| Words | Parts of Speech | Meaning/Definition/Similar Words |
|---|---|---|
| chace | noun | See 3d Chase, n., 3., To pursue. See Chase v. t. |
| chafe | verb t. | To excite heat in by friction; to rub in order to stimulate and make warm., To excite passion or anger in; to fret; to irritate., To fret and wear by rubbing; as, to chafe a cable., To rub; to come together so as to wear by rubbing; to wear by friction., To be worn by rubbing; as, a cable chafes., To have a feeling of vexation; to be vexed; to fret; to be irritated., Heat excited by friction., Injury or wear caused by friction., Vexation; irritation of mind; rage. |
| chaff | noun | The glumes or husks of grains and grasses separated from the seed by threshing and winnowing, etc., Anything of a comparatively light and worthless character; the refuse part of anything., Straw or hay cut up fine for the food of cattle., Light jesting talk; banter; raillery., The scales or bracts on the receptacle, which subtend each flower in the heads of many Compositae, as the sunflower., To use light, idle language by way of fun or ridicule; to banter., To make fun of; to turn into ridicule by addressing in ironical or bantering language; to quiz. |
| chain | noun | A series of links or rings, usually of metal, connected, or fitted into one another, used for various purposes, as of support, of restraint, of ornament, of the exertion and transmission of mechanical power, etc., That which confines, fetters, or secures, as a chain; a bond; as, the chains of habit., A series of things linked together; or a series of things connected and following each other in succession; as, a chain of mountains; a chain of events or ideas., An instrument which consists of links and is used in measuring land., Iron links bolted to the side of a vessel to bold the dead-eyes connected with the shrouds; also, the channels., The warp threads of a web., To fasten, bind, or connect with a chain; to fasten or bind securely, as with a chain; as, to chain a bulldog., To keep in slavery; to enslave., To unite closely and strongly., To measure with the chain., To protect by drawing a chain across, as a harbor. |
| chair | noun | A movable single seat with a back., An official seat, as of a chief magistrate or a judge, but esp. that of a professor; hence, the office itself., The presiding officer of an assembly; a chairman; as, to address the chair., A vehicle for one person; either a sedan borne upon poles, or two-wheeled carriage, drawn by one horse; a gig., An iron block used on railways to support the rails and secure them to the sleepers., To place in a chair., To carry publicly in a chair in triumph. |
| chaja | noun | The crested screamer of Brazil (Palamedea, / Chauna, chavaria), so called in imitation of its notes; — called also chauna, and faithful kamichi. It is often domesticated and is useful in guarding other poultry. See Kamichi. |
| chalk | noun | A soft, earthy substance, of a white, grayish, or yellowish white color, consisting of calcium carbonate, and having the same composition as common limestone., Finely prepared chalk, used as a drawing implement; also, by extension, a compound, as of clay and black lead, or the like, used in the same manner. See Crayon., To rub or mark with chalk., To manure with chalk, as land., To make white, as with chalk; to make pale; to bleach. |
| champ | verb t. | To bite with repeated action of the teeth so as to be heard., To bite into small pieces; to crunch., To bite or chew impatiently., Alt. of Champe |
| chank | noun | The East Indian name for the large spiral shell of several species of sea conch much used in making bangles, esp. Turbinella pyrum. Called also chank chell. |
| chant | verb t. | To utter with a melodious voice; to sing., To celebrate in song., To sing or recite after the manner of a chant, or to a tune called a chant., To make melody with the voice; to sing., To sing, as in reciting a chant., Song; melody., A short and simple melody, divided into two parts by double bars, to which unmetrical psalms, etc., are sung or recited. It is the most ancient form of choral music., A psalm, etc., arranged for chanting., Twang; manner of speaking; a canting tone. |
| chaos | noun | An empty, immeasurable space; a yawning chasm., The confused, unorganized condition or mass of matter before the creation of distinct and orderly forms., Any confused or disordered collection or state of things; a confused mixture; confusion; disorder. |
| chape | noun | The piece by which an object is attached to something, as the frog of a scabbard or the metal loop at the back of a buckle by which it is fastened to a strap., The transverse guard of a sword or dagger., The metal plate or tip which protects the end of a scabbard, belt, etc. |
| chaps | noun pl. | The jaws, or the fleshy parts about them. See Chap. |
| charr | noun | One of the several species of fishes of the genus Salvelinus, allied to the spotted trout and salmon, inhabiting deep lakes in mountainous regions in Europe. In the United States, the brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) is sometimes called a char., See 1st Char. |
| chare | verb t. | To perform; to do; to finish., To work or hew, as stone., To work by the day, without being a regularly hired servant; to do small jobs., A narrow street., A chore; to chore; to do. See Char. |
| chara | noun | A genus of flowerless plants, having articulated stems and whorled branches. They flourish in wet places. |
| chard | noun | The tender leaves or leafstalks of the artichoke, white beet, etc., blanched for table use., A variety of the white beet, which produces large, succulent leaves and leafstalks. |
| chark | noun | Charcoal; a cinder., To burn to a coal; to char. |
| charm | noun | A melody; a song., A word or combination of words sung or spoken in the practice of magic; a magical combination of words, characters, etc.; an incantation., That which exerts an irresistible power to please and attract; that which fascinates; any alluring quality., Anything worn for its supposed efficacy to the wearer in averting ill or securing good fortune., Any small decorative object worn on the person, as a seal, a key, a silver whistle, or the like. Bunches of charms are often worn at the watch chain., To make music upon; to tune., To subdue, control, or summon by incantation or supernatural influence; to affect by magic., To subdue or overcome by some secret power, or by that which gives pleasure; to allay; to soothe., To attract irresistibly; to delight exceedingly; to enchant; to fascinate., To protect with, or make invulnerable by, spells, charms, or supernatural influences; as, a charmed life., To use magic arts or occult power; to make use of charms., To act as, or produce the effect of, a charm; to please greatly; to be fascinating., To make a musical sound. |
| chart | noun | A sheet of paper, pasteboard, or the like, on which information is exhibited, esp. when the information is arranged in tabular form; as, an historical chart., A map; esp., a hydrographic or marine map; a map on which is projected a portion of water and the land which it surrounds, or by which it is surrounded, intended especially for the use of seamen; as, the United States Coast Survey charts; the English Admiralty charts., A written deed; a charter., To lay down in a chart; to map; to delineate; as, to chart a coast. |
| chary | adjective | Careful; wary; cautious; not rash, reckless, or spendthrift; saving; frugal. |
| chase | verb t. | To pursue for the purpose of killing or taking, as an enemy, or game; to hunt., To follow as if to catch; to pursue; to compel to move on; to drive by following; to cause to fly; — often with away or off; as, to chase the hens away., To pursue eagerly, as hunters pursue game., To give chase; to hunt; as, to chase around after a doctor., Vehement pursuit for the purpose of killing or capturing, as of an enemy, or game; an earnest seeking after any object greatly desired; the act or habit of hunting; a hunt., That which is pursued or hunted., An open hunting ground to which game resorts, and which is private properly, thus differing from a forest, which is not private property, and from a park, which is inclosed. Sometimes written chace., A division of the floor of a gallery, marked by a figure or otherwise; the spot where a ball falls, and between which and the dedans the adversary must drive his ball in order to gain a point., A rectangular iron frame in which pages or columns of type are imposed., The part of a cannon from the reenforce or the trunnions to the swell of the muzzle. See Cannon., A groove, or channel, as in the face of a wall; a trench, as for the reception of drain tile., A kind of joint by which an overlap joint is changed to a flush joint, by means of a gradually deepening rabbet, as at the ends of clinker-built boats., To ornament (a surface of metal) by embossing, cutting away parts, and the like., To cut, so as to make a screw thread. |
| chasm | noun | A deep opening made by disruption, as a breach in the earth or a rock; a yawning abyss; a cleft; a fissure., A void space; a gap or break, as in ranks of men. |
| chast | verb t. | to chasten. |
| chati | noun | A small South American species of tiger cat (Felis mitis). |
| chaun | noun | A gap., To open; to yawn. |
| chaus | noun | a lynxlike animal of Asia and Africa (Lynx Lybicus). |
| cheap | noun | A bargain; a purchase; cheapness., Having a low price in market; of small cost or price, as compared with the usual price or the real value., Of comparatively small value; common; mean., Cheaply., To buy; to bargain. |
| chear | noun & verb | See Cheer. |
| cheat | noun | An act of deception or fraud; that which is the means of fraud or deception; a fraud; a trick; imposition; imposture., One who cheats or deceives; an impostor; a deceiver; a cheater., A troublesome grass, growing as a weed in grain fields; — called also chess. See Chess., The obtaining of property from another by an intentional active distortion of the truth., To deceive and defraud; to impose upon; to trick; to swindle., To beguile., To practice fraud or trickery; as, to cheat at cards., Wheat, or bread made from wheat. |
| check | noun | A word of warning denoting that the king is in danger; such a menace of a player’s king by an adversary’s move as would, if it were any other piece, expose it to immediate capture. A king so menaced is said to be in check, and must be made safe at the next move., A condition of interrupted or impeded progress; arrest; stop; delay; as, to hold an enemy in check., Whatever arrests progress, or limits action; an obstacle, guard, restraint, or rebuff., A mark, certificate, or token, by which, errors may be prevented, or a thing or person may be identified; as, checks placed against items in an account; a check given for baggage; a return check on a railroad., A written order directing a bank or banker to pay money as therein stated. See Bank check, below., A woven or painted design in squares resembling the patten of a checkerboard; one of the squares of such a design; also, cloth having such a figure., The forsaking by a hawk of its proper game to follow other birds., Small chick or crack., To make a move which puts an adversary’s piece, esp. his king, in check; to put in check., To put a sudden restraint upon; to stop temporarily; to hinder; to repress; to curb., To verify, to guard, to make secure, by means of a mark, token, or other check; to distinguish by a check; to put a mark against (an item) after comparing with an original or a counterpart in order to secure accuracy; as, to check an account; to check baggage., To chide, rebuke, or reprove., To slack or ease off, as a brace which is too stiffly extended., To make checks or chinks in; to cause to crack; as, the sun checks timber., To make a stop; to pause; — with at., To clash or interfere., To act as a curb or restraint., To crack or gape open, as wood in drying; or to crack in small checks, as varnish, paint, etc., To turn, when in pursuit of proper game, and fly after other birds., Checkered; designed in checks. |
| cheek | noun | The side of the face below the eye., The cheek bone., Those pieces of a machine, or of any timber, or stone work, which form corresponding sides, or which are similar and in pair; as, the cheeks (jaws) of a vise; the cheeks of a gun carriage, etc., The branches of a bridle bit., A section of a flask, so made that it can be moved laterally, to permit the removal of the pattern from the mold; the middle part of a flask., Cool confidence; assurance; impudence., To be impudent or saucy to. |
| cheep | verb i. | To chirp, as a young bird., To give expression to in a chirping tone., A chirp, peep, or squeak, as of a young bird or mouse. |
| cheer | noun | The face; the countenance or its expression., Feeling; spirit; state of mind or heart., Gayety; mirth; cheerfulness; animation., That which promotes good spirits or cheerfulness; provisions prepared for a feast; entertainment; as, a table loaded with good cheer., A shout, hurrah, or acclamation, expressing joy enthusiasm, applause, favor, etc., To cause to rejoice; to gladden; to make cheerful; — often with up., To infuse life, courage, animation, or hope, into; to inspirit; to solace or comfort., To salute or applaud with cheers; to urge on by cheers; as, to cheer hounds in a chase., To grow cheerful; to become gladsome or joyous; — usually with up., To be in any state or temper of mind., To utter a shout or shouts of applause, triumph, etc. |
| chela | noun | The pincherlike claw of Crustacea and Arachnida. |
| chely | noun | A claw. See Chela. |
| cheng | noun | A chinese reed instrument, with tubes, blown by the mouth. |
| chert | noun | An impure, massive, flintlike quartz or hornstone, of a dull color. |
| chese | verb t. | To choose |
| chess | noun | A game played on a chessboard, by two persons, with two differently colored sets of men, sixteen in each set. Each player has a king, a queen, two bishops, two knights, two castles or rooks, and eight pawns., A species of brome grass (Bromus secalinus) which is a troublesome weed in wheat fields, and is often erroneously regarded as degenerate or changed wheat; it bears a very slight resemblance to oats, and if reaped and ground up with wheat, so as to be used for food, is said to produce narcotic effects; — called also cheat and Willard’s bromus. |
| chest | noun | A large box of wood, or other material, having, like a trunk, a lid, but no covering of skin, leather, or cloth., A coffin., The part of the body inclosed by the ribs and breastbone; the thorax., A case in which certain goods, as tea, opium, etc., are transported; hence, the quantity which such a case contains., A tight receptacle or box, usually for holding gas, steam, liquids, etc.; as, the steam chest of an engine; the wind chest of an organ., To deposit in a chest; to hoard., To place in a coffin., Strife; contention; controversy. |
| cheve | verb i. | To come to an issue; to turn out; to succeed; as, to cheve well in a enterprise. |
| chevy | verb t. | See Chivy, v. t. |
| chian | adjective | Of or pertaining to Chios, an island in the Aegean Sea. |
| chica | noun | A red coloring matter. extracted from the Bignonia Chica, used by some tribes of South American Indians to stain the skin., A fermented liquor or beer made in South American from a decoction of maize., A popular Moorish, Spanish, and South American dance, said to be the original of the fandango, etc. |
| chich | noun | The chick-pea. |
| chick | verb i. | To sprout, as seed in the ground; to vegetate., A chicken., A child or young person; — a term of endearment. |
| chide | present participle & vb. noun | To rebuke; to reprove; to scold; to find fault with., Fig.: To be noisy about; to chafe against., To utter words of disapprobation and displeasure; to find fault; to contend angrily., To make a clamorous noise; to chafe., A continuous noise or murmur. |
| chief | noun | The head or leader of any body of men; a commander, as of an army; a head man, as of a tribe, clan, or family; a person in authority who directs the work of others; the principal actor or agent., The principal part; the most valuable portion., The upper third part of the field. It is supposed to be composed of the dexter, sinister, and middle chiefs., Highest in office or rank; principal; head., Principal or most eminent in any quality or action; most distinguished; having most influence; taking the lead; most important; as, the chief topic of conversation; the chief interest of man., Very intimate, near, or close. |
| child | noun | A son or a daughter; a male or female descendant, in the first degree; the immediate progeny of human parents; — in law, legitimate offspring. Used also of animals and plants., A descendant, however remote; — used esp. in the plural; as, the children of Israel; the children of Edom., One who, by character of practice, shows signs of relationship to, or of the influence of, another; one closely connected with a place, occupation, character, etc.; as, a child of God; a child of the devil; a child of disobedience; a child of toil; a child of the people., A noble youth. See Childe., A young person of either sex. esp. one between infancy and youth; hence, one who exhibits the characteristics of a very young person, as innocence, obedience, trustfulness, limited understanding, etc., A female infant., To give birth; to produce young. |
| chili | noun | A kind of red pepper. See Capsicum |
| chill | noun | A moderate but disagreeable degree of cold; a disagreeable sensation of coolness, accompanied with shivering., A sensation of cold with convulsive shaking of the body, pinched face, pale skin, and blue lips, caused by undue cooling of the body or by nervous excitement, or forming the precursor of some constitutional disturbance, as of a fever., A check to enthusiasm or warmth of feeling; discouragement; as, a chill comes over an assembly., An iron mold or portion of a mold, serving to cool rapidly, and so to harden, the surface of molten iron brought in contact with it., The hardened part of a casting, as the tread of a car wheel., Moderately cold; tending to cause shivering; chilly; raw., Affected by cold., Characterized by coolness of manner, feeling, etc.; lacking enthusiasm or warmth; formal; distant; as, a chill reception., Discouraging; depressing; dispiriting., To strike with a chill; to make chilly; to cause to shiver; to affect with cold., To check enthusiasm or warmth of feeling of; to depress; to discourage., To produce, by sudden cooling, a change of crystallization at or near the surface of, so as to increase the hardness; said of cast iron., To become surface-hardened by sudden cooling while solidifying; as, some kinds of cast iron chill to a greater depth than others. |
| chimb | noun | The edge of a cask, etc; a chine. See Chine, n., 3., Chime. |
| chime | noun | See Chine, n., 3., The harmonious sound of bells, or of musical instruments., A set of bells musically tuned to each other; specif., in the pl., the music performed on such a set of bells by hand, or produced by mechanism to accompany the striking of the hours or their divisions., Pleasing correspondence of proportion, relation, or sound., To sound in harmonious accord, as bells., To be in harmony; to agree; to suit; to harmonize; to correspond; to fall in with., To join in a conversation; to express assent; — followed by in or in with., To make a rude correspondence of sounds; to jingle, as in rhyming., To cause to sound in harmony; to play a tune, as upon a set of bells; to move or strike in harmony., To utter harmoniously; to recite rhythmically. |
| china | noun | A country in Eastern Asia., China ware, which is the modern popular term for porcelain. See Porcelain. |
| chine | noun | A chink or cleft; a narrow and deep ravine; as, Shanklin Chine in the Isle of Wight, a quarter of a mile long and 230 feet deep., The backbone or spine of an animal; the back., A piece of the backbone of an animal, with the adjoining parts, cut for cooking. [See Illust. of Beef.], The edge or rim of a cask, etc., formed by the projecting ends of the staves; the chamfered end of a stave., To cut through the backbone of; to cut into chine pieces., Too chamfer the ends of a stave and form the chine.. |
| chink | noun | A small cleft, rent, or fissure, of greater length than breadth; a gap or crack; as, the chinks of wall., To crack; to open., To cause to open in cracks or fissures., To fill up the chinks of; as, to chink a wall., A short, sharp sound, as of metal struck with a slight degree of violence., Money; cash., To cause to make a sharp metallic sound, as coins, small pieces of metal, etc., by bringing them into collision with each other., To make a slight, sharp, metallic sound, as by the collision of little pieces of money, or other small sonorous bodies. |
| chips | noun | A ship’s carpenter. |
| chirk | verb i. | To shriek; to gnash; to utter harsh or shrill cries., To chirp like a bird., To cheer; to enliven; as, to chirk one up., Lively; cheerful; in good spirits. |
| chirm | verb i. | To chirp or to make a mournful cry, as a bird., Clamor, or confused noise; buzzing. |
| chirp | verb i. | To make a shop, sharp, cheerful, as of small birds or crickets., A short, sharp note, as of a bird or insect. |
| chive | noun | A filament of a stamen., A perennial plant (Allium Schoenoprasum), allied to the onion. The young leaves are used in omelets, etc. |
| chivy | verb t. | To goad, drive, hunt, throw, or pitch. |
| choak | verb t. & i. | See Choke. |
| chock | verb t. | To stop or fasten, as with a wedge, or block; to scotch; as, to chock a wheel or cask., To fill up, as a cavity., A wedge, or block made to fit in any space which it is desired to fill, esp. something to steady a cask or other body, or prevent it from moving, by fitting into the space around or beneath it., A heavy casting of metal, usually fixed near the gunwale. It has two short horn-shaped arms curving inward, between which ropes or hawsers may pass for towing, mooring, etc., Entirely; quite; as, chock home; chock aft., To encounter., An encounter. |
| chode | the old imp. of chide. See Chide. | |
| choir | noun | A band or organized company of singers, especially in church service., That part of a church appropriated to the singers., The chancel. |
| choke | verb t. | To render unable to breathe by filling, pressing upon, or squeezing the windpipe; to stifle; to suffocate; to strangle., To obstruct by filling up or clogging any passage; to block up., To hinder or check, as growth, expansion, progress, etc.; to stifle., To affect with a sense of strangulation by passion or strong feeling., To make a choke, as in a cartridge, or in the bore of the barrel of a shotgun., To have the windpipe stopped; to have a spasm of the throat, caused by stoppage or irritation of the windpipe; to be strangled., To be checked, as if by choking; to stick., A stoppage or irritation of the windpipe, producing the feeling of strangulation., The tied end of a cartridge., A constriction in the bore of a shotgun, case of a rocket, etc. |
| chomp | verb i. | To chew loudly and greedily; to champ. |
| chose | imp. | of Choose, of Choose, A thing; personal property., imp. & p. p. of Choose. |
| chops | noun pl. | The jaws; also, the fleshy parts about the mouth., The sides or capes at the mouth of a river, channel, harbor, or bay; as, the chops of the English Channel. |
| chord | noun | The string of a musical instrument., A combination of tones simultaneously performed, producing more or less perfect harmony, as, the common chord., A right line uniting the extremities of the arc of a circle or curve., A cord. See Cord, n., 4., The upper or lower part of a truss, usually horizontal, resisting compression or tension., To provide with musical chords or strings; to string; to tune., To accord; to harmonize together; as, this note chords with that. |
| chore | noun | A small job; in the pl., the regular or daily light work of a household or farm, either within or without doors., To do chores., A choir or chorus. |
| chout | noun | An assessment equal to a fourth part of the revenue. |
| chuck | verb i. | To make a noise resembling that of a hen when she calls her chickens; to cluck., To chuckle; to laugh., To call, as a hen her chickens., The chuck or call of a hen., A sudden, small noise., A word of endearment; — corrupted from chick., To strike gently; to give a gentle blow to., To toss or throw smartly out of the hand; to pitch., To place in a chuck, or hold by means of a chuck, as in turning; to bore or turn (a hole) in a revolving piece held in a chuck., A slight blow or pat under the chin., A short throw; a toss., A contrivance or machine fixed to the mandrel of a lathe, for holding a tool or the material to be operated upon., A small pebble; — called also chuckstone and chuckiestone., A game played with chucks, in which one or more are tossed up and caught; jackstones., A piece of the backbone of an animal, from between the neck and the collar bone, with the adjoining parts, cut for cooking; as, a chuck steak; a chuck roast. |
| chuet | noun | Minced meat. |
| chufa | noun | A sedgelike plant (Cyperus esculentus) producing edible tubers, native about the Mediterranean, now cultivated in many regions; the earth almond. |
| chuff | noun | A coarse or stupid fellow., Stupid; churlish. |
| chump | noun | A short, thick, heavy piece of wood. |
| chunk | noun | A short, thick piece of anything. |
| churl | noun | A rustic; a countryman or laborer., A rough, surly, ill-bred man; a boor., A selfish miser; an illiberal person; a niggard., Churlish; rough; selfish. |
| churn | verb t. | A vessel in which milk or cream is stirred, beaten, or otherwise agitated (as by a plunging or revolving dasher) in order to separate the oily globules from the other parts, and obtain butter., To stir, beat, or agitate, as milk or cream in a churn, in order to make butter., To shake or agitate with violence., To perform the operation of churning. |
| chuse | verb t. | See Choose. |
| chute | noun | A framework, trough, or tube, upon or through which objects are made to slide from a higher to a lower level, or through which water passes to a wheel., See Shoot. |
| chyle | noun | A milky fluid containing the fatty matter of the food in a state of emulsion, or fine mechanical division; formed from chyme by the action of the intestinal juices. It is absorbed by the lacteals, and conveyed into the blood by the thoracic duct. |
| chyme | noun | The pulpy mass of semi-digested food in the small intestines just after its passage from the stomach. It is separated in the intestines into chyle and excrement. See Chyle. |