BYREByre, n. Etym: [Cf, Icel. bür pantry, Sw. bur cage,Dan. buur,E.bower.]
Defn: A cow house. [N. of Eng.& Scot.]
BY-RESPECTBy"-re*spect`, n.
Defn: Private end or view; by-interest. [Obs.] Dryden.
BYROADBy"road`, n.
Defn: A private or obscure road. "Through slippery byroads" Swift.
BYRONICBy"ron`ic, a.
Defn: Pertaining to, or in the style of, Lord Byron.With despair and Byronic misanthropy. Thackeray
BY-ROOMBy"-room`, n.
Defn: A private room or apartment. "Stand in some by-room" Shak.
BYSMOTTEREDBy"*smot`ter*ed, p.a. Etym: [See Besmut.]
Defn: Bespotted with mud or dirt. [Obs.] Chaucer.
BY-SPEECHBy"-speech`(, n.
Defn: An incidental or casual speech, not directly relating to the point. "To quote by-speeches." Hooker.
BY-SPELLBy"-spell`(, n. Etym: [AS. bigspell.]
Defn: A proverb. [Obs.]
BYSSByss, n.
Defn: See Byssus, n., 1.
BYSSACEOUSBys*sa"ceous, a. Etym: [From Byssus.] (Bot.)
Defn: Byssuslike; consisting of fine fibers or threads, as some very delicate filamentous algæ.
BYSSIFEROUSBys*sif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Byssus + -ferous.]
Defn: Bearing a byssus or tuft.
BYSSINBys"sin, n.
Defn: See Byssus, n., 1.
BYSSINEBys"sine, a. Etym: [L. byssinus made of byssus, Gr.Byssus.]
Defn: Made of silk; having a silky or flaxlike appearance. Coles.
BYSSOIDBys"soid, a. Etym: [Byssus + -oid.]
Defn: Byssaceous.
BYSSOLITEBys"so*lite, n. Etym: [Gr.-lite.] (Min.)
Defn: An olive-green fibrous variety of hornblende.
BYSSUS Bys"sus, n.; pl. E. Byssuses(#); L. Byssi.(#) Etym: [L. byssus fine flax, fine linen or cotton, Gr.
1. A cloth of exceedingly fine texture, used by the ancients. It is disputed whether it was of cotton, linen, or silk. [Written also byss and byssin.]
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A tuft of long, tough filaments which are formed in a groove of the foot, and issue from between the valves of certain bivalve mollusks, as the Pinna and Mytilus, by which they attach themselves to rocks, etc.
3. (Bot.)
Defn: An obsolete name for certain fungi composed of slender threads.
4. Asbestus.
BYSTANDER By"stand`er, n. Etym: [By + stander, equiv. to stander-by; cf. AS. big-standan to stand by or near.]
Defn: One who stands near; a spectator; one who has no concern withthe business transacting.He addressed the bystanders and scattered pamphlets among them.Palfrey.
Syn.— Looker on; spectator; beholder; observer.
BY-STREETBy"-street`, n.
Defn: A separate, private, or obscure street; an out of the way orcross street.He seeks by-streets, and saves the expensive coach. Gay.
BY-STROKEBy"-stroke`, n.
Defn: An accidental or a slyly given stroke.
BY-TURNINGBy"-turn`ing, n.
Defn: An obscure road; a way turning from the main road. Sir P.Sidney.
BY-VIEWBy"-view`(, n.
Defn: A private or selfish view; self-interested aim or purpose.No by-views of his own shall mislead him. Atterbury.
BY-WALKBy"-walk`(, n.
Defn: secluded or private walk.He moves afterward in by-walks. Dryden.
BY-WASHBy"-wash`, n.
Defn: The outlet from a dam or reservoir; also, a cut to divert the flow of water.
BYWAYBy"way`, n.
Defn: A secluded, private, or obscure way; a path or road aside from the main one. " Take no byways." Herbert.
BY-WIPEBy"-wipe`, n.
Defn: A secret or side stroke, as of raillery or sarcasm. Milton.
BYWORDBy"word`, n. Etym: [AS.bïword; bï, E.by+word.]
1. A common saying; a proverb; a saying that has a general currency. I knew a wise man that had it for a byword. Bacon.
2. The object of a contemptuous saying. Thou makest us a byword among the heathen. Ps. xliv. 14
BYWORKBy"work, n.
Defn: Work aside from regular work; subordinate or secondary business.
BYZANT; BYZANTINEByz"ant, Byz"an*tine n.Etym: [OE. besant, besaunt, F. besant, fr. LL.Byzantius, Byzantinus, fr. Byzantium.] (Numis.)
Defn: A gold coin, so called from being coined at Byzantium. SeeBezant.
BYZANTIANBy*zan"tian, a.& n.
Defn: See Byzantine.
BYZANTINEBy*zan"tine, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to Byzantium.— n.
Defn: A native or inhabitant of Byzantium, now Constantinople; sometimes, applied to an inhabitant of the modern city of Constantinople. [ Written also Bizantine.] Byzantine church, the Eastern or Greek church, as distinguished from the Western or Roman or Latin church.See under Greek. — Byzantine empire, the Eastern Roman or Greek empire from A.D. 364 or A.D. 395 to the capture of Constantinople by the Turks, A.D. 1453. — Byzantine historians, historians and writers (Zonaras, Procopius, etc.) who lived in the Byzantine empire. P. Cyc. Byzantine style (Arch.), a style of architecture developed in the Byzantine empire.
Note: Its leading forms are the round arch, the dome, the pillar, the circle, and the cross. The capitals of the pillars are the endless variety, and full of invention. The mosque of St. Sophia, Constantinople, and the church of St. Mark, Venice, are prominent examples of Byzantine architecture.
1. C is the third letter of the English alphabet. It is from the Latin letter C, which in old Latin represented the sounds of k, and g (in go); its original value being the latter. In Anglo-Saxon words, or Old English before the Norman Conquest, it always has the sound of k. The Latin C was the same letter as the Greek got it from the Phoenicians. The English name of C is from the Latin name ce, and was derived, probably, through the French. Etymologically C is related to g, h, k, q, s (and other sibilant sounds). Examples of these relations are in L. acutus, E. acute, ague; E. acrid, eagar; L. cornu, E. horn; E. cat, kitten; E. coy, quiet; L. circare, OF. cerchier, E. search.
Note: See Guide to Pronunciation, t\'c5 221-228.
2. (Mus.)
Defn: (a) The keynote of the normal or "natural" scale, which has neither flats nor sharps in its signature; also, the third note of the relative minor scale of the same (b) C after the clef is the mark of common time, in which each measure is a semibreve (four fourths or crotchets); for alla breve time it is written (c) The "C clef," a modification of the letter C, placed on any line of the staff, abows that line to be middle C.
3. As a numeral, C stands for Latin centum or 100, CC for 200, etc. C spring, a spring in the form of the letter C.
CAABACa*a"ba, n. Etym: [Ar. ka'ban, let, a square building, fr. ka'b cube]
Defn: The small and nearly cubical stone building, toward which allMohammedans must pray. [Written also kaaba.]
Note: The Caaba is situated in Mecca, a city of Arabia, and contains a famous black stone said to have been brought from heaven. Before the time of Mohammed, the Caaba was an idolatrous temple, but it has since been the chief sanctuary and object of pilgrimage of the Mohammedan world.
CAADACa*ña"da, n. [Sp.]
Defn: A small cañon; a narrow valley or glen; also, but less frequently, an open valley. [Local, Western U. S.]
CAASCaas, n. sing. & pl.
Defn: Case. [Obs.] Chaucer.
CAATINGACaa*tin"ga, n. [Tupi caa-tinga white forest.] (Phytogeography)
Defn: A forest composed of stunted trees and thorny bushes, found in areas of small rainfall in Brazil.
CABCab, n. Etym: [Abbrev. fr. cabriolet.]
1. A kind of close carriage with two or four wheels, usually a public vehicle. "A cab came clattering up." Thackeray.
Note: A cab may have two seats at right to the driver's seat, and a door behind; or one seat parallel to the driver's, with the entrance from the side or front. Hansom cab. See Hansom.
2. The covered part of a locomotive, in which the engineer has his station. Knight.
CABCab, n. Etym: [Heb. gab, fr. qabab to hollow.]
Defn: A Hebrew dry measure, containing a little over two (2.37) pints. W. H. Ward. 2 Kings vi. 25.
CABALCa*bal", n. Etym: [F. cabale cabal, cabala LL. cabala cabala, fr.Heb. qabbaleh reception, tradition, mysterious doctrine, fr. qabal totake or receive, in Piël qibbel to abopt (a doctrine).]
1. Tradition; occult doctrine. See Cabala [Obs.] Hakewill.
2. A secret. [Obs.] "The measuring of the temple, a cabal found out but lately." B. Jonson.
3. A number of persons united in some close design, usually to promote their private views and interests in church or state by intrigue; a secret association composed of a few designing persons; a junto.
Note: It so happend, by a whimsical coincidence, that in 1671 the cabinet consisted of five persons, the initial letters of whose names made up the word cabal; Clifford, Arlington, Buckingham, Ashley, and Lauderdale. Macaulay.
4. The secret artifices or machinations of a few persons united in a close design; in intrigue. By cursed cabals of women. Dryden. Syn. - Junto; intrigue; plot; combination; conspiracy. — Cabal, Combination, Faction. An association for some purpose considered to be bad is the idea common to these terms. A combination is an organized union of individuals for mutual support, in urging their demands or resisting the claims of others, and may be good or bad according to circumstances; as, a combiniation of workmen or of employers to effect or to prevent a chang in prices. A cabal is a secret association of a few individuals who seek by cunning practices to obtain office and power. A faction is a larger body than a cabal, employed for selfish purposes in agitating the community and working up an excitement with a view to change the existing order of things. "Selfishness, insubordination, and laxity of morals give rise to combinations, which belong particularly to the lower orders of society. Restless, jealous, ambitious, and little minds are ever forming cabals. Factions belong especially to free governments, and are raised by busy and turbulent spirits for selfish porposes". Crabb.
CABALCa*bal", v. i. [int. & p. p. Caballed; p. pr. & vb. n. Caballing].Etym: [Cf. F. cabaler.]
Defn: To unite in a small party to promote private views and interests by intrigue; to intrigue; to plot. Caballing still against it with the great. Dryden.
CABALACab"a*la, n. Etym: [LL. See Cabal, n.]
1. A kind of occult theosophy or traditional interpretation of the Scriptures among Jewish rabbis and certain mediæval Christians, which treats of the nature of god and the mystery of human existence. It assumed that every letter, word, number, and accent of Scripture contains a hidden sense; and it teaches the methods of interpretation for ascertaining these occult meanings. The cabalists pretend even to foretell events by this means.
2. Secret science in general; mystic art; mystery.
CABALISMCab"a*lism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. cabalisme.]
1. The secret science of the cabalists.
2. A superstitious devotion to the mysteries of the religion which one professes. [R] Emerson.
CABALISTCab"a*list, n. Etym: [Cf.F. cabaliste.]
Defn: One versed in the cabala, or the mysteries of Jewish traditions. "Studious cabalists." Swift.
CABALISTIC; CABALISTICALCab`a*lis"tic, Cab`a*lis"tic*al a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the cabala; containing or conveying anoccult meaning; mystic.The Heptarchus is a cabalistic of the first chapter of Genesis.Hallam.
CABALISTICALLYCab`a*lis"tic*al*ly, adv.
Defn: In a cabalistic manner.
CABALIZECab"a*lize, v. i. Etym: [Cf.F. cabaliser.]
Defn: To use cabalistic language. [R] Dr. H. More.
CABALLERCa*bal"ler, n.
Defn: One who cabals.A close caballer and tongue-valiant lord. Dryden.
CABALLERIACa`bal*le*ri"a, n. [Sp. See Caballero.]
Defn: An ancient Spanish land tenure similar to the English knight's fee; hence, in Spain and countries settled by the Spanish, a land measure of varying size. In Cuba it is about 33 acres; in Porto Rico, about 194 acres; in the Southwestern United States, about 108 acres.
CABALLEROCa`bal*le"ro, n. [Sp. Cf. Cavalier.]
Defn: A knight or cavalier; hence, a gentleman.
CABALLINECab"al*line, a. Etym: [L.caballinus, fr. caballus a nag. Cf.Cavalier.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to a horse.— n.
Defn: Caballine aloes. Caballine aloes, an inferior and impure kind of aloes formerly used in veterinary practice; — called also horse aloes. — Caballine spring, the fountain of Hippocrene, on Mount Helicon; - - fabled to have been formed by a stroke from the foot of the winged horse Pegasus.
CABALLO Ca*bal"lo (ka*väl"yo; 220), n. [Written also cavallo.] [Sp., fr. L. caballus a nag. See Cavalcade.]
Defn: A horse. [Sp. Amer.]
CABARETCab"a*ret, n. Etym: [F.]
Defn: A tavern; a house where liquors are retailed. [Obs. as anEnglish word.]
CABASCa*bas", n. Etym: [F.]
Defn: A flat basket or frail for figs, etc.; Hence, a lady's flat workbasket, reticule, or hand bag; — often written caba. C. Bronté.
CABASSOUCa*bas"sou, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A speciec of armadillo of the genus Xenurus (X. unicinctus andX. hispidus); the tatouay. [Written also Kabassou.]
CABBAGE Cab"bage, n. Etym: [OE. cabage, fr. F. cabus headed (of cabbages), chou cobus headed cabbage, cabbage head; cf. It. capuccio a little head, cappuccio cowl, hood, cabbage, fr. capo head, L. caput, or fr. It. cappa cape. See Chiff, Cape.] (Bot.)
1. An esculent vegetable of many varieties, derived from the wild Brassica oleracea of Europe. The common cabbage has a compact head of leaves. The cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, etc., are sometimes classed as cabbages.
2. The terminal bud of certain palm trees, used, like, cabbage, for food. See Cabbage tree, below.
3. The cabbage palmetto. See below. Cabbage aphis (Zoöl.), a green plant-louse (Aphis brassicæ) which lives upon the leaves of the cabbage. — Cabbage Beetle (Zoöl.), a small, striped flea-beetle (Phyllotreta vittata) which lives, in the larval state, on the roots, and when adult, on the leaves, of cabbage and other cruciferous plants. — Cabbage butterfly (Zoöl.), a white butterfly (Pieris rapæ of both Europe and America, and the Allied P. oleracea, a native American species) which, in the larval state, devours the leaves of the cabbage and the turnip. See Cabbage worm, below. — Cabbage Fly (Zoöl.), a small two-winged fly (Anthomyia brassicæ), which feeds, in the larval or maggot state, on the roots of the cabbage, often doing much damage to the crop. — Cabbage head, the compact head formed by the leaves of a cabbage; — contemptuously or humorously, and colloquially, a very stupid and silly person; a numskull. — Cabbage palmetto, a species of palm tree (Sabal Palmetto) found along the coast from North Carolina to Florida. — Cabbage rose (Bot.), a species of rose (Rosa centifolia) having large and heavy blossoms. — Cabbage tree, Cabbage palm, a name given to palms having a terminal bud called a cabbage, as the Sabal Palmetto of the United States, and the Euterpe oleracea and Oreodoxa oleracea of the West Indies. — Cabbage worm (Zoöl.), the larva of several species of moths and butterfies, which attacks cabbages. The most common is usully the larva of a white butterfly. See Cabbage Butterfly, above. The cabbage cutworms, which eat off the stalks or young plants during the night, are the larvæ of several species of moths, of the genus Agrotis. See Cutworm. — Sea cabbage.(Bot.) (a) Sea kale (b). The original Plant (Brassica oleracea), from which the cabbage, cauliflower, , broccoli, etc., have been derived by cultivation. — Thousand-headed cabbage. See Brussels sprouts.
CABBAGECab"bage, v. i.
Defn: To form a head like that the cabbage; as, to make lettuce cabbage. Johnson.
CABBAGECab"bage, v. i. [imp. & p.p Cabbaged; p. pr. & vb. n. Cabbaging (.]Etym: [F.cabasser, fr. OF. cabas theft; cf. F. cabas basket, and OF.cabuser to cheat.]
Defn: To purloin or embezzle, as the pieces of cloth remaining after cutting out a garment; to pilfer. Your tailor . . . cabbages whole yards of cloth. Arbuthnot.
CABBAGECab"bage, n.
Defn: Cloth or clippings cabbaged or purloined by one who cuts out garments.
CABBLERCab"bler, n.
Defn: One who works at cabbling.
CABBLINGCab"bling, n. (Metal)
Defn: The process of breaking up the flat masses into which wrought iron is first hammered, in order that the pieces may be reheated and wrought into bar iron.
CABECA; CABESSECa*be"ça, Ca*besse", n. Etym: [Pg. cabeça, F. cabesse.]
Defn: The finest kind of silk received from India.
CABERCa"ber, n. Etym: [Gael]
Defn: A pole or beam used in Scottish games for tossing as a trial of strength.
CABEZONCab`e*zon", n. Etym: [Sp., properly, big head. Cf. Cavesson.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A California fish (Hemilepidotus spinosus), allied to the sculpin.
CABIAICab"i*ai, n. Etym: [Native South American name.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The capybara. See Capybara.
CABINCab"in, n. Etym: [OF. caban, fr. W. caban booth, cabin, dim. of cabcot, tent; or fr. F. cabane, cabine, LL. cabanna, perh. from theCeltic.]
1. A cottage or small house; a hut. Swift. A hunting cabin in the west. E. Everett.
2. A small room; an inclosed place. So long in secret cabin there he held Her captive. Spenser.
3. A room in ship for officers or passengers. Cabin boy, a boy whose duty is wait on the officers and passengers in the cabin of a ship.
CABINCab"in v. i. [imp. & p. p. Cabined (-nd); p. pr. & vb. n. Cabining.]
Defn: To live in, or as in, a cabin; to lodge.I'll make you . . . cabin in a cave. Shak.
CABINCab"in, v. t.
Defn: To confine in, or as in, a cabin.I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in To saucy doubts and fears.Shak.
CABINETCab"i*net, n. Etym: [F., dim. of cabine or cabane. See Cabin, n.]
1. A hut; a cottage; a small house. [Obs.] Hearken a while from thy green cabinet, The rural song of careful Colinet. Spenser.
2. A small room, or retired apartment; a closet.
3. A private room in which consultations are held. Philip passed some hours every day in his father's cabinet. Prescott.
4. The advisory council of the chief executive officer of a nation; a cabinet council.
Note: In England, the cabinet or cabinet council consists of those privy coucilors who actually transact the immediate business of the government. Mozley & W. — In the United States, the cabinet is composed of the heads of the executive departments of the government, namely, the Secretary of State, of the Treasury, of War, of the Navy, of the Interior, and of Agiculture, the Postmaster-general ,and the Attorney-general.
5. (a) A set of drawers or a cupboard intended to contain articles of value. Hence: (b) A decorative piece of furniture, whether open like an étagère or closed with doors. See Etagere.
6. Any building or room set apart for the safe keeping and exhibition of works of art, etc.; also, the collection itself. Cabinet council. (a) Same as Cabinet, n., 4 (of which body it was formerly the full title). (b) A meeting of the cabinet. — Cabinet councilor, a member of a cabinet council. — Cabinet photograph, a photograph of a size smaller than an imperial, though larger than a carte de visite. — Cabinet picture, a small and generally highly finished picture, suitable for a small room and for close inspection.
CABINETCab"i*net, a.
Defn: Suitable for a cabinet; small.He [Varnhagen von Ense] is a walking cabinet edition of Goethe. For.Quar. Rev.
CABINETCab"i*net, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Cabineted; p. pr. & vb. n.Cabineting.]
Defn: To inclose [R.] Hewyt.
CABINETMAKERCab"i*net*mak`er, n.
Defn: One whose occupation is to make cabinets or other choice articles of household furniture, as tables, bedsteads, bureaus, etc.
CABINETMAKINGCab"i*net*mak`ing, n.
Defn: The art or occupation of making the finer articles of household furniture.
CABINETWORKCab"i*net*work`, n.
Defn: The art or occupation of working upon wooden furniture requiring nice workmanship; also, such furniture.
CABIREANCab`i*re"an
Defn: ,n.One of the Cabiri.
CABIRICa*bi"ri, n. pl. Etym: [ NL., fr. Gr. Ka`beiroi.] (Myth.)
Defn: Certain deities originally worshiped with mystical rites by the Pelasgians in Lemnos and Samothrace and afterwards throughout Greece; — also called sons of Hephæstus (or Vulcan), as being masters of the art of working metals. [Written also Cabeiri.] Liddell & Scott.
CABIRIANCa*bir"i*an, a.
Defn: Same as Cabiric.
CABIRICCa*bir"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. Cabirique]
Defn: Of or pertaining to the Cabiri, or to their mystical worship.[Written also Cabiritic.]
CABLECa"ble, n. Etym: [F. Câble,m LL. capulum, caplum, a rope, fr. L.capere to take; cf. D., Dan., & G. rabel, from the French. SeeCapable.]
1. A large, strong rope or chain, of considerable length, used to retain a vessel at anchor, and for other purposes. It is made of hemp, of steel wire, or of iron links.
2. A rope of steel wire, or copper wire, usually covered with some protecting, or insulating substance; as, the cable of a suspension bridge; a telegraphic cable.
3. (Arch)
Defn: A molding, shaft of a column, or any other member of convex, rounded section, made to resemble the spiral twist of a rope; — called also cable molding. Bower cable, the cable belonging to the bower anchor. — Cable road, a railway on which the cars are moved by a continuously running endless rope operated by a stationary motor. — Cable's length, the length of a ship's cable. Cables in the merchant service vary in length from 100 to 140 fathoms or more; but as a maritime measure, a cable's length is either 120 fathoms (720 feet), or about 100 fathoms (600 feet, an approximation to one tenth of a nautical mile). — Cable tier. (a) That part of a vessel where the cables are stowed. (b) A coil of a cable. — Sheet cable, the cable belonging to the sheet anchor. — Stream cable, a hawser or rope, smaller than the bower cables, to moor a ship in a place sheltered from wind and heavy seas. — Submarine cable. See Telegraph. — To pay out the cable, To veer out the cable, to slacken it, that it may run out of the ship; to let more cable run out of the hawse hole. — To serve the cable, to bind it round with ropes, canvas, etc., to prevent its being, worn or galled in the hawse, et. — To slip the cable, to let go the end on board and let it all run out and go overboard, as when there is not time to weigh anchor. Hence, in sailor's use, to die.
CABLECa"ble, v. t.
1. To fasten with a cable.
2. (Arch.)
Defn: To ornament with cabling. See Cabling.
CABLECa"ble, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Cabled (-b'ld); p. pr. & vb. n.Cabling (-blòng).]
Defn: To telegraph by a submarine cable [Recent]
CABLEDCa"bled, a.
1. Fastened with, or attached to, a cable or rope. "The cabled stone." Dyer.
2. (Arch.)
Defn: Adorned with cabling.
CABLEGRAMCa"ble*gram`, n. Etym: [Cable, n. + Gr.
Defn: A message sent by a submarine telegraphic cable.
Note: [A recent hybrid, sometimes found in the newspapers.]
CABLELAIDCa"ble*laid`, a.
1. (Naut.)
Defn: Composed of three three-stranded ropes, or hawsers, twisted together to form a cable.
2. Twisted after the manner of a cable; as, a cable-laid gold chain. Simmonds.
CABLETCa"blet, n. Etym: [Dim. of cable; cf. F. câblot.]
Defn: A little cable less than ten inches in circumference.
CABLINGCa"bling, n. (Arch.)
Defn: The decoration of a fluted shaft of a column or of a pilaster with reeds, or rounded moldings, which seem to be laid in the hollows of the fluting. These are limited in length to about one third of the height of the shaft.
CABMANCab"man, n.; pl. Cabmen (.
Defn: The driver of a cab.
CABOBCa*bob", n. Etym: [Hindi kabab]
1. A small piece of mutton or other meat roasted on a skewer; — so called in Turkey and Persia.
2. A leg of mutton roasted, stuffed with white herrings and sweet herbs. Wright.
CABOBCa*bob", v. t.
Defn: To roast, as a cabob. Sir. T. Herbert.
CABOCHEDCa*boched", a. Etym: [F. caboche head. Cf. lst Cabbage.] (Her.)
Defn: Showing the full face, but nothing of the neck; — said of the head of a beast in armorial bearing. [Written also caboshed.]
CABOCHONCa`bo`chon" (ka`bo`shôN"), n. [F.] (Jewelry)
Defn: A stone of convex form, highly polished, but not faceted; also, the style of cutting itself. Such stones are said to be cut en cabochon.
CABOODLECa*boo"dle, n.
Defn: The whole collection; the entire quantity or number; — usually in the phrase the whole caboodle. [Slang, U.S.] Bartlett.
CABOOSE Ca*boose", n. Etym: [Cf. D. kabuis, kombuis, Dan. kabys, Sw. kabysa, G. kabuse a little room or hut. The First part of the word seems to be allied to W. cab cabin, booth. Cf. Cabin.] [Written also camboose.]
1. (Naut.)
Defn: A house on deck, where the cooking is done; — commonly called the galley.
2. (Railroad)
Defn: A car used on freight or construction trains for brakemen, workmen, etc.; a tool car. [U. S.]
CABOTAGE Cab"o*tage, n. Etym: [F. cabotage, fr. caboter to sail along the coast; cf. Sp. cabo cape.] (Naut.)
Defn: Navigation along the coast; the details of coast pilotage.
CABREECa*brée", n. Etym: [French Canadian.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The pronghorn antelope. [Also written cabrit, cabret.]
CABRERITECa*brer"ite, n. (Min.)
Defn: An apple-green mineral, a hydrous arseniate of nickel, cobalt, and magnesia; — so named from the Sierra Cabrera, Spain.
CABRILLACa*bril"la, n. Etym: [Sp., prawn.] (Zoöl)
Defn: A name applied to various species of edible fishes of the genus Serranus, and related genera, inhabiting the Meditarranean, the coast of California, etc. In California, some of them are also called rock bass and kelp salmon.
CABRIOLECab"ri*ole, n. Etym: [F. See Cabriolet, and cf. Capriole.] (Man.)
Defn: A curvet; a leap. See Capriole.The cabrioles which his charger exhibited. Sir W. Scott.
CABRIOLET Cab`ri*o*let", n.Etym: [F., dim. of cabriole a leap, caper, from It. capriola, fr. dim. of L. caper he-goat, capra she-goat. This carriage is so called from its skipping lightness. Cf. Cab, Caper a leap.]
Defn: A one-horse carriage with two seats and a calash top.
CABRITCa*brit", n.
Defn: Same as Cabrée.
CABURNCab"urn, n. Etym: [Cf. Cable, n.] (Naut.)
Defn: A small line made of spun yarn, to bind or worm cables, seize tackles, etc.
CACAEMIA; CACHAEMIACa*cæ"mi*a, Ca*chæ"mi*a n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)
Defn: A degenerated or poisoned condition of the blood.
CACAINECa*ca"ine, n. (Chem.)
Defn: The essential principle of cacao; — now called theobromine.
CACAJAOCa*ca*jão", n. Etym: [Pg.] (Zoöl)
Defn: A South American short-tailed monkey (Pithecia (or Brachyurus) melanocephala). [Written also cacajo.]
CACAOCa*ca"o, n. Etym: [Sp., fr. Mex. kakahuatl. Cf. Cocoa, Chocolate](Bot.)
Defn: A small evergreen tree (Theobroma Cacao) of South America and the West Indies. Its fruit contains an edible pulp, inclosing seeds about the size of an almond, from which cocoa, chocolate, and broma are prepared.
CACHAEMIA; CACHEMIACa*chæ"mi*a, Ca*che"mi*a, n. [NL., fr. Gr. bad + blood.] (Med.)
Defn: A degenerated or poisoned condition of the blood. —Ca*chæ"mic,Ca*che"mic (#), a.
CACHALOTCach"a*lot, n. Etym: [F. cachalot.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). It has in the top of its head a large cavity, containing an oily fluid, which, after death, concretes into a whitish crystalline substance called spermaceti. See Sperm whale.
CACHECache, n. Etym: [F., a hiding place, fr. cacher to conceal, to hide.]
Defn: A hole in the ground, or hiding place, for concealing and preserving provisions which it is inconvenient to carry. Kane.
CACHECTIC; CACHECTICAL Ca*chec"tic, Ca*chec"tic*al, a. Etym: [L. cachecticus, Gr. cachectique.]
Defn: Having, or pertaining to, cachexia; as, cachectic remedies; cachectical blood. Arbuthnot.
CACHEPOTCache`pot" (kash`po"), n. Etym: [F., fr. cacher to hide + pot a pot.]
Defn: An ornamental casing for a flowerpot, of porcelain, metal, paper, etc.
CACHETCach"et, n. Etym: [F. fr. cacher to hide.]
Defn: A seal, as of a letter. Lettre de cachet Etym: [F.], a sealed letter, especially a letter or missive emanating from the sovereign; — much used in France before the Revolution as an arbitrary order of imprisonment.
CACHEXIA; CACHEXYCa*chex"i*a, Ca*chex"y, n. Etym: [L. cachexia, Gr.
Defn: A condition of ill health and impairment of nutrition due to impoverishment of the blood, esp. when caused by a specific morbid process (as cancer or tubercle).
CACHINNATION Cach`in*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. cachinnatio, fr. cachinnare to laugh aloud, cf Gr.
Defn: Loud or immoderate laughter; — often a symptom of hystericalor maniacal affections.Hideous grimaces . . . attended this unusual cachinnation. Sir W.Scott.
CACHINNATORYCa*chin"na*to*ry, a.
Defn: Consisting of, or accompanied by, immoderate laughter.Cachinnatory buzzes of approval. Carlyle.
CACHIRICa*chi"ri, n.
Defn: A fermented liquor made in Cayenne from the grated root of the manioc, and resembling perry. Dunglison.
CACHOLONGCach"o*long, n, Etym: [F. cacholong, said to be from Cach, the nameof a river in Bucharia + cholon, a Calmuck word for stone; or fr. aCalmuck word meaning "beautiful stone"] (Min.)
Defn: An opaque or milk-white chalcedony, a variety of quartz; also, a similar variety of opal.
CACHOUCa`chou", n. Etym: [F. See Cashoo.]
Defn: A silvered aromatic pill, used to correct the odor of the breath.
CACHUCHACa*chu"cha, n. Etym: [Sp.]
Defn: An Andalusian dance in three-four time, resembing the bolero.[Sometimes in English spelled cachuca (.]The orchestra plays the cachucha. Logfellow.
CACHUNDECa*chun"de, n. Etym: [Sp.] (Med.)
Defn: A pastil or troche, composed of various aromatic and other ingredients, highly celebrated in India as an antidote, and as a stomachic and antispasmodic.
CACIQUECa*cique", n. Etym: [Sp.]
Defn: See Cazique.
CACKCack, v. i. Etym: [OE. cakken, fr. L. cacare; akin to Gr. cac.]
Defn: To ease the body by stool; to go to stool. Pope.
CACKERELCack"er*el, n. Etym: [OF. caquerel cagarel (Cotgr.), from the root ofE. cack.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The mendole; a small worthless Mediterranean fish considered poisonous by the ancients. See Mendole.
CACKLE Cac"kle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Cackled (-k'ld); p. pr. & vb. n. Cackling.] Etym: [OE. cakelen; cf. LG. kakeln, D. kakelen, G. gackeln, gackern; all of imitative origin. Cf. Gagle, Cake to cackle.]
1. To make a sharp, broken noise or cry, as a hen or goose does. When every goose is cackling. Shak.
2. To laugh with a broken noise, like the cackling of a hen or a goose; to giggle. Arbuthnot.
3. To talk in a silly manner; to prattle. Johnson.
CACKLECac"kle, n.
1. The sharp broken noise made by a goose or by a hen that has laid an egg. By her cackle saved the state. Dryden.
2. Idle talk; silly prattle. There is a buzz and cackle all around regarding the sermon. Thackeray.
CACKLERCac"kler, n.
1. A fowl that cackles.
2. One who prattles, or tells tales; a tattler.
CACKLINGCac"kling, n.
Defn: The broken noise of a goose or a hen.
CACOCHYMIA; CACOCHYMY Cac`o*chym"i*a, Cac"o*chym`y, n. Etym: [NL. cacochymia, fr. Gr. cacochymie.] (Med.)
Defn: A vitiated state of the humors, or fluids, of the body, especially of the blood. Dunglison.
CACOCHYMIC; CACOCHYMICALCac`o*chym"ic, Cac`o*chym"ic*al, a.
Defn: Having the fluids of the body vitiated, especially the blood.Wiseman.
CACODEMONCac`o*de"mon, n. Etym: [Gr. cacodémon.]
1. An evil spirit; a devil or demon. Shak.
2. (Med.)
Defn: The nightmare. Dunaglison.
CACODOXICALCac`o*dox"ic*al, a.
Defn: Heretical.
CACODOXYCac"o*dox`y, n. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Erroneous doctrine; heresy; heterodoxy. [R.]Heterodoxy, or what Luther calls cacodoxy. R. Turnbull.
CACODYLCac"o*dyl, n. Etym: [Gr. -yl.] (Chem.)
Defn: Alkarsin; a colorless, poisonous, arsenical liquid, As2(CH3)4, spontaneously inflammable and possessing an intensely disagreeable odor. It is the type of a series of compounds analogous to the nitrogen compounds called hydrazines. [Written also cacodyle, and kakodyl.]
CACODYLICCac`o*dyl"ic, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Of, pertaining to, or derived from, cacodyl. Cacodylic acid, a white, crystalline, deliquescent substance, (CH3)2AsO.OH, obtained by the oxidation of cacodyl, and having the properties of an exceedingly stable acid; — also called alkargen.
CACOETHESCac`o*ë"thes, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.
1. A bad custom or habit; an insatiable desire; as, cacoëthes scribendi, "The itch for writing". Addison.
2. (Med.)
Defn: A bad quality or disposition in a disease; an incurable ulcer.
CACOGASTRICCac`o*gas"tric, a. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Troubled with bad digestion. [R.] Carlyle.
CACOGRAPHICCac`o*graph`ic, a.
Defn: Pertaining to, or characterized by, cacography; badly written or spelled.
CACOGRAPHYCa*cog`ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. -graphy; cf. F. cacographie.]
Defn: Incorrect or bad writing or spelling. Walpole.
CACOLETCa`co*let", n. Etym: [F.]
Defn: A chair, litter, or other contrivance fitted to the back or pack saddle of a mule for carrying travelers in mountainous districts, or for the transportation of the sick and wounded of an army.
CACOLOGYCa*col"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy: cf. F. cacologie.]
Defn: Bad speaking; bad choice or use of words. Buchanan.
CACOMIXLE; CACOMIXTLE; CACOMIXLCa`co*mix"le, Ca`co*mix"tle, Ca"co*mix`l, n. Etym: [Mexican name.]
Defn: A North American carnivore (Bassaris astuta), about the size of a cat, related to the raccoons. It inhabits Mexico, Texas, and California.
CACOONCa*coon", n.
Defn: One of the seeds or large beans of a tropical vine (Entada scandens) used for making purses, scent bottles, etc.
CACOPHONIC; CACOPHONICAL; CACOPHONOUS; CACOPHONIOUSCac`o*phon"ic, Cac`o*phon"ic*al, Ca*coph"o*nous, Cac`o*pho"ni*ous, a.
Defn: Harsh-sounding.
CACOPHONYCa*coph"o*ny, n.; pl. Cacophonies. Etym: [Gr. Cacophonie.]
1. (Rhet.)
Defn: An uncouth or disagreable sound of words, owing to the concurrence of harsh letters or syllables. "Cacophonies of all kinds." Pope.
2. (Mus.)
Defn: A combination of discordant sounds.
3. (Med.)
Defn: An unhealthy state of the voice.
CACOSTOMIACac`o*sto"mi*a, n. [NL., fr. Gr. bad + mouth.] (Med.)
Defn: Diseased or gangrenous condition of the mouth.
CACOTECHNYCac"o*tech`ny, n. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: A corruption or corrupt state of art. [R.]
CACOXENE; CACOXENITECa*cox"ene, Ca*cox"e*nite, n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.)
Defn: A hydrous phosphate of iron occurring in yellow radiated tufts.The phosphorus seriously injures it as an iron ore.
CACTACEOUSCac*ta"ceous, a. (Bot.)
Defn: Belonging to, or like, the family of plants of which the prickly pear is a common example.
CACTUS Cac"tus, n. ; pl. E. Cactuses, Cacti (-ti). Etym: [L., a kind of cactus, Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: Any plant of the order Cactacæ, as the prickly pear and the night-blooming cereus. See Cereus. They usually have leafless stems and branches, often beset with clustered thorns, and are mostly natives of the warmer parts of America. Cactus wren (Zoöl.), an American wren of the genus Campylorhynchus, of several species.
CACUMINALCa*cu"mi*nal, a. Etym: [L. cacumen, cacuminis, the top, point.](Philol.)
Defn: Pertaining to the top of the palate; cerebral; — applied to certain consonants; as, cacuminal (or cerebral) letters.
CACUMINATE Ca*cu"mi*nate, v. i. Etym: [L. cacuminatus, p. p. of cacuminare to point, fr. cacumen point.]
Defn: To make sharp or pointed. [Obs.]
CADCad, n. Etym: [Abbrev. fr. cadet.]
1. A person who stands at the door of an omnibus to open and shut it, and to receive fares; an idle hanger-on about innyards. [Eng.] Dickens.
2. A lowbred, presuming person; a mean, vulgar fellow. [Cant] Thackeray.
CADASTRALCa*das"tral, a. Etym: [F.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to landed property. Cadastral survey, or Cadastral map, a survey, map, or plan on a large scale (Usually topographical map, which exaggerates the dimensions of houses and the breadth of roads and streams, for the sake of distinctness. Brande & C.
CADASTRE; CADASTERCa*das"tre, Ca*das"ter, n. Etym: [f. cadastre.] (Law.)
Defn: An official statement of the quantity and value of real estate for the purpose of apportioning the taxes payable on such property.
CADAVERCa*da"ver, n. Etym: [L., fr cadere to fall.]
Defn: A dead human body; a corpse.
CADAVERICCa*dav"er*ic, a.
Defn: Of, pertaining to, or resembling, a corpse, or the changes produced by death; cadaverous; as, cadaveric rigidity. Dunglison. Cadaveric alkaloid, an alkaloid generated by the processes of decomposition in dead animal bodies, and thought by some to be the cause of the poisonous effects produced by the bodies. See Ptomaine.
CADAVERINE; CADAVERINCa*dav"er*ine, Ca*dav"er*in, n. [From Cadaver.] (Chem.)
Defn: A sirupy, nontoxic ptomaine, C5H14N2 (chemically pentamethylene diamine), formed in putrefaction of flesh, etc.
CADAVEROUSCa*dav"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. cadaverosus.]
1. Having the appearance or color of a dead human body; pale; ghastly; as, a cadaverous look.
2. Of or pertaining to, or having the qualities of, a dead body. "The scent cadaverous." — Ca*dav"er*ous*ly, adv. — Ca*dav"er*ous*ness, n.
CADBAITCad"bait`, n. Etym: [Prov. E. codbait, cadbote fly.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: See Caddice.
CADDICE; CADDIS Cad"dice, Cad"dis, n. Etym: [Prov. E. caddy, cadew; cf. G. köder bait.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The larva of a caddice fly. These larvæ generally live in cylindrical cases, open at each end, and covered externally with pieces of broken shells, gravel, bits of wood, etc. They are a favorite bait with anglers. Called also caddice worm, or caddis worm. Caddice fly (Zoöl.), a species of trichopterous insect, whose larva is the caddice.
CADDIS Cad"dis, n. Etym: [OE. caddas, Scot. caddis lint, caddes a kind of woolen cloth, cf. Gael. cada, cadadh, a kind of cloth, cotton, fustian, W. cadas, F. cadis.]
Defn: A kind of worsted lace or ribbon. "Caddises, cambrics, lawns."Shak.
CADDISHCad"dish, a.
Defn: Like a cad; lowbred and presuming.
CADDOWCad"dow, n. Etym: [OE. cadawe, prob. fr. ca chough + daw jackdaw; cf.Gael. cadhag, cathag. Cf. Chough, Daw, n.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A jackdaw. [Prov. Eng.]
CADDY Cad"dy, n.; pl. Caddies. Etym: [Earlier spelt catty, fr. Malay kati a weight of 11/3 pounds. Cf. Catty.]
Defn: A small box, can, or chest to keep tea in.
CADECade, a. Etym: [Cf. OE. cad, kod, lamb, also Cosset, Coddle.]
Defn: Bred by hand; domesticated; petted.He brought his cade lamb with him. Sheldon.
CADECade, v. t.
Defn: To bring up or nourish by hand, or with tenderness; to coddle; to tame. [Obs.] Johnson.
CADECade, n. Etym: [L. cadus jar, Gr.
Defn: A barrel or cask, as of fish. "A cade of herrings." Shak.A cade of herrings is 500, of sprats 1,000. Jacob, Law Dict.
CADECade, n. Etym: [F. & Pr.; LL. cada.]
Defn: A species of juniper (Juniperus Oxycedrus) of Mediterranean countries. Oil of cade, a thick, black, tarry liquid, obtained by destructive distillation of the inner wood of the cade. It is used as a local application in skin diseases.
CADENCECa"dence, n. Etym: [OE. cadence, cadens, LL. cadentia a falling, fr.L. cadere to fall; cf. F. cadence, It. cadenza. See Chance.]
1. The act or state of declining or sinking. [Obs.] Now was the sun in western cadence low. Milton.
2. A fall of the voice in reading or speaking, especially at the end of a sentence.
3. A rhythmical modulation of the voice or of any sound; as, music of bells in cadence sweet. Blustering winds, which all night long Had roused the sea, now with hoarse cadence lull Seafaring men o'erwatched. Milton. The accents . . . were in passion's tenderest cadence. Sir W. Scott.
4. Rhythmical flow of language, in prose or verse. Golden cadence of poesy. Shak. If in any composition much attention was paid to the flow of the rhythm, it was said (at least in the 14th and 15th centuries) to be "prosed in faire cadence." Dr. Guest.
5. (Her.)
Defn: See Cadency.
6. (Man.)
Defn: Harmony and proportion in motions, as of a well-managed horse.
7. (Mil.)
Defn: A uniform time and place in marching.
8. (Mus.) (a) The close or fall of a strain; the point of rest, commonly reached by the immediate succession of the tonic to the dominant chord. (b) A cadenza, or closing embellishment; a pause before the end of a strain, which the performer may fill with a flight of fancy. Imperfect cadence. (Mus.) See under Imperfect.
CADENCECa"dence, v. t.
Defn: To regulate by musical measure.These parting numbers, cadenced by my grief. Philips.
CADENCYCa"den*cy, n.
Defn: Descent of related families; distinction between the members of a family according to their ages. Marks of cadency (Her.), bearings indicating the position of the bearer as older or younger son, or as a descendant of an older or younger son. See Difference (Her.).
CADENECa*dene", n. Etym: [Cf. F. cadène.]
Defn: A species of inferior carpet imported from the Levant.McElrath.
CADENTCa"dent, a. Etym: [L. cadens, -entis, p. pr. of cadere to fall.]
Defn: Falling. [R.] "Cadent tears." Shak.
CADENZACa*den"za, n. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)
Defn: A parenthetic flourish or flight of ornament in the course of a piece, commonly just before the final cadence.
CADERCa"der, n.
Defn: See Cadre.
CADET Ca*det", n. Etym: [F. cadet a younger or the youngest son or brother, dim. fr. L. caput head; i. e., a smaller head of the family, after the first or eldest. See Chief, and cf. Cad.]
1. The younger of two brothers; a younger brother or son; the youngest son. The cadet of an ancient and noble family. Wood.
2. (Mil.) (a) A gentleman who carries arms in a regiment, as a volunteer, with a view of acquiring military skill and obtaining a commission. (b) A young man in training for military or naval service; esp. a pupil in a military or naval school, as at West Point, Annapolis, or Woolwich.
Note: All the undergraduates at Annapolis are Naval cadets. The distinction between Cadet midshipmen and Cadet engineers was abolished by Act of Congress in 1882.
CADETSHIPCa*det"ship, n.
Defn: The position, rank, or commission of a cadet; as, to get a cadetship.
CADEW; CADEWORMCa*dew", Cade"worm`, n.
Defn: A caddice. See Caddice.
CADGECadge, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Cadged; p. pr. & vb. n. Cadging.]Etym: [Cf. Scot. cache, caich, cadge, to toss, drive, OE. cachen todrive, catch, caggen to bind, or perh. E. cage. Cf. Cadger.]
1. To carry, as a burden. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.] Halliwell.
2. To hawk or peddle, as fish, poultry, etc. [Prov.]
3. To intrude or live on another meanly; to beg. [Prov. or Slang, Eng.] Wright.
CADGECadge, n. Etym: [Cf. 2d Cadger.] (Hawking)
Defn: A circular frame on which cadgers carry hawks for sale.
CADGERCadg"er, n. Etym: [From Cadge, v. t., cf. Codger.]
1. A packman or itinerant huckster.
2. One who gets his living by trickery or begging. [Prov. or Slang] "The gentleman cadger." Dickens.
CADGERCadg"er, n. Etym: [OF. cagier one who catches hawks. Cf. Cage.](Hawking)
Defn: One who carries hawks on a cadge.
CADGYCadg"y, a.
Defn: Cheerful or mirthful, as after good eating or drinking; also, wanton. [Scot. & Prov. Eng.]
CADICa"di, n. Etym: [Turk. See Alcalde.]
Defn: An inferior magistrate or judge among the Mohammedans, usually the judge of a town or village.
CADIE; CADDIECad"ie, Cad"die, n.
Defn: A Scotch errand boy, porter, or messenger. [Written also cady.]Every Scotchman, from the peer to the cadie. Macaulay.
CADILESKER Ca`di*les"ker, n. Etym: [Ar. qa\'c8i judge + al'sker the army, Per. leshker.]
Defn: A chief judge in the Turkish empire, so named originally because his jurisdiction extended to the cases of soldiers, who are now tried only by their own officers.
CADILLACCa*dil"lac, n. Etym: [Prob. from Cadillac, a French town.]
Defn: A large pear, shaped like a flattened top, used chiefly for cooking. Johnson.
CADISCad"is, n. Etym: [F.]
Defn: A kind of coarse serge.
CADMEAN Cad*me"an, a. Etym: [L. Cadmeus, Gr. Cadmus), which name perhaps means lit. a man from the East; cf. Heb. qedem east.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to Cadmus, a fabulous prince of Thebes, who was said to have introduced into Greece the sixteen simple letters of the alphabet — Cadmean letters. Cadmean victory, a victory that damages the victors as much as the vanquished; probably referring to the battle in which the soldiers who sprang from the dragon's teeth sown by Cadmus slew each other.
CADMIACad"mi*a, n. Etym: [L. cadmia calamine, Gr. Calamine.] (Min.)
Defn: An oxide of zinc which collects on the sides of furnaces where zinc is sublimed. Formerly applied to the mineral calamine.
CADMIANCad"mi*an, a. [R.]
Defn: See Cadmean.
CADMICCad"mic, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Pertaining to, derived from, or containing, cadmium; as, cadmic sulphide.
CADMIUMCad"mi*um, n. Etym: [NL. See Cadmia.] (Chem.)
Defn: A comparatively rare element related to zinc, and occurring in some zinc ores. It is a white metal, both ductile and malleable. Symbol Cd. Atomic weight 111.8. It was discovered by Stromeyer in 1817, who named it from its association with zinc or zinc ore. Cadmium yellow, a compound of cadmium and sulphur, of an intense yellow color, used as a pigment.
CADRANSCad"rans, n. Etym: [Cf. F. cadran. Cf. Quadrant.]
Defn: An instrument with a graduated disk by means of which the angles of gems are measured in the process of cutting and polishing.
CADRE Ca"dre, n. Etym: [F. cadre, It. quadro square, from L. quadrum, fr. quatuor four.] (Mil.)
Defn: The framework or skeleton upon which a regiment is to be formed; the officers of a regiment forming the staff. [Written also cader.]
CADUCARYCa*du"ca*ry, a. Etym: [See Caducous.] (Law)
Defn: Relating to escheat, forfeiture, or confiscation.
CADUCEANCa*du"ce*an, a.
Defn: Of or belonging to Mercury's caduceus, or wand.
CADUCEUSCa*du"ce*us, n. Etym: [L. caduceum, caduceus; akin to Gr. (Myth.)
Defn: The official staff or wand of Hermes or Mercury, the messenger of the gods. It was originally said to be a herald's staff of olive wood, but was afterwards fabled to have two serpents coiled about it, and two wings at the top.
CADUCIBRANCHIATE Ca*du`ci*bran"chi*ate, a. Etym: [L. caducus falling (fr. cadere to fall) + E. branchiate.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: With temporary gills: — applied to those Amphibia in which the gills do not remain in adult life.
CADUCITYCa*du"ci*ty, n. Etym: [LL. caducitas: cf. F. caducité. See Caducous.]
Defn: Tendency to fall; the feebleness of old age; senility. [R.][A] jumble of youth and caducity. Chesterfield.
CADUCOUS Ca*du"cous, Etym: [L. caducus falling, inclined to fall, fr. cadere to fall. See Cadence.] (Bot. & Zoöl.)
Defn: Dropping off or disappearing early, as the calyx of a poppy, or the gills of a tadpole.
CADUKECa*duke", a. Etym: [Cf. F. caduc. See Caducous.]
Defn: Perishable; frail; transitory. [Obs.] Hickes.The caduke pleasures of his world. Bp. Fisher.
CADYCad"y, n.
Defn: See Cadie.
CAECACæ"ca, n. pl.
Defn: See Cæcum.
CAECALCæ"cal, a. (Anat.)
1. Of or pertaining to the cæcum, or blind gut.
2. Having the form of a cæcum, or bag with one opening; baglike; as, the cæcal extremity of a duct.
CAECIASCæ"ci*as, n. Etym: [L. caecias, Gr.
Defn: A wind from the northeast. Milton.
CAECILIAN Cæ*cil"i*an, n. Etym: [L. caecus blind. So named from the supposed blindness of the species, the eyes being very minute.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A limbless amphibian belonging to the order Cæciliæ orOphimorpha. See Ophiomorpha. [Written also coecilian.]
CAECUM Cæ"cum, n.; pl. Cæcums, L. Cæca. Etym: [L. caecus blind, invisible, concealed.] (Anat.) (a) A cavity open at one end, as the blind end of a canal or duct. (b) The blind part of the large intestine beyond the entrance of the small intestine; — called also the blind gut.
Note: The cæcum is comparatively small in man, and ends in a slender portion, the vermiform appendix; but in herbivorous mammals it is often as large as the rest of the large intestine. In fishes there are often numerous intestinal cæca.
CAELATURACæ`la*tu"ra, n. [L., fr. caelare to engrave in relief.]
Defn: Art of producing metal decorative work other than statuary, as reliefs, intaglios, engraving, chasing, etc.
CAENOZOICCæ`no*zo"ic, a. (Geol.)
Defn: See Cenozoic.
CAEN STONECa"en stone",
Defn: A cream-colored limestone for building, found near Caen,France.
CAESARCæ"sar, n. Etym: [L.]
Defn: A Roman emperor, as being the successor of Augustus Cæsar.Hence, a kaiser, or emperor of Germany, or any emperor or powerfulruler. See Kaiser, Kesar.Malborough anticipated the day when he would be servilely flatteredand courted by Cæsar on one side and by Louis the Great on the other.Macaulay.
CAESAREAN; CAESARIANCæ*sa"re*an, Cæ*sa"ri*an, a. Etym: [L. Caesareus, Caesarianus.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to Cæsar or the Cæsars; imperial. Cæsarean section (Surg.), the operation of taking a child from the womb by cutting through the walls of the abdomen and uterus; — so called because Julius Cæsar is reported to have been brought into the world by such an operation.
CAESARISMCæ"sar*ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. Césarisme.]
Defn: A system of government in which unrestricted power is exercised by a single person, to whom, as Cæsar or emperor, it has been committed by the popular will; imperialism; also, advocacy or support of such a system of government.
Note: This word came into prominence in the time of Napoleon III., as an expression of the claims and political views of that emperor, and of the politicians of his court.
CAESIOUSCæ"si*ous, a. Etym: [L. caesius bluish gray.] (Nat. Hist.)
Defn: Of the color of lavender; pale blue with a slight mixture of gray. Lindley.
CAESIUMCæ"si*um, n. Etym: [NL., from L. caesius bluish gray.] (Chem.)
Defn: A rare alkaline metal found in mineral water; — so called from the two characteristic blue lines in its spectrum. It was the first element discovered by spectrum analysis, and is the most strongly basic and electro-positive substance known. Symbol Cs. Atomic weight 132.6.
CAESPITOSECæs"pi*tose`, a.
Defn: Same as Cespitose.
CAESURACæ*su"ra, n.; pl. E. Cæsuras (, L. Cæsuræ ( Etym: [L. caesura acutting off, a division, stop, fr. caedere, caesum, to cut off. SeeConcise.]