i-moi′er, n. a Peruvian fruit resembling the custard-apple.—Also Chirimoy′a.

Cherish, cher′ish, v.t. to protect and treat with affection: to nurture, nurse: to entertain in the mind.—n. Cher′ishment. [Fr. chérir, chérissant—cher, dear—L. carus.]

Cheroot, she-rōōt′, n. a cigar not pointed at either end. [Fr. cheroute, representing the Tamil name shuruttu, a roll (Colonel Yule).]

Cheroot. See Shaya-root.

Cherry, cher′i, n. a small bright-red stone-fruit: the tree that bears it.—adj. like a cherry in colour: ruddy.—ns. Cherr′y-brand′y, a pleasant liqueur made by steeping Morello cherries in brandy; Cherr′y-lau′rel, the common English name for the Cerasus Lauro-Cerasus of Asia Minor; Cherr′y-pepp′er, a West Indian species of Capsicum; Cherr′y-pie, a pie made of cherries; the common heliotrope; Cherr′y-pit, a game which consists in throwing cherry-stones into a small hole; Cherr′y-stone, the hard seed of the cherry. [A.S. ciris—L. cerasus—Gr. kerasos, a cherry-tree, said to be so named from Cerasus, a town in Pontus, from which the cherry was brought.]

Cherry, cher′i, v.t. (Spens.) to cheer.

Chersonese, ker′so-nēz, n. a peninsula, [Gr. cher-sonēsos—chersos, land, dry land, nēsos, an island.]

Chert, chėrt, n. a kind of quartz or flint: hornstone.—adj. Chert′y, like or containing chert. [Prob. Celt.; Ir. ceart, a pebble.]

Cherub, cher′ub, n. a winged creature with human face, represented as associated with Jehovah, esp. drawing his chariot-throne: a celestial spirit: a beautiful child:—pl. Cher′ubs, Cher′ubim, Cher′ubims.—adjs. Cheru′bic, -al, Cherubim′ic, angelic.—adv. Cheru′bically.—n. Cher′ubin (Shak.), a cherub. [Heb. k’rūb, pl. k’rūbīm.]

Cherup, cher′up, v.t. to urge on by chirruping.

Chervil, chėr′vil, n. an umbelliferous plant, cultivated as a pot-herb, and used in soups and for a garnish, &c., in the same manner as parsley. In Scotland the plant is commonly called Myrrh. [A.S. cerfille (Ger. kerbel)—L. cærefolium—Gr. chairephyllon.]

Chesil, chez′il, n. gravel: shingle: bran.—Also Chisel. [A.S. cisil.]

Chess, ches, n. a game of skill for two persons or parties, played with figures or 'pieces,' which are moved on a chequered board.—n. Chess′-board, the board on which chess is played.—n.pl. Chess′-men, pieces used in chess. [Fr. échecs; It. scacchi; Ger. schach. Orig. from Pers. sháh, a king.]

Chess, ches, n. one of the parallel planks of a pontoon-bridge—generally in pl.

Chessel, ches′el, n. a cheese mould or vat.

Chest, chest, n. a large strong box: the part of the body between the neck and the abdomen, the thorax.—adj. Chest′ed, having a chest: placed in a chest.—n. Chest′-note, in singing or speaking, a deep note, the lowest sound of the voice. [A.S. cyst; Scot. kist—L. cista—Gr. kistē.]

Chestnut, Chesnut, ches′nut, n. a nut or fruit enclosed in a prickly case: the tree that bears it: (slang) a stale joke or story.—adj. of a chestnut colour, reddish-brown. [O. Fr. chastaigne—L. castanea—Gr. kastanon, from Castana, in Pontus.]

Chetvert, chet′vert, n. a Russian dry measure, equal to 8 chevteriks.

Cheval-de-frise, she-val′-de-frēz, n. a piece of timber armed with spikes, used to defend a passage or to stop cavalry:—pl. Chevaux-de-frise (she-vō′-).—n. Cheval′-glass, a large glass or mirror supported on a frame. [Fr.,—cheval, horse; Frise, Friesland.]

Chevalier, shev-a-lēr′, n. a cavalier: a knight: a gallant. [Fr.,—cheval—L. caballus, a horse.]

Chevelure, shev′e-lūr, n. a head of hair: a periwig: the nebulous part of a comet. [Fr.,—L. capillatura—capillus, hair.]

Cheven, chev′en, n. the chub.—Also Chev′in.

Cheverel, chev′ėr-el, n. a kid: soft, flexible leather made of kid-skin.—adj. like kid leather, pliable. [Fr. chevreau, a kid—chèvre; L. capra, a goat.]

Chevesaile, chev′e-sāl, n. an ornamental collar of a coat. [O. Fr. chevesaile—chevece, the neck.]

Cheviot, chē′vi-ot, or chev′i-ot, n. a hardy breed of short-wooled sheep reared on the Cheviot Hills: a cloth made from their wool.

Chevisance, shev′i-zäns, n. (Spens.) achievement, performance. [Fr.,—chevir, to accomplish; chef, the head, the end.]

Chevron, shev′ron, n. a rafter: (her.) the representation of two rafters of a house meeting at the top: the V-shaped band of worsted braid or gold lace worn on the sleeve of a non-commissioned officer's coat.—adjs. Chevrone′, Chev′roned. [Fr. chevron (Sp. cabrio), a rafter—L. capreolus, dim. of caper, a goat.]

Chevy, chev′i, Chivy, chiv′i, n. a cry, shout: a hunt.—v.t. to chase. [Perh. from 'Chevy Chase,' a well-known ballad relating a Border battle.]

Chew, chōō, v.t. to cut and bruise with the teeth: to masticate: (fig.) to meditate, reflect.—n. action of chewing: a quid of tobacco.—ns. Chew′et, a kind of pie or pudding made of various ingredients mixed together; Chew′ing-gum, a preparation made from a gum called chicle, produced by a Mexican tree allied to the india-rubber tree, sweetened and flavoured.—Chew the cud, to masticate a second time food that has already been swallowed and passed into the first stomach: to ruminate in thought. [A.S. ceówan; Ger. kauen; cf. Jaw.]

Chewet, chōō′et, n. a chough; (Shak.) a chatterer. [Fr. chouette, an owl.]

Chian, kī′an, adj. pertaining to Chios in the Ægean Sea.

Chianti, kē-an′ti, n. a red wine of Tuscany.

Chiaroscuro, kyär′o-skū-ro, n. distribution or blending of light and shade, the art of representing light in shadow and shadow in light.

Chiasm, kī′azm, n. (anat.) a decussation or intersection, esp. that of the optic nerves—also Chias′ma.—n. Chias′mus (rhet.), contrast by parallelism in reverse order, as 'Do not live to eat, but eat to live.'—adj. Chias′tic. [Gr. chiasma, two lines crossed as in the letter X.]

Chiaus, chows, n. Same as Chouse.

Chibouk, Chibouque, chi-book′, n. a long straight-stemmed Turkish pipe for smoking. [Turk.]

Chic, shēk, n. style, fashion: adroitness.—adj. stylish, 'up to the mark.' [Fr.]

Chica, chē′ka, n. an orange-red dye-stuff, obtained by boiling the leaves of the Bignonia, a climber of the banks of the Cassiquiare and the Orinoco. [Native name.]

Chicane, shi-kān′, v.i. to use shifts and tricks.—v.t. to deceive.—n. a trick or artifice.—ns. Chicā′ner, one who chicanes: a quibbler; Chicā′nery, trickery or artifice, esp. in legal proceedings: quibbling; Chicā′ning, quibbling. [Fr. chicane, sharp practice at law, most prob. from Late Gr. tzykanion, a game at mall, tzykaniz-ein, to play at mall—Pers. tchaugān, a crooked mallet.]

Chiccory. See Chicory.

Chich, chich, n. a dwarf pea. Same as Chick-pea.

Chicha, chēch′a, n. a South American liquor fermented from maize. [Haytian.]

Chick, chik, n. the young of fowls, esp. of the hen: a child, as a term of endearment.—ns. Chick′a-bid′dy, Chick′-a-did′dle, terms of endearment addressed to children; Chick′en, the young of birds, esp. of the hen: its flesh: a child: a faint-hearted person; Chick′en-haz′ard, a game at dice (see Hazard); Chick′en-heart, a cowardly person.—adj. Chick′en-heart′ed.—ns. Chick′en-pox, a contagious febrile disease, chiefly of children, and bearing some resemblance to a very mild form of small-pox; Chick′ling, a little chicken; Chick′weed, a species of stitchwort, and one of the most common weeds of gardens and cultivated fields—for making poultices, and for feeding cage-birds, which are very fond of its leaves and seeds.—Mother Carey's chicken, a sailor's name for the Stormy Petrel; No chicken, one no longer young. [A.S. cicen; cf. Dut. kieken, Ger. küchlein.]

Chick-pea, chik′-pē, n. a dwarf species of pea cultivated for food in the south of Europe and other places. [Fr. chiche—L. cicer, and Pea.]

Chicory, Chiccory, chik′o-ri, n. a plant whose long carrot-like root is ground to adulterate coffee.—Also Suc′cory. [Fr. chicorée—L. cichorium, succory—Gr. kichōrion.]

Chide, chīd, v.t. to scold, rebuke, reprove by words: to be noisy about, as the sea.—v.i. to make a snarling, murmuring sound, as a dog or trumpet:—pr.p. chid′ing; pa.t. chid, (obs.) chōde; pa.p. chid, chidd′en.—ns. Chid′er (Shak.), a quarrelsome person; Chid′ing, scolding. [A.S. cídan.]

Chief, chēf, adj. head: principal, highest, first: (Scot.) intimate.—adv. chiefly.—n. a head or principal person: a leader: the principal part or top of anything: (her.) an ordinary, consisting of the upper part of the field cut off by a horizontal line, generally made to occupy one-third of the area of the shield.—ns. Chief′-bar′on, the President of the Court of Exchequer; Chief′dom, Chief′ship, state of being chief: sovereignty; Chief′ery, an Irish chieftaincy: the dues paid to a chief; Chief′ess, a female chief; Chief′-jus′tice (see Justice).—adj. Chief′less, without a chief or leader.—adv. Chief′ly, in the first place: principally: for the most part.—ns. Chief′ry, a rent paid to the supreme lord: a chief's lands; Chief′tain, the head of a clan: a leader or commander:—fem. Chief′tainess; Chief′taincy, Chief′tainship; Chief′tainry.—In chief (her.) means that the charge is borne in the upper part of the shield: applied to holding land directly from the sovereign: at the head, as commander-in-chief. [Fr. chef—L. caput, the head.]

Chield, chēld, n. (Scot.) a lad, a young man.—Also Chiel. [A form of Child.]

Chiff-chaff, chif′-chaf, n. a small species of Warbler, so called from the resemblance of its notes to the syllables which form its name.

Chiffon, shif′ong, n. any merely ornamental part of a woman's dress.—n. Chiffonier′, an ornamental cupboard: (Fr.) a rag-picker. [Fr.—chiffe, rag.]

Chiffre, shē′fr, n. (mus.) a figure used to denote the harmony. [Fr.]

Chig, chig, v.t. (prov.) to chew.—n. a chew, quid.

Chignon, shē′nyong, n. a general term for the long back-hair of women, when gathered up and folded into a roll on the back of the head and neck. [Fr., meaning first the nape of the neck, the joints of which are like the links of a chain—chaînon, the link of a chain—chaîne, a chain.]

Chigoe, chig′ō, Chigre, Chigger, chig′ėr, n. a species of flea of the West Indies, the female of which buries itself beneath the toe-nails, and produces troublesome sores. [Fr. chique.]

Chikara, chi-kä′rä′, n. a four-horned goat-like antelope of Bengal.

Chikara, chik′a′rä, n. a Hindu musical instrument of the violin class.

Chilblain, chil′blān, n. a localised inflammation of the skin which occurs in cold weather on hands and feet, more rarely on ears and nose. [Chill and Blain.]

Child, chīld, n. an infant or very young person: (Shak.) a female infant: one intimately related to one older: expressing origin or relation, e.g. child of the East, child of shame, child of God, &c.: a disciple: a youth of gentle birth, esp. in ballads, &c.—sometimes Childe and Chylde: (pl.) offspring: descendants: inhabitants:—pl. Chil′dren.—ns. Child′-bear′ing, the act of bringing forth children; Child′bed, the state of a woman brought to bed with child; Child′birth, the giving birth to a child: parturition; Child′-crow′ing, a nervous affection with spasm of the muscles closing the glottis.—adj. Child′ed (Shak.), possessed of a child.—n. Child′hood, state of being a child: the time of one's being a child.—adjs. Child′ing (Shak.), fruitful, teeming; Child′ish, of or like a child: silly: trifling.—adv. Child′ishly.—ns. Child′ishness, Child′ness, what is natural to a child: puerility.—adjs. Child′less, without children; Child′-like, like a child: becoming a child: docile: innocent.—n. Child′-wife, a very young wife.—Child's play, something very easy to do: something slight.—From or Of a Child, since the days of childhood.—Second childhood, the childishness of old age.—With child, pregnant, e.g. Get with child, Be or Go with child. [A.S. cild, pl. cild, later cildru, -ra. The Ger. equivalent word is kind.]

Childermas-day, chil′dėr-mas-dā, n. an anniversary in the Church of England, called also Innocents' Day, held 28th December, to commemorate the slaying of the children by Herod. [Child, Mass, and Day.]

Chiliad, kil′i-ad, n. the number 1000: 1000 of anything.—ns. Chil′iagon, a plane figure having 1000 angles; Chil′iahēdron, a solid figure having 1000 sides; Chil′iarch, a leader or commander of a thousand men; Chil′iarchy, the position of chiliarch; Chil′iasm, the doctrine that Christ will reign bodily upon the earth for 1000 years; Chil′iast, one who holds this opinion. [Gr.,—chilioi, 1000.]

Chill, chil, n. coldness: a cold that causes shivering: anything that damps or disheartens.—adj. shivering with cold: slightly cold: opposite of cordial.—v.i. to grow cold.—v.t. to make chill or cold: to blast with cold: to discourage.—adj. Chilled, made cold: hardened by chilling, as iron.—n. Chill′iness.—adj. Chill′ing, cooling, cold.—n. Chill′ness.—adj. Chilly, that chills: somewhat chill.—Take the chill off, to give a slight heat: to make lukewarm. [A.S. cele, ciele, cold. See Cold, Cool.]

Chilli, chil′li, n. the seed pod or fruit of the capsicum, extremely pungent and stimulant, and employed in sauces, mixed pickles, &c.; when dried and ground, forms the spice called Cayenne pepper. [The Mexican name.]

Chillum, chil′um, n. the part of a hookah containing the tobacco and charcoal balls: a hookah itself: the act of smoking it. [Hind. chilam.]

Chiltern Hundreds. See Hundreds.

Chime, chīm, n. the harmonious sound of bells or other musical instruments: agreement of sound or of relation: harmony: (pl.) a set of bells.—v.i. to sound in harmony: to jingle: to accord or agree: to rhyme.—v.t. to strike, or cause to sound in harmony: to say words over mechanically.—Chime in, to join in, in agreement; Chime in with, to agree, or fall in with. [M. E. chimbe, prob. O. Fr. cymbale—L. cymbalum, a cymbal.]

Chime, Chimb, chīm, n. the rim formed by the ends of the staves of a cask: (naut.) a hollowed or bevelled channel in the waterway of a ship's deck. [Cog. with Dut. kim, Ger. kimme, edge.]

Chimer, shim′er, Chimere, shi-mēr, n. the upper robe worn by a bishop, to which lawn sleeves are attached. [O. Fr. chamarre; Sp. zamarra, chamarra, sheepskin.]

Chimera, Chimæra, ki-mē′ra, n. a fabulous, fire-spouting monster, with a lion's head, a serpent's tail, and a goat's body: any idle or wild fancy: a picture of an animal having its parts made up of various animals: a genus of cartilaginous fishes, often ranked along with the sharks and rays.—adjs. Chimer′ic, -al, of the nature of a chimera: wild: fanciful.—adv. Chimer′ically. [L.,—Gr. chimaira, a she-goat.]

Chimney, chim′ni, n. a passage for the escape of smoke or heated air from a furnace: in houses, that part of the passage which is built above the roof: anything of a like shape.—ns. Chim′ney-can, or -pot, a cylindrical pipe of earthenware or other material placed at the top of a chimney to increase the draught; Chim′ney-cor′ner, in old chimneys, the space between the fire and the wall forming the sides of the fireplace: fireside, commonly spoken of as the place for the aged and infirm; Chim′ney-piece, a shelf over the fireplace; Chim′ney-shaft, the stalk of a chimney which rises above the building; Chim′ney-Stack, a group of chimneys carried up together; Chim′ney-stalk, a very tall chimney; Chim′ney-swall′ow, the Hirundo rustica, a very common swallow: the chimney-swift; Chim′ney-sweep, Chim′ney-sweep′er, one who sweeps or cleans chimneys; Chim′ney-top, the top of a chimney.—Chimney-pot hat, a familiar name for the ordinary cylindrical hat of gentlemen. [Fr. cheminée—L. camīnus; Gr. kaminos, a furnace.]

Chimpanzee, chim-pan′zē, n. an African ape, the highest of the anthropoid or more man-like apes, belonging to the same genus as the gorilla. [West African.]

Chin, chin, n. the jutting part of the face below the mouth.—Up to the chin, deeply immersed. [A.S. cin; Ger. kinn, Gr. genys.]

China, chīn′a, n. fine kind of earthenware, originally made in China: porcelain.—ns. Chin′a-bark, a common name of cinchona bark (derived not from the empire of China, but from. Kina or Quina, the Peruvian name of cinchona—see Quinine); Chin′a-clay, a fine white clay used in making porcelain; Chin′a-grass (Bœhmeria nivea), a small shrubby-like plant, allied to the nettle, native to China; the fibre of this plant used for making ropes and cordage, and also in China for the manufacture of grass-cloth; Chin′a-ink (see Ink); Chin′aman, a native of China; Chin′a-root, the root-stock of a Chinese shrubby plant, formerly used in Europe medicinally, but still in the East as a remedy in rheumatic or syphilitic cases; Chin′a-rose, a name applied to several varieties of garden roses; Chin′a-shop, a shop in which china, crockery, &c. are sold; Chin′a-ware, porcelain-ware; Chinee′, a Chinaman.—adj. Chinese′, of or belonging to China.—China aster (see Aster).

Chinch, chinch, n. the bed-bug in America. [Sp.,—L. cimic-em.]

Chinchilla, chin-chil′la, n. a small rodent quadruped of South America, valued for its soft gray fur: the fur itself. [Sp.]

Chincough, chin′kof, n. a disease, esp. of children, attended with violent fits of coughing: whooping-cough. [For chink-cough; Scot. kink-host, Dut. kinkhoest. See Chink and Cough.]

Chine, chīn, n. the spine or backbone: a piece of the backbone and adjoining parts for cooking: a ridge, crest.—v.t. (Spens.) to break the back. [O. Fr. eschine, prob. from Old High Ger. scina, a pin, thorn.]

Chiné, shē-nā′, adj. mottled in appearance, the warp being dyed in different colours, or from threads of different colours twisted together. [Fr., lit. 'Chinese.']

Chine, chīn, n. a ravine. [A.S. cinu, a cleft.]

Chink, chingk, n. a cleft, a narrow opening.—v.i. to crack.—v.t. to fill up cracks.—adj. Chink′y, full of chinks. [Apparently formed upon M. E. chine, a crack—A.S. cinu, a cleft.]

Chink, chingk, n. the clink, as of coins.—v.i. to give forth a sharp sound. [From the sound.]

Chink, chingk, n. a gasp for breath.—v.i. to gasp—the northern form Kink. [Cf. Dut. kinken, to cough; Ger. keichen, to gasp.]

Chinkapin, ching′ka-pin, n. the dwarf chestnut, a native of the United States.—Also Chin′capin. [Ind.]

Chinook, chin-ōōk′, n. a trader's jargon, consisting of words from French and English, as well as Chinook and other Indian tongues.

Chintz, chints, n. a highly glazed printed calico, with a pattern generally in several colours on a white or light-coloured ground. [Orig. pl. of Hind, chint, spotted cotton-cloth.]

Chip, chip, v.t. to chop or cut into small pieces: to hew: of chickens, to break the shell of the egg in hatching: to pare away the crust of bread, &c.: to bet:—pr.p. chip′ping; pa.p. chipped.—n. a small piece of wood or other substance chopped off: (slang) a sovereign.—n. Chip′-hat, a cheap kind of hat, made of what is popularly called Brazilian grass, but really consisting of strips of the leaves of a palm (Chamærops argentea) imported from Cuba.—adj. Chip′py, abounding in chips: dry as a chip: seedy from an overdose of liquor.—Chip in, to supply one's part.—A chip of the old block, one with the characteristics of his father. [M. E. chippen, to cut in pieces. Conn. with Chop.]

Chipmuck, Chipmunk, chip′muk, -mungk, n. a kind of squirrel, common in North America.

Chippendale, chip′pen-dāl, adj. applied to a light style of drawing-room furniture, after the name of a well-known cabinet-maker of the 18th century. The name is also applied to a style of book plates.

Chiragra, kī-rag′ra, n. gout in the hand.—adjs. Chirag′ric, -al. [Gr.]

Chirimoya. See Cherimoyer.

Chirk, chėrk, v.i. (Scot.) to grate: to chirp or squeak. [A.S. cearcian, to creak.]

Chirl, chirl, v.i. to emit a low sound: to warble.—n. a kind of musical warble. [Scot., from the sound. See Chirr.]

Chirm, chėrm, v.i. to cry out: to chirp.—n. noise, din, hum of voices. [A.S. cirman, to cry out; cf. Dut. kermen.]

Chirognomy, kī-rog′nō-mi, n. the so-called art or science of judging character from the lines of the hand, palmistry.—adj. Chirognom′ic. [Gr. cheir, the hand, gnōmē, understanding.]

Chirograph, kī-rog-raf′, n. any written or signed document.—ns. Chirog′rapher, Chirog′raphist, one who professes the art of writing—-adj. Chirograph′ic—n. Chirog′raphy, the art of writing, or penmanship. [Gr. cheir, the hand, graphē, writing.]

Chirology, kī-rol′o-ji, n. the art of discoursing with the hands or by signs, as the deaf and dumb do.—n. Chirol′ogist, one who converses by signs with the hands. [Gr. cheir, the hand, logia, a discourse.]

Chiromancy. Same as Cheiromancy.

Chiropodist, kī-rop′o-dist, n. a hand and foot doctor: one who removes corns, bunions, warts, &c. [Gr. cheir, the hand, and pous, podos, the foot.]

Chirp, chėrp, n. the sharp, shrill sound of certain birds and insects.—v.i. to make such a sound; to talk in a happy and lively strain.—v.t. to cheer.—n. Chirp′er, a little bird: a chirping-cup.—adj. Chirp′ing, merry: cheering.—n. Chirp′ing-cup, a cup that cheers.—adj. Chirp′y, lively: merry. [From the sound.]

Chirr, chėr, v.i. to chirp, as is done by the cricket or grasshopper. [From the sound.]

Chirrup, chir′up, v.i. to chirp: to make a sound with the mouth to urge on a horse: to cheer up. [Lengthened form of Chirp, and then brought into connection with cheer up.]

Chirt, chėrt, n. a squeeze.—v.t. to squeeze. [Conn. with Chirr.]

Chirur′geon, Chirur′gery, Chirur′gical, old forms of Surgeon, Surgery, Surgical.—adv. Chirur′geonly (Shak.), in a manner becoming a surgeon. [Fr. chirurgien—Gr. cheirourgos—cheir, the hand, ergon, a work.]

Chisel, chiz′el, n. an iron or steel tool to cut or hollow out wood, stone, &c.: esp. the tool of the sculptor.—v.t. to cut, carve, &c. with a chisel: (slang) to cheat:—pr.p. chis′elling; pa.p. chis′elled.—adj. Chis′elled, cut with a chisel; (fig.) having sharp outlines, as cut by a chisel.—n. Chis′elling.—adj. Chis′el-shaped.—n. Chis′el-tooth, the scalpriform perennial incisor of a rodent. [O. Fr. cisel—L. cædĕre, to cut.]

Chisel, chiz′el, n. See Chesil.

Chisleu, chis′lū, n. the ninth month of the Jewish year, including parts of November and December. [Heb.]

Chit, chit, n. a note: an order or pass.—Also Chit′ty. [Hind. chitthi.]

Chit, chit, n. a baby: a lively or pert young child: contemptuously, a young woman or girl. [A.S. cith, a young tender shoot.]

Chitchat, chit′chat, n. chatting or idle talk: prattle: gossip. [A reduplication of Chat.]

Chitin, kī′tin, n. the substance which forms most of the hard parts of jointed footed animals.—adj. Chī′tinous. [Fr. chitine—Gr. chiton, a tunic.]

Chiton, kī′ton, n. the ancient Greek tunic: a genus of marine molluscs. [Gr. chitōn, a tunic]

Chitter, chit′ėr, v.i. (Scot.) to shiver.—n. Chitt′ering. [Cf. Chatter.]

Chitterling, chit′ėr-ling, n. the smaller intestines of a pig or other edible animal: a frill—prov. forms, Chidling, Chitling, Chitter. [Ety. dub.]

Chivalry, shiv′al-ri, n. the usages and qualifications of chevaliers or knights: bravery and courtesy: the system of knighthood in feudal times.—adjs. Chival′ric, Chiv′alrous, pertaining to chivalry: bold: gallant.—adv. Chiv′alrously.—n. Chiv′alrousness. [Fr. chevalerie—cheval—Low L. caballus, a horse.]

Chive, chīv, n. an herb like the leek and onion, with small, flat, clustered bulbs: a small bulb.—Also Cive. [Fr. cive—L. cæpa, an onion.]

Chivy, chiv′vy, or Chevy, chev′vy, n. a hunting cry.—v.t. to chase.—v.i. to scamper. [Prob. from the Border battle of Chevy Chase.]

Chlamys, klā′mis, n. an ancient Greek short cloak or mantle for men: a purple cope: a genus of phytophagous beetles. [Gr.]

Chloasma, klō-az′ma, n. a skin-disease marked by yellowish-brown patches. [Gr. chloē, verdure.]

Chlorine, klō′rin, n. a yellowish-green gas with a peculiar and suffocating odour.—ns. Chlō′ral, a limpid, colourless, oily liquid, with a peculiar penetrating odour, formed when anhydrous alcohol is acted on by dry chlorine gas; Chlō′ralism, the habit of using chloral, a morbid state induced by such; Chlō′rate, a salt composed of chloric acid and a base.—adj. Chlō′ric, of or from chlorine.—n. Chlō′ride, a compound of chlorine with some other substance, as potash, soda, &c.—v.t. Chlō′ridise, to convert into a chloride: (phot.) to cover with chloride of silver—also Chlō′ridate.—n. Chlorinā′tion, the process of getting gold, &c., out of ore by the use of chlorine.—v.t. Chlō′rinise, to combine or otherwise treat with chlorine—also Chlō′rinate.—ns. Chlō′rite, a mineral consisting of silica, alumina, &c., in variable proportions—it is of a green colour, rather soft, and is easily scratched with a knife; Chlō′rodyne, a patent medicine containing opium, chloroform, &c., used for allaying pain and inducing sleep; Chlō′roform, a limpid, mobile, colourless, volatile liquid, with a characteristic odour and a strong sweetish taste, used to induce insensibility.—adj. Chlō′roid, like chlorine.—ns. Chlōrom′eter, an instrument for measuring the bleaching powers of chloride of lime; Chlōrom′etry, the process of testing the decolouring power of any compound of chlorine; Chlō′rophyl, the ordinary colouring matter of vegetation, consisting of minute soft granules in the cells; Chlorō′sis, properly green-sickness, a peculiar form of anæmia or bloodlessness, common in young women, and connected with the disorders incident to the critical period of life.—adjs. Chlōrot′ic, pertaining to chlorosis; Chlō′rous, full of chlorine.—Chloric acid, a syrupy liquid, with faint chlorine colour and acid reaction. [Gr. chlōros, pale-green.]

Chobdar, chob′dar, n. a frequent attendant of Indian nobles, and formerly also of Anglo-Indian officials of rank, carrying a staff overlaid with silver. [Pers.]

Chock, chok, v.t. to fasten as with a block or wedge.—n. a wedge to keep a cask from rolling: a log.—adjs. Chock′-full, Choke′-full, quite full; Chock′-tight, very tight. [See Choke.]

Chocolate, chok′ō-lāt, n. a preparation of the seeds of Theobroma cacao, made by grinding the seeds mixed with water to a very fine paste: a beverage made by dissolving this paste in boiling water.—adj. chocolate-coloured, dark reddish-brown: made of or flavoured with chocolate. [Sp. chocolate; from Mex. chocolatl, chocolate.]

Chode, chōd, an obsolete pa.t. of Chide.

Choice, chois, n. act or power of choosing: the thing chosen: alternative: preference: the preferable or best part.—adj. worthy of being chosen: select: appropriate.—adjs. Choice′-drawn (Shak.), selected with care; Choice′ful (Spens.), making many choices, fickle.—adv. Choice′ly, with discrimination or care.—n. Choice′ness, particular value: excellence: nicety.—Hobson's choice, the alternative of a thing offered or nothing, from Hobson, a Cambridge carrier and innkeeper, who insisted on lending out the horse nearest the stable door, or none at all.—Make choice of, to select; Take one's choice, to take what one wishes. [Fr. choix—choisir; cf. Choose.]

Choir, kwīr, n. a chorus or band of singers, esp. those belonging to a church: the part of a church appropriated to the singers: the part of a cathedral separated from the nave by a rail or screen.—v.i. (Shak.) to sing in chorus.—ns. Choir′-or′gan, one of the departments of a cathedral organ, standing behind the great-organ, having its tones less powerful, and more fitted to accompany the voice; Choir′screen, a screen of lattice-work, separating the choir from the nave, so as to prevent general access thereto, though not to interrupt either sight or sound.—adj. Chō′ral, belonging to a chorus or choir.—ns. Chōral′, Chorale′, a simple harmonised composition, with slow rhythm: a tune written for a psalm or hymn: in R.C. usage, any part of the service sung by the whole choir.—adv. Chō′rally, in the manner of a chorus: so as to suit a choir. [Fr. chœur—L. chorus—Gr. choros.]

Choke, chōk, v.t. to throttle: to suffocate: to stop or obstruct: to suppress.—v.i. to be choked or suffocated.—n. the action of choking.—n. Choke′-bore, the bore of a gun when narrowed at the muzzle so as to concentrate the shot: a shot-gun so bored.—v.t. to bore in such a way.—n. Choke′-cherr′y, a name given to certain nearly allied species of cherry, natives of North America, whose fruit, though at first rather agreeable, is afterwards astringent in the mouth.—adj. Choked, suffocated, clogged.—n. Choke′damp, the carbonic acid gas given off by coal which accumulates in coal-mines, and may suffocate those exposed to it.—adj. Choke′-full (see Chock-full).—ns. Chok′er, one who chokes: a neckerchief; Chok′ing, suffocation.—adj. smothering.—adj. Chok′y, tending to choke: inclined to choke.—Choke off, to put an end to, as if by choking; Choke up, to obstruct completely, to suffocate.—White choker, a white neckerchief worn by clergymen, &c. [Prob. from sound.]

Choky, chō′ki, n. a prison: a toll-station. [Hind.]

Cholæmia, Cholemia, ko-lē′mi-a, n. a morbid accumulation of the constituents of bile in the blood.—adj. Cholæ′mic. [Gr. cholē, bile, haima, blood.]

Cholagogue, kol′a-gog, n. a purgative causing evacuations of bile.—adj. Cholagog′ic. [Gr. cholē, bile, agōgos, leading.]

Choler, kol′ėr, n. the bile: (Shak.) biliousness: anger, irascibility.—adj. Chol′eric, full of choler: passionate. [Fr.,—L.,—Gr. cholera—cholē, bile.]

Cholera, kol′ėr-a, n. a highly infectious and deadly disease characterised by bilious vomiting and purging.—adj. Cholerā′ic.—British cholera, an acute catarrhal affection of the mucous membrane of the stomach and small intestines. [Gr. cholera.]

Cholesterine, ko-les′te-rin, n. a substance occurring abundantly in bile and biliary calculi, probably a monovalent alcohol.—adj. Cholester′ic. [Gr. cholē, bile, stereos, solid.]

Choliamb, kō′li-amb, n. a variety of iambic trimeter, having a trochee for an iambus as the sixth foot.—adj. Choliam′bic. [L.,—Gr. chōliambos—chōlos, lame, iambos, iambus.]

Choltry, chōl′tri, n. a khan or caravansary for travellers: a shed used as a place of assembly.—Also Choul′try. [Malayalam.]

Chondrify, kon′dri-fī, v.t. to convert into cartilage.—v.i. to be converted into cartilage.—n. Chondrificā′tion. [Gr. chondros, cartilage.]

Chondroid, kon′droid, adj. cartilaginous.—ns. Chon′drin, the proper substance of cartilage; Chondrī′tis, inflammation of cartilage; Chondrogen′esis, the formation of cartilage.—adj. Chondrogenet′ic.—ns. Chondrog′raphy, a description of the cartilages; Chondrol′ogy, the knowledge of the cartilages.

Chondropterygian, kon-drop-te-rij′i-an, adj. gristly-finned, belonging to the Chondropterygii, a group of fishes variously defined in different systems. [Gr. chondros, cartilage, pterygion, dim. of pteryx, a wing.]

Choose, chōōz, v.t. to take one thing in preference to another: to select.—v.i. to will or determine: to think fit:—pa.t. chōse; pa.p. chōs′en.—ns. Choos′er (Shak.), one who chooses; Choos′ing, choice: selection.—Cannot choose, can have no alternative.—Not much to choose between, each about equally bad.—Pick and choose, to select with care. [A.S. céosan, Dut. kiesen.]

Chop, chop, v.t. to cut with a sudden blow: to cut into small pieces: (Milton) to change: to exchange or barter: (Milton) to trade in: to bandy words.—v.i. to change about: to shift suddenly, as the wind.—n. a blow: a piece cut off: a slice of mutton or pork, containing a rib: a change: vicissitude.—ns. Chop′-house, a house where mutton-chops and beef-steaks are served: an eating-house; Chop′per, one who or that which chops: a cleaver; Chop′ping-knife, a knife for chopping or mincing meat.—adj. Chop′py, full of chops or cracks: running in irregular waves—also Chop′ping.—Chop and change, to buy and sell: to change about; Chop at, to aim a blow at; Chop in, to break in, interrupt; Chop logic, to dispute in logical terms: to bandy words; Chop up, to cut into small pieces.—A chop-logic (Shak.), a contentious fellow. [A form of Chap.]

Chop, chop, n. the chap or jaw, generally used in pl.: a person with fat cheeks: the mouth of anything, as a cannon.—adj. Chop′-fall′en, lit. having the chop or lower jaw fallen down: cast-down: dejected. [See Chap (3).]

Chop, chop, n. in China and India, an official mark or seal: a license or passport which has been sealed. [Hind. chhāp, seal, impression.]

Chopin, chop′in, n. an old French liquid measure containing nearly an English imperial pint: a Scotch measure containing about an English quart. [O. Fr. chopine, Old Dut. schoppe; Scot. chappin, Ger. schoppen, a pint.]

Chopine, chop-ēn′, chop′in, n. a high clog or patten introduced into England from Venice during the reign of Elizabeth. [Sp. chapin.]

Chopping, chop′ing, adj. stout, strapping, plump.

Chop-sticks, chop′-stiks, n.pl. two small sticks of wood, ivory, &c., used by the Chinese instead of knife and fork. [Chop, a corr. of kih, quick.]

Choragus, ko-rā′gus, n. in Athens, the person appointed to organise the chorus: the leader of a choir.—adj. Chorag′ic, pertaining to a choragus.—Choragic monument, a small temple on which were dedicated the tripods given in the Dionysian contests to the victorious chorus. [Gr. chorēgos—choros, chorus, and agein, to lead.]

Choral, Chorale. See Choir.

Chord, kord, n. (mus.) the simultaneous and harmonious union of sounds of a different pitch.—The Common chord is a note with its third and perfect fifth reckoned upwards. [Formed from Accord.]

Chord, kord, n. the string of a musical instrument: (fig.) of the emotions: (geom.) a straight line joining the extremities of an arc: a straight line joining any two points in the curve of a circle, ellipse, &c. [L. chorda—Gr. chordē, an intestine.]

Chorea, ko-rē′a, n. St Vitus's dance, a nervous disease causing irregular and involuntary movements of the limbs or face. [L.,—Gr. choreia, a dancing.]

Choree, kō′rē, n. a trochee.—Also Chorē′us. [L.,—Gr.]

Choreography. See Chorus.

Chorepiscopal, kō-re-pis′ko-pal, adj. pertaining to a local or suffragan bishop. [Gr. chōra, place.]

Choriamb, kō′ri-amb, n. a metrical foot of four syllables, the first and last long, the two others short.—adj. and n. Choriam′bic. [Gr. choriambos—choreios, a trochee, iambos, iambus.]

Chorion, kō′ri-on, n. the outer fœtal envelope: the external membrane of the seeds of plants:—pl. Chō′ria.—adj. Chō′roid. [Gr.]

Chorography, kō-rog′ra-fi, n. the description of the geographical features of a particular region.—adjs. Chorograph′ic, -al; Chorolog′ical.—ns. Chorol′ogist; Chorol′ogy, the science of the geographical distribution of plants and animals.

Chorus, kō′rus, n. a band of singers and dancers, esp. in the Greek plays: a company of singers: that which is sung by a chorus: the combination of several voices in one simultaneous utterance: the part of a song in which the company join the singer.—adj. Choreograph′ic.—ns. Choreog′raphy, Chorog′raphy, the notation of dancing.—adj. Chō′ric.—ns. Chō′rist, Chor′ister, a member of a choir. [L.,—Gr. choros, dance.]

Chose, Chosen. See Choose.

Chough, chuf, n. a kind of jackdaw which frequents rocky places on the seacoast. [A.S. céo; from the cry of the bird. See Caw.]

Choultry. See Choltry.

Chouse, chows, n. (obs.) a cheat: one easily cheated: a trick.—v.t. to cheat, swindle. [Prob. from Turk. chaush, a messenger or envoy.]

Chout, chowt, n. one-fourth part of the revenue extorted by the Mahrattas as blackmail: blackmail, extortion. [Hind. chauth, the fourth part.]

Chow-chow, chow′-chow, n. a mixture of food such as the Chinese use, e.g. preserved pickles.—adj. miscellaneous, mixed. [Pigeon-English.]

Chowder, chow′dėr, n. a dish made of a mixture of fish and biscuits. [Fr. chaudière, a pot.]

Chowry, chow′ri, n. an instrument used for driving away flies. [Hindi, chaunri.]

Chrematistic, krē-ma-tis′tik, adj. pertaining to finance.—n. Chrematis′tics, the science of wealth. [Gr.,—chrēma, a thing.]

Choy-root. See Shaya-root.

Chrestomathy, kres-tom′a-thi, n. a book of selections from foreign languages, usually for beginners.—adjs. Chrestomath′ic, -al. [Gr. chrēstos, useful, mathein, to know.]

Chrism, krizm, n. consecrated or holy oil: unction: confirmation: chrisom. (q.v.).—adj. Chris′mal, pertaining to chrism.—n. a case for containing chrism: a pyx: a veil used in christening.—ns. Chris′matory, a vessel for containing chrism; Chris′om, a white cloth laid by the priest on a child newly anointed with chrism after its baptism: the child itself.—Chrisom child (Shak.), a child still wearing the chrisom cloth: an innocent child. [O. Fr. chresme (Fr. chrême)—Gr. chrisma, from chriein, chrisein, to anoint.]

Christ, krīst, n. the Anointed, the Messiah.—ns. Christ-cross-row (kris′-kros-rō), the alphabet, from the use in horn-books of having a cross at the beginning; Chrīst's-thorn, a kind of prickly shrub common in Palestine and south of Europe, so called because supposed to have been the plant from which the crown of thorns was made.—v.t. Christen (kris′n), to baptise in the name of Christ: to give a name to.—ns. Chris′tendom, that part of the world in which Christianity is the received religion: the whole body of Christians; Chris′tening, the ceremony of baptism; Chrīst′hood, the condition of being the Christ or Messiah; Christ′ian, a follower of Christ: (coll.) a human being.—adj. relating to Christ or His religion: being in the spirit of Christ.—v.t. Christ′ianise, to make Christian: to convert to Christianity.—ns. Christ′ianism, Christian′ity, the religion of Christ: the spirit of this religion.—adjs. Christ′ian-like, Christ′ianly.—ns. Christ′ianness, Christ′liness.—adjs. Christ′less, Christ′ly.—Christian era, the era counted from the birth of Christ; Christian name, the name given when christened, as distinguished from the surname. [A.S. crist—Gr. Christos—and chriein, chrisein, to anoint.]

Christadelphian, kris-ta-del′fi-an, n. a member of a small religious body holding conditional immortality, denying a personal devil, &c.—sometimes called Thomasites from Dr John Thomas of Brooklyn (1805-71). [Lit. 'Brethren of Christ,' Gr. Christos, Christ, and adelphos, brother.]

Christmas, kris′mas, n. an annual festival, originally a mass, in memory of the birth of Christ, held on the 25th of December.—ns. Christ′mas-box, a box containing Christmas presents: a Christmas gift; Christ′mas-card, a card, more or less ornamented, sent from friend to friend at this season; Christ′mas-eve, the evening before Christmas; Christ′mas-rose, or -flow′er, the Helleborus niger, flowering in winter; Christ′mas-tree, a tree, usually fir, set up in a room, and loaded with Christmas presents. [Christ and Mass.]

Christology, kris-tol′o-ji, n. that branch of theology which treats of the nature and person of Christ.—adj. Christolog′ical.—n. Christol′ogist. [Gr. Christos, and logia, a discourse.]

Christom, kris′um, n. (Shak.). Same as Chrisom, under Chrism (q.v.).

Christophany, kris-tof′a-ni, n. an appearance of Christ to men. [Gr. Christos, and phainein, to appear.]

Chromatic, krō-mat′ik, adj. relating to colours: coloured: (mus.) relating to notes in a melodic progression, which are raised or lowered by accidentals, without changing the key of the passage, and also to chords in which such notes occur.—ns. Chrōm′ate, a salt of chromic acid; Chrōmat′ics, the science of colours.—v.t. Chrō′matise, to impregnate with a chromate.—ns. Chrōmatog′raphy, a treatise on colours; Chrōmatol′ogy, the science of colours, or a treatise thereon; Chrōmat′ophore, one of the pigment-cells in animals: one of the granules in protoplasm: one of the brightly coloured bead-like bodies in the oral disc of certain actinias, &c.; Chrōmatop′sia, coloured vision; Chrō′matrope, an arrangement in a magic-lantern by which effects like those of the kaleidoscope are produced; Chrō′matype, Chrō′motype, a photographic process by which a coloured impression of a picture is obtained.—adj. relating to the chromatype.—ns. Chrōme, Chrō′mium, a metal remarkable for the beautiful colours of its compounds.—adj. Chrōm′ic.—ns. Chrō′mite, a mineral consisting of oxide of chromium and iron; Chrō′mo-lith′ograph, or merely Chrō′mo, a lithograph printed in colours; Chrō′molithog′raphy; Chrō′mosphere, a layer of incandescent red gas surrounding the sun through which the light of the photosphere passes—also Chrōmat′osphere; Chrō′mo-typog′raphy, typography in colours; Chrō′mo-xy′lograph, a picture printed in colours from wooden blocks; Chrō′mo-xylog′raphy.—Chromatic scale, a scale proceeding by semitones; Chromic acid, an acid of chromium, of an orange-red colour, much used in dyeing and bleaching. [Gr. chrōmatikos—chrōma, colour.]

Chronic, -al, kron′ik, -al, adj. lasting a long time: of a disease, deep seated or long continued, as opposed to acute.—n. Chron′ic, chronic invalid. [Gr. chronikos—chronos, time.]

Chronicle, kron′i-kl, n. a bare record of events in order of time: a history: (pl.) name of two of the Old Testament books: a story, account.—v.t. to record.—n. Chron′icler, a historian. [O. Fr. chronique—L.—Gr. chronika, annals—chronos, time.]

Chronogram, kron′o-gram, n. an inscription in which the time or date of an event is given by certain of the letters printed larger than the rest. [Gr. chronos, time, gramma, a letter—graphein, to write.]

Chronograph, kron′o-graf, n. a chronogram: an instrument for taking exact measurements of time, or for recording graphically the moment or duration of an event.—ns. Chronog′rapher, a chronicler; Chronog′raphy, chronology. [Gr. chronos, time, graphein, to write.]

Chronology, kron-ol′o-ji, n. the science of time.—ns. Chronol′oger, Chronol′ogist.—adjs. Chronolog′ic, -al.—adv. Chronolog′ically. [Gr. chronos, time, logia, a discourse.]

Chronometer, kron-om′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring time: a watch.—adjs. Chronomet′ric, -al.—n. Chronom′etry, the art of measuring time by means of instruments: measurement of time. [Gr. chronos, and metron, a measure.]

Chronoscope, kron′ō-skōp, n. an instrument for measuring very short intervals of time, esp. with projectiles.

Chrysalis, kris′a-lis, Chrysalid, kris′a-lid, n. a term originally applied to the golden-coloured resting stages in the life-history of many butterflies, but sometimes extended to all forms of pupæ or nymphs: the shell whence the insect comes:—pl. Chrysal′ides (i-dēz).—adjs. Chrys′alid, Chrys′aline, Chrys′aloid. [Gr. chrysallis—chrysos, gold.]

Chrysanthemum, kris-an′the-mum, n. a genus of composite plants to which belong the corn marigold and ox-eye daisy. [Gr. chrysos, gold, anthemon, flower.]

Chryselephantine, kris-el-e-fan′tin, adj. noting the art of making statues jointly of gold and ivory. [Gr. chrysos, gold, elephantinos, made of ivory—elephas, -antos, ivory.]

Chrysoberyl, kris′o-ber-il, n. a mineral of various shades of greenish-yellow or gold colour. [Gr. chrysos, gold, and Beryl.]

Chrysocolla, kris-ō-kol′a, n. a silicate of protoxide of copper, bluish-green. [Gr. chrysos, gold, kolla, glue.]

Chrysocracy, kri-sok′ra-si, n. the rule of wealth. [Gr. chrysos, gold, kratein, to rule.]

Chrysolite, kris′ō-līt, n. a yellow or green precious stone. [Gr. chrysos, and lithos, a stone.]

Chrysophan, kris′ō-fan, n. an orange-coloured bitter substance found in rhubarb.—adj. Chrysophan′ic. [Gr. chrysos, gold, phanēs, appearing.]

Chrysophilite, kri-sof′i-līt, n. a lover of gold.

Chrysophyll, kris′ō-fil, n. the yellow colouring matter in the green chlorophyl pigment of plants.—Also Xanthophyl. [Gr. chrysos, gold, phyllon, a leaf.]

Chrysoprase, kris′o-prāz, n. a variety of chalcedony: (B.) a yellowish-green stone, nature unknown. [Gr. chrysos, and prason, a leek.]

Chrysotype, kris′o-tīp, n. a process of taking pictures by photography, on paper impregnated with a neutral solution of chloride of gold. [Gr. chrysos, gold, typos, impression.]

Chthonian, thō′ni-an, adj. pertaining to the under world, subterranean.—Also Chthon′ic. [Gr. chthōn, the ground.]

Chub, chub, n. a small fat river-fish.—adjs. Chubbed, Chub′by, short and thick, plump; Chub′-faced, plump-faced.—n. Chub′biness.

Chubb, chub, n. a patent lock invented by Chubb, a locksmith in London—much used for safes, &c.—Also Chubb′-lock.

Chuck, chuk, n. the call of a hen: a chicken (dim. Chuck′ie): a word of endearment.—v.i. to call, as a hen. [A variety of Cluck.]

Chuck, chuk, n. a gentle blow, as under the chin: (coll.) a toss or throw; any game of pitch and toss.—v.t. to pat gently, as under the chin: to toss: to pitch.—n. Chuck′-far′thing, a game in which a farthing is chucked into a hole. [Fr. choquer, to jolt; allied to Shock.]

Chuck, chuk, n. a pebble or small stone: a game with such stones, often called Chuck′ies: an instrument for holding an object so that it can be rotated, as upon the mandrel of a lathe. [Der. uncertain; cf. It. cioco, a block, stump.]

Chuck-full. Same as Chock-full (q.v. under Chock).

Chuckle, chuk′l, n. a kind of laugh: the cry of a hen.—v.t. to call, as a hen does her chickens: to caress.—v.i. to laugh in a quiet, suppressed manner, indicating derision or enjoyment.—n. Chuck′ling. [Akin to Chuck, to call.]

Chuckle, chuk′l, adj. clumsy.—n. Chuck′le-head, a loutish fellow. [Prob. Chock, a log.]

Chuff, chuf, n. a clown: a surly fellow.—n. Chuf′finess, boorishness.—adj. Chuf′fy, coarse and surly. [M. E. chuffe, choffe, a boor (origin unknown), conn. with Scotch coof, akin to Ice. kueif.]

Chum, chum, n. a chamber-fellow: friend or associate, chiefly among schoolboys and students.—v.i. and v.t. to occupy, or to put one into, the same room with another.—n. Chum′mage, the quartering of two or more persons in one room: a fee demanded from a new chum.—adj. Chum′my, sociable.—n. a chimney-sweeper's boy: a chum. [Perh. a mutilation of Chamber-fellow.]

Chump, chump, an end lump of wood: a blockhead: the head.—Off his chump—out of his mind.

Chunk, chungk, n. a thick piece of anything, as wood, bread, &c. [Perh. related to Chuck.]

Church, church, n. a house set apart for Christian worship: the whole body of Christians: the clergy: any particular sect or denomination of Christians: any body professing a common creed, not necessarily Christian.—v.t. to perform with any one the giving of thanks in church, more esp. of a woman after childbirth, or of a newly-married couple on first appearing at church after marriage.—ns. Church′-ale, a strong ale brewed for a church festival: the festival at which the ale was drunk; Church′-bench (Shak.), a seat in the porch of a church; Church′-court, a court for deciding ecclesiastical causes, a presbytery, synod, or general assembly; Church′-gō′ing, the act of going to church, esp. habitually; Church′ing, the first appearance of a woman in church after childbirth; Church′ism, adherence to the forms or principles of some church.—adj. Church′less, not belonging to a church: (Tennyson) without church approval.—ns. Church′man, a clergyman or ecclesiastic: a member or upholder of the established church; Church′-rate, an assessment for the sustentation of the fabric, &c., of the parish church; Church′-serv′ice, the form of religious service followed in a church, order of public worship, a book containing such; Church′-text, a thin and tall form of black-letter print; Churchwar′den, an officer who represents the interests of a parish or church: a long clay-pipe; Church′way, the public way or road that leads to the church; Church′woman, a female member of the Anglican Church.—adj. Church′y, obtrusively devoted to the church.—n. Church′yard, the burial-ground round a church.—Church history, the description of the course of development through which the church as a whole, as well as its special departments and various institutions, has passed, from the time of its foundation down to our own day; Church militant, the church on earth in its struggle against evil; Church triumphant, the portion of the church which has overcome and left this world.—Visible and Invisible church (see Visible). [A.S. circe (Scot, kirk; Ger. kirche)—Gr. kyriakon, belonging to the Lord—Kyrios, the Lord.]

Churl, churl, n. a rustic, labourer: an ill-bred, surly fellow.—adj. Churl′ish, rude: surly: ill-bred.—adv. Churl′ishly.—n. Churl′ishness. [A.S. ceorl, a countryman; Ice. karl, Ger. kerl, a man; Scot. carl.]

Churn, churn, n. a machine used for the production of butter from cream or from whole milk.—v.t. to agitate cream so as to obtain butter.—v.i. to perform the act of churning.—ns. Churn′-drill, a drill worked by hand, not struck with the hammer, a jumper; Churn′ing, the act of making butter: the quantity of butter made at once; Churn′-staff, the plunger used in an upright churn: the sun-spurge. [A.S. cyrin; Ice. kirna, a churn; Dut. and Ger. kernen, to churn.]

Churr, chėr, n. a low sound made by certain birds.—v.i. to make this sound. [Prob. imit.]

Churrus, chur′us, n. the resinous exudation of Cannabis indica, which, in its milder preparations, known as bhang, &c., is used as a narcotic and intoxicant. [Hind. charas.]

Chuse, chōōz, v.t. a form of Choose.

Chut, chut, interj. an expression of impatience.

Chute, shōōt, n. a waterfall, rapid: a channel down which to pass water, logs, rubbish, &c. [Fr. chute, a fall.]

Chutnee, Chutny, chut′ne, n. an East Indian condiment, a compound of mangoes, chillies, or capsicum, and lime-juice, &c. [Hind. chatni.]

Chyle, kīl, n. a white fluid drawn from the food while in the intestines.—adjs. Chylā′ceous, Chylif′ic, Chyl′ous; Chylifac′tive, having the power to make chyle.—n. Chylificā′tion.—v.t. and v.i. Chyl′ify, to convert, or be converted, into chyle.—n. Chylū′ria, a discharge of milky urine. [Fr.,—Gr. chylos, juice—cheein, to pour.]

Chyme, kīm, n. the pulp to which the food is reduced in the stomach.—n. Chymificā′tion, the act of being formed into chyme.—v.t. Chym′ify, to form into chyme.—adj. Chym′ous. [Gr. chymos, from cheein.]

Chymical, Chymistry, obsolete forms of Chemical, Chemistry.

Chynd, chīnd, p.adj. (Spens.) cut into chines.

Cibol, sib′ol, n. a variety of onion. [Fr. ciboule (Sp. cebolla)—Low L. cepola, dim. of L. cepa, an onion.]

Ciborium, si-bō′ri-um, n. (R.C. Church) a vessel nearly resembling a chalice, with an arched cover, in which the Host is deposited: a canopy supported on four pillars over the high altar:—pl. Cibō′ria. [L., a drinking-cup—Gr. kibōrion, the seed-vessel of the Egyptian bean.]

Cicada, si-kā′da, Cicala, si-kā′la, n. an insect remarkable for its chirping sound. [L. cicada.]

Cicatrix, sik-ā′triks, or sik′a-triks, n. the scar over a wound after it is healed—also Cic′atrice: scar in the bark of a tree: (Shak.) mark, impression.—ns. Cicatric′ula, the germinating point in the yolk of an egg; Cicatrisā′tion, the process of healing over.—v.t. Cic′atrise, to help the formation of a cicatrix on a wound or ulcer: to scar.—v.i. to heal. [Fr.,—L. cicatrix, a scar.]

Cicely, sis′e-li, n. a genus of umbelliferous plants nearly allied to chervil. [L. and Gr. seseli.]

Cicerone, chich-er-ō′ni, or sis-e-rō′ne, n. one who shows strangers the curiosities of a place: a guide.—v.i. to act as cicerone.—adjs. Cicerō′nian, Ciceron′ic.—ns. Cicerō′nianism, the character of Cicero's Latin style; Ciceron′ism, Ciceron′age, Cicerone′ship, the function of a guide. [It.,—L. Cicero, the Roman orator.]

Cicisbeo, chē-chēs-bā′o, n. a married woman's gallant or cavaliere servente in Italy:—pl. Cicisbe′i.—n. Cicisbē′ism. [It.]

Ciclatoun. See Checklaton.

Cicuta, si-kū′ta, n. a genus of umbelliferous plants with poisonous roots—water-hemlock or cowbane. [L., hemlock.]

Cid, sid, n. a chief, captain, a hero, from the famous 11th-cent. Castilian warrior against the Moors, styled el Cid Campeador, whose real name was Rodrigo, or Ruy, Diaz (i.e. 'son of Diego'). The name Cid is the Ar. seid, seiyid, lord.

Cider, sī′dėr, n. a drink made from apples.—ns. Cī′der-and, a mixture of cider and other spirits; Cī′der-cup, a drink of sweetened cider, with other ingredients; Cī′derkin, an inferior cider. [Fr. cidre—L.,—Gr. sikera, strong drink—Heb. shakar, to be intoxicated.]

Ci-devant, sē-de-vong′, adj. former. [Fr.]

Ciel. See Ceil.

Cierge. See Cerge.

Cigar, si-gär′, n. a roll of tobacco-leaves for smoking.—n. Cigarette′, a little cigar made of finely-cut tobacco rolled in thin paper. [Sp. cigarro.]

Cilia, sil′i-a, n.pl. hair-like lashes borne by cells.—adjs. Cil′iary, Cil′iāte, Cil′iāted, Cilif′erous, having cilia; Cil′iīform, very thin and slender like cilia. [L. cilium, pl. cilia, eyelids, eyelashes.]

Cilice, sil′is, n. hair-cloth: a penitential garment made of hair-cloth.—adj. Cilic′ious. [L.,—Gr. kilikion, a cloth made of Cilician goat's hair.]

Cimar. Same as Simar.

Cimbric, sim′brik, adj. pertaining to the ancient Cimbri, a people from central and northern Europe, crushed by Marius, 101 B.C.—Also Cim′brian. [Sometimes made Celtic by a desperate analogy with the name Cymry.]

Cimex, si-meks′, n. a bug.—adjs. Cimic′ic, Cimic′ious.—n. Cimicif′uga, the genus of bugworts or bugbanes, natural order Ranunculaceæ. [L. cimex.]

Cimier, sē-myā′, n. the crest of a helmet. [Fr.]

Cimmerian, sim-ē′ri-an, adj. relating to the Cimmerii, a tribe fabled to have lived in perpetual darkness: extremely dark.

Cimolite, sim′ō-līt, n. a species of clay, or hydrous silicate of aluminium, used as fuller's earth. [Gr. kimōlia, prob. from Kimōlos, an island of the Cyclades.]

Cinch, sinch, n. a saddle-girth.—v.i. to tighten the cinch. [Sp. cincha—L. cingula.]

Cinchona, sin-kō′na, n. a genus of trees, yielding the bark so much valued in medicine, from which the most important alkaloids, quinine and its congeners, are obtained—also called Peruvian bark.—adjs. Cinchonā′ceous, Cinchon′ic.—n. Cin′chonine, an alkaloid obtained from the bark of several species of cinchona.—adj. Cinchonin′ic.—n. Cinchonisā′tion.—v.t. Cin′chonise, to bring under the influence of cinchona or quinine.—n. Cin′chonism, a morbid state due to overdoses of cinchona or quinine. [Said to be so named from the Countess of Chinchon, who was cured of a fever by it in 1638.]

Cincture, singk′tūr, n. a girdle or belt: a moulding round a column.—v.t. to gird, encompass.—adjs. Cinct, surrounded; Cinc′tured, having a cincture. [L. cinctura—cingĕre, cinctum, to gird.]

Cinder, sin′dėr, n. the refuse of burned coals: anything charred by fire: (slang) some strong stimulant put in tea, soda-water, &c.—ns. Cinderel′la, a scullery-maid; Cinderel′la-dance, an early dancing-party ending at midnight—from the nursery tale.—adj. Cin′dery. [A.S. sinder, scoriæ, slag.]

Cinematograph. See Kinematograph.

Cinenchyma, si-neng′ki-ma, n. laticiferous tissue, consisting of irregularly branching and anastomosing vessels.—adj. Cinenchym′atous. [Gr. kinein, to move, engchyma, infusion.]

Cineraria, sin-e-rā′ri-a, n. a genus of plants, with flowers of various colours, chiefly belonging to South Africa, but also grown in greenhouses in Britain and elsewhere. [L. cinerarius—cinis, cineris, ashes.]

Cinerary, sin′e-ra-ri, adj. pertaining to ashes.—ns. Cinerā′tion; Cinerāt′or; Cinē′rea, gray or cellular, as distinguished from white or fibrous, nerve tissue.—adjs. Cinē′real; Cinē′reous, ashy-gray; Cineres′cent, becoming ashy-gray; Cineri′tious, ashy-gray: pertaining to gray nerve tissue. [L. cinereus, ashy—cinis, cineris, ashes.]

Cingalese, sing′ga-lēz, n. a native of Ceylon.—adj. belonging to Ceylon.

Cingulum, sing′gū-lum, n. the girdle of an alb. [L.—cingĕre, to gird.]

Cinnabar, sin′a-bar, n. sulphuret of mercury, called vermilion when used as a pigment.—adj. vermilion-coloured.—adjs. Cinnabar′ic, Cinn′abarine. [L.,—Gr. kinnabari, a dye, from Persian.]

Cinnamon, sin′a-mon, n. the spicy bark of a laurel in Ceylon: the tree.—adj. cinnamon-coloured.—adjs. Cinnam′ic, Cinnamon′ic, obtained from, or consisting of, cinnamon.—n. Cinn′amon-stone, a kind of stone found in Ceylon, of a cinnamon or reddish-brown colour, sometimes cut for jewellery. [L. cinnamomum—Heb. kinnamon.]

Cinque, singk, n. the number five as on dice.—ns. Cinque′-cen′to (It., 'five hundred'), a phrase sometimes applied, in treating of architecture and art, to the Renaissance period, which began about 1500; Cinque′-foil (her.), a common bearing representing a flower with five petals borne full-faced and without a stalk: (bot.) species of plants of the genus Potentilla: the five-bladed clover; Cinque′-pace (Shak.), a kind of dance, the pace or movement of which is characterised by five beats.—n.pl. Cinque′-ports, the five ancient ports on the south of England lying opposite to France—Sandwich, Dover, Hythe, Romney, and Hastings.—adj. Cinque′-spot′ted (Shak.), having five spots. [Fr.]

Cipher, sī′fėr, n. (arith.) the character 0: any of the nine figures: anything of little value, whether persons or things: a nonentity: an interweaving of the initials of a name: a secret kind of writing.—v.i. to work at arithmetic: to write in cipher: of an organ-pipe, to sound independent of the organ: (Shak.) to decipher.—ns. Cī′phering; Cī′pher-key, a key to a cipher or piece of secret writing. [O. Fr. cifre, Fr. chiffre—Ar. sifr, empty.]

Cipolin, sip′ō-lin, n. a granular limestone containing mica.—Also Cipollino (chē-pol-lē′nō). [It.,—cipolla, an onion.]

Cippus, sip′us, n. the stocks: a monumental pillar. [L. cippus, a post.]

Circa, sir′ka, prep. and adv. about, around. [L.]

Circassian, sėr-kash′yan, adj. belonging to Circassia, a district of Russia, on the north of Mount Caucasus: a kind of light cashmere of silk and mohair—generally Circassienne′ (Fr. fem.).

Circean, sėr-sē′an, adj. relating to the beautiful sorceress Circe, who transformed the companions of Ulysses into swine by a magic beverage: infatuating and degrading.—Also Circæ′an.

Circensian, sir-sen′shi-an, adj. relating to the Circus Maximus in Rome, where the games and contests were held.—Also Circen′sial (obs.). [L. circensis—circus.]

Circle, sėr′kl, n. a plane figure bounded by one line every point of which is equally distant from a certain point called the centre: the line which bounds the figure: a ring: a planet's orbit: a series ending where it began: a figure in magic; a company surrounding the principal person: those of a certain class or society.—v.t. to move round: to encompass.—v.i. to move in a circle: to stand in a circle.—adjs. Cir′cinate; Cir′cled, circular: encircled.—ns. Cir′cler; Cir′clet; Cir′cling, motion in a circle: a revolution.—Dress′ cir′cle (see Dress); Fair′y-cir′cle, -ring (see Fairy).—Reasoning in a circle, assuming what is to be proved as the basis of the argument. [A.S. circul—L. circulus, dim. of circus; allied to A.S. hring, a ring.]

Circuit, sėr′kit, n. the act of moving round: area, extent: a round made in the exercise of a calling, esp. the round made by the judges for holding the courts of law: the judges making the round: (Shak.) diadem.—v.t. to go round.—n. Circuiteer′, a judge: one who goes on a circuit.—adj. Circū′itous, round about.—adv. Circū′itously.—n. Circū′ity, motion in a circle: an indirect course.—Make a circuit, to go round. [Fr.,—L. circuitus—circuīre, circum, round, īre, to go.]

Circular, sėr′kū-lar, adj. round: ending in itself: addressed to a circle of persons.—n. a note sent round to a circle or number of persons.—n. Circular′ity.—adv. Cir′cularly.—Circular notes, bank-notes issued for the convenience of travellers, being a kind of bill personal to the bearer, who is given also a corresponding 'letter of indication' addressed to foreign bankers.

Circulate, sėr′kū-lāt, v.t. to make to go round as in a circle: to spread: to repeat (of decimals).—v.i. to move round: to be spread about.—adj. Cir′culable, capable of being circulated.—ns. Cir′culant; Circulā′tion, the act of moving in a circle: the movement of the blood: the sale of a periodical: the publication of a report or of a book: the money in use at any time in a country.—adjs. Cir′culative, Cir′culatory, circulating.—n. Cir′culator.—Circulating library, one where books are circulated among subscribers. [L. circulāre, -ātum.]

Circumambages, sėr-kum-am′baj-ez, n.pl. roundabout ways of speech.—adj. Circumambā′gious, roundabout in speech.—ns. Circumam′bience, Circumam′biency.—adj. Circumam′bient, going round about.—n. Circumben′dibus, a roundabout method or course: a circumlocution. [L. circum, about, ambīre, to go round.]

Circumambulate, sėr-kum-am′bū-lāt, v.i. to walk round about.—n. Circumambulā′tion. [L. ambulāre, -ātum, to walk.]

Circumcise, sėr′kum-sīz, v.t. to cut off the foreskin according to the Jewish law: (fig.) to purify.—p.adj. Cir′cumcised, that has undergone circumcision: purified, chastened.—ns. Cir′cumciser, one who circumcises; Circumci′sion, the act of circumcising. [L. circumcidĕre, circumcisum—cædĕre, to cut.]

Circumdenudation, sėr-kum-de-nūd-ā′shun, n. (geol.) denudation or erosion round an elevated tract left isolated.

Circumduct, sėr′kum-dukt, v.t. to lead around or about, to revolve round an imaginary axis so as to describe a cone: (Scots law) to close a case to further proof.—n. Circumduc′tion.—adj. Circumduct′ory. [L. circum, about, ducĕre, ductum, to lead.]

Circumference, sėr-kum′fėr-ens, n. the boundary-line of any round body, esp. of a circle: the line surrounding anything: area: compass: distance round.—adj. Circumferen′tial—n. Circumferent′or, an instrument used by surveyors and miners for measuring horizontal angles, consisting of a graduated circle, an index, and a magnetic needle suspended over the centre of a circle—now superseded by the Theodolite. [L. circum, about, ferre, to carry.]

Circumflect, sėr′kum-flekt, v.t. to mark with a circumflex.—ns. Cir′cumflex, an accent (^) denoting a rising and falling of the voice on a vowel or syllable; Circumflex′ion, a bending round. [L. flectĕre, flexum, to bend.]

Circumfluence, sėr-kum′flōō-ens, n. a flowing round.—adj. Circum′fluent, flowing round. [L. fluĕre, to flow.]

Circumforaneous, sėr-kum-fō-rā′ne-us, adj. wandering about as from market to market, vagrant.—Also Circumfora′nean. [L., circum, about, forum, the forum, market-place.]

Circumfuse, sėr-kum-fūz′, v.t. to pour around.—p.adj. Circumfused′.—adj. Circumfus′ile, molten.—n. Circumfū′sion. [L. fundĕre, fusum, to pour.]

Circumgyrate, sėr-kum-jī′rāt, v.i. to go round and round.—n. Circumgyrā′tion.—adj. Circumgy′ratory. [L. gyrāre, -ātum, to turn.]

Circumjacent, sėr-kum-jā′sent, adj. lying round: bordering on every side.—n. Circumja′cency. [L. jacens, lying—jacēre, to lie.]

Circumlittoral, sėr-kum-lit′ō-ral, adj. adjacent to the shore-line. [L. circum, about, litus, litoris, the shore.]

Circumlocution, sėr-kum-lō-kū′shun, n. roundabout speaking: a manner of expression in which many unnecessary words are used.—v.i. Cir′cumlocute, to use circumlocution.—n. Circumlocū′tionist, one who practises circumlocution.—adj. Circumloc′utory.—Circumlocution office, a name given by Dickens in Little Dorrit to the government offices, owing to their dilatoriness in attending to business. [L. loqui, locutus, to speak.]

Circummure, sėr-kum-mūr′, v.t. (Shak.) to wall round. [L. murus, a wall.]

Circumnavigate, sėr-kum-nav′i-gāt, v.t. to sail round.—adj. Circumnav′igable, capable of being circumnavigated.—ns. Circumnavigā′tion; Circumnav′igator, one who sails round. [See Navigate.]

Circumnutation, sėr-kum-nū-tā′shun, n. a nodding or turning successively towards all points of the compass, as in the tendrils of plants.—v.i. Circumnū′tate.—adj. Circumnū′tatory. [L. circum, about, nutāre, -ātum, to nod.]

Circumpolar, sėr-kum-pō′lar, adj. situated round the pole. [See Polar.]

Circumpose, sėr′kum-pōz, v.t. to place round.—n. Circumposi′tion, the act of placing round. [See Position.]

Circumscribe, sėr-kum-skrīb′, v.t. to draw a line round: to enclose within certain limits, to curtail, abridge.—adj. Circumscrib′able, able to be circumscribed.—ns. Circumscrib′er, one who circumscribes; Circumscrip′tion, limitation: the line that limits: a circumscribed place.—adj. Circumscrip′tive, marking the external form or outline. [L. scribĕre, to write.]

Circumspect, sėr′kum-spekt, adj. looking round on all sides watchfully: cautious: prudent.—n. Circumspec′tion, watchfulness: caution: examining.—adj. Circumspec′tive, looking around: wary.—adv. Cir′cumspectly.—n. Cir′cumspectness. [L. specĕre, spectum, to look.]

Circumstance, sėr′kum-stans, n. the logical surroundings of an action: an accident or event: ceremony: detail: (pl.) the state of one's affairs.—v.t. to place in particular circumstances:—pa.p. cir′cumstanced.—adj. Circumstan′tial, consisting of details: minute.—n. Circumstantial′ity, the quality of being circumstantial: minuteness in details: a detail.—adv. Circumstan′tially.—n.pl. Circumstan′tials, incidentals: details.—v.t. Circumstan′tiate, to prove by circumstances: to describe exactly.—Circumstantial evidence, evidence which is not positive nor direct, but which is gathered inferentially from the circumstances in the case.—In good or bad circumstances, prosperous or unprosperous; In, Under the circumstances, owing to certain conditions. [L. stans, stantis, standing—stāre, to stand.]

Circumvallate, sėr-kum′val-āt, v.t. to surround with a rampart.—n. Circumvallā′tion, a surrounding with a wall: a wall or fortification surrounding a town or fort. [L. vallum, rampart.]

Circumvent, sėr-kum-vent′, v.t. to come round or outwit a person: to deceive or cheat.—n. Circumven′tion.—adj. Circumvent′ive, deceiving by artifices. [L. venīre, to come.]

Circumvolve, sėr-kum-volv′, v.t. to roll round.—v.i. to revolve:—pr.p. circumvolv′ing; pa.p. circumvolved′.—n. Circumvolū′tion, a turning or rolling round: anything winding or sinuous. [L. volvĕre, volutum, to roll.]

Circus, sėr′kus, n. a circular building for the exhibition of games: a place for the exhibition of feats of horsemanship: a group of houses arranged in the form of a circle: applied to nature, as, e.g., high hills surrounding a plain.—n. Cirque (sėrk), a circus: a ring of some sort. [L. circus; cog. with Gr. kirkos.]

Cirrhopod, Cirrhopoda, older forms of Cirriped, Cirripeda.

Cirripeda, sir-rip′e-da, Cirripedia, sir-rip-ē′di-a, n. a degenerate sub-class of Crustacea, including the numerous forms of Barnacles and Acorn-shells.—n. Cir′riped, one of the Cirripeda. [L. cirrus, a tuft of hair, and pes, a foot.]

Cirrus, sir′us, n. the highest form of clouds consisting of curling fibres: (bot.) a tendril: (zool.) any curled filament:—pl. Cirri (sir′ī).—adjs. Cirr′ate, Cirr′iform, like a cirrus; Cirr′igrade, moving by cirri.—n. Cirr′o-cū′mulus, a fleecy cloud intermediate between the cirrus and cumulus.—adj. Cirr′ose, with tendrils.—n. Cirr′o-strā′tus, a mottled-looking cloud intermediate between the cirrus and stratus.—adj. Cirr′ous, having a cirrus. [L.]

Cisalpine, sis-alp′in, adj. on this side—i.e. on the Roman side—of the Alps.—So Cisatlan′tic; Cisleith′an, on this side the Leitha, which separates the archduchy of Austria and Hungary; Cismon′tane, on this side the mountains—opp. to Ultramontane; Cis′padane, on this side the Po; Cispon′tine, on this side of the bridges, viz. in London, north of the Thames. [L. cis, on this side.]

Ciselure, sēz′lūr, n. the art or operation of chasing, the chasing upon a piece of metal-work.—n. Cis′eleur, a chaser. [Fr.]

Cissoid, sis′soid, n. a plane curve consisting of two infinite branches symmetrically placed with reference to the diameter of a circle, so that at one of its extremities they form a Cusp (q.v.), while the tangent to the circle at the other extremity is their common asymptote. [Gr. kissoeidēs.]

Cist, sist, n. a tomb consisting of a stone chest covered with stone slabs.—adjs. Cist′ed, containing cists; Cist′ic, like a cist. [See Chest.]

Cistella, sis-tel′a, n. the capsular shield of some lichens. [L., dim. of cista, a box.]

Cistercian, sis-ter′shan, n. one of the order of monks established in 1098 in the forest of Citeaux (Cistercium), in France—an offshoot of the Benedictines.

Cistern, sis′tėrn, n. any receptacle for holding water or other liquid: a reservoir: in a steam-engine, the vessel surrounding the condenser. [L. cisterna, from cista, a chest.]

Cistus, sis′tus, n. Rock-rose, a genus of exogenous shrubby plants, cultivated for the beauty of their flowers:—pl. Cis′tuses (-ēz) and Cis′ti (′tī). [Low L., from Gr. kistos, the rock-rose.]

Cistvaen. See Kistvaen.

Cit, sit, n. shortened from citizen, and used as a term of contempt:—fem. Cit′ess (Dryden). [See Citizen.]

Citadel, sit′a-del, n. a fortress in or near a city: the place where the guns are kept in an ironclad man-of-war. [It. cittadella, dim. of città, a city. See City.]

Cite, sīt, v.t. to call or summon: to summon to answer in court: to quote: to name: to adduce as proof.—adj. Cit′able, that can be cited.—ns. Cit′al, summons to appear: (Shak.) accusation, reproof; Citā′tion, an official summons to appear: the document containing the summons: the act of quoting: the passage or name quoted; Citā′tor, one who cites.—adj. Cit′ātory, having to do with citation, addicted to citation. [L. citāre, -ātum, to call, inten. of ciēre, cīre, to make to go.]

Cithara, sith′a-ra, n. an ancient musical instrument closely resembling the guitar.—n. Cith′arist, a player on it.—adj. Citharist′ic.—ns. Cith′er, Cith′ern, Cit′tern, a metal-stringed musical instrument, played with a plectrum. [L.,—Gr. kithara. A doublet of Guitar.]

Citigrade, sit′i-grād, adj. moving quickly: applied to a tribe of spiders of remarkably quick motions. [L. citus, quick, gradus, a step.]

Citizen, sit′i-zen, n. an inhabitant of a city: a member of a state: a townsman: a freeman:—fem. Cit′izeness.—adj. (Shak.) like a citizen.—v.t. Cit′izenise, to make a citizen of.—ns. Cit′izenry, the general body of citizens; Cit′izenship, the rights of a citizen. [M. E. citesein—O. Fr. citeain. See City.]

Citole, sit′ōl, n. a small dulcimer used in medieval times. [O. Fr.,—L. cithara.]

Citron, sit′run, n. the fruit of the citron-tree, resembling a lemon.—n. Cit′rate, a salt of citric acid.—adjs. Cit′reous, citrine; Cit′ric, derived from the citron; Cit′rine, dark and greenish yellow, like a citron or lemon.—n. citrine colour: a rock crystal of this colour.—ns. Cit′ron-wood, Cit′rus-wood, the most costly furniture-wood of the ancient Romans.—Citric acid, the acid to which lemon and lime juice owe their sourness. [Fr.,—L. citrus—Gr. kitron, a citron.]

Cittern. Same as Cither (q.v. under Cithara).

City, sit′i, n. a large town: a town with a corporation.—n.pl. Cit′y-commis′sioners, officials who attend to the drainage, &c.—n. Cit′y-mis′sion, a mission for evangelising the poor classes in the large cities.—adj. Civ′ic, pertaining to a city or citizen.—City of God, Heavenly city, &c., the ideal of the Church of Christ in glory; City of refuge, by the Jewish law a city where the perpetrator of an accidental murder might flee for refuge.—Eternal city, Rome; Holy city, Jerusalem.—The City, The City of London, that part of London where business is principally carried on. [Fr. cité, a city—L. civitas, the state—civis, a citizen.]

Cive, sīv, n. See Chive.

Civet, siv′et, n. a perfume obtained from the civet or Civ′et-cat, a small carnivorous animal of Africa, India, &c. [Fr. civette—Ar. zabad.]

Civic. See City.

Civil, siv′il, adj. pertaining to the community: having the refinement of city-bred people: polite: commercial, not military: lay, secular, or temporal, not ecclesiastical: pertaining to the individual citizen: (law) relating to private relations amongst citizens, and such suits as arise out of these, as opposed to criminal: (theol.) naturally good, as opposed to good through regeneration.—ns. Civil′ian, a professor or student of civil law (not canon law): one engaged in civil as distinguished from military and other pursuits; Civ′ilist, one versed in civil law; Civil′ity, good-breeding: politeness.—adv. Civ′illy.—adj. Civ′il-suit′ed (Milton), sombrely clad.—n. Civ′ism, good citizenship, state of being well-affected to the government.—Civil death, the loss of all civil and legal but not natural privileges, as by outlawry: Civil engineer, one who plans rail-ways, docks, &c., as opposed to a military engineer, or to a mechanical engineer, who makes machines, &c.; Civil law, as opposed to criminal law: the law laid down by a state regarding the rights of the inhabitants; Civil list, now the expenses of the sovereign's household only; Civil list pensions, those granted by royal favour; Civil service, the paid service of the state, in so far as it is not military or naval; Civil war, a war between citizens of the same state. [L. civīlis—civis.]

Civilise, siv′il-īz, v.t. to reclaim from barbarism: to instruct in arts and refinements.—adj. Civ′ilisable.—n. Civilisā′tion, state of being civilised—p.adj. Civ′ilised.—n. Civ′iliser.

Clabber, klab′ėr, n. (Scot.). [Gael. clabar, mud.]

Clachan, kla′han, n. (Scot.) a small village. [Gael. clachan—clach, stone.]

Clack, klak, v.i. to make a sudden sharp noise as by striking: to chatter: to cackle.—n. a sharp, sudden sound; sound of voices: an instrument making this kind of noise: (coll.) the tongue.—ns. Clack′-box, the box containing the clack-valve of an engine; Clack′-dish (Shak.), a wooden dish carried by beggars, having a movable cover which they clacked to attract attention; Clack′er; Clack′-valve, a valve used in pumps, having a flap or a hinge which lifts up to let the fluid pass, but prevents the fluid from returning by falling back over the aperture. [From the sound.]

Clad, klad, pa.t. and pa.p. of Clothe.

Claes, klāz, n.pl. Scotch for Clothes.

Clag, klag, v.i. (prov.) to stick.—adj. Clag′gy, sticky. [Prob. Scand.; Dan. klag, mud.]

Claim, klām, v.t. to call for: to demand as a right.—n. a demand for something supposed due: right or ground for demanding: the thing claimed.—adj. Claim′able, that can be claimed.—n. Claim′ant, one who makes a claim.—Lay claim to, to assert a right. [O. Fr. claimer—L. clamāre, to call out.]

Clairaudience, klār-awd′i-ens, n. the alleged power of hearing things not present to the senses.—n. Clairaud′ient. [Fr. clair—L. clarus, clear, and Audience.]

Clair-obscure, Clare-obscure, klār-ob-skūr′. Same as Chiaroscuro (q.v.). [Fr. clair—L. clarus, clear, and Fr. obscur—L. obscurus, obscure.]

Clairschach, klār′shäh, n. the old Celtic harp strung with wire.

Clairvoyance, klār-voi′ans, n. the alleged power of seeing things not present to the senses.—n. Clairvoy′ant, one who is said to have this power. [Fr., clair—L. clarus, clear, and Fr. voir—L. vidēre, to see.]

Clam, klam, n. a species of bivalve shellfish: an instrument for holding. [A.S. clam, fetter; cf. Ger. klamm; Dan. klamme.]

Clam, klam, v.t. to clog: to smear; pr.p. clam′ming; pa.p. clammed.—n. dampness.—adv. Clam′mily.—n. Clam′miness.—adj. Clam′my, sticky: moist and adhesive. [A.S. clæman, to anoint; cf. Dut., Dan. klam, damp.]

Clam, klam, n. noise produced in ringing a chime of bells at once.—v.t. or v.i. to produce a clam. [Prob. onomatopœic.]

Clamant, klam′ant, adj. calling aloud or earnestly.—n. Clam′ancy, urgency. [L. clamāre, to cry out.]

Clamber, klam′bėr, v.i. to climb with difficulty, grasping with the hands and feet.—n. the act of clambering. [From root of Clump; cf. Ger. klammern—klemmen, to squeeze or hold tightly.]

Clamjamphrie, klam-jam′fri, n. (Scot.) rubbish: nonsense: rabble. [Der. uncertain.]

Clamour, klam′or, n. a loud continuous outcry: uproar; any loud noise.—v.i. to cry aloud in demand: to make a loud continuous outcry.—adj. Clam′orous, noisy, boisterous.—adv. Clam′orously.—ns. Clam′-orousness; Clam′ourer. [L. clamor.]

Clamp, klamp, n. a piece of timber, iron, &c., used to fasten things together or to strengthen any framework: any instrument for holding.—v.t. to bind with clamps. [From a root seen in A.S. clam, fetter; Dut. klamp, a clamp, and akin to Eng. Clip, Climb.]

Clamp, klamp, n. a heavy tread.—v.i. to tread heavily. [Prob. from the sound.]

Clamper, klam′pėr, v.t. to botch up. [Der. unknown; prob. conn. with Clamp, a piece of timber, &c.]

Clan, klan, n. a tribe or collection of families subject to a single chieftain, bearing the same surname, and supposed to have a common ancestor: a clique, sect: a collective name for a number of persons or things.—adj. Clan′nish, closely united, like the members of a clan.—adv. Clan′nishly.—ns. Clan′nishness; Clan′ship, association of families under a chieftain: feeling of loyalty to a clan; Clans′man, a member of a clan. [Gael. clann, offspring, tribe—L. planta, a shoot.]

Clandestine, klan-des′tin, adj. concealed or hidden: private: sly.—adv. Clandes′tinely. [L. clandestinus—clam, secretly.]

Clang, klang, v.i. to produce a sharp, ringing sound.—v.t. to cause to clang.—n. a sharp, ringing sound, like that made by metallic substances struck together: (fig.) sound, the cry of some birds.—n. Clang′ing, the sound corresponding to the verb.—adj. Clang′orous.—adv. Clang′orously.—n. Clang′our, a clang: a sharp, shrill, harsh sound.—v.i. to make a clangour. [L. clangĕre; Ger. klang; formed from the sound.]

Clank, klangk, n. a sharp sound, less prolonged than a clang, such as is made by a chain.—v.t. or v.i. to make or cause a clank.—n. Clank′ing, the action of the verb clank.—adj. Clank′less, without clank. [Prob. formed under the influence of Clink and Clang.]

Clap, klap, n. the noise made by the sudden striking together of two things, as the hands: a burst of sound: a slap.—v.t. to strike together so as to make a noise: to thrust or drive together suddenly: to fasten promptly: to pat with the hand in a friendly manner: to applaud with the hands: to bang: to imprison—e.g. 'to clap one in prison.'—v.i. to strike the hands together: to strike together with noise: to applaud:—pr.p. clap′ping; pa.p. clapped.—ns. Clap′-board, a thin board used in covering wooden houses; Clap′-bread, a kind of hard-baked oatmeal cake; Clap′-dish (same as Clack-dish); Clap′-net, a kind of net which is made to clap together suddenly by pulling a string; Clap′per, one who claps: that which claps, as the tongue of a bell: a glib tongue.—v.t. Clap′per-claw, to claw or scratch: (Shak.) to scold.—ns. Clap′ping, noise of striking: applause; Clap′-sill, the bottom part of the frame on which lock-gates shut—called also Lock-sill; Clap′trap (Shak.), a trick to gain applause: flashy display: empty words; Claptrap′pery.—adj. Claptrap′pish.—Clap eyes on, to see; Clap hands (Shak.), to make an agreement; Clap hold of, to seize roughly; Clap up (Shak.), to conclude suddenly. [Ice. klappa, to pat; Dut. and Ger. klappen.]

Clap, klap, n. gonorrhea. [Cf. Dut. klapoor.]

Claque, klak, n. an institution for securing the success of a public performance, by bestowing upon it preconcerted applause.—n. Claq′ueur, a member of the claque. [Fr. claquer, to clap.]

Clarabella, klar-a-bel′a, n. an organ-stop of a sweet fluty tone.

Clarence, klar′ens, n. a four-wheeled carriage, seated inside for two or more persons. [Named after William IV. when Duke of Clarence.]

Clarenceux, Clarencieux, klar′en-sū, n. (her.) the second king-of-arms in England, so named from the Duke of Clarence, son of Edward III.

Clarendon, klar′en-don, n. (print.) a form of type having a heavy face.

Clare-obscure. Same as Chiaroscuro.

Claret, klar′et, n. originally applied to wines of a light-red colour, but now used in England for the dark-red wines of Bordeaux: (slang) blood.—v.i. to drink claret.—ns. Clar′et-cup, a drink made up of iced claret, brandy, sugar, &c.; Clar′et-jug, a fancy jug for holding claret. [Fr. clairet—clair—L. clarus, clear.]

Clarify, klar′i-fī, v.t. to make clear or pure.—v.i. to become clear:—pr.p. clar′ifying; pa.p. clar′ified.—ns. Clarificā′tion; Clar′ifier, that which clarifies or purifies. [L. clarus, clear, and facĕre, to make.]

Clarion, klar′i-on, n. a kind of trumpet whose note is clear and shrill: the sound of a trumpet, or a sound resembling that of a trumpet.—ns. Clar′inet, Clar′ionet, a wind-instrument, usually of wood, in which the sound is produced by a single thin reed.—The Bass Clarinet is pitched an octave lower than the ordinary clarinet. [Fr. clairon—clair—L. clarus, clear.]

Clarity, klar′i-ti, n. clearness. [M. E. clarté—L. claritas.]

Clarty, klar′ti, adj. (Scot.) sticky and dirty. [Der. unknown.]

Clary, klār′i, n. a biennial with clammy stem, large, heart-shaped, rough, doubly crenate leaves, and whorls of pale-blue flowers in loose terminal spikes, with large coloured bracts. [Low L. sclarea. Origin unknown.]

Clash, klash, n. a loud noise, such as is caused by the striking together of weapons: opposition: contradiction: (Scot.) chatter, country talk.—v.i. to dash noisily together: to meet in opposition: to act in a contrary direction: to disagree: (Scot.) to gossip.—v.t. to strike noisily against.—n. Clash′ing, a striking against: opposition. [Formed from the sound, like Ger. and Sw. klatsch.]

Clasp, klasp, n. a hook for fastening: an embrace.—v.t. to fasten with a clasp: to enclose and hold in the hand or arms: to embrace.—ns. Clasp′er, that which clasps: the tendril of a plant; Clasp′ing; Clasp′-knife, a knife the blade of which folds into the handle. [M. E. clapse, from the root of A.S. clyppan, to embrace. See Clip.]

Class, klas, n. a rank or order of persons or things: high rank or social standing: a number of students or scholars who are taught together: a scientific division or arrangement: the position in order of merit of students after examination.—v.t. to form into a class or classes: to arrange methodically.—v.i. to take rank.—adjs. Class′able, Class′ible, capable of being classed.—ns. Class′-fell′ow, Class′-mate, a pupil in the same class at school or college; Class′ic, any great writer or work: a student of the ancient classics: a standard work: (pl.) Greek, Roman, and modern writers of the first rank, or their works.—adjs. Class′ic, -al, of the highest class or rank, esp. in literature: originally and chiefly used of the best Greek and Roman writers: (as opposed to Romantic) like in style to the authors of Greece and Rome: chaste, refined, in keeping with classical art: famous for literary or historical reasons.—ns. Classical′ity, Class′icalness, the quality of being classical.—adv. Class′ically.—ns. Class′icism, a classical idiom; Class′icist, one versed in the classics, or devoted to their being retained in education; Class′-lead′er, the leader of a class in a Methodist church; Class′man, one who has gained honours of a certain class at the Oxford examinations—opp. to Passman.—Classic races, the five chief annual horse-races—the Two Thousand, One Thousand, Derby, Oaks, and St Leger.—Take a class, to take honours in an examination, as opposed to the mere 'pass.' [Fr. classe—L. classis, cog. with L. calāre, Gr. kalein.]

Classify, klas′i-fī, v.t. to make or form into classes: to arrange:—pr.p. class′ifying; pa.p. class′ified.—adjs. Classifī′able, capable of being classified; Classif′ic, denoting classes.—n. Classificā′tion, act of forming into classes: distribution into classes.—adj. Class′ificātory.—n. Class′ifīer. [L. classis, and facĕre, to make.]

Classis, klas′is, n. a group: judicatory. [L.]

Clastic, klas′tik, adj. breaking into fragments, fragmental. [Gr. klastos—klan, to break.]

Clatch, klach, v.t. (Scot.) to daub.—n. mire, anything for daubing.

Clatch, klach, v.t. (Scot.) to finish carelessly, to botch.—n. a piece of work spoiled or botched.

Clatch, klach, n. (Scot.) a kind of gig.

Clathrate, klath′rāt, adj. latticed—also Clath′roid.—adjs. Clath′rose, crossed by deep rectangular furrows; Clath′rulate, finely clathrate. [L. clath-rāre, -ātum, to furnish with a lattice—Gr. klēthra, a lattice.]

Clatter, klat′ėr, n. a repeated rattling noise: a repetition of abrupt, sharp sounds: noisy talk: (Burns) gossip.—v.i. to make rattling sounds: to rattle with the tongue: to talk fast and idly.—v.t. to strike so as to produce a rattling.—adv. Clatt′eringly. [Acc. to Skeat, clatter = clacker, a freq. of Clack.]

Claude Lorraine glass, n. a convex mirror, usually coloured, employed for viewing landscape. [Named after the painter Claude Lorraine (1600-82).]

Claudian, klaw′di-an, adj. pertaining to the Roman emperors of the Claudian gens (Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero), or their period (14-68 A.D.).

Claudication, klaw-di-kā′shun, n. a halting, a limp. [L.,—claudus, lame.]

Claught, kläht, v.t. (Scot.) to snatch.—n. a hold, catch. [Cf. Cleek.]

Clause, klawz, n. a sentence or part of a sentence: an article or part of a contract, will, &c.—adj. Claus′ular, pertaining to, or consisting of, a clause or clauses. [Fr. clause—L. clausus—claudĕre, to shut.]

Claustral, klaws′tral, adj. cloistral, secluded, pertaining to a claustrum.—ns. Claustrā′tion, the act of shutting in a cloister; Claustrophō′bia, a morbid dread of confined places.—adj. Claustrophob′ic.

Claustrum, klaws′trum, n. a thin layer of gray matter in the substance of the hemispheres of the brain:—pl. Claus′tra. [L.]

Claut, klat, n. a kind of rake: (Scot.) what is raked, a rakeful.—v.t. to scratch, claw.—n.pl. Clats, slops.—adj. Clat′ty, dirty. [Perh. conn. with Claw.]

Clavate, -d, klā′vāt, -ed, adj. (bot.) club-shaped: gradually thickening to the top.—n. Clavā′tion, articulation in a socket.—adjs. Clav′ellate, having club-shaped processes; Clav′iform, in the form of a club.—n. Clav′iger, a club-bearer.—adj. Clavig′erous, club-bearing. [From L. clava, a club.]

Clave, klāv, pa.t. of Cleave.

Clavecin, klav′e-sin, n. a harpsichord.—n. Clav′ecinist (Browning), a player on the clavecin. [Fr. clavecin—L. clavis, a key.]

Claver, klā′vėr, n. idle talk, gossip.—v.i. to talk idly. [Scotch; der. uncertain; cf. Gael. clabaire.]

Clavichord, klav′i-kord, n. an obsolete musical instrument, of the same form as the Harpsichord and Spinet.—n. Clav′iharp, a harp struck with keys like a piano. [L. clavis, a key, chorda, a string.]

Clavicle, klav′i-kl, n. an important part of the pectoral girdle of vertebrates, best known in the collar-bone of man and in the merry-thought of birds—also Clavic′ula.—adj. Clavic′ular. [Fr. clavicule—L. clavicula, dim. of clavis, a key.]

Clavicorn, klav′i-korn, adj. having clavate antennæ.—n. a member of the Clavicornia, a group of Coleoptera or beetles. [L. clava, a club, cornu, a horn.]

Clavier, kla-vēr′, n. the keyboard of a musical instrument: a stringed instrument, esp. the pianoforte. [Fr.,—L. clavis, a key.]

Clavis, klă′vis, n. a key, hence a clue or aid for solving problems, interpreting a cipher, &c.:—pl. Clā′ves.—n. Clav′iger, one who keeps a key, a custodian.—adj. Clavig′erous, keeping keys. [L., a key.]

Claw, klaw, n. the hooked nail of a beast or bird: the whole foot of an animal with hooked nails: anything like a claw: an instrument shaped like a claw.—v.t. to scratch or tear as with the claws or nails: to scrape; to seize: (fig.) to flatter, fawn on.—n. Claw′back, a toady, flatterer.—adj. Clawed, having claws.—ns. Claw-hamm′er, a hammer with one part of the head divided into two claws, with which to extract nails; Claw′-hamm′er-coat, a facetious name for a dress-coat.—adj. Claw′less.—Claw me and I'll claw thee, favour me and I shall do you good in return. [A.S. clawu; cog. with Ger. klaue; akin to Cleave, to stick.]

Clay, klā, n. a tenacious ductile earth: earth in general: the human body: short for clay-pipe, a tobacco-pipe made of baked clay.—v.t. to purify with clay, as sugar.—adjs. Clay′-brained (Shak.), stupid; Clay′-cold, cold as clay, lifeless.—n. Clay′-eat′er, one addicted to chewing a fatty clay—in Brazil and elsewhere.—adjs. Clayed, clay-like; Clay′ey, made of clay: covered with clay.—n. Clay′-ground, ground consisting mainly of clay.—adj. Clay′ish, of the nature of clay.—ns. Clay′-marl, a whitish chalky clay; Clay′-mill, a mill for preparing clay; Clay′-slate, an argillaceous rock, splitting readily into thin sheets; Clay′stone, one of the concretionary nodules in alluvial deposits.—Wet one's clay, to drink. [A.S. clæg; cf. Dan. klæg, Ger. klei.]

Claymore, klā′mōr, n. a large sword formerly used by the Scottish Highlanders, the old Celtic one-handed, two-edged longsword, now applied inaccurately to the basket-hilted sword of the officers of Highland regiments. [Gael. claidheamh-mor—Gael. and Ir. claidheamh, sword, mor, great.]

Clean, klē′n, adj. free from dirt, stain, or whatever defiles: pure: guiltless: neat: complete.—adv. quite: entirely: cleverly.—v.t. to make clean, or free from dirt.—ns. Clean′or, that which cleans; Clean′ing, the act of making clean.—adj. Clean′-limbed, having well-proportioned limbs: smart.—n. Clean′liness.—adj. Clean′ly, clean in habits or person: pure: neat.—adv. in a cleanly manner.—n. Clean′ness.—adj. Clean′-tim′bered (Shak.), well-proportioned.—Clean bill of health (see Bill of health).—Have clean hands, to be free from the guilt of wrong-doing.—Make a clean breast of, to own up frankly, to confess fully; Show a clean pair of heels, to escape by running.—The clean thing, the right thing to do. [A.S. clǽne; W., Gael. glan, shine, polish; Ger. klein, small.]

Cleanse, klenz, v.t. to make clean or pure.—adj. Cleans′able.—ns. Cleans′er, one who, or that which, cleanses; Cleans′ing, purification.

Clear, klēr, adj. pure, bright, undimmed: free from obstruction or difficulty: plain, distinct: without blemish, defect, drawback, or diminution: conspicuous: transparent.—adv. in a clear manner: plainly: wholly: quite.—v.t. to make clear: to empty: to free from obscurity, obstruction, or guilt: to free, acquit, or vindicate; to leap, or pass by or over; to make profit: to settle a bill.—v.i. to become clear: to grow free, bright, or transparent.—ns. Clear′age, a piece of land cleared; Clear′ance, act of clearing: removal of hinderances: a certificate that a ship has been cleared at the custom-house—that is, has satisfied all demands and procured permission to sail.—adjs. Clear′-eyed, clear-sighted, discerning; Clear′-head′ed, having a clear understanding, sagacious.—ns. Clear′ing, the act of making clear: a tract of land cleared of wood, &c., for cultivation: a method by which bankers exchange cheques and drafts, and arrange the differences; Clear′ing-house, a place in London where such clearing business is done; Clear′ing-nut, the seed of Strychnos potatorum, used in the East Indies for clearing muddy water.—adv. Clear′ly, in a clear manner: distinctly.—ns. Clear′ness; Clear′-obscure′ (see Chiaroscuro).—adj. Clear′-sight′ed, having clearness of sight: discerning.—ns. Clear′-sight′edness; Clear′-starch′er, a laundress; Clear′-starch′ing, the act of stiffening linen with clear starch; Clear-story (see Clerestory).—Clear out, to be off; Clear the way, to make the way open; Clear up, to become clear. [Fr. clair—L. clarus, clear.]

Cleat, klēt, n. a wedge: a piece of wood nailed across anything to keep it in its place or give it an additional strength: a piece of wood fastened on parts of a ship, and having holes or recesses for fastening ropes.—v.t. to strengthen with a cleat. [From a supposed A.S. cléat; cf. Dut. kloot; Dan. klode; Ger. kloss.]

Cleave, klēv, v.t. to divide, to split: to separate with violence: to go through: to pierce.—v.i. to part asunder: to crack:—pr.p. cleav′ing; pa.t. clōve or cleft; pa.p. clov′en or cleft.—adj. Cleav′able, capable of being cleft.—ns. Cleav′age, a condition of rocks in which they split easily into thin plates; Cleav′er, one who or that which cleaves: a butcher's chopper; Cleav′ers, Cliv′ers, goose-grass—Galium aperine, diuretic and sudorific.—adj. Cleav′ing, splitting. [A.S. cleófan; cog. with Ger. klieben.]

Cleave, klēv, v.i. to stick or adhere: to unite:—pr.p. cleav′ing; pa.t. cleaved or clāve; pa.p. cleaved.—n. Cleav′ing, the act of adhering. [A.S. clifian; cog. with Ger. kleben, Dut. kleven.]

Cleché, klesh′ā, adj. (her.) voided or hollowed throughout, as a cross showing only a narrow bolder. [Fr.]

Cleck, klek, v.t. to hatch.—n. Cleck′ing, a brood. [Scot.,—Ice. klekja; cf. Dan. klække, to hatch.]

Cleddyo, kled′yō, n. an antique leaf-shaped bronze Celtic sword. [W. cleddeu, cleddyf; L. gladius.]

Cleek, klēk, n. a large hook for catching hold of something, used in fishing, &c.: an iron-headed golf-club: a peg.—v.t. to seize, snatch. [M. E. kleken; perh. related to Clutch.]

Clef, klef, n. a musical character placed on the staff by which the absolute pitch of the notes is fixed. [Fr., from L. clavis; Gr. kleis, a key.]

Cleft, kleft, pa.t. and pa.p. of Cleave.

Cleft, kleft, n. an opening made by cleaving or splitting: a crack, fissure, or chink.—Also Clift (B.). [Cf. Ger. kluft, Dan. klyft, a hole.]

Cleft-palate. See Palate.

Cleg, kleg, n. the gadfly, horse-fly. [Ice. kleggi.]

Clem, klem, v.i. and v.t. to starve. [Prov. Eng. clam; Ger. klemmen, to pinch.]

Clematis, klem′a-tis, n. a creeping plant, called also Virgin's Bower and Traveller's Joy. [L.,—Gr. klēmatis—klēma, a twig.]

Clement, klem′ent, adj. mild: gentle: kind: merciful.—ns. Clem′ence (Spens.), Clem′ency, the quality of being clement: mildness: readiness to forgive.—adv. Clem′ently. [Fr.,—L. clemens.]

Clench, klensh. Same as Clinch.

Clepe, klēp, v.t. (arch.) to call: to name.—pa.p. Yclept. [A.S. clipian, to call.]

Clepsydra, klep′si-dra, n. an instrument used by the Greeks and Romans for measuring time by the trickling of water. [L.,—Gr. klepsydra—kleptein, klepsein, to steal, hydōr, water.]

Clerestory, Clear-story, clēr-stō′ri, n. an upper row of windows rising above the adjoining parts of the building, probably so named as admitting clearness or light—esp. applied to the windows in the upper part of the central nave of churches.

Clergy, klėr′ji, n. the ministers of the Christian religion, as holders of an allotted office, in contradistinction to the laity.—adjs. Cler′gyable, Cler′giable, entitled to or admitting of the benefit of clergy.—ns. Cler′gyman, one of the clergy, a regularly ordained minister; Cler′gy-wom′an, a woman belonging to a clergyman's family.—adjs. Cler′ic, -al, belonging to the clergy: pertaining to a clerk.—ns. Cler′ic, a clergyman; Cler′icalism, undue influence of the clergy, sacerdotalism; Cler′icate, clerical position; Cleric′ity, state of being a clergyman; Cler′isy, the class of learned men, scholars.—Clergyman's sore throat, chronic pharyngitis.—Benefit of clergy, originally an exemption of clergymen, in certain cases, from criminal process before a secular judge, but later covering the first offence of all who could read.—Black clergy, in Russia, the regular or monastic, as distinct from the secular or parochial, clergy. [Fr. clergé—L.,—Gr. klērikos, from klēros, a lot, then the clergy.]

Clerk, klärk, or klerk, n. a clergyman or priest: a scholar: one who leads the responses in the English Church service: in common use, one employed as a writer, assistant, copyist, account-keeper, or correspondent in an office.—v.i. to act as clerk.—adj. Cler′ical, pertaining to a clerk or copyist, as in 'clerical error.'—ns. Clerk′dom, Clerk′ship; Clerk′ery, Clerk′age, the work of a clerk.—adjs. Clerk′ish, like a clerk; Clerk′less, ignorant; Clerk′-like, scholarly.—n. Clerk′ling, a young clerk.—adj. Clerk′ly, scholarly.—adv. in a scholar-like or learned manner.—Clerk of the weather, an imaginary functionary facetiously supposed to direct the weather.—Bible clerk, a scholar who reads the lessons in some college chapels. [A.S. clerc, a priest—Late L. clericus. See Clergy.]

Cleromancy, kler′o-man-si, n. divination by lots. [Gr. klēros, lot, manteia, divination.]

Cler-story, an obsolete form of Clerestory.

Cleuch, Cleugh, klūh, n. a ravine with steep and precipitous sides. [Scotch form of Clough.]

Cleve, klēv, n. cliff: hillside. [Now rare. M. E. cleof, a variant of Cliff.]

Clever, klev′ėr, adj. able or dexterous: ingenious: skilful: (U.S.) good-natured.—ns. Cleveral′ity, Clev′erness.—adj. Clev′erish, somewhat clever.—adv. Clev′erly. [Ety. dub.]

Clew, Clue, klōō, n. a ball of thread, or the thread in it: a thread that guides through a labyrinth: anything that solves a mystery: the corner of a sail.—v.t. to coil up into a clew or ball: to truss or tie up sails to the yards.—n. Clew′-gar′net (naut.), a tackle for clewing up the smaller square sails for furling.—n.pl. Clew′-lines, ropes on the smaller square sails by which they are clewed up for furling. [A.S. cliwen; cf. Dut. kluwen; Ger. knäuel.]

Cliché, klē-shā′, n. the impression made by a die in any soft metal: an electrotype or stereotype plate. [Fr.,—clicher, to stereotype.]

Click, klik, n. a short, sharp clack or sound: anything that makes such a sound, as a small piece of iron falling into a notched wheel: a latch for a gate.—v.i. to make a light, sharp sound.—ns. Click′-clack, a continuous clicking noise; Click′er, the compositor who distributes the copy among a companionship of printers, makes up pages, &c.: one who cuts up leather for the uppers and soles of boots and shoes; Click′ing, the action of the verb. [Dim. of Clack.]

Client, klī′ent, n. one who employs a lawyer: a dependent.—n. Clī′entage, the whole number of one's clients: the client's relation to the patron.—adj. Clīent′al.—ns. Clī′entele, a following: the whole connection of a lawyer, shopkeeper, &c.; Clī′entship. [L. cliens, for cluens, one who hears or listens (to advice), from cluēre, to hear.]

Cliff, klif, n. (mus.). Same as Clef.

Cliff, klif, n. a high steep rock: the steep side of a mountain.—adjs. Cliffed, Cliff′y, having cliffs: craggy. [A.S. clif; Dut. clif; Ice. klif.]

Clift. See Cleft (2).

Clift, klift, n. same as Cliff, the form arising under the influence of Cleft.—adjs. Clift′ed, Clift′y, broken into cliffs.

Climacteric, klim-ak-tėr′ik, or klim-ak′tėr-ik, n. a critical period in human life, in which some great bodily change is supposed to take place: a critical time.—adj. pertaining to such a period: critical.—adj. Climacter′ical.—The grand climacteric, the sixty-third year, supposed to be a critical period for men. [Gr. klimaktēr—klimax, a ladder.]

Climate, klī′māt, n. the condition of a country or place with regard to temperature, moisture, &c.: (fig.) character of something.—v.i. (Shak.) to remain in a certain place.—adjs. Clī′matal, Climat′ic, -al, relating to climate.—v.t. Clī′matise (see Acclimatise).—adj. Climatograph′ical.—n. Climatog′raphy, a description of climates.—adj. Climatolog′ical, relating to climatology.—ns. Climatol′ogist, one skilled in the science of climatology; Climatol′ogy, the science of climates, or an investigation of the causes on which the climate of a place depends; Clī′mature (Shak.), climate. [Fr.,—L.,—Gr. klima, klimatos, slope—klinein, to slope.]

Climax, klī′maks, n. (rhet.) the arranging of the particulars of a portion of a discourse so as to rise in strength to the last: the last term of the rhetorical arrangement: a culmination.—v.i. to ascend in a climax: to culminate.—adjs. Climact′ic, -al, pertaining to a climax.—adv. Climact′ically. [Gr. klimax, a ladder—from klinein, to slope.]

Climb, klīm, v.i. or v.t. to ascend or mount by clutching with the hands and feet: to ascend with difficulty: to mount.—adj. Climb′able, capable of being climbed.—ns. Climb′er, one who or that which climbs: (pl.) an old-fashioned popular title for several orders of birds whose feet are mainly adapted for climbing: (bot.) those plants which, having weak stems, seek support from other objects, chiefly from other plants, in order to ascend from the ground; Climb′ing. [A.S. climban; cf. Ger. klimmen; conn. with Clamber and Cleave, to stick.]

Clime, klīm, n. a country, region, tract. [A variety of Climate.]

Clinamen, klin-ā′men, n. inclination. [L. clināre, to incline.]

Clinanthium, klin-an′thi-um, n. the receptacle in a composite plant. [Gr. klinē, a bed, anthos, a flower.]

Clinch, klinsh, Clench, klensh, v.t. to fasten or rivet a nail by bending the point and beating the bent part flat against the object through which the nail was driven: to grasp tightly: to set firmly, as the teeth: to fasten on: (fig.) to drive home an argument: to settle or confirm.—n. something set firmly: the fastening of a nail by beating it back, as in the verb: a pun.—n. Clinch′er, one that clinches: a decisive argument.—adj. Clinch′er-built (same as Clinker-built).—n. Clinch′er-work, the disposition of the side planks of a vessel, when the lower edge of one row overlaps the row next under it. [Causal form of klink, to strike smartly; Dut. and Ger. klinken, to rivet a bolt.]

Cling, kling, v.i. to adhere or stick close by winding round: to adhere in interest or affection: to remain by an opinion: of wood, to shrink.—v.t. to attach: to shrivel:—pa.t. and pa.p. clung.—n. adherence.—adjs. Cling′stone, having the pulp adhering firmly to the stone (of peaches)—opp. to Freestone; Cling′y, sticky. [A.S. clingan, to shrivel up, to draw together.]

Clinic, -al, klin′ik, -al, adj. pertaining to a bed: (med.) applied to instruction given in hospitals at the bedside of the patient.—n. Clin′ic, one confined to bed by sickness: the teaching of medicine or surgery practically at the bedside of the patient—also Clin′ique.—adv. Clin′ically.—Clinical baptism, baptism administered to persons on their sick-bed; Clinical convert, one converted on his death-bed; Clinical medicine, or surgery, medicine or surgery as taught by clinics, a Clinical lecture being one delivered to students at the bedside of the sick. [Gr. klinikos—klinē, a bed, from klinein, to recline.]

Clink, klingk, n. a ringing sound made by the striking together of sounding bodies: jingle.—v.t. to cause to make a ringing sound.—v.i. to ring or jingle: to go with a clinking sound.—n. Clink′er, the name given to the scales or globules of black oxide of iron, obtained from red-hot iron under the blows of a hammer: the slags of iron furnaces: the cindery-like masses which form the crust of some lava-flows.—adj. Clink′er-built, made of planks which overlap each other below (as distinguished from carvel-built) and are fastened together with clinched nails.—n. Clink′stone, a greenish-gray or brownish compact, or very finely crystalline igneous rock, splitting into slabs, which give a metallic clink when struck by a hammer. [A form of Click and Clank.]

Clink, klingk, v.t. to clinch: to rivet. [Scot. for Clinch.]

Clinometer, klī-nom′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring the angle of inclination or dip of a stratum.—adj. Clinomet′ric.—n. Clinom′etry. [Gr. klinein, to incline, metron, a measure.]

Clinquant, klingk′ant, adj. shining like tinsel: glittering.—n. tinsel: glitter. [Fr.,—Dut. klinken, to clink.]

Clio, klī′o, n. the muse of history and epic poetry: (zool.) a genus of shell-less molluscs in the class of Pteropods, swarming in northern and southern seas, and named by the whalers 'whales' food,' one species of which constitutes a principal part of the food of whales. [Gr. kleein, to call.]

Clip, klip, v.t. to cut by making the blades of shears meet: to cut off: to debase the coin by cutting off the edges: to diminish.—v.i. to go quickly:—pr.p. clip′ping; pa.p. clipped.—n. the thing clipped off, as the wool that has been shorn off sheep: a smart blow.—adj. Clipped, cut short.—ns. Clip′per, one that clips: a sharp-built, fast-sailing vessel: (slang) a dashing person; Clip′ping, the act of cutting, esp. debasing coin by cutting off the edges: the thing clipped off.—adj. superb: fast-going.—Clip the wings, to cut a bird's wings to prevent it from flying: (fig.) to restrain ambition: to deprive of the means of rising. [Prob. from Ice. klippa, to cut; Dan. klippe.]

Clip, klip, v.t. (Shak.) to embrace: to encircle: to hold firmly.—n. an instrument for holding things firm. [A.S. clyppan, to embrace; Ice. klýpa, to pinch; Ger. kluppe, pincers.]

Clique, klēk, n. a group of persons in union for a purpose: a party or faction: a gang—used generally in a bad sense.—adj. Cliqu′ish, relating to a clique.—ns. Cliqu′ishness; Cliqu′ism, tendency to form cliques. [Fr.; prob. from root of click, and so = a noisy conclave. Acc. to Littré, orig. in sense of Claque.]

Clish-clash, klish′-klash, Clishmaclaver, klish′maklāv′ėr, n. gossip. [Scot.]

Clistogamy, klis-tog′a-mi, n. a peculiar dimorphism in the flowers of a plant when these do not expand and are systematically close or self-fertilised.—adjs. Clistog′amous, Clistogam′ic. [Gr. kleistos, closed, gamos, marriage.]

Clitellum, kli-tel′um, n. the saddle of an annelid, as the earthworm:—pl. Clitell′a. [L.]

Clithral, klith′ral, adj. with a roof that forms a complete covering. [Gr.]

Clitoris, klī′tō-ris, n. a homologue of the penis present, as a rudimentary organ, in the female of many higher vertebrates.—ns. Clī′torism; Clitorī′tis. [Gr.]

Clitter, klit′ėr, v.t. and v.i. to make, or cause to make, a shrill rattling noise.—n. Clitt′er-clatt′er, idle talk, chatter. [Related to Clatter.]

Clivers. Same as Cleavers (q.v. under Cleave).

Cloaca, klō-ā′ka, n. a sewer: a privy: a cavity in birds and reptiles, in which the intestinal and urinary ducts terminate: a sink of moral filth:—pl. Cloacæ (klō-ā′sē).—adjs. Cloā′cal, Cloā′cinal. [L. cloāca—cluĕre, to purge.]

Cloak, Cloke, klōk, n. a loose outer garment: a covering: that which conceals: a disguise, pretext.—v.t. to clothe with a cloak: to cover: to conceal.—ns. Cloak′-bag (obs.), a portmanteau; Cloak′-room, a room set apart for keeping cloaks, coats, hats, &c., at a theatre, railway station, &c. [O. Fr. cloke, cloque—Low L. cloca, a bell, also a horseman's cape, because bell-shaped, from root of Clock.]

Cloam, klōm, n. and adj. earthenware, clay, or made of such. [A.S. clám, mud. See Clay.]

Clobber, klob′ėr, n. a paste used by shoemakers to hide the cracks in leather. [Ety. dub.]

Clock, klok, n. a machine for measuring time, marking the time by the position of its 'hands' upon the dial-plate, or by the striking of a hammer on a bell: (Shak.) the striking of the hour.—n. Clock′work, the works or machinery of a clock: machinery steady and regular like that of a clock.—adj. automatic.—Go like clockwork, to go along smoothly and without a hitch.—Know what o'clock it is, to be wide awake, to know how things are. [M. E. clokke, prob. through O. Fr. from Low L. cloca, clocca, a bell; mod. Fr. cloche, Dut. klok; Ger. glocke, a bell.]

Clock, klok, n. an ornament worked on the side of a stocking.—adj. Clocked, ornamented with clocks.

Clock, klok, n. a beetle—common name in Scotland.

Clock, klok, v.i. (Scot.) to cluck: to hatch.—n. Clock′er, a clocking hen. [A.S. cloccian; Dut. klokken.]

Clod, klod, n. a thick round mass or lump, that sticks together, esp. of earth or turf: a concreted mass: the ground: the body of man, as formed of clay: a stupid fellow.—v.t. to pelt.—v.i. to throw clods: (Scot.) to throw:—pr.p. clod′ding; pa.p. clod′ded.—adjs. Clod′dish; Clod′dy, abounding in clods: earthy.—n. Clod′hopper, a countryman: a peasant: a dolt.—adj. Clodhop′ping, boorish.—adv. Clod′ly.—ns. Clod′pate, Clod′poll, a stupid fellow.—adj. Clodpat′ed, stupid. [A later form of Clot.]

Cloff, klof, n. a cleft. [Cf. Ice. klof.]

Cloff, klof, n. an allowance, on buying goods wholesale, of 2 lb. in every 3 cwt., after tare and tret have been deducted. [Der. unknown.]

Clog, klog, n. a piece of wood: anything hindering motion: an obstruction: an impediment: a shoe with a wooden sole.—v.t. to fasten a piece of wood to: to accumulate in a mass and cause a stoppage: to obstruct: to encumber: to put clogs on.—ns. Clog′-al′manac, an early form of almanac having the indicating characters notched on wood, horn, &c.; Clog′-dance, a dance performed with clogs, the clatter keeping time to the music.—adj. Clogged, encumbered.—ns. Clog′ger, one who makes clogs; Clog′giness.—adj. Clog′gy, lumpy, sticky. [Ety. dub.; prob. related to Clay; cf. Scot. clag, to cover with mud; claggy, muddy, sticky.]

Cloison, kloi′son, n. a partition, dividing fillet or band.—n. Cloi′sonnage, the process of executing cloisonné work.—adj. Cloisonné, partitioned—of a surface decoration in enamel, the outlines of the design formed by small fillets of metal, the interstices filled with coloured enamel paste, vitrified.—n. work of this kind. [Fr.]

Cloister, klois′tėr, n. a covered arcade forming part of a monastic or collegiate establishment: a place of religious retirement, a monastery or nunnery: an enclosed place.—v.t. to confine in a cloister: to confine within walls.—adjs. Clois′teral, Clois′tral, Claus′tral, pertaining or confined to a cloister: secluded; Clois′tered, dwelling in cloisters.—ns. Clois′terer, one belonging to a cloister; Clois′ter-garth, the court or yard enclosed by a cloister; Clois′tress (Shak.), a nun.—The cloister, the monastic life. [O. Fr. cloistre (A.S. clauster)—L. claustrum—claudĕre, clausum, to shut.]

Cloke, klōk, n. Same as Cloak.

Clomb, klōm, old pa.t. of Climb.

Clonic, klon′ik, adj. pertaining to clonus, with alternate convulsive contractions and relaxations of the muscles (of spasms)—opp. to Tonic.—n. Clō′nus, a clonic spasm. [Gr.]

Cloop, kloop, n. the sound made when the cork is drawn from a bottle. [From the sound.]

Cloot, kloot, n. a cloven hoof: (pl.) the devil.—n. Cloot′ie, the devil, because of his cloven hoof. [Scot.; ety. dub.]

Close, klōs, adj. shut up: with no opening: confined, unventilated: stifling: narrow: stingy: near, in time or place: intimate: compact, as opposed to discursive: crowded: hidden: reserved: private: secret.—adv. in a close manner: tightly; nearly: densely.—n. an enclosed place: a small enclosed field: a narrow passage of a street: the precinct of a cathedral.—adjs. Close′-band′ed, closely united; Close′-barred, firmly closed; Close′-bod′ied, fitting close to the body.—n. Close′-corporā′tion, a corporation which fills up its own vacancies, without outside interference.—adjs. Close′-fist′ed, Close′-hand′ed, penurious, covetous; Close′-grained, with the fibres, &c., close together, compact; Close′-hauled, noting the trim of a ship when sailing as near as possible to the wind.—adv. Close′ly.—ns. Close′ness; Close′-stool, a chamber utensil enclosed in a box or stool; Close′-sea′son, Close′-time, a time of the year when it is against the law to kill certain animals, esp. game.—adj. Close′-tongued (Shak.), cautious in speaking. [Fr. clos, shut—L. claudĕre, clausum, to shut.]

Close, klōz, v.t. to make close: to draw together and unite: to finish.—v.i. to come together: to grapple: to come to an end (with).—n. the manner or time of closing: a pause or stop: the end: junction: (Shak.) encounter.—ns. Clos′er, one who concludes; Clos′ing, enclosing: ending: agreement; Clos′ure, the act of closing: the end: the stopping of a debate in the House of Commons by the vote of the House.—Close a bargain, to make an agreement; Close with, to accede to: to grapple with.—With closed doors, in private, the public being excluded, as in special cases in court, &c.

Closet, kloz′et, n. a small private room: a recess off a room: a privy: the private chamber of a sovereign, an apartment for private audience or council, or for private or domestic devotions.—v.t. to shut up in or take into a closet: to conceal:—pr.p. clos′eting; pa.p. clos′eted.—n. Bed′-clos′et, a small recess for a bed. [O. Fr. closet, dim. of clos. See Close.]

Clot, klot, n. a mass of soft or fluid matter concreted, as blood.—v.i. to form into clots: to coagulate:—pr.p. clot′ting; pa.p. clot′ted.—n. Clot′poll (Shak.), a clodpoll, a blockhead.—v.t. Clot′ter, to coagulate.—ns. Clot′tiness; Clot′ting, coagulation.—adj. Clot′ty.—Clotted (also Clouted) cream, a famous Devonshire dainty, skimmed off milk that has been 'scalded' or heated after standing 24 hours, with a little sugar thrown on the top. [A.S. clott, a clod of earth; cf. Dut. klos, block; Dan. klods; Ger. klotz.]

Cloth, kloth, n. woven material from which garments or coverings are made: clothing: the usual dress of a trade or profession, esp. the clerical:—pl. Cloths.—v.t. Clothe (klōth), to cover with a garment: to provide with clothes: (fig.) to invest as with a garment: to cover:—pr.p. clōth′ing; pa.t. and pa.p. clōthed or clad.—n.pl. Clothes (klōthz, coll. klōz), garments or articles of dress: blankets for a bed.—ns. Clothes′-bas′ket, a large basket for holding and carrying clothes; Clothes′-brush, a brush for clothes; Clothes′-horse, Clothes′-screen, a frame for hanging clothes on to dry; Clothes′-line, a rope or wire for hanging clothes on to dry; Clothes′-moth, one of various tineas whose larvæ feed on furs, woollens, &c., spinning cases out of these; Clothes′-pin, a forked piece of wood to secure clothes on a line; Clothes′-press, a place for holding clothes; Cloth′-hall, a cloth-exchange building or market; Cloth′ier, one who makes or sells cloth; Cloth′ing, clothes, garments: covering; Cloth′-yard, formerly the yard by which cloth was measured.—Cloth of gold, a tissue consisting of threads of gold and silk or wool; Cloth of state, a canopy; Cloth-yard shaft, an arrow a cloth-yard long.—Clothe in words, to express ideas in words; Clothe on, or upon, to invest: to cover.—American cloth, a kind of enamelled cloth, used for covering chairs, &c.—The cloth, the clerical profession: the clergy. [A.S. cláth, cloth; Ger. kleid, a garment.]

Cloture, klot′ūr, n. Same as Closure. [Fr. clôture—L. claudĕre, clausum, to shut.]