8 letter word starting with ca

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Words Parts of Speech Meaning/Definition/Similar Words
caballed imp. & past participle of Cabal
cabalism noun The secret science of the cabalists., A superstitious devotion to the mysteries of the religion which one professes.
cabalist noun One versed in the cabala, or the mysteries of Jewish traditions.
cabalize verb i. To use cabalistic language.
caballer noun One who cabals.
cabassou noun A species of armadillo of the genus Xenurus (X. unicinctus and X. hispidus); the tatouay.
cabbaged imp. & p. p of Cabbage
cabbling noun 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.
cabining present participle & vb. noun of Cabin
cabirean noun One of the Cabiri.
cabirian adjective Same as Cabiric.
caboched adjective Showing the full face, but nothing of the neck; — said of the head of a beast in armorial bearing.
caboodle noun The whole collection; the entire quantity or number; — usually in the phrase the whole caboodle.
cabotage noun Navigation along the coast; the details of coast pilotage.
cabrilla noun 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.
cabriole noun A curvet; a leap. See Capriole.
cacaemia noun Alt. of Cachaemia
cachalot noun 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.
cachepot noun An ornamental casing for a flowerpot, of porcelain, metal, paper, etc.
cachexia noun Alt. of Cachexy
cachucha noun An Andalusian dance in three-four time, resembling the bolero.
cachunde noun A pastil or troche, composed of various aromatic and other ingredients, highly celebrated in India as an antidote, and as a stomachic and antispasmodic.
cackerel noun The mendole; a small worthless Mediterranean fish considered poisonous by the ancients. See Mendole.
cackling present participle & vb. noun of Cackle, The broken noise of a goose or a hen.
cacodoxy noun Erroneous doctrine; heresy; heterodoxy.
cacology noun Bad speaking; bad choice or use of words.
cacomixl noun A North American carnivore (Bassaris astuta), about the size of a cat, related to the raccoons. It inhabits Mexico, Texas, and California.
cacoxene noun Alt. of Cacoxenite
cactuses plural of Cactus
cadastre noun Alt. of Cadaster
cadaster noun An official statement of the quantity and value of real estate for the purpose of apportioning the taxes payable on such property.
cadeworm noun A caddice. See Caddice.
cadillac noun A large pear, shaped like a flattened top, used chiefly for cooking.
caducary adjective Relating to escheat, forfeiture, or confiscation.
caducean adjective Of or belonging to Mercury’s caduceus, or wand.
caduceus noun 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.
caducity noun Tendency to fall; the feebleness of old age; senility.
caducous Dropping off or disappearing early, as the calyx of a poppy, or the gills of a tadpole.
caesious adjective Of the color of lavender; pale blue with a slight mixture of gray.
caesuras plural of Caesura
caesurae plural of Caesura
caesural adjective Of or pertaining to a caesura.
caffeine noun A white, bitter, crystallizable substance, obtained from coffee. It is identical with the alkaloid theine from tea leaves, and with guaranine from guarana.
cageling noun A bird confined in a cage; esp. a young bird.
cahincic adjective Pertaining to, or derived from, cahinca, the native name of a species of Brazilian Chiococca, perhaps C. racemosa; as, cahincic acid.
caimacam noun The governor of a sanjak or district in Turkey.
cajoling present participle & vb. noun of Cajole
cajolery noun A wheedling to delude; words used in cajoling; flattery.
calabash noun The common gourd (plant or fruit)., The fruit of the calabash tree., A water dipper, bottle, bascket, or other utensil, made from the dry shell of a calabash or gourd.
caladium noun A genus of aroideous plants, of which some species are cultivated for their immense leaves (which are often curiously blotched with white and red), and others (in Polynesia) for food.
calamary noun A cephalopod, belonging to the genus Loligo and related genera. There are many species. They have a sack of inklike fluid which they discharge from the siphon tube, when pursued or alarmed, in order to confuse their enemies. Their shell is a thin horny plate, within the flesh of the back, shaped very much like a quill pen. In America they are called squids. See Squid.
calambac noun A fragrant wood; agalloch.
calamine noun A mineral, the hydrous silicate of zinc.
calamint noun A genus of perennial plants (Calamintha) of the Mint family, esp. the C. Nepeta and C. Acinos, which are called also basil thyme.
calamist noun One who plays upon a reed or pipe.
calamite noun A fossil plant of the coal formation, having the general form of plants of the modern Equiseta (the Horsetail or Scouring Rush family) but sometimes attaining the height of trees, and having the stem more or less woody within. See Acrogen, and Asterophyllite.
calamity noun Any great misfortune or cause of misery; — generally applied to events or disasters which produce extensive evil, either to communities or individuals., A state or time of distress or misfortune; misery.
calcaria plural of Calcar
calcedon noun A foul vein, like chalcedony, in some precious stones.
calcific adjective Calciferous. Specifically: (Zool.) of or pertaining to the portion of the oviduct which forms the eggshell in birds and reptiles.
calciden imp. & past participle of Calcine
calciner noun One who, or that which, calcines.
calculus noun Any solid concretion, formed in any part of the body, but most frequent in the organs that act as reservoirs, and in the passages connected with them; as, biliary calculi; urinary calculi, etc., A method of computation; any process of reasoning by the use of symbols; any branch of mathematics that may involve calculation.
calefied imp. & past participle of Calefy
calendar noun An orderly arrangement of the division of time, adapted to the purposes of civil life, as years, months, weeks, and days; also, a register of the year with its divisions; an almanac., A tabular statement of the dates of feasts, offices, saints’ days, etc., esp. of those which are liable to change yearly according to the varying date of Easter., An orderly list or enumeration of persons, things, or events; a schedule; as, a calendar of state papers; a calendar of bills presented in a legislative assembly; a calendar of causes arranged for trial in court; a calendar of a college or an academy., To enter or write in a calendar; to register.
calender noun A machine, used for the purpose of giving cloth, paper, etc., a smooth, even, and glossy or glazed surface, by cold or hot pressure, or for watering them and giving them a wavy appearance. It consists of two or more cylinders revolving nearly in contact, with the necessary apparatus for moving and regulating., One who pursues the business of calendering., To press between rollers for the purpose of making smooth and glossy, or wavy, as woolen and silk stuffs, linens, paper, etc., One of a sect or order of fantastically dressed or painted dervishes.
calfskin noun The hide or skin of a calf; or leather made of the skin.
calicoes plural of Calico
calidity noun Heat.
caliduct noun A pipe or duct used to convey hot air or steam.
califate noun Same as Caliph, Caliphate, etc.
calipash noun A part of a turtle which is next to the upper shell. It contains a fatty and gelatinous substance of a dull greenish tinge, much esteemed as a delicacy in preparations of turtle.
calipers noun pl. An instrument, usually resembling a pair of dividers or compasses with curved legs, for measuring the diameter or thickness of bodies, as of work shaped in a lathe or planer, timber, masts, shot, etc.; or the bore of firearms, tubes, etc.; — called also caliper compasses, or caliber compasses.
calippic adjective Of or pertaining to Calippus, an Athenian astronomer.
calliope noun The Muse that presides over eloquence and heroic poetry; mother of Orpheus, and chief of the nine Muses., One of the asteroids. See Solar., A musical instrument consisting of a series of steam whistles, toned to the notes of the scale, and played by keys arranged like those of an organ. It is sometimes attached to steamboat boilers., A beautiful species of humming bird (Stellula Calliope) of California and adjacent regions.
callipee noun See Calipee.
callosan adjective Of the callosum.
callosum noun The great band commissural fibers which unites the two cerebral hemispheres. See corpus callosum, under Carpus.
calmness noun The state of quality of being calm; quietness; tranquillity; self-repose.
calmucks noun pl. A branch of the Mongolian race inhabiting parts of the Russian and Chinese empires; also (sing.), the language of the Calmucks.
calotype noun A method of taking photographic pictures, on paper sensitized with iodide of silver; — also called Talbotype, from the inventor, Mr. Fox. Talbot.
calumbin noun A bitter principle extracted as a white crystalline substance from the calumba root.
calvaria noun The bones of the cranium; more especially, the bones of the domelike upper portion.
calycine adjective Pertaining to a calyx; having the nature of a calyx.
calycled adjective Calyculate.
calymene noun A genus of trilobites characteristic of the Silurian age.
calyptra noun A little hood or veil, resembling an extinguisher in form and position, covering each of the small flasklike capsules which contain the spores of mosses; also, any similar covering body.
calzoons noun pl. Drawers.
cambered imp. & past participle of Camber
camboose noun See Caboose.
cambrian adjective Of or pertaining to Cambria or Wales., Of or pertaining to the lowest subdivision of the rocks of the Silurian or Molluscan age; — sometimes described as inferior to the Silurian. It is named from its development in Cambria or Wales. See the Diagram under Geology., A native of Cambria or Wales., The Cambrian formation.
cameleon noun See Chaceleon.
camellia noun An Asiatic genus of small shrubs, often with shining leaves and showy flowers. Camellia Japonica is much cultivated for ornament, and C. Sassanqua and C. oleifera are grown in China for the oil which is pressed from their seeds. The tea plant is now referred to this genus under the name of Camellia Thea.
camerade noun See Comrade.
camerate verb i. To build in the form of a vault; to arch over., To divide into chambers.
camisade noun Alt. of Camisado
camisado noun A shirt worn by soldiers over their uniform, in order to be able to recognize one another in a night attack., An attack by surprise by soldiers wearing the camisado.
camisard noun One of the French Protestant insurgents who rebelled against Louis XIV, after the revocation of the edict of Nates; — so called from the peasant’s smock (camise) which they wore.
camisole noun A short dressing jacket for women., A kind of straitjacket.
camleted adjective Wavy or undulating like camlet; veined.
camomile noun Alt. of Chamomile
camoused adjective Depressed; flattened.
camously adverb Awry.
campagna noun An open level tract of country; especially “Campagna di Roma.” The extensive undulating plain which surrounds Rome.
campaign noun An open field; a large, open plain without considerable hills. SeeChampaign., A connected series of military operations forming a distinct stage in a war; the time during which an army keeps the field., Political operations preceding an election; a canvass., The period during which a blast furnace is continuously in operation., To serve in a campaign.
campaned adjective Furnished with, or bearing, campanes, or bells.
campanes noun pl. Bells.
campania noun Open country.
camphene noun One of a series of substances C10H16, resembling camphor, regarded as modified terpenes.
camphine noun Rectified oil of turpentine, used for burning in lamps, and as a common solvent in varnishes.
camphire noun An old spelling of Camphor.
canadian adjective Of or pertaining to Canada., A native or inhabitant of Canada.
canaille noun The lowest class of people; the rabble; the vulgar., Shorts or inferior flour.
canarese adjective Pertaining to Canara, a district of British India.
canaries plural of Canary
canaster noun A kind of tobacco for smoking, made of the dried leaves, coarsely broken; — so called from the rush baskets in which it is packed in South America.
can buoy See under Buoy, n.
canceled imp. & past participle of Cancel
cancelli verb t. An interwoven or latticed wall or inclosure; latticework, rails, or crossbars, as around the bar of a court of justice, between the chancel and the nave of a church, or in a window., The interlacing osseous plates constituting the elastic porous tissue of certain parts of the bones, esp. in their articular extremities.
cancrine adjective Having the qualities of a crab; crablike.
cancroid adjective Resembling a crab; pertaining to the Cancroidea, one of the families of crabs, including the genus Cancer., Like a cancer; as, a cancroid tumor.
canderos noun An East Indian resin, of a pellucid white color, from which small ornaments and toys are sometimes made.
candidly adverb In a candid manner.
candying p. pr & vb. noun of Candy
can hook A device consisting of a short rope with flat hooks at each end, for hoisting casks or barrels by the ends of the staves.
canicule noun Canicula.
canister noun A small basket of rushes, reeds, or willow twigs, etc., A small box or case for holding tea, coffee, etc., A kind of case shot for cannon, in which a number of lead or iron balls in layers are inclosed in a case fitting the gun; — called also canister shot.
cankered imp. & past participle of Canker, Affected with canker; as, a cankered mouth., Affected mentally or morally as with canker; sore, envenomed; malignant; fretful; ill-natured.
cannabin noun A poisonous resin extracted from hemp (Cannabis sativa, variety Indica). The narcotic effects of hasheesh are due to this resin.
cannabis noun A genus of a single species belonging to the order Uricaceae; hemp.
cannibal noun A human being that eats human flesh; hence, any that devours its own kind., Relating to cannibals or cannibalism.
cannikin noun A small can or drinking vessel.
cannoned adjective Furnished with cannon.
cannonry noun Cannon, collectively; artillery.
cannular adjective Having the form of a tube; tubular.
canoeing present participle & vb. noun of Canoe, The act or art of using a canoe.
canoeist noun A canoeman.
canoemen plural of Canoeman
canoeman noun One who uses a canoe; one who travels in a canoe.
canoness noun A woman who holds a canonry in a conventual chapter.
canonist noun A professor of canon law; one skilled in the knowledge and practice of ecclesiastical law.
canonize verb t. To declare (a deceased person) a saint; to put in the catalogue of saints; as, Thomas a Becket was canonized., To glorify; to exalt to the highest honor., To rate as inspired; to include in the canon.
canopies plural of Canopy
canorous adjective Melodious; musical.
canstick noun Candlestick.
cantarro noun A weight used in southern Europe and East for heavy articles. It varies in different localities; thus, at Rome it is nearly 75 pounds, in Sardinia nearly 94 pounds, in Cairo it is 95 pounds, in Syria about 503 pounds., A liquid measure in Spain, ranging from two and a half to four gallons.
cantered imp. & past participle of Canter
canticle noun A song; esp. a little song or hymn., The Song of Songs or Song of Solomon, one of the books of the Old Testament., A canto or division of a poem, A psalm, hymn, or passage from the Bible, arranged for chanting in church service.
canticoy noun A social gathering; usually, one for dancing.
cantoned imp. & past participle of Canton, Having a charge in each of the four corners; — said of a cross on a shield, and also of the shield itself., Having the angles marked by, or decorated with, projecting moldings or small columns; as, a cantoned pier or pilaster.
cantonal adjective Of or pertaining to a canton or cantons; of the nature of a canton.
cantoral adjective Of or belonging to a cantor.
cantoris adjective Of or pertaining to a cantor; as, the cantoris side of a choir; a cantoris stall.
canzonet noun A short song, in one or more parts.
capacify verb t. To quality.
capacity noun The power of receiving or containing; extent of room or space; passive power; — used in reference to physical things., The power of receiving and holding ideas, knowledge, etc.; the comprehensiveness of the mind; the receptive faculty; capability of undestanding or feeling., Ability; power pertaining to, or resulting from, the possession of strength, wealth, or talent; possibility of being or of doing., Outward condition or circumstances; occupation; profession; character; position; as, to work in the capacity of a mason or a carpenter., Legal or noral qualification, as of age, residence, character, etc., necessary for certain purposes, as for holding office, for marrying, for making contracts, will, etc.; legal power or right; competency.
capellet noun A swelling, like a wen, on the point of the elbow (or the heel of the hock) of a horse, caused probably by bruises in lying down.
capering present participle & vb. noun of Caper
capibara noun See Capybara.
capitate adjective Headlike in form; also, having the distal end enlarged and rounded, as the stigmas of certain flowers., Having the flowers gathered into a head.
capitula noun pl. See Capitulum.
capitule noun A summary.
capnomor noun A limpid, colorless oil with a peculiar odor, obtained from beech tar.
capoches plural of Capoch
capoched imp. & past participle of Capoch
caponize verb t. To castrate, as a fowl.
capotted imp. & past participle of Capot
cappaper See cap, n., also Paper, n.
cappella noun See A cappella.
cariccio noun A piece in a free form, with frequent digressions from the theme; a fantasia; — often called caprice., A caprice; a freak; a fancy.
capriole verb i. A leap that a horse makes with all fours, upwards only, without advancing, but with a kick or jerk of the hind legs when at the height of the leap., A leap or caper, as in dancing., To perform a capriole.
capriped adjective Having feet like those of a goat.
caproate noun A salt of caproic acid.
caprylic adjective See under Capric.
capsheaf noun The top sheaf of a stack of grain: (fig.) the crowning or finishing part of a thing.
capsicin noun A red liquid or soft resin extracted from various species of capsicum.
capsicum noun A genus of plants of many species, producing capsules or dry berries of various forms, which have an exceedingly pungent, biting taste, and when ground form the red or Cayenne pepper of commerce.
capsized imp. & past participle of Capsize
capstone noun A fossil echinus of the genus Cannulus; — so called from its supposed resemblance to a cap.
capsular adjective Alt. of Capsulary
captious adjective Apt to catch at faults; disposed to find fault or to cavil; eager to object; difficult to please., Fitted to harass, perplex, or insnare; insidious; troublesome.
captived imp. & past participle of Captive
captured imp. & past participle of Capture
capuccio noun A capoch or hood.
capuched adjective Cover with, or as with, a hood.
capuchin noun A Franciscan monk of the austere branch established in 1526 by Matteo di Baschi, distinguished by wearing the long pointed cowl or capoch of St. Francis., A garment for women, consisting of a cloak and hood, resembling, or supposed to resemble, that of capuchin monks., A long-tailed South American monkey (Cabus capucinus), having the forehead naked and wrinkled, with the hair on the crown reflexed and resembling a monk’s cowl, the rest being of a grayish white; — called also capucine monkey, weeper, sajou, sapajou, and sai., Other species of Cabus, as C. fatuellus (the brown or horned capucine.), C. albifrons (the cararara), and C. apella., A variety of the domestic pigeon having a hoodlike tuft of feathers on the head and sides of the neck.
capucine noun See Capuchin, 3.
capybara noun A large South American rodent (Hydrochaerus capybara) Living on the margins of lakes and rivers. It is the largest extant rodent, being about three feet long, and half that in height. It somewhat resembles the Guinea pig, to which it is related; — called also cabiai and water hog.
carabine noun A carbine.
caraboid adjective Like, or pertaining to the genus Carabus.
caracara noun A south American bird of several species and genera, resembling both the eagles and the vultures. The caracaras act as scavengers, and are also called carrion buzzards.
caracole noun A half turn which a horseman makes, either to the right or the left., A staircase in a spiral form., To move in a caracole, or in caracoles; to wheel.
caracoly noun An alloy of gold, silver, and copper, of which an inferior quality of jewelry is made.
caracore noun Alt. of Caracora
caracora noun A light vessel or proa used by the people of Borneo, etc., and by the Dutch in the East Indies.
carageen noun Alt. of Caragheen
carapace noun The thick shell or shield which covers the back of the tortoise, or turtle, the crab, and other crustaceous animals.
carapato noun A south American tick of the genus Amblyomma. There are several species, very troublesome to man and beast.
carbamic adjective Pertaining to an acid so called.
carbanil noun A mobile liquid, CO.N.C6H5, of pungent odor. It is the phenyl salt of isocyanic acid.
carbazol noun A white crystallized substance, C12H8NH, derived from aniline and other amines.
carbinol noun Methyl alcohol, CH3OH; — also, by extension, any one in the homologous series of paraffine alcohols of which methyl alcohol is the type.
carbolic adjective Pertaining to, or designating, an acid derived from coal tar and other sources; as, carbolic acid (called also phenic acid, and phenol). See Phenol.
carbonic adjective Of, pertaining to, or obtained from, carbon; as, carbonic oxide.
carbonyl noun The radical (CO)”, occuring, always combined, in many compounds, as the aldehydes, the ketones, urea, carbonyl chloride, etc.
carboxyl noun The complex radical, CO.OH, regarded as the essential and characteristic constituent which all oxygen acids of carbon (as formic, acetic, benzoic acids, etc.) have in common; — called also oxatyl.
carburet noun A carbide. See Carbide, To combine or to impregnate with carbon, as by passing through or over a liquid hydrocarbon; to carbonize or carburize.
carcajou noun The wolverene; — also applied, but erroneously, to the Canada lynx, and sometimes to the American badger. See Wolverene.
carcanet noun A jeweled chain, necklace, or collar.
carceral adjective Belonging to a prison.
cardamom noun The aromatic fruit, or capsule with its seeds, of several plants of the Ginger family growing in the East Indies and elsewhere, and much used as a condiment, and in medicine., A plant which produces cardamoms, esp. Elettaria Cardamomum and several species of Amomum.
cardcase noun A case for visiting cards.
cardinal adjective Of fundamental importance; preeminent; superior; chief; principal., One of the ecclesiastical princes who constitute the pope’s council, or the sacred college., A woman’s short cloak with a hood., Mulled red wine.
cardioid noun An algebraic curve, so called from its resemblance to a heart.
carditis noun Inflammation of the fleshy or muscular substance of the heart. See Endocarditis and Pericarditis.
cardines plural of Cardo
careened imp. & past participle of Careen
careered imp. & past participle of Career
careless adjective Free from care or anxiety. hence, cheerful; light-hearted., Having no care; not taking ordinary or proper care; negligent; unconcerned; heedless; inattentive; unmindful; regardless., Without thought or purpose; without due care; without attention to rule or system; unstudied; inconsiderate; spontaneous; rash; as, a careless throw; a careless expression., Not receiving care; uncared for.
caressed imp. & past participle of Caress
careworn adjective Worn or burdened with care; as, careworn look or face.
cargason noun A cargo.
cargoose noun A species of grebe (Podiceps crisratus); the crested grebe.
caribbee adjective Of or pertaining to the Caribs, to their islands (the eastern and southern West Indies), or to the sea (called the Caribbean sea) lying between those islands and Central America., A Carib.
caricous adjective Of the shape of a fig; as, a caricous tumor.
carillon noun A chime of bells diatonically tuned, played by clockwork or by finger keys., A tune adapted to be played by musical bells.
carinate adjective Alt. of Carinated
carkanet noun A carcanet.
caroline noun A silver coin once current in some parts of Italy, worth about seven cents., A coin. See Carline.
carlings noun pl. Same as Carl, 3.
carmelin adjective Of or pertaining to the order of Carmelites.
carminic adjective Of or pertaining to, or derived from, carmine.
carnally adverb According to the flesh, to the world, or to human nature; in a manner to gratify animal appetites and lusts; sensually.
carnauba noun The Brazilian wax palm. See Wax palm.
carneous adjective Consisting of, or like, flesh; carnous; fleshy.
carnifex noun The public executioner at Rome, who executed persons of the lowest rank; hence, an executioner or hangman.
carnival noun A festival celebrated with merriment and revelry in Roman Gatholic countries during the week before Lent, esp. at Rome and Naples, during a few days (three to ten) before Lent, ending with Shrove Tuesday., Any merrymaking, feasting, or masquerading, especially when overstepping the bounds of decorum; a time of riotous excess.
caroched adjective Placed in a caroche.
caroigne noun Dead body; carrion.
carolled of Carol
caroling present participle & vb. noun of Carol, A song of joy or devotion; a singing, as of carols.
caroteel noun A tierce or cask for dried fruits, etc., usually about 700 lbs.
carousal noun A jovial feast or festival; a drunken revel; a carouse.
caroused imp. & past participle of Carouse
carouser noun One who carouses; a reveler.
carpalia plural of Carpale
carpeted imp. & past participle of Carpet
carraway noun See Caraway.
carriage noun That which is carried; burden; baggage., The act of carrying, transporting, or conveying., The price or expense of carrying., That which carries of conveys,, A wheeled vehicle for persons, esp. one designed for elegance and comfort., A wheeled vehicle carrying a fixed burden, as a gun carriage., A part of a machine which moves and carries of supports some other moving object or part., A frame or cage in which something is carried or supported; as, a bell carriage., The manner of carrying one’s self; behavior; bearing; deportment; personal manners., The act or manner of conducting measures or projects; management.
carriboo noun See Caribou.
carrying present participle & vb. noun of Carry, The act or business of transporting from one place to another.
carryall noun A light covered carriage, having four wheels and seats for four or more persons, usually drawn by one horse.
cartbote noun Wood to which a tenant is entitled for making and repairing carts and other instruments of husbandry.
cartouch noun A roll or case of paper, etc., holding a charge for a firearm; a cartridge, A cartridge box., A wooden case filled with balls, to be shot from a cannon., A gunner’s bag for ammunition, A military pass for a soldier on furlough., A cantalever, console, corbel, or modillion, which has the form of a scroll of paper, A tablet for ornament, or for receiving an inscription, formed like a sheet of paper with the edges rolled up; hence, any tablet of ornamental form., An oval figure on monuments, and in papyri, containing the name of a sovereign.
carucage noun A tax on every plow or plowland., The act of plowing.
carucate noun A plowland; as much land as one team can plow in a year and a day; — by some said to be about 100 acres.
caruncle noun Alt. of Caruncula
caryatic adjective Alt. of Caryatid
caryatid adjective Of or pertaining to a caryatid., A draped female figure supporting an entablature, in the place of a column or pilaster.
cascabel noun The projection in rear of the breech of a cannon, usually a knob or breeching loop connected with the gun by a neck. In old writers it included all in rear of the base ring. [See Illust. of Cannon.]
cascalho noun A deposit of pebbles, gravel, and ferruginous sand, in which the Brazilian diamond is usually found.
case-bay noun The space between two principals or girders, One of the joists framed between a pair of girders in naked flooring.
casemate noun A bombproof chamber, usually of masonry, in which cannon may be placed, to be fired through embrasures; or one capable of being used as a magazine, or for quartering troops., A hollow molding, chiefly in cornices.
casement noun A window sash opening on hinges affixed to the upright side of the frame into which it is fitted. (Poetically) A window.
caseworm noun A worm or grub that makes for itself a case. See Caddice.
cashbook noun A book in which is kept a register of money received or paid out.
cahiered imp. & past participle of Cashier
cashmere noun A rich stuff for shawls, scarfs, etc., originally made in Cashmere from the soft wool found beneath the hair of the goats of Cashmere, Thibet, and the Himalayas. Some cashmere, of fine quality, is richly embroidered for sale to Europeans., A dress fabric made of fine wool, or of fine wool and cotton, in imitation of the original cashmere.
cassican noun An American bird of the genus Cassicus, allied to the starlings and orioles, remarkable for its skillfully constructed and suspended nest; the crested oriole. The name is also sometimes given to the piping crow, an Australian bird.
castanea noun A genus of nut-bearing trees or shrubs including the chestnut and chinquapin.
castanet noun See Castanets.
castaway noun One who, or that which, is cast away or shipwrecked., One who is ruined; one who has made moral shipwreck; a reprobate., Of no value; rejected; useless.
castling present participle & vb. noun of Castle, That which is cast or brought forth prematurely; an abortion., A compound move of the king and castle. See Castle, v. i.
castlery noun The government of a castle.
cast-off adjective Cast or laid aside; as, cast-off clothes.
castorin noun A white crystalline substance obtained from castoreum.
castrate verb t. To deprive of the testicles; to emasculate; to geld; to alter., To cut or take out; esp. to remove anything erroneous, or objectionable from, as the obscene parts of a writing; to expurgate.
castrato noun A male person castrated for the purpose of improving his voice for singing; an artificial, or male, soprano.
casually adverb Without design; accidentally; fortuitously; by chance; occasionally.
casualty noun That which comes without design or without being foreseen; contingency., Any injury of the body from accident; hence, death, or other misfortune, occasioned by an accident; as, an unhappy casualty., Numerical loss caused by death, wounds, discharge, or desertion.
catacomb noun A cave, grotto, or subterraneous place of large extent used for the burial of the dead; — commonly in the plural.
catalyse plural of Catalysis
catamite noun A boy kept for unnatural purposes.
catapasm noun A compound medicinal powder, used by the ancients to sprinkle on ulcers, to absorb perspiration, etc.
catapuce noun Spurge.
catapult noun An engine somewhat resembling a massive crossbow, used by the ancient Greeks and Romans for throwing stones, arrows, spears, etc., A forked stick with elastic band for throwing small stones, etc.
cataract noun A great fall of water over a precipice; a large waterfall., An opacity of the crystalline lens, or of its capsule, which prevents the passage of the rays of light and impairs or destroys the sight., A kind of hydraulic brake for regulating the action of pumping engines and other machines; — sometimes called dashpot.
catawbas noun pl. An Appalachian tribe of Indians which originally inhabited the regions near the Catawba river and the head waters of the Santee.
catching present participle & vb. noun of Catch, Infectious; contagious., Captivating; alluring., The act of seizing or taking hold of.
catchfly noun A plant with the joints of the stem, and sometimes other parts, covered with a viscid secretion to which small insects adhere. The species of Silene are examples of the catchfly.
catechin noun One of the tannic acids, extracted from catechu as a white, crystalline substance; — called also catechuic acid, and catechuin.
category noun One of the highest classes to which the objects of knowledge or thought can be reduced, and by which they can be arranged in a system; an ultimate or undecomposable conception; a predicament., Class; also, state, condition, or predicament; as, we are both in the same category.
catenary adjective Alt. of Catenarian, The curve formed by a rope or chain of uniform density and perfect flexibility, hanging freely between two points of suspension, not in the same vertical line.
catenate verb t. To connect, in a series of links or ties; to chain.
catering present participle & vb. noun of Cater
cateress noun A woman who caters.
cat-eyed adjective Having eyes like a cat; hence, able to see in the dark.
cathedra noun The official chair or throne of a bishop, or of any person in high authority.
catheter noun The name of various instruments for passing along mucous canals, esp. applied to a tubular instrument to be introduced into the bladder through the urethra to draw off the urine.
cathetus noun One line or radius falling perpendicularly on another; as, the catheti of a right-angled triangle, that is, the two sides that include the right angle.
cathodic adjective A term applied to the centrifugal, or efferent, course of the nervous influence.
cat-hole noun One of two small holes astern, above the gunroom ports, through which hawsers may be passed.
catholic adjective Universal or general; as, the catholic faith., Not narrow-minded, partial, or bigoted; liberal; as, catholic tastes., Of or pertaining to, or affecting the Roman Catholics; as, the Catholic emancipation act., A person who accepts the creeds which are received in common by all parts of the orthodox Christian church., An adherent of the Roman Catholic church; a Roman Catholic.
catonian adjective Of, pertaining to, or resembling, the stern old Roman, Cato the Censor; severe; inflexible.
catopter noun Alt. of Catoptron
catopron noun See Catopter.
cat-salt noun A sort of salt, finely granulated, formed out of the bittern or leach brine.
catstick noun A stick or club employed in the game of ball called cat or tipcat.
cat-tail noun A tall rush or flag (Typha latifolia) growing in marshes, with long, flat leaves, and having its flowers in a close cylindrical spike at the top of the stem. The leaves are frequently used for seating chairs, making mats, etc. See Catkin.
caucused imp. & past participle of Caucus
caudated adjective Having a tail; having a termination like a tail.
caudices plural of Caudex
caudexes plural of Caudex
caudicle noun Alt. of Caudicula
caudling present participle & vb. noun of Caudle
caulicle noun A short caulis or stem, esp. the rudimentary stem seen in the embryo of seed; — otherwise called a radicle.
causable adjective Capable of being caused.
causally adverb According to the order or series of causes; by tracing effects to causes., The lighter, earthy parts of ore, carried off washing.
causator noun One who causes.
causeful noun Having a cause.
causeuse noun A kind of sofa for two persons. A tete-/-tete.
causeway noun Alt. of Causey
causeyed adjective Having a raised way (causeway or causey); paved.
cautious adjective Attentive to examine probable effects and consequences of acts with a view to avoid danger or misfortune; prudent; circumspect; wary; watchful; as, a cautious general.
cavalero noun Alt. of Cavaliero
cavalier noun A military man serving on horseback; a knight., A gay, sprightly, military man; hence, a gallant., One of the court party in the time of king Charles I. as contrasted with a Roundhead or an adherent of Parliament., A work of more than ordinary height, rising from the level ground of a bastion, etc., and overlooking surrounding parts., Gay; easy; offhand; frank., High-spirited., Supercilious; haughty; disdainful; curt; brusque., Of or pertaining to the party of King Charles I.
cavatina noun Originally, a melody of simpler form than the aria; a song without a second part and a da capo; — a term now variously and vaguely used.
caveator noun One who enters a caveat.
caverned adjective Containing caverns., Living in a cavern.
cavesson noun Alt. of Cavezon
cavicorn adjective Having hollow horns.
cavilled of Cavil
caviling present participle & vb. noun of Cavil, Disposed to cavil; finding fault without good reason. See Captious.
caviller noun One who cavils.
cavilous adjective Alt. of Cavillous
cavitary adjective Containing a body cavity; as, the cavitary or nematoid worms.
cavities plural of Cavity
cavorted imp. & past participle of Cavort
cabazite noun A mineral occuring in glassy rhombohedral crystals, varying, in color from white to yellow or red. It is essentially a hydrous silicate of alumina and lime. Called also chabasie.