9 letter word starting with c

by
Words Parts of Speech Meaning/Definition/Similar Words
caballing present participle & vb. noun of Cabal
caballine adjective Of or pertaining to a horse., Caballine aloes.
cabbaging present participle & vb. noun of Cabbage
cablegram noun A message sent by a submarine telegraphic cable.
cablelaid adjective Composed of three three-stranded ropes, or hawsers, twisted together to form a cable., Twisted after the manner of a cable; as, a cable-laid gold chain.
cabrerite noun An apple-green mineral, a hydrous arseniate of nickel, cobalt, and magnesia; — so named from the Sierra Cabrera, Spain.
cabriolet noun A one-horse carriage with two seats and a calash top.
cachaemia noun A degenerated or poisoned condition of the blood.
cachectic adjective Alt. of Cachectical
cacholong noun An opaque or milk-white chalcedony, a variety of quartz; also, a similar variety of opal.
cacochymy noun A vitiated state of the humors, or fluids, of the body, especially of the blood.
cacodemon noun An evil spirit; a devil or demon., The nightmare.
cacodylic adjective Of, pertaining to, or derived from, cacodyl.
cacoethes noun A bad custom or habit; an insatiable desire; as, cacoethes scribendi, “The itch for writing”., A bad quality or disposition in a disease; an incurable ulcer.
cacomixle noun Alt. of Cacomixl
cacophony noun An uncouth or disagreable sound of words, owing to the concurrence of harsh letters or syllables., A combination of discordant sounds., An unhealthy state of the voice.
cacuminal adjective Pertaining to the top of the palate; cerebral; — applied to certain consonants; as, cacuminal (or cerebral) letters.
cadastral adjective Of or pertaining to landed property.
cadaveric adjective Of, pertaining to, or resembling, a corpse, or the changes produced by death; cadaverous; as, cadaveric rigidity.
cadetship noun The position, rank, or commission of a cadet; as, to get a cadetship.
caecilian noun A limbless amphibian belonging to the order Caeciliae or Ophimorpha. See Ophiomorpha.
caenozoic adjective See Cenozoic.
caesarean adjective Alt. of Caesarian
caesarian adjective Of or pertaining to Caesar or the Caesars; imperial.
caesarism noun A system of government in which unrestricted power is exercised by a single person, to whom, as Caesar or emperor, it has been committed by the popular will; imperialism; also, advocacy or support of such a system of government.
cainozoic adjective See Cenozic.
calaboose noun A prison; a jail.
calamanco noun A glossy woolen stuff, plain, striped, or checked.
calambour noun A species of agalloch, or aloes wood, of a dusky or mottled color, of a light, friable texture, and less fragrant than calambac; — used by cabinetmakers.
calcaneal adjective Pertaining to the calcaneum; as, calcaneal arteries.
calcaneum noun One of the bones of the tarsus which in man, forms the great bone of the heel; — called also fibulare.
calcarate adjective Alt. of Calcarated
calcarine adjective Pertaining to, or situated near, the calcar of the brain.
calceated adjective Fitted with, or wearing, shoes.
calcified adjective Consisting of, or containing, calcareous matter or lime salts; calcareous., of Calcify
calciform adjective In the form of chalk or lime.
calcimine noun A white or colored wash for the ceiling or other plastering of a room, consisting of a mixture of clear glue, Paris white or zinc white, and water., To wash or cover with calcimine; as, to calcimine walls.
calcinate verb i. To calcine.
calcining present participle & vb. noun of Calcine
calc-spar noun Same as Calcite.
calc-tufa noun See under Calcite.
calculary adjective Of or pertaining to calculi., A congeries of little stony knots found in the pulp of the pear and other fruits.
calculate verb i. To ascertain or determine by mathematical processes, usually by the ordinary rules of arithmetic; to reckon up; to estimate; to compute., To ascertain or predict by mathematical or astrological computations the time, circumstances, or other conditions of; to forecast or compute the character or consequences of; as, to calculate or cast one’s nativity., To adjust for purpose; to adapt by forethought or calculation; to fit or prepare by the adaptation of means to an end; as, to calculate a system of laws for the government and protection of a free people., To plan; to expect; to think., To make a calculation; to forecast consequences; to estimate; to compute.
calculous adjective Of the nature of a calculus; like stone; gritty; as, a calculous concretion., Caused, or characterized, by the presence of a calculus or calculi; a, a calculous disorder; affected with gravel or stone; as, a calculous person.
caledonia noun The ancient Latin name of Scotland; — still used in poetry.
calefying present participle & vb. noun of Calefy
calembour noun A pun.
calendary adjective Calendarial.
calendrer noun A person who calenders cloth; a calender.
calendric adjective Alt. of Calendrical
calendula noun A genus of composite herbaceous plants. One species, Calendula officinalis, is the common marigold, and was supposed to blossom on the calends of every month, whence the name.
calenture noun A name formerly given to various fevers occuring in tropics; esp. to a form of furious delirium accompanied by fever, among sailors, which sometimes led the affected person to imagine the sea to be a green field, and to throw himself into it., To see as in the delirium of one affected with calenture.
calibrate verb i. To ascertain the caliber of, as of a thermometer tube; also, more generally, to determine or rectify the graduation of, as of the various standards or graduated instruments.
calicular adjective Alt. of Caliculate
caliphate noun The office, dignity, or government of a caliph or of the caliphs.
callidity noun Acuteness of discernment; cunningness; shrewdness.
callipash noun See Calipash.
callipers noun pl. See Calipers.
callosity noun A hard or thickened spot or protuberance; a hardening and thickening of the skin or bark of a part, eps. as a result of continued pressure or friction.
calorific adjective Possessing the quality of producing heat; heating.
calumnies plural of Calumny
calvinism noun The theological tenets or doctrines of John Calvin (a French theologian and reformer of the 16th century) and his followers, or of the so-called calvinistic churches.
calvinist noun A follower of Calvin; a believer in Calvinism.
calvinize verb t. To convert to Calvinism.
calycinal adjective Alt. of Calycine
calycozoa noun pl. A group of acalephs of which Lucernaria is the type. The body is cup-shaped with eight marginal lobes bearing clavate tentacles. An aboral sucker serves for attachment. The interior is divided into four large compartments. See Lucernarida.
calycular adjective Pertaining to, or resembling, the bracts of a calycle.
camarilla noun The private audience chamber of a king., A company of secret and irresponsible advisers, as of a king; a cabal or clique.
cambering present participle & vb. noun of Camber
cambistry noun The science of exchange, weight, measures, etc.
camerated imp. & past participle of Camerate
camisated adjective Dressed with a shirt over the other garments.
chamomile noun A genus of herbs (Anthemis) of the Composite family. The common camomile, A. nobilis, is used as a popular remedy. Its flowers have a strong and fragrant and a bitter, aromatic taste. They are tonic, febrifugal, and in large doses emetic, and the volatile oil is carminative., See Camomile.
camonflet noun A small mine, sometimes formed in the wall or side of an enemy’s gallery, to blow in the earth and cut off the retreat of the miners.
campagnol noun A mouse (Arvicala agrestis), called also meadow mouse, which often does great damage in fields and gardens, by feeding on roots and seeds.
campanero noun The bellbird of South America. See Bellbird.
campanile noun A bell tower, esp. one built separate from a church.
campanula noun A large genus of plants bearing bell-shaped flowers, often of great beauty; — also called bellflower.
camptight noun A duel; the decision of a case by a duel.
camphogen noun See Cymene.
camphoric adjective Of, pertaining to, or derived from, camphor.
canaanite noun A descendant of Canaan, the son of Ham, and grandson of Noah., A Native or inhabitant of the land of Canaan, esp. a member of any of the tribes who inhabited Canaan at the time of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt., A zealot.
cancelled of Cancel
canceling present participle & vb. noun of Cancel
cancelier verb i. To turn in flight; — said of a hawk., Alt. of Canceleer
canceleer noun The turn of a hawk upon the wing to recover herself, when she misses her aim in the stoop.
cancerate verb i. To grow into a canser; to become cancerous.
cancerite noun Like a cancer; having the qualities or virulence of a cancer; affected with cancer.
candicant adjective Growing white.
candidacy noun The position of a candidate; state of being a candidate; candidateship.
candidate noun One who offers himself, or is put forward by others, as a suitable person or an aspirant or contestant for an office, privilege, or honor; as, a candidate for the office of governor; a candidate for holy orders; a candidate for scholastic honors.
candlemas noun The second day of February, on which is celebrated the feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary; — so called because the candles for the altar or other sacred uses are blessed on that day.
candytuft noun An annual plant of the genus Iberis, cultivated in gardens. The name was originally given to the I. umbellata, first, discovered in the island of Candia.
canebrake noun A thicket of canes.
canescent adjective Growing white, or assuming a color approaching to white.
cannicula noun The Dog Star; Sirius.
canicular adjective Pertaining to, or measured, by the rising of the Dog Star.
cankering present participle & vb. noun of Canker
cankerous adjective Affecting like a canker.
cannabene noun A colorless oil obtained from hemp by distillation, and possessing its intoxicating properties.
cannabine adjective Pertaining to hemp; hempen.
canniness noun Caution; crafty management.
cannonade noun The act of discharging cannon and throwing ball, shell, etc., for the purpose of destroying an army, or battering a town, ship, or fort; — usually, an attack of some continuance., Fig.; A loud noise like a cannonade; a booming., of Cannonade, To attack with heavy artillery; to batter with cannon shot., To discharge cannon; as, the army cannonaded all day.
cannoneer noun Alt. of Cannonier
cannonier noun A man who manages, or fires, cannon.
canon bit That part of a bit which is put in a horse’s mouth.
canonized imp. & past participle of Canonize
canonship adjective Of or pertaining to Canopus in Egypt; as, the Canopic vases, used in embalming.
canopying present participle & vb. noun of Canopy
cantabile adjective In a melodious, flowing style; in a singing style, as opposed to bravura, recitativo, or parlando., A piece or passage, whether vocal or instrumental, peculiarly adapted to singing; — sometimes called cantilena.
cantation noun A singing.
cantatory adjective Containing cant or affectation; whining; singing.
cantering present participle & vb. noun of Canter
cantharis noun A beetle (Lytta, / Cantharis, vesicatoria), havin1g an elongated cylindrical body of a brilliant green color, and a nauseous odor; the blister fly or blister beetle, of the apothecary; — also called Spanish fly. Many other species of Lytta, used for the same purpose, take the same name. See Blister beetle, under Blister. The plural form in usually applied to the dried insects used in medicine.
cant hook A wooden lever with a movable iron hook. hear the end; — used for canting or turning over heavy logs, etc.
canticles plural of Canticle
cantilena noun See Cantabile.
cantoning present participle & vb. noun of Canton
cantonize verb i. To divide into cantons or small districts.
canulated adjective See Cannula, Cannular, and Cannulated.
canvassed imp. & past participle of Canvass
canvasser noun One who canvasses.
caoutchin noun An inflammable, volatile, oily, liquid hydrocarbon, obtained by the destructive distillation of caoutchouc.
capacious adjective Having capacity; able to contain much; large; roomy; spacious; extended; broad; as, a capacious vessel, room, bay, or harbor., Able or qualified to make large views of things, as in obtaining knowledge or forming designs; comprehensive; liberal.
caparison noun An ornamental covering or housing for a horse; the harness or trappings of a horse, taken collectively, esp. when decorative., Gay or rich clothing., To cover with housings, as a horse; to harness or fit out with decorative trappings, as a horse., To aborn with rich dress; to dress.
cappeline noun A hood-shaped bandage for the head, the shoulder, or the stump of an amputated limb.
capellane noun The curate of a chapel; a chaplain.
caperclaw verb t. To treat with cruel playfulness, as a cat treats a mouse; to abuse.
capillary adjective Resembling a hair; fine; minute; very slender; having minute tubes or interspaces; having very small bore; as, the capillary vessels of animals and plants., Pertaining to capillary tubes or vessels; as, capillary action., A tube or vessel, extremely fine or minute., A minute, thin-walled vessel; particularly one of the smallest blood vessels connecting arteries and veins, but used also for the smallest lymphatic and biliary vessels.
capillose adjective Having much hair; hairy.
capitally adverb In a way involving the forfeiture of the head or life; as, to punish capitally., In a capital manner; excellently.
capitatim adjective Of so much per head; as, a capitatim tax; a capitatim grant.
capitular noun An act passed in a chapter., A member of a chapter., The head or prominent part., Of or pertaining to a chapter; capitulary., Growing in, or pertaining to, a capitulum., Pertaining to a capitulum; as, the capitular process of a vertebra, the process which articulates with the capitulum of a rib.
capitulum noun A thick head of flowers on a very short axis, as a clover top, or a dandelion; a composite flower. A capitulum may be either globular or flat., A knoblike protuberance of any part, esp. at the end of a bone or cartilage. [See Illust. of Artiodactyla.]
caponiere noun A work made across or in the ditch, to protect it from the enemy, or to serve as a covered passageway.
cappadine noun A floss or waste obtained from the cocoon after the silk has been reeled off, used for shag.
capricorn noun The tenth sign of zodiac, into which the sun enters at the winter solstice, about December 21. See Tropic., A southern constellation, represented on ancient monuments by the figure of a goat, or a figure with its fore part like a fish.
caprifole noun The woodbine or honeysuckle.
capriform adjective Having the form of a goat.
caprylate noun A salt of caprylic acid.
capsaicin noun A colorless crystalline substance extracted from the Capsicum annuum, and giving off vapors of intense acridity.
capsicine noun A volatile alkaloid extracted from Capsicum annuum or from capsicin.
capsizing present participle & vb. noun of Capsize
capsquare noun A metal covering plate which passes over the trunnions of a cannon, and holds it in place.
capsulary adjective Of or pertaining to a capsule; having the nature of a capsule; hollow and fibrous.
capsulate adjective Alt. of Capsulated
captaincy noun The rank, post, or commission of a captain.
captainry noun Power, or command, over a certain district; chieftainship.
captation noun A courting of favor or applause, by flattery or address; a captivating quality; an attraction.
captivate verb t. To take prisoner; to capture; to subdue., To acquire ascendancy over by reason of some art or attraction; to fascinate; to charm; as, Cleopatra captivated Antony; the orator captivated all hearts., Taken prisoner; made captive; insnared; charmed.
captiving present participle & vb. noun of Captive
captivity noun The state of being a captive or a prisoner., A state of being under control; subjection of the will or affections; bondage.
capturing present participle & vb. noun of Capture
caracoled imp. & past participle of Caracole
caragheen noun See Carrageen.
carambola noun An East Indian tree (Averrhoa Carambola), and its acid, juicy fruit; called also Coromandel gooseberry.
carangoid adjective Belonging to the Carangidae, a family of fishes allied to the mackerels, and including the caranx, American bluefish, and the pilot fish.
carbamide noun The technical name for urea.
carbamine noun An isocyanide of a hydrocarbon radical. The carbamines are liquids, usually colorless, and of unendurable odor.
carbimide noun The technical name for isocyanic acid. See under Isocyanic.
carbineer noun A soldier armed with a carbine.
carbolize verb t. To apply carbolic acid to; to wash or treat with carbolic acid.
carbonade noun Alt. of Carbonado, To cut (meat) across for frying or broiling; to cut or slice and broil., To cut or hack, as in fighting.
carbonado noun Flesh, fowl, etc., cut across, seasoned, and broiled on coals; a chop., Alt. of Carbonade, A black variety of diamond, found in Brazil, and used for diamond drills. It occurs in irregular or rounded fragments, rarely distinctly crystallized, with a texture varying from compact to porous.
carbonari plural of Carbonaro
carbonaro noun A member of a secret political association in Italy, organized in the early part of the nineteenth centry for the purpose of changing the government into a republic.
carbonate noun A salt or carbonic acid, as in limestone, some forms of lead ore, etc.
carbonide noun A carbide.
carbonize verb t. To convert (an animal or vegetable substance) into a residue of carbon by the action of fire or some corrosive agent; to char., To impregnate or combine with carbon, as in making steel by cementation.
carboxide noun A compound of carbon and oxygen, as carbonyl, with some element or radical; as, potassium carboxide.
carbuncle noun A beautiful gem of a deep red color (with a mixture of scarlet) called by the Greeks anthrax; found in the East Indies. When held up to the sun, it loses its deep tinge, and becomes of the color of burning coal. The name belongs for the most part to ruby sapphire, though it has been also given to red spinel and garnet., A very painful acute local inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue, esp. of the trunk or back of the neck, characterized by brawny hardness of the affected parts, sloughing of the skin and deeper tissues, and marked constitutional depression. It differs from a boil in size, tendency to spread, and the absence of a central core, and is frequently fatal. It is also called anthrax., A charge or bearing supposed to represent the precious stone. It has eight scepters or staves radiating from a common center. Called also escarbuncle.
carburize verb t. To combine with carbon or a carbon compound; — said esp. of a process for conferring a higher degree of illuminating power on combustible gases by mingling them with a vapor of volatile hydrocarbons.
carcasses plural of Carcass
carcelage noun Prison fees.
carcinoma noun A cancer. By some medical writers, the term is applied to an indolent tumor. See Cancer.
cardamine noun A genus of cruciferous plants, containing the lady’s-smock, cuckooflower, bitter cress, meadow cress, etc.
cardboard noun A stiff compact pasteboard of various qualities, for making cards, etc., often having a polished surface.
cardiacal adjective Cardiac.
cardiacle noun A pain about the heart.
cardialgy noun A burning or gnawing pain, or feeling of distress, referred to the region of the heart, accompanied with cardiac palpitation; heartburn. It is usually a symptom of indigestion.
cardiolgy noun The science which treats of the heart and its functions.
careening present participle & vb. noun of Careen
careenage noun Expense of careening ships., A place for careening.
careering present participle & vb. noun of Career
carefully adverb In a careful manner.
caressing present participle & vb. noun of Caress
caretuned adjective Weary; mournful.
caribbean adjective Alt. of Caribbee
carinaria noun A genus of oceanic heteropod Mollusca, having a thin, glassy, bonnet-shaped shell, which covers only the nucleus and gills.
carinatae noun pl. A grand division of birds, including all existing flying birds; — So called from the carina or keel on the breastbone.
carinated adjective Shaped like the keel or prow of a ship; having a carina or keel; as, a carinate calyx or leaf; a carinate sternum (of a bird).
cariopsis noun See Caryopsis.
cariosity noun Caries.
carmelite adjective Alt. of Carmelin, A friar of a mendicant order (the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel) established on Mount Carmel, in Syria, in the twelfth century; a White Friar., A nun of the Order of Our lady of Mount Carmel.
carnalism noun The state of being carnal; carnality; sensualism.
carnalist noun A sensualist.
carnality noun The state of being carnal; fleshly lust, or the indulgence of lust; grossness of mind.
carnalize verb t. To make carnal; to debase to carnality.
carnation noun The natural color of flesh; rosy pink., Those parts of a picture in which the human body or any part of it is represented in full color; the flesh tints., A species of Dianthus (D. Caryophyllus) or pink, having very beautiful flowers of various colors, esp. white and usually a rich, spicy scent.
carnelian noun A variety of chalcedony, of a clear, deep red, flesh red, or reddish white color. It is moderately hard, capable of a good polish, and often used for seals.
carnivora noun pl. An order of Mammallia including the lion, tiger, wolf bear, seal, etc. They are adapted by their structure to feed upon flesh, though some of them, as the bears, also eat vegetable food. The teeth are large and sharp, suitable for cutting flesh, and the jaws powerful.
carnivore noun One of the Carnivora.
carnosity noun A fleshy excrescence; esp. a small excrescence or fungous growth., Fleshy substance or quality; fleshy covering.
carolling of Carol
carolitic adjective Adorned with sculptured leaves and branches.
caroluses plural of Carolus
carotidal adjective Pertaining to, or near, the carotids or one of them; as, the carotid gland.
carousing present participle & vb. noun of Carouse, That carouses; relating to a carouse.
carpellum noun A simple pistil or single-celled ovary or seed vessel, or one of the parts of a compound pistil, ovary, or seed vessel. See Illust of Carpaphore.
carpenter noun An artificer who works in timber; a framer and builder of houses, ships, etc.
carpentry noun The art of cutting, framing, and joining timber, as in the construction of buildings., An assemblage of pieces of timber connected by being framed together, as the pieces of a roof, floor, etc.; work done by a carpenter.
carpeting present participle & vb. noun of Carpet, The act of covering with carpets., Cloth or materials for carpets; carpets, in general.
carpetbag noun A portable bag for travelers; — so called because originally made of carpet.
carpetway noun A border of greensward left round the margin of a plowed field.
carpolite noun A general term for a fossil fruit, nut, or seed.
carpology noun That branch of botany which relates to the structure of seeds and fruit.
carrageen noun Alt. of Carrigeen
carrigeen noun A small, purplish, branching, cartilaginous seaweed (Chondrus crispus), which, when bleached, is the Irish moss of commerce.
carrancha noun The Brazilian kite (Polyborus Brasiliensis); — so called in imitation of its notes.
carriable adjective Capable of being carried.
carronade noun A kind of short cannon, formerly in use, designed to throw a large projectile with small velocity, used for the purpose of breaking or smashing in, rather than piercing, the object aimed at, as the side of a ship. It has no trunnions, but is supported on its carriage by a bolt passing through a loop on its under side.
carrytale noun A talebearer.
cartesian adjective Of or pertaining to the French philosopher Rene Descartes, or his philosophy., An adherent of Descartes.
carthamin noun A red coloring matter obtained from the safflower, or Carthamus tinctorius.
cartilage noun A translucent, elastic tissue; gristle.
cartridge noun A complete charge for a firearm, contained in, or held together by, a case, capsule, or shell of metal, pasteboard, or other material.
cartulary noun A register, or record, as of a monastery or church., An ecclesiastical officer who had charge of records or other public papers.
caruncula noun A small fleshy prominence or excrescence; especially the small, reddish body, the caruncula lacrymalis, in the inner angle of the eye., An excrescence or appendage surrounding or near the hilum of a seed., A naked, flesh appendage, on the head of a bird, as the wattles of a turkey, etc.
carvacrol noun A thick oily liquid, C10H13.OH, of a strong taste and disagreeable odor, obtained from oil of caraway (Carum carui).
car wheel A flanged wheel of a railway car or truck.
caryatids plural of Caryatid
caryopses plural of Caryopsis
caryopsis noun A one-celled, dry, indehiscent fruit, with a thin membranous pericarp, adhering closely to the seed, so that fruit and seed are incorporated in one body, forming a single grain, as of wheat, barley, etc.
caseation noun A degeneration of animal tissue into a cheesy or curdy mass.
casemated adjective Furnished with, protected by, or built like, a casemate.
case shot A collection of small projectiles, inclosed in a case or canister.
cashierer noun One who rejects, discards, or dismisses; as, a cashierer of monarchs.
cassareep noun A condiment made from the sap of the bitter cassava (Manihot utilissima) deprived of its poisonous qualities, concentrated by boiling, and flavored with aromatics. See Pepper pot.
cassation noun The act of annulling.
casserole noun A small round dish with a handle, usually of porcelain., A mold (in the shape of a hollow vessel or incasement) of boiled rice, mashed potato or paste, baked, and afterwards filled with vegetables or meat.
cassidony noun The French lavender (Lavandula Stoechas), The goldilocks (Chrysocoma Linosyris) and perhaps other plants related to the genus Gnaphalium or cudweed.
cassimere noun A thin, twilled, woolen cloth, used for men’s garments.
cassocked adjective Clothed with a cassock.
cassonade noun Raw sugar; sugar not refined.
cassowary noun A large bird, of the genus Casuarius, found in the east Indies. It is smaller and stouter than the ostrich. Its head is armed with a kind of helmet of horny substance, consisting of plates overlapping each other, and it has a group of long sharp spines on each wing which are used as defensive organs. It is a shy bird, and runs with great rapidity. Other species inhabit New Guinea, Australia, etc.
castalian adjective Of or pertaining to Castalia, a mythical fountain of inspiration on Mt. Parnassus sacred to the Muses.
castanets noun pl. Two small, concave shells of ivory or hard wood, shaped like spoons, fastened to the thumb, and beaten together with the middle finger; — used by the Spaniards and Moors as an accompaniment to their dance and guitars.
castellan noun A governor or warden of a castle.
castigate verb t. To punish by stripes; to chastise by blows; to chasten; also, to chastise verbally; to reprove; to criticise severely., To emend; to correct.
castilian noun An inhabitant or native of Castile, in Spain., The Spanish language as spoken in Castile.
castillan adjective Of or pertaining to Castile, in Spain.
cast iron Highly carbonized iron, the direct product of the blast furnace; — used for making castings, and for conversion into wrought iron and steel. It can not be welded or forged, is brittle, and sometimes very hard. Besides carbon, it contains sulphur, phosphorus, silica, etc.
cast-iron adjective Made of cast iron. Hence, Fig.: like cast iron; hardy; unyielding.
castorite noun A variety of the mineral called petalite, from Elba.
castoreum noun A peculiar bitter orange-brown substance, with strong, penetrating odor, found in two sacs between the anus and external genitals of the beaver; castor; — used in medicine as an antispasmodic, and by perfumers.
castrated imp. & past participle of Castrate
casualism noun The doctrine that all things exist or are controlled by chance.
casualist noun One who believes in casualism.
casuarina noun A genus of leafless trees or shrubs, with drooping branchlets of a rushlike appearance, mostly natives of Australia. Some of them are large, producing hard and heavy timber of excellent quality, called beefwood from its color.
casuistic adjective Alt. of Casuistieal
casuistry adjective The science or doctrine of dealing with cases of conscience, of resolving questions of right or wrong in conduct, or determining the lawfulness or unlawfulness of what a man may do by rules and principles drawn from the Scriptures, from the laws of society or the church, or from equity and natural reason; the application of general moral rules to particular cases., Sophistical, equivocal, or false reasoning or teaching in regard to duties, obligations, and morals.
cataclysm noun An extensive overflow or sweeping flood of water; a deluge., Any violent catastrophe, involving sudden and extensive changes of the earth’s surface.
catadrome noun A race course., A machine for raising or lowering heavy weights.
catafalco noun See Catafalque.
catalepsy noun Alt. of Catalepsis
catalogue noun A list or enumeration of names, or articles arranged methodically, often in alphabetical order; as, a catalogue of the students of a college, or of books, or of the stars., To make a list or catalogue; to insert in a catalogue.
catalysis noun Dissolution; degeneration; decay., A process by which reaction occurs in the presence of certain agents which were formerly believed to exert an influence by mere contact. It is now believed that such reactions are attended with the formation of an intermediate compound or compounds, so that by alternate composition and decomposition the agent is apparenty left unchanged; as, the catalysis of making ether from alcohol by means of sulphuric acid; or catalysis in the action of soluble ferments (as diastase, or ptyalin) on starch., The catalytic force.
catalytic adjective Relating to, or causing, catalysis., An agent employed in catalysis, as platinum black, aluminium chloride, etc.
catamaran noun A kind of raft or float, consisting of two or more logs or pieces of wood lashed together, and moved by paddles or sail; — used as a surf boat and for other purposes on the coasts of the East and West Indies and South America. Modified forms are much used in the lumber regions of North America, and at life-saving stations., Any vessel with twin hulls, whether propelled by sails or by steam; esp., one of a class of double-hulled pleasure boats remarkable for speed., A kind of fire raft or torpedo bat., A quarrelsome woman; a scold.
catamenia noun pl. The monthly courses of women; menstrual discharges; menses.
catamount noun The cougar. Applied also, in some parts of the United States, to the lynx.
cataplasm noun A soft and moist substance applied externally to some part of the body; a poultice.
catarrhal adjective Pertaining to, produced by, or attending, catarrh; of the nature of catarrh.
catchable adjective Capable of being caught.
catchment noun A surface of ground on which water may be caught and collected into a reservoir.
catchpoll noun A bailiff’s assistant.
catchweed noun See Cleavers.
catchword noun Among theatrical performers, the last word of the preceding speaker, which reminds one that he is to speak next; cue., The first word of any page of a book after the first, inserted at the right hand bottom corner of the preceding page for the assistance of the reader. It is seldom used in modern printing., A word or phrase caught up and repeated for effect; as, the catchword of a political party, etc.
catchwork noun A work or artificial water-course for throwing water on lands that lie on the slopes of hills; a catchdrain.
catechise verb t. To instruct by asking questions, receiving answers, and offering explanations and corrections, — esp. in regard to points of religious faith., To question or interrogate; to examine or try by questions; — sometimes with a view to reproof, by eliciting from a person answers which condemn his own conduct.
catechism noun A form of instruction by means of questions and answers., A book containing a summary of principles, especially of religious doctrine, reduced to the form of questions and answers.
catechist noun One who instructs by question and answer, especially in religions matters.
catechize verb t. See Catechise.
catechuic adjective Of or pertaining to catechu or its derivatives. See catechin.
catenated imp. & past participle of Catenate
caterwaul verb i. To cry as cats in rutting time; to make a harsh, offensive noise., A caterwauling.
catharist noun One aiming at or pretending to a greater purity of like than others about him; — applied to persons of various sects. See Albigenses.
catharsis noun A natural or artificial purgation of any passage, as of the mouth, bowels, etc.
cathartic adjective Alt. of Catharical, A medicine that promotes alvine discharges; a purge; a purgative of moderate activity.
cathartin noun The bitter, purgative principle of senna. It is a glucoside with the properties of a weak acid; — called also cathartic acid, and cathartina.
cathedral noun The principal church in a diocese, so called because in it the bishop has his official chair (Cathedra) or throne., Pertaining to the head church of a diocese; as, a cathedral church; cathedral service., Emanating from the chair of office, as of a pope or bishop; official; authoritative., Resembling the aisles of a cathedral; as, cathedral walks.
catlinite noun A red clay from the Upper Missouri region, used by the Indians for their pipes.
catoptron noun A reflecting optical glass or instrument; a mirror.
catoptric adjective Alt. of Catoptrical
cat’s-eye noun A variety of quartz or chalcedony, exhibiting opalescent reflections from within, like the eye of a cat. The name is given to other gems affording like effects, esp. the chrysoberyl.
cat’s-paw noun A light transitory air which ruffles the surface of the water during a calm, or the ripples made by such a puff of air., A particular hitch or turn in the bight of a rope, into which a tackle may be hooked., A dupe; a tool; one who, or that which, is used by another as an instrument to a accomplish his purposes.
catstitch verb t. To fold and sew down the edge of with a coarse zigzag stitch.
caucasian adjective Of or pertaining to the Caucasus, a mountainous region between the Black and Caspian seas., Of or pertaining to the white races of mankind, of whom the people about Mount Caucasus were formerly taken as the type., A native or inhabitant of the Caucasus, esp. a Circassian or Georgian., A member of any of the white races of mankind.
caucusing present participle & vb. noun of Caucus
caudicula noun A slender, elastic process, to which the masses of pollen in orchidaceous plants are attached.
cauliculi plural of Cauliculus
cauliform adjective Having the form of a caulis.
cauponize verb i. To sell wine or victuals.
causality noun The agency of a cause; the action or power of a cause, in producing its effect., The faculty of tracing effects to their causes.
causation noun The act of causing; also the act or agency by which an effect is produced.
causative adjective Effective, as a cause or agent; causing., Expressing a cause or reason; causal; as, the ablative is a causative case., A word which expresses or suggests a cause.
causeless adjective 1. Self-originating; uncreated., Without just or sufficient reason; groundless., Without cause or reason.
caustical adjective Capable of destroying the texture of anything or eating away its substance by chemical action; burning; corrosive; searing., Severe; satirical; sharp; as, a caustic remark.
cautelous adjective Caution; prudent; wary., Crafty; deceitful; false.
cauterant noun A cauterizing substance.
cauterism noun The use or application of a caustic; cautery.
cauterize verb t. To burn or sear with a cautery or caustic., To sear, as the conscience.
cauteries plural of Cautery
cautioned imp. & past participle of Caution
cautioner noun One who cautions or advises., A surety or sponsor.
cautionry noun Suretyship.
cavalcade noun A procession of persons on horseback; a formal, pompous march of horsemen by way of parade.
cavaliero noun A cavalier; a gallant; a libertine.
caveating noun Shifting the sword from one side of an adversary’s sword to the other.
cavendish noun Leaf tobacco softened, sweetened, and pressed into plugs or cakes.
cavernous adjective Full of caverns; resembling a cavern or large cavity; hollow., Filled with small cavities or cells., Having a sound caused by a cavity.
cavilling of Cavil
cavillous adjective Characterized by caviling, or disposed to cavil; quibbing.
cavorting present participle & vb. noun of Cavort
ceaseless adjective Without pause or end; incessant., Without intermission or end.
celandine noun A perennial herbaceous plant (Chelidonium majus) of the poppy family, with yellow flowers. It is used as a medicine in jaundice, etc., and its acrid saffron-colored juice is used to cure warts and the itch; — called also greater celandine and swallowwort.
celebrant noun One who performs a public religious rite; — applied particularly to an officiating priest in the Roman Catholic Church, as distinguished from his assistants.
celebrate verb t. To extol or honor in a solemn manner; as, to celebrate the name of the Most High., To honor by solemn rites, by ceremonies of joy and respect, or by refraining from ordinary business; to observe duly; to keep; as, to celebrate a birthday., To perform or participate in, as a sacrament or solemn rite; to solemnize; to perform with appropriate rites; as, to celebrate a marriage.
celebrity noun Celebration; solemnization., The state or condition of being celebrated; fame; renown; as, the celebrity of Washington., A person of distinction or renown; — usually in the plural; as, he is one of the celebrities of the place.
celestial adjective Belonging to the aerial regions, or visible heavens., Of or pertaining to the spiritual heaven; heavenly; divine., An inhabitant of heaven., A native of China.
celestify verb t. To make like heaven.
celestine noun Alt. of Celestite, Alt. of Celestinian
celestite noun Native strontium sulphate, a mineral so named from its occasional delicate blue color. It occurs crystallized, also in compact massive and fibrous forms.
cellarage noun The space or storerooms of a cellar; a cellar., Chare for storage in a cellar.
cellarist noun Same as Cellarer.
cellepore noun A genus of delicate branching corals, made up of minute cells, belonging to the Bryozoa.
celluloid noun A substance composed essentially of gun cotton and camphor, and when pure resembling ivory in texture and color, but variously colored to imitate coral, tortoise shell, amber, malachite, etc. It is used in the manufacture of jewelry and many small articles, as combs, brushes, collars, and cuffs; — originally called xylonite.
cellulose adjective Consisting of, or containing, cells., The substance which constitutes the essential part of the solid framework of plants, of ordinary wood, linen, paper, etc. It is also found to a slight extent in certain animals, as the tunicates. It is a carbohydrate, (C6H10O5)n, isomeric with starch, and is convertible into starches and sugars by the action of heat and acids. When pure, it is a white amorphous mass. See Starch, Granulose, Lignin.
celsiture noun Height; altitude.
celticism noun A custom of the Celts, or an idiom of their language.
celticize verb t. To render Celtic; to assimilate to the Celts.
cementing present participle & vb. noun of Cement
cenobitic adjective Alt. of Cenobitical
cenotaphy noun A cenotaph.
censorial adjective Belonging to a censor, or to the correction of public morals., Full of censure; censorious.
censorian adjective Censorial.
censuring present participle & vb. noun of Censure
centaurea noun A large genus of composite plants, related to the thistles and including the cornflower or bluebottle (Centaurea Cyanus) and the star thistle (C. Calcitrapa).
centenary adjective Relating to, or consisting of, a hundred., Occurring once in every hundred years; centennial., The aggregate of a hundred single things; specifically, a century., A commemoration or celebration of an event which occurred a hundred years before.
centering present participle & vb. noun of Centre, Same as Center, n., 6.
centerbit noun Alt. of Centrebit
centrebit noun An instrument turning on a center, for boring holes. See Bit, n., 3.
centesimo noun A copper coin of Italy and Spain equivalent to a centime.
centigram noun Alt. of Centigramme
centinody noun A weed with a stem of many joints (Illecebrum verticillatum); also, the Polygonum aviculare or knotgrass.
centonism noun The composition of a cento; the act or practice of composing a cento or centos.
centrally adverb In a central manner or situation.
centrical adjective Placed in the center or middle; central.
centumvir noun One of a court of about one hundred judges chosen to try civil suits. Under the empire the court was increased to 180, and met usually in four sections.
centurial adjective Of or pertaining to a century; as, a centurial sermon.
centurist noun An historian who distinguishes time by centuries, esp. one of those who wrote the “Magdeburg Centuries.” See under Century.
centurion noun A military officer who commanded a minor division of the Roman army; a captain of a century.
centuries plural of Century
cephalata noun pl. A large division of Mollusca, including all except the bivalves; — so called because the head is distinctly developed. See Illustration in Appendix.
cephalate adjective Having a head.
cephaloid adjective Shaped like the head.
cephalous adjective Having a head; — applied chiefly to the Cephalata, a division of mollusks.
ceraceous adjective Having the texture and color of new wax; like wax; waxy.
ceratodus noun A genus of ganoid fishes, of the order Dipnoi, first known as Mesozoic fossil fishes; but recently two living species have been discovered in Australian rivers. They have lungs so well developed that they can leave the water and breathe in air. In Australia they are called salmon and baramunda. See Dipnoi, and Archipterygium.
ceraunics noun That branch of physics which treats of heat and electricity.
cerberean adjective Of or pertaining to, or resembling, Cerberus.
cercarian adjective Of, like, or pertaining to, the Cercariae., One of the Cercariae.
cerebella plural of Cerebellum
cerebrate verb i. To exhibit mental activity; to have the brain in action.
cerebroid adjective Resembling, or analogous to, the cerebrum or brain.
cerebrose noun A sugarlike body obtained by the decomposition of the nitrogenous non-phosphorized principles of the brain.
cerebrums plural of Cerebrum
cerecloth noun A cloth smeared with melted wax, or with some gummy or glutinous matter.
cerograph noun A writing on wax.
ceromancy noun Divination by dropping melted wax in water.
certainly adverb Without doubt or question; unquestionably.
certainty noun The quality, state, or condition, of being certain., A fact or truth unquestionable established., Clearness; freedom from ambiguity; lucidity.
certifier noun One who certifies or assures.
certified imp. & past participle of Certify
certitude noun Freedom from doubt; assurance; certainty.
ceruleous adjective Cerulean.
cerulific adjective Producing a blue or sky color.
cerussite noun Native lead carbonate; a mineral occurring in colorless, white, or yellowish transparent crystals, with an adamantine, also massive and compact.
cervicide noun The act of killing deer; deer-slaying.
cespitine noun An oil obtained by distillation of peat, and containing various members of the pyridine series.
cespitose adjective Having the form a piece of turf, i. e., many stems from one rootstock or from many entangled rootstocks or roots.
cespitous adjective Pertaining to, consisting, of resembling, turf; turfy.
cessation noun A ceasing or discontinuance, as of action, whether temporary or final; a stop; as, a cessation of the war.
cestoidea noun pl. A class of parasitic worms (Platelminthes) of which the tapeworms are the most common examples. The body is flattened, and usually but not always long, and composed of numerous joints or segments, each of which may contain a complete set of male and female reproductive organs. They have neither mouth nor intestine. See Tapeworm.
cetaceous adjective Of or pertaining to the Cetacea.
ceylanite noun A dingy blue, or grayish black, variety of spinel. It is also called pleonaste.
ceylonese adjective Of or pertaining to Ceylon., A native or natives of Ceylon.
chabasite noun Alt. of Cabazite
chaetetes noun A genus of fossil corals, common in the lower Silurian limestones.
chaetopod adjective Pertaining to the Chaetopoda., One of the Chaetopoda.
chafeweed noun The cudweed (Gnaphalium), used to prevent or cure chafing.
chaffered imp. & past participle of Chaffer
chafferer noun One who chaffers; a bargainer.
chaffinch noun A bird of Europe (Fringilla coelebs), having a variety of very sweet songs, and highly valued as a cage bird; — called also copper finch.
chaffless adjective Without chaff.
chagrined imp. & past participle of Chagrin
chainless adjective Having no chain; not restrained or fettered.
chainwork noun Work looped or linked after the manner of a chain; chain stitch work.
chalazion noun A small circumscribed tumor of the eyelid caused by retention of secretion, and by inflammation of the Melbomian glands.
chaldaism noun An idiom or peculiarity in the Chaldee dialect.
chaldrich noun Alt. of Chalder
challenge noun An invitation to engage in a contest or controversy of any kind; a defiance; specifically, a summons to fight a duel; also, the letter or message conveying the summons., The act of a sentry in halting any one who appears at his post, and demanding the countersign., A claim or demand., The opening and crying of hounds at first finding the scent of their game., An exception to a juror or to a member of a court martial, coupled with a demand that he should be held incompetent to act; the claim of a party that a certain person or persons shall not sit in trial upon him or his cause., An exception to a person as not legally qualified to vote. The challenge must be made when the ballot is offered., To call to a contest of any kind; to call to answer; to defy., To call, invite, or summon to answer for an offense by personal combat., To claim as due; to demand as a right., To censure; to blame., To question or demand the countersign from (one who attempts to pass the lines); as, the sentinel challenged us, with “Who comes there?”, To take exception to; question; as, to challenge the accuracy of a statement or of a quotation., To object to or take exception to, as to a juror, or member of a court., To object to the reception of the vote of, as on the ground that the person in not qualified as a voter., To assert a right; to claim a place.
chalybean adjective Of or pertaining to the Chalybes, an ancient people of Pontus in Asia Minor, celebrated for working in iron and steel., Of superior quality and temper; — applied to steel.
chalybite noun Native iron carbonate; — usually called siderite.
chambered imp. & past participle of Chamber, Having a chamber or chambers; as, a chambered shell; a chambered gun.
chamberer noun One who attends in a chamber; a chambermaid., A civilian; a carpetmonger.
chameleon noun A lizardlike reptile of the genus Chamaeleo, of several species, found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. The skin is covered with fine granulations; the tail is prehensile, and the body is much compressed laterally, giving it a high back.
chamfered imp. & past participle of Chamfer
champagne noun A light wine, of several kinds, originally made in the province of Champagne, in France.
champaign noun A flat, open country., Flat; open; level.
champerty noun Partnership in power; equal share of authority., The prosecution or defense of a suit, whether by furnishing money or personal services, by one who has no legitimate concern therein, in consideration of an agreement that he shall receive, in the event of success, a share of the matter in suit; maintenance with the addition of an agreement to divide the thing in suit. See Maintenance.
chanceful adjective Hazardous.
chancroid noun A venereal sore, resembling a chancre in its seat and some external characters, but differing from it in being the starting point of a purely local process and never of a systemic disease; — called also soft chancre.
chancrous adjective Of the nature of a chancre; having chancre.
chandlery noun Commodities sold by a chandler.
changeful adjective Full of change; mutable; inconstant; fickle; uncertain.
channeled imp. & past participle of Channel
chantress noun A female chanter or singer.
chantries plural of Chantry
chaomancy noun Divination by means of appearances in the air.
chaparral noun A thicket of low evergreen oaks., An almost impenetrable thicket or succession of thickets of thorny shrubs and brambles.
chapeless adjective Without a chape.
chapleted imp. & past participle of Chaplet
character noun A distinctive mark; a letter, figure, or symbol., Style of writing or printing; handwriting; the peculiar form of letters used by a particular person or people; as, an inscription in the Runic character., The peculiar quality, or the sum of qualities, by which a person or a thing is distinguished from others; the stamp impressed by nature, education, or habit; that which a person or thing really is; nature; disposition., Strength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality; as, he has a great deal of character., Moral quality; the principles and motives that control the life; as, a man of character; his character saves him from suspicion., Quality, position, rank, or capacity; quality or conduct with respect to a certain office or duty; as, in the miserable character of a slave; in his character as a magistrate; her character as a daughter., The estimate, individual or general, put upon a person or thing; reputation; as, a man’s character for truth and veracity; to give one a bad character., A written statement as to behavior, competency, etc., given to a servant., A unique or extraordinary individuality; a person characterized by peculiar or notable traits; a person who illustrates certain phases of character; as, Randolph was a character; Caesar is a great historical character., One of the persons of a drama or novel., To engrave; to inscribe., To distinguish by particular marks or traits; to describe; to characterize.
charbocle noun Carbuncle.
chargeant adjective Burdensome; troublesome.
chargeful adjective Costly; expensive.
chargeous adjective Burdensome.
chariness noun The quality of being chary.
charioted imp. & past participle of Chariot
chariotee noun A light, covered, four-wheeled pleasure carriage with two seats.
charities plural of Charity
charivari noun A mock serenade of discordant noises, made with kettles, tin horns, etc., designed to annoy and insult.
charlatan noun One who prates much in his own favor, and makes unwarrantable pretensions; a quack; an impostor; an empiric; a mountebank.
charlotte noun A kind of pie or pudding made by lining a dish with slices of bread, and filling it with bread soaked in milk, and baked.
charmless adjective Destitute of charms.
chartered imp. & past participle of Charter, Granted or established by charter; having, or existing under, a charter; having a privilege by charter., Hired or let by charter, as a ship.
charterer noun One who charters; esp. one who hires a ship for a voyage.
chartless adjective Without a chart; having no guide., Not mapped; uncharted; vague.
chartreux noun A Carthusian.
charwomen plural of Charwoman
charwoman noun A woman hired for odd work or for single days.
charybdis noun A dangerous whirlpool on the coast of Sicily opposite Scylla on the Italian coast. It is personified as a female monster. See Scylla.
chasselas noun A white grape, esteemed for the table.
chassepot noun A kind of breechloading, center-fire rifle, or improved needle gun.
chastened imp. & past participle of Chasten, Corrected; disciplined; refined; purified; toned down.
chastener noun One who chastens.
chastised imp. & past participle of Chastise
chastiser noun One who chastises; a punisher; a corrector.
chatoyant adjective Having a changeable, varying luster, or color, like that of a changeable silk, or oa a cat’s eye in the dark., A hard stone, as the cat’s-eye, which presents on a polished surface, and in the interior, an undulating or wary light.
chattered imp. & past participle of Chatter
chatterer noun A prater; an idle talker., A bird of the family Ampelidae — so called from its monotonous note. The Bohemion chatterer (Ampelis garrulus) inhabits the arctic regions of both continents. In America the cedar bird is a more common species. See Bohemian chatterer, and Cedar bird.
chauldron noun See Chawdron.
chaussure noun A foot covering of any kind.
chavender noun The chub.
chay root The root of the Oldenlandia umbellata, native in India, which yieds a durable red dyestuff.
cheapened imp. & past participle of Cheapen
cheapener noun One who cheapens.
cheapness noun Lowness in price, considering the usual price, or real value.
cheatable adjective Capable of being cheated.
checkered imp. & past participle of Checker, Marked with alternate squares or checks of different color or material., Diversified or variegated in a marked manner, as in appearance, character, circumstances, etc.
checkless adjective That can not be checked or restrained.
checkmate noun The position in the game of chess when a king is in check and cannot be released, — which ends the game., A complete check; utter defeat or overthrow., To check (an adversary’s king) in such a manner that escape in impossible; to defeat (an adversary) by putting his king in check from which there is no escape., To defeat completely; to terminate; to thwart.
checkrein noun A short rein looped over the check hook to prevent a horse from lowering his head; — called also a bearing rein., A branch rein connecting the driving rein of one horse of a span or pair with the bit of the other horse.
checkroll noun A list of servants in a household; — called also chequer roll.
checkwork noun Anything made so as to form alternate squares like those of a checkerboard.
cheerless adjective Without joy, gladness, or comfort.
cheeselep noun A bag in which rennet is kept.
chelicera noun One of the anterior pair of mouth organs, terminated by a pincherlike claw, in scorpions and allied Arachnida. They are homologous with the falcers of spiders, and probably with the mandibles of insects.
cheliform adjective Having a movable joint or finger closing against a preceding joint or a projecting part of it, so that the whole may be used for grasping, as the claw of a crab; pincherlike.
chelonian adjective Of or pertaining to animals of the tortoise kind., One of the Chelonia.
chemiloon noun A garment for women, consisting of chemise and drawers united in one.
chemistry noun That branch of science which treats of the composition of substances, and of the changes which they undergo in consequence of alterations in the constitution of the molecules, which depend upon variations of the number, kind, or mode of arrangement, of the constituent atoms. These atoms are not assumed to be indivisible, but merely the finest grade of subdivision hitherto attained. Chemistry deals with the changes in the composition and constitution of molecules. See Atom, Molecule., An application of chemical theory and method to the consideration of some particular subject; as, the chemistry of iron; the chemistry of indigo., A treatise on chemistry.
chemitype noun One of a number of processes by which an impression from an engraved plate is obtained in relief, to be used for printing on an ordinary printing press.
cherished imp. & past participle of Cherish
cherising present participle & vb. noun of Cherish
cherisher noun One who cherishes.
cherogril noun See Cony.
cherokees noun pl. An Appalachian tribe of Indians, formerly inhabiting the region about the head waters of the Tennessee River. They are now mostly settled in the Indian Territory, and have become one of the most civilized of the Indian Tribes.
chesstree noun A piece of oak bolted perpendicularly on the side of a vessel, to aid in drawing down and securing the clew of the mainsail.
chevachie noun See Chivachie.
chevalier noun A horseman; a knight; a gallant young man., A member of certain orders of knighthood.
chevelure noun A hairlike envelope.
chevrette noun A machine for raising guns or mortar into their carriages.
chevroned p. adjective Having a chevron; decorated with an ornamental figure of a zigzag from.
chevronel noun A bearing like a chevron, but of only half its width.
cheyennes noun pl. A warlike tribe of indians, related to the blackfeet, formerly inhabiting the region of Wyoming, but now mostly on reservations in the Indian Territory. They are noted for their horsemanship.
chibouque noun Alt. of Chibouk
chicanery noun Mean or unfair artifice to perplex a cause and obscure the truth; stratagem; sharp practice; sophistry.
chichling noun Alt. of Chichling vetch
chickadee noun A small bird, the blackcap titmouse (Parus atricapillus), of North America; — named from its note.
chickaree noun The American red squirrel (Sciurus Hudsonius); — so called from its cry.
chickling noun A small chick or chicken.
chick-pea noun A Small leguminous plant (Cicer arietinum) of Asia, Africa, and the south of Europe; the chich; the dwarf pea; the gram., Its nutritious seed, used in cookery, and especially, when roasted (parched pulse), as food for travelers in the Eastern deserts.
chickweed noun The name of several caryophyllaceous weeds, especially Stellaria media, the seeds and flower buds of which are a favorite food of small birds.
chideress noun She who chides.
chidester noun A female scold.
chidingly adverb In a chiding or reproving manner.
chiefless adjective Without a chief or leader.
chieftain noun A captain, leader, or commander; a chief; the head of a troop, army, or clan.
chievance noun An unlawful bargain; traffic in which money is exported as discount.
chilblain noun A blain, sore, or inflammatory swelling, produced by exposure of the feet or hands to cold, and attended by itching, pain, and sometimes ulceration., To produce chilblains upon.
childhood noun The state of being a child; the time in which persons are children; the condition or time from infancy to puberty., Children, taken collectively., The commencement; the first period.
childlike adjective Resembling a child, or that which belongs to children; becoming a child; meek; submissive; dutiful.
childness noun The manner characteristic of a child.
childship noun The state or relation of being a child.
chiliagon noun A plane figure of a thousand angles and sides.
chiliarch noun The commander or chief of a thousand men.
chillness noun Coolness; coldness; a chill.
chilopoda noun pl. One of the orders of myriapods, including the centipeds. They have a single pair of elongated legs attached laterally to each segment; well developed jaws; and a pair of thoracic legs converted into poison fangs. They are insectivorous, very active, and some species grow to the length of a foot.
chiminage noun A toll for passage through a forest.
chincapin noun See Chinquapin.
chinchona Alt. of Chincona
chinoline noun See Quinoline.
chioppine noun Same as Chopine, n.
chirology noun The art or practice of using the manual alphabet or of communicating thoughts by sings made by the hands and fingers; a substitute for spoken or written language in intercourse with the deaf and dumb. See Dactylalogy.
chironomy noun The art of moving the hands in oratory or in pantomime; gesture
chiropody noun The art of treating diseases of the hands and feet.
chirruped imp. & past participle of Chirrup
chirurgic adjective Alt. of Chirurgical
chiselled of Chisel
chiseling present participle & vb. noun of Chisel
chitinous adjective Having the nature of chitin; consisting of, or containing, chitin.
chivachie noun A cavalry raid; hence, a military expedition.
chivalric adjective Relating to chivalry; knightly; chivalrous.
chlamyses plural of Chlamys
chlamydes plural of Chlamys
chloralum noun An impure aqueous solution of chloride of aluminium, used as an antiseptic and disinfectant.
chloranil noun A yellow crystalline substance, C6Cl4.O2, regarded as a derivative of quinone, obtained by the action of chlorine on certain benzene derivatives, as aniline.
chloridic adjective Of or pertaining to a chloride; containing a chloride.
chloritic adjective Pertaining to, or containing, chlorite; as, chloritic sand.
chloropal noun A massive mineral, greenish in color, and opal-like in appearance. It is essentially a hydrous silicate of iron.
chlorosis noun The green sickness; an anaemic disease of young women, characterized by a greenish or grayish yellow hue of the skin, weakness, palpitation, etc., A disease in plants, causing the flowers to turn green or the leaves to lose their normal green color.
chlorotic adjective Pertaining to, or affected by, chlorosis.
chloruret noun A chloride.
chocolate noun A paste or cake composed of the roasted seeds of the Theobroma Cacao ground and mixed with other ingredients, usually sugar, and cinnamon or vanilla., The beverage made by dissolving a portion of the paste or cake in boiling water or milk.
choiceful adjective Making choices; fickle.
cholaemaa noun A disease characterized by severe nervous symptoms, dependent upon the presence of the constituents of the bile in the blood.
choleraic adjective Relating to, or resulting from, or resembling, cholera.
cholerine noun The precursory symptoms of cholera., The first stage of epidemic cholera., A mild form of cholera.
choleroid adjective Choleriform.
chondrify verb t. & i. To convert, or be converted, into cartilage.
chondrite noun A meteoric stone characterized by the presence of chondrules.
chondroid adjective Resembling cartilage.
chondroma noun A cartilaginous tumor or growth.
chondrule noun A peculiar rounded granule of some mineral, usually enstatite or chrysolite, found imbedded more or less abundantly in the mass of many meteoric stones, which are hence called chondrites.
chophouse noun A house where chops, etc., are sold; an eating house., A customhouse where transit duties are levied.
chopstick noun One of two small sticks of wood, ivory, etc., used by the Chinese and Japanese to convey food to the mouth.
choralist noun A singer or composer of chorals.
choriambs plural of Choriamb
choriambi plural of Choriambus
chorister noun One of a choir; a singer in a chorus., One who leads a choir in church music.
choristic adjective Choric; choral.
choroidal adjective Pertaining to the choroid coat.
chorology noun The science which treats of the laws of distribution of living organisms over the earth’s surface as to latitude, altitude, locality, etc.
chorusing present participle & vb. noun of Chorus
choy root See Chay root.
christian noun One who believes, or professes or is assumed to believe, in Jesus Christ, and the truth as taught by Him; especially, one whose inward and outward life is conformed to the doctrines of Christ., One born in a Christian country or of Christian parents, and who has not definitely becomes an adherent of an opposing system., One of a Christian denomination which rejects human creeds as bases of fellowship, and sectarian names. They are congregational in church government, and baptize by immersion. They are also called Disciples of Christ, and Campbellites., One of a sect (called Christian Connection) of open-communion immersionists. The Bible is their only authoritative rule of faith and practice., Pertaining to Christ or his religion; as, Christian people., Pertaining to the church; ecclesiastical; as, a Christian court., Characteristic of Christian people; civilized; kind; kindly; gentle; beneficent.
christmas noun An annual church festival (December 25) and in some States a legal holiday, in memory of the birth of Christ, often celebrated by a particular church service, and also by special gifts, greetings, and hospitality.
chromatic adjective Relating to color, or to colors., Proceeding by the smaller intervals (half steps or semitones) of the scale, instead of the regular intervals of the diatonic scale.
chromatin noun Tissue which is capable of being stained by dyes.
chromogen Vegetable coloring matter other than green; chromule., Any colored compound, supposed to contain one or more chromophores.
chronical adjective Chronic.
chronicle noun An historical register or account of facts or events disposed in the order of time., A narrative of events; a history; a record., The two canonical books of the Old Testament in which immediately follow 2 Kings., To record in a history or chronicle; to record; to register.
chronique noun A chronicle.
chrysalid adjective Pertaining to a chrysalis; resembling a chrysalis., See Chrysalis.
chrysalis noun The pupa state of certain insects, esp. of butterflies, from which the perfect insect emerges. See Pupa, and Aurelia (a).
chrysogen noun A yellow crystalline substance extracted from crude anthracene.
chuckling present participle & vb. noun of Chuckle
churching present participle & vb. noun of Church
churchdom noun The institution, government, or authority of a church.
churchism noun Strict adherence to the forms or principles of some church organization; sectarianism.
churchmen plural of Churchman
churchman noun An ecclesiastic or clergyman., An Episcopalian, or a member of the Established Church of England., One was is attached to, or attends, church.
churrworm noun An insect that turns about nimbly; the mole cricket; — called also fan cricket.
chymistry See Chemic, Chemist, Chemistry.
chyometer noun An instrument for measuring liquids. It consists of a piston moving in a tube in which is contained the liquid, the quantity expelled being indicated by the graduation upon the piston rod.
cibarious adjective Pertaining to food; edible.
cicatrice noun A cicatrix.
cicatrize verb t. To heal or induce the formation of a cicatrix in, as in wounded or ulcerated flesh., To heal; to have a new skin.
cicatrose adjective Full of scars.
cicerones plural of Cicerone
ciclatoun noun A costly cloth, of uncertain material, used in the Middle Ages.
cicutoxin noun The active principle of the water hemlock (Cicuta) extracted as a poisonous gummy substance.
ci-devant adjective Former; previous; of times gone by; as, a ci-devant governor.
cigarette noun A little cigar; a little fine tobacco rolled in paper for smoking.
cilicious adjective Made, or consisting, of hair.
ciliiform adjective Having the form of cilia; very fine or slender.
cimmerian adjective Pertaining to the Cimmerii, a fabulous people, said to have lived, in very ancient times, in profound and perpetual darkness., Without any light; intensely dark.
cinchonic adjective Belonging to, or obtained from, cinchona.
cinctured noun Having or wearing a cincture or girdle.
cinematic adjective Alt. of Cinematical
cineraria noun A Linnaean genus of free-flowering composite plants, mostly from South Africa. Several species are cultivated for ornament.
cinereous adjective Like ashes; ash-colored; grayish.
cingalese noun sing. & pl. A native or natives of Ceylon descended from its primitive inhabitants, the language of the Cingalese., Of or pertaining to the Cingalese.
cinnamene noun Styrene (which was formerly called cinnamene because obtained from cinnamic acid). See Styrene.
cinnamone noun A yellow crystalline substance, (C6H5.C2H2)2CO, the ketone of cinnamic acid.
cinnoline noun A nitrogenous organic base, C8H6N2, analogous to quinoline, obtained from certain complex diazo compounds.
ciphering present participle & vb. noun of Cipher
circinate adjective Rolled together downward, the tip occupying the center; — a term used in reference to foliation or leafing, as in ferns., To make a circle around; to encompass.
circocele noun See Cirsocele.
circuiter noun One who travels a circuit, as a circuit judge.
circulary adjective Circular; illogical.
circulate verb i. To move in a circle or circuitously; to move round and return to the same point; as, the blood circulates in the body., To pass from place to place, from person to person, or from hand to hand; to be diffused; as, money circulates; a story circulates., To cause to pass from place to place, or from person to person; to spread; as, to circulate a report; to circulate bills of credit.
circuline adjective Proceeding in a circle; circular.
circumfer verb t. To bear or carry round.
cirrhosis noun A disease of the liver in which it usually becomes smaller in size and more dense and fibrous in consistence; hence sometimes applied to similar changes in other organs, caused by increase in the fibrous framework and decrease in the proper substance of the organ.
cirrhotic adjective Pertaining to, caused by, or affected with, cirrhosis; as, cirrhotic degeneration; a cirrhotic liver.
cirriform adjective Formed like a cirrus or tendril; — said of appendages of both animals and plants.
cirsocele noun The varicose dilatation of the spermatic vein.
cirsotomy noun Any operation for the removal of varices by incision.
cisalpine adjective On the hither side of the Alps with reference to Rome, that is, on the south side of the Alps; — opposed to transalpine.
cispadane adjective On the hither side of the river Po with reference to Rome; that is, on the south side.
citigrade adjective Pertaining to the Citigradae., One of the Citigradae.
civilized imp. & past participle of Civilize, Reclaimed from savage life and manners; instructed in arts, learning, and civil manners; refined; cultivated.
civilizer noun One who, or that which, civilizes or tends to civilize.
cladocera noun pl. An order of the Entomostraca.
claimable adjective Capable of being claimed.
claimless adjective Having no claim.
clamation noun The act of crying out.
clambered imp. & past participle of Clamber
clamoring present participle & vb. noun of Clamor
clamorous adjective Speaking and repeating loud words; full of clamor; calling or demanding loudly or urgently; vociferous; noisy; bawling; loud; turbulent.
clancular adjective Conducted with secrecy; clandestine; concealed.
clankless adjective Without a clank.
clapboard noun A narrow board, thicker at one edge than at the other; — used for weatherboarding the outside of houses., A stave for a cask., To cover with clapboards; as, to clapboard the sides of a house.
clapbread noun Alt. of Clapcake
clarendon noun A style of type having a narrow and heave face. It is made in all sizes.
clarifier noun That which clarifies., A vessel in which the process of clarification is conducted; as, the clarifier in sugar works.
clarified imp. & past participle of Clarify
clarigate verb i. To declare war with certain ceremonies.
clarionet noun See Clarinet.
claritude noun Clearness; splendor.
claspered adjective Furnished with tendrils.
classible adjective Capable of being classed.
classical noun Of or relating to the first class or rank, especially in literature or art., Of or pertaining to the ancient Greeks and Romans, esp. to Greek or Roman authors of the highest rank, or of the period when their best literature was produced; of or pertaining to places inhabited by the ancient Greeks and Romans, or rendered famous by their deeds., Conforming to the best authority in literature and art; chaste; pure; refined; as, a classical style.
classific adjective Characterizing a class or classes; relating to classification.
classmate noun One who is in the same class with another, as at school or college.
clathrate adjective Shaped like a lattice; cancellate., Having the surface marked with raised lines resembling a lattice, as many shells.
clattered imp. & past participle of Clatter
clatterer noun One who clatters.
claustral adjective Cloistral.
claustrum noun A thin lamina of gray matter in each cerebral hemisphere of the brain of man.
clausular noun Consisting of, or having, clauses.
clavicorn adjective Having club-shaped antennae. See Antennae, One of the Clavicornes.
claviform adjective Club-shaped; clavate.
claytonia noun An American genus of perennial herbs with delicate blossoms; — sometimes called spring beauty.
clean-cut adjective See Clear-cut.
cleanlily adverb In a cleanly manner.
cleanness noun The state or quality of being clean., Purity of life or language; freedom from licentious courses.
cleansing present participle & vb. noun of Cleanse
clearance noun The act of clearing; as, to make a thorough clearance., A certificate that a ship or vessel has been cleared at the customhouse; permission to sail., Clear or net profit., The distance by which one object clears another, as the distance between the piston and cylinder head at the end of a stroke in a steam engine, or the least distance between the point of a cogwheel tooth and the bottom of a space between teeth of a wheel with which it engages.
clear-cut adjective Having a sharp, distinct outline, like that of a cameo., Concisely and distinctly expressed.
clearness noun The quality or state of being clear.
clearwing noun A lepidopterous insect with partially transparent wings, of the family Aegeriadae, of which the currant and peach-tree borers are examples.
cleavable adjective Capable of cleaving or being divided.
clepsydra noun A water clock; a contrivance for measuring time by the graduated flow of a liquid, as of water, through a small aperture. See Illust. in Appendix.
clergical adjective Of or pertaining to the clergy; clerical; clerkily; learned.
clergymen plural of Clergyman
clergyman noun An ordained minister; a man regularly authorized to preach the gospel, and administer its ordinances; in England usually restricted to a minister of the Established Church.
clericity noun The state of being a clergyman.
clerk-ale noun A feast for the benefit of the parish clerk.
clerkless adjective Unlearned.
clerklike adjective Scholarlike.
clerkship noun State, quality, or business of a clerk.
cleronomy noun Inheritance; heritage.
clerstory noun See Clearstory.
cleverish adjective Somewhat clever.
clidastes noun A genus of extinct marine reptiles, allied to the Mosasaurus. See Illust. in Appendix.
clientage noun State of being client., A body of clients.
clientele noun The condition or position of a client; clientship, The clients or dependents of a nobleman of patron., The persons who make habitual use of the services of another person; one’s clients, collectively; as, the clientele of a lawyer, doctor, notary, etc.
climacter noun See Climacteric, n.
climatize verb t. & i. To acclimate or become acclimated.
climature noun A climate.
climbable adjective Capable of being climbed.
clinching present participle & vb. noun of Clinch
clinodome noun See under Dome.
clinquant adjective Glittering; dressed in, or overlaid with, tinsel finery., Tinsel; Dutch gold.
clitellus noun A thickened glandular portion of the body of the adult earthworm, consisting of several united segments modified for reproductive purposes.
clivities plural of Clivity
cloakedly adverb In a concealed manner.
cloakroom noun A room, attached to any place of public resort, where cloaks, overcoats, etc., may be deposited for a time.
clocklike adjective Like a clock or like clockwork; mechanical.
clockwork noun The machinery of a clock, or machinery resembling that of a clock; machinery which produces regularity of movement.
clodpated adjective Stupid; dull; doltish.
cloisonne adjective Inlaid between partitions: — said of enamel when the lines which divide the different patches of fields are composed of a kind of metal wire secured to the ground; as distinguished from champleve enamel, in which the ground is engraved or scooped out to receive the enamel.
cloistral adjective Of, pertaining to, or confined in, a cloister; recluse.
closeness noun The state of being close.
closeting imp. & present participle & vb. noun of Closet
cloudland noun Dreamland.
cloudless adjective Without a cloud; clear; bright.
clouterly noun Clumsy; awkward.
clubbable adjective Suitable for membership in a club; sociable.
clubhouse noun A house occupied by a club.
club-rush noun A rushlike plant, the reed mace or cat-tail, or some species of the genus Scirpus. See Bulrush.
clustered imp. & past participle of Cluster
clutching present participle & vb. noun of Clutch
cluttered imp. & past participle of Clutter
coadapted adjective Adapted one to another; as, coadapted pulp and tooth.
coadjutor noun One who aids another; an assistant; a coworker., The assistant of a bishop or of a priest holding a benefice.
coadunate adjective United at the base, as contiguous lobes of a leaf.
coagulant noun That which produces coagulation.
coagulate adjective Coagulated., To cause (a liquid) to change into a curdlike or semisolid state, not by evaporation but by some kind of chemical reaction; to curdle; as, rennet coagulates milk; heat coagulates the white of an egg., To undergo coagulation.
coalesced imp. & past participle of Coalesce
coalgoose noun The cormorant; — so called from its black color.
coalition noun The act of coalescing; union into a body or mass, as of separate bodies or parts; as, a coalition of atoms., A combination, for temporary purposes, of persons, parties, or states, having different interests.
co-allies plural of Co-ally
coalmouse noun A small species of titmouse, with a black head; the coletit.
coarctate adjective To press together; to crowd; to straiten; to confine closely., To restrain; to confine., Pressed together; closely connected; — applied to insects having the abdomen separated from the thorax only by a constriction.
coastwise adverb Alt. of Coastways
coastways adverb By way of, or along, the coast.
coaxation noun The act of croaking.
coaxingly adverb In a coaxing manner; by coaxing.
cobaltine noun Alt. of Cobaltite
cobaltite noun A mineral of a nearly silver-white color, composed of arsenic, sulphur, and cobalt.
cobaltous adjective Pertaining to, derived from, or containing, cobalt; — said esp. of cobalt compounds in which the metal has its lower valence.
cobwebbed adjective Abounding in cobwebs.
coccolite noun A granular variety of pyroxene, green or white in color.
coccolith noun One of a kind of minute, calcareous bodies, probably vegetable, often abundant in deep-sea mud.
coccygeal adjective Of or pertaining to the coccyx; as, the coccygeal vertebrae.
cochineal A dyestuff consisting of the dried bodies of females of the Coccus cacti, an insect native in Mexico, Central America, etc., and found on several species of cactus, esp. Opuntia cochinellifera.
cochleare noun A spoon., A spoonful.
cochleary adjective Same as Cochleate.
cochleate adjective Alt. of Cochleated
cockateel noun An Australian parrot (Calopsitta Novae-Hollandiae); — so called from its note.
cockering present participle & vb. noun of Cocker
cockfight noun A match or contest of gamecocks.
cockhorse noun A child’s rocking-horse., A high or tall horse., Lifted up, as one is on a tall horse., Lofty in feeling; exultant; proud; upstart.
cocklebur noun A coarse, composite weed, having a rough or prickly fruit; one of several species of the genus Xanthium; — called also clotbur.
cockmatch noun A cockfight.
cockneyfy verb t. To form with the manners or character of a cockney.
cockroach noun An orthopterous insect of the genus Blatta, and allied genera.
cockscomb noun See Coxcomb., A plant (Celosia cristata), of many varieties, cultivated for its broad, fantastic spikes of brilliant flowers; — sometimes called garden cockscomb. Also the Pedicularis, or lousewort, the Rhinanthus Crista-galli, and the Onobrychis Crista-galli.
cockshead noun A leguminous herb (Onobrychis Caput-galli), having small spiny-crested pods.
cockswain noun The steersman of a boat; a petty officer who has charge of a boat and its crew.
coco palm See Cocoa.
cocobolas noun A very beautiful and hard wood, obtained in the West India Islands. It is used in cabinetmaking, for the handles of tools, and for various fancy articles.
cocoonery noun A building or apartment for silkworms, when feeding and forming cocoons.
codifying present participle & vb. noun of Codify
cod liver noun The liver of the common cod and allied species.
coecilian noun See Caecilian.
coelodont adjective Having hollow teeth; — said of a group lizards., One of a group of lizards having hollow teeth.
coemption noun The act of buying the whole quantity of any commodity.
coenobite noun See Cenobite.
coenogamy noun The state of a community which permits promiscuous sexual intercourse among its members; — as in certain primitive tribes or communistic societies.
coenosarc noun The common soft tissue which unites the polyps of a compound hydroid. See Hydroidea.
coequally adverb With coequality.
coercible adjective Capable of being coerced.
coetanean noun A person coetaneous with another; a contemporary.
coeternal adjective Equally eternal.
coexisted imp. & past participle of Coexist
coffeeman noun One who keeps a coffeehouse.
coffeepot noun A covered pot in which coffee is prepared, or is brought upon the table for drinking.
cofferdam noun A water-tight inclosure, as of piles packed with clay, from which the water is pumped to expose the bottom (of a river, etc.) and permit the laying of foundations, building of piers, etc.
coffining present participle & vb. noun of Coffin
cogitable adjective Capable of being brought before the mind as a thought or idea; conceivable; thinkable.
cogitated imp. & past participle of Cogitate
cognation noun Relationship by blood; descent from the same original; kindred., Participation of the same nature., That tie of consanguinity which exists between persons descended from the same mother; — used in distinction from agnation.
cognition verb t. The act of knowing; knowledge; perception., That which is known.
cognitive adjective Knowing, or apprehending by the understanding; as, cognitive power.
cognizant adjective Having cognizance or knowledge. (of).
cohabited imp. & past participle of Cohabit
cohabiter noun A cohabitant.
coheiress noun A female heir who inherits with other heiresses; a joint heiress.
coherence noun Alt. of Coherency
coherency noun A sticking or cleaving together; union of parts of the same body; cohesion., Connection or dependence, proceeding from the subordination of the parts of a thing to one principle or purpose, as in the parts of a discourse, or of a system of philosophy; consecutiveness.
cohesible adjective Capable of cohesion.
cohibited imp. & past participle of Cohibit
cohobated imp. & past participle of Cohobate
coincided imp. & past participle of Coincide
coincider noun One who coincides with another in an opinion.
coinitial adjective Having a common beginning.
cointense adjective Equal in intensity or degree; as, the relations between 6 and 12, and 8 and 16, are cointense.
colaborer noun One who labors with another; an associate in labor.
colchicum noun A genus of bulbous-rooted plants found in many parts of Europe, including the meadow saffron.
colcothar noun Polishing rouge; a reddish brown oxide of iron, used in polishing glass, and also as a pigment; — called also crocus Martis.
coldfinch noun A British wagtail.
cold-shut adjective Closed while too cold to become thoroughly welded; — said of a forging or casting., An imperfection caused by such insufficient welding.
colegoose noun See Coalgoose.
colemouse noun See Coletit.
coleopter noun One of the Coleoptera.
coleperch noun A kind of small black perch.
co-lessee noun A partner in a lease taken.
co-lessor noun A partner in giving a lease.
colestaff noun See Colstaff.
colicroot noun A bitter American herb of the Bloodwort family, with the leaves all radical, and the small yellow or white flowers in a long spike (Aletris farinosa and A. aurea). Called sometimes star grass, blackroot, blazing star, and unicorn root.
collapsed imp. & past participle of Collapse
collaring present participle & vb. noun of Collar
collating present participle & vb. noun of Collate
collation verb t. The act of collating or comparing; a comparison of one copy er thing (as of a book, or manuscript) with another of a like kind; comparison, in general., The gathering and examination of sheets preparatory to binding., The act of conferring or bestowing., A conference., The presentation of a clergyman to a benefice by a bishop, who has it in his own gift., The act of comparing the copy of any paper with its original to ascertain its conformity., The report of the act made by the proper officers., The right which an heir has of throwing the whole heritable and movable estates of the deceased into one mass, and sharing it equally with others who are of the same degree of kindred., A collection of the Lives of the Fathers or other devout work read daily in monasteries., A light repast or luncheon; as, a cold collation; — first applied to the refreshment on fast days that accompanied the reading of the collation in monasteries., To partake of a collation.
collative adjective Passing or held by collation; — said of livings of which the bishop and the patron are the same person.
colleague noun A partner or associate in some civil or ecclesiastical office or employment. It is never used of partners in trade or manufactures., To unite or associate with another or with others.
collected imp. & past participle of Collect, Gathered together., Self-possessed; calm; composed.
collector noun One who collects things which are separate; esp., one who makes a business or practice of collecting works of art, objects in natural history, etc.; as, a collector of coins., A compiler of books; one who collects scattered passages and puts them together in one book., An officer appointed and commissioned to collect and receive customs, duties, taxes, or toll., One authorized to collect debts., A bachelor of arts in Oxford, formerly appointed to superintend some scholastic proceedings in Lent.
collegial noun Collegiate.
collegian noun A member of a college, particularly of a literary institution so called; a student in a college.
collidine noun One of a class of organic bases, C8H11N, usually pungent oily liquids, belonging to the pyridine series, and obtained from bone oil, coal tar, naphtha, and certain alkaloids.
colligate verb t. To tie or bind together., To bring together by colligation; to sum up in a single proposition., Bound together.
collimate verb t. To render parallel to a certain line or direction; to bring into the same line, as the axes of telescopes, etc.; to render parallel, as rays of light.
collingly adverb With embraces.
collision noun The act of striking together; a striking together, as of two hard bodies; a violent meeting, as of railroad trains; a clashing., A state of opposition; antagonism; interference.
collisive adjective Colliding; clashing.
collocate adjective Set; placed., To set or place; to set; to station.
collodion noun A solution of pyroxylin (soluble gun cotton) in ether containing a varying proportion of alcohol. It is strongly adhesive, and is used by surgeons as a coating for wounds; but its chief application is as a vehicle for the sensitive film in photography.
collodium noun See Collodion.
colloidal adjective Pertaining to, or of the nature of, colloids.
colluding present participle & vb. noun of Collude
collusion noun A secret agreement and cooperation for a fraudulent or deceitful purpose; a playing into each other’s hands; deceit; fraud; cunning., An agreement between two or more persons to defraud a person of his rights, by the forms of law, or to obtain an object forbidden by law.
collusive adjective Characterized by collusion; done or planned in collusion., Acting in collusion.
collusory adjective Collusive.
collutory noun A medicated wash for the mouth.
collybist noun A money changer.
collyrium noun An application to the eye, usually an eyewater.
colocynth noun The light spongy pulp of the fruit of the bitter cucumber (Citrullus, / Cucumis, colocynthis), an Asiatic plant allied to the watermelon; coloquintida. It comes in white balls, is intensely bitter, and a powerful cathartic. Called also bitter apple, bitter cucumber, bitter gourd.
colombier noun A large size of paper for drawings. See under Paper.
colonelcy noun The office, rank, or commission of a colonel.
colonical adjective Of or pertaining to husbandmen.
colonitis noun See Colitis.
colonized imp. & past participle of Colonize
colonizer noun One who promotes or establishes a colony; a colonist.
colonnade noun A series or range of columns placed at regular intervals with all the adjuncts, as entablature, stylobate, roof, etc.
colophany noun See Colophony.
colophene noun A colorless, oily liquid, formerly obtained by distillation of colophony. It is regarded as a polymeric form of terebenthene. Called also diterebene.
colophony noun Rosin.
colorable adjective Specious; plausible; having an appearance of right or justice.
colorific adjective Capable of communicating color or tint to other bodies.
colorless adjective Without color; not distinguished by any hue; transparent; as, colorless water., Free from any manifestation of partial or peculiar sentiment or feeling; not disclosing likes, dislikes, prejudice, etc.; as, colorless music; a colorless style; definitions should be colorless.
colossean adjective Colossal.
colosseum noun The amphitheater of Vespasian in Rome.
colostrum noun The first milk secreted after delivery; biestings., A mixture of turpentine and the yolk of an egg, formerly used as an emulsion.
colporter noun Same as Colporteur.
coltsfoot noun A perennial herb (Tussilago Farfara), whose leaves and rootstock are sometimes employed in medicine.
colubrine adjective like or related to snakes of the genus Coluber., Like a snake; cunning; crafty.
columbary noun A dovecote; a pigeon house.
columbate noun A salt of columbic acid; a niobate. See Columbium.
columbiad noun A form of seacoast cannon; a long, chambered gun designed for throwing shot or shells with heavy charges of powder, at high angles of elevation.
columbian adjective Of or pertaining to the United States, or to America.
columbier noun See Colombier.
columbine adjective Of or pertaining to a dove; dovelike; dove-colored., A plant of several species of the genus Aquilegia; as, A. vulgaris, or the common garden columbine; A. Canadensis, the wild red columbine of North America., The mistress or sweetheart of Harlequin in pantomimes.
columbite noun A mineral of a black color, submetallic luster, and high specific specific gravity. It is a niobate (or columbate) of iron and manganese, containing tantalate of iron; — first found in New England.
columbium noun A rare element of the vanadium group, first found in a variety of the mineral columbite occurring in Connecticut, probably at Haddam. Atomic weight 94.2. Symbol Cb or Nb. Now more commonly called niobium.
columella noun An axis to which a carpel of a compound pistil may be attached, as in the case of the geranium; or which is left when a pod opens., A columnlike axis in the capsules of mosses., A term applied to various columnlike parts; as, the columella, or epipterygoid bone, in the skull of many lizards; the columella of the ear, the bony or cartilaginous rod connecting the tympanic membrane with the internal ear., The upright pillar in the axis of most univalve shells., The central pillar or axis of the calicles of certain corals.
comanches noun pl. A warlike, savage, and nomadic tribe of the Shoshone family of Indians, inhabiting Mexico and the adjacent parts of the United States; — called also Paducahs. They are noted for plundering and cruelty.
comatulid noun Any crinoid of the genus Antedon or allied genera.
combating present participle & vb. noun of Combat
combatant adjective Contending; disposed to contend., One who engages in combat.
combative adjective Disposed to engage in combat; pugnacious.
combinate adjective United; joined; betrothed.
combining present participle & vb. noun of Combine
comboloio noun A Mohammedan rosary, consisting of ninety-nine beads.
co-meddle verb t. To mix; to mingle, to temper.
comedones plural of Comedo
comfiture noun See Comfit, n.
comforted imp. & past participle of Comfort
comforter noun One who administers comfort or consolation., The Holy Spirit, — referring to his office of comforting believers., A knit woolen tippet, long and narrow., A wadded bedquilt; a comfortable.
commanded imp. & past participle of Command
commander noun A chief; one who has supreme authority; a leader; the chief officer of an army, or of any division of it., An officer who ranks next below a captain, — ranking with a lieutenant colonel in the army., The chief officer of a commandery., A heavy beetle or wooden mallet, used in paving, in sail lofts, etc.
commandry noun See Commandery.
commatism noun Conciseness in writing.
commenced imp. & past participle of Commence
commended imp. & past participle of Commend
commendam noun A vacant living or benefice commended to a cleric (usually a bishop) who enjoyed the revenue until a pastor was provided. A living so held was said to be held in commendam. The practice was abolished by law in 1836.
commender noun One who commends or praises.
commensal noun One who eats at the same table., An animal, not truly parasitic, which lives in, with, or on, another, partaking usually of the same food. Both species may be benefited by the association., Having the character of a commensal.
commented imp. & past participle of Comment
commenter noun One who makes or writes comments; a commentator; an annotator.
commerced imp. & past participle of Commerce
commingle verb t. & i. To mingle together; to mix in one mass, or intimately; to blend.
comminute verb t. To reduce to minute particles, or to a fine powder; to pulverize; to triturate; to grind; as, to comminute chalk or bones; to comminute food with the teeth.
committed imp. & past participle of Commit
committal noun The act of committing, or the state of being committed; commitment.
committee noun One or more persons elected or appointed, to whom any matter or business is referred, either by a legislative body, or by a court, or by any collective body of men acting together., One to whom the charge of the person or estate of another, as of a lunatic, is committed by suitable authority; a guardian.
committer noun One who commits; one who does or perpetrates., A fornicator.
commixing present participle & vb. noun of Commix
commixion noun Commixture.
commodate noun A gratuitous loan.
commodity noun Convenience; accommodation; profit; benefit; advantage; interest; commodiousness., That which affords convenience, advantage, or profit, especially in commerce, including everything movable that is bought and sold (except animals), — goods, wares, merchandise, produce of land and manufactures, etc., A parcel or quantity of goods.
commodore noun An officer who ranks next above a captain; sometimes, by courtesy, the senior captain of a squadron. The rank of commodore corresponds with that of brigadier general in the army., A captain commanding a squadron, or a division of a fleet, or having the temporary rank of rear admiral., A title given by courtesy to the senior captain of a line of merchant vessels, and also to the chief officer of a yachting or rowing club., A familiar for the flagship, or for the principal vessel of a squadron or fleet.
commonage noun The right of pasturing on a common; the right of using anything in common with others.
commonish adjective Somewhat common; commonplace; vulgar.
commorant noun Ordinarily residing; inhabiting., Inhabiting or occupying temporarily., A resident.
commotion noun Disturbed or violent motion; agitation., A popular tumult; public disturbance; riot., Agitation, perturbation, or disorder, of mind; heat; excitement.
commoving present participle & vb. noun of Commove
communing present participle & vb. noun of Commune
communion noun The act of sharing; community; participation., Intercourse between two or more persons; esp., intimate association and intercourse implying sympathy and confidence; interchange of thoughts, purposes, etc.; agreement; fellowship; as, the communion of saints., A body of Christians having one common faith and discipline; as, the Presbyterian communion., The sacrament of the eucharist; the celebration of the Lord’s supper; the act of partaking of the sacrament; as, to go to communion; to partake of the communion.
communism noun A scheme of equalizing the social conditions of life; specifically, a scheme which contemplates the abolition of inequalities in the possession of property, as by distributing all wealth equally to all, or by holding all wealth in common for the equal use and advantage of all.
communist noun An advocate for the theory or practice of communism., A supporter of the commune of Paris.
community noun Common possession or enjoyment; participation; as, a community of goods., A body of people having common rights, privileges, or interests, or living in the same place under the same laws and regulations; as, a community of monks. Hence a number of animals living in a common home or with some apparent association of interests., Society at large; a commonwealth or state; a body politic; the public, or people in general., Common character; likeness., Commonness; frequency.
commuting present participle & vb. noun of Commute
commutual adjective Mutual; reciprocal; united.
compacted imp. & past participle of Compact, Compact; pressed close; concentrated; firmly united.
compacter noun One who makes a compact.
compactly adverb In a compact manner; with close union of parts; densely; tersely.
companion noun One who accompanies or is in company with another for a longer or shorter period, either from choice or casually; one who is much in the company of, or is associated with, another or others; an associate; a comrade; a consort; a partner., A knight of the lowest rank in certain orders; as, a companion of the Bath., A fellow; — in contempt., A skylight on an upper deck with frames and sashes of various shapes, to admit light to a cabin or lower deck., A wooden hood or penthouse covering the companion way; a companion hatch., To be a companion to; to attend on; to accompany., To qualify as a companion; to make equal.
companies plural of Company
companied imp. & past participle of Company
comparate noun One of two things compared together.
comparing present participle & vb. noun of Compare
comparted imp. & past participle of Compart
compassed imp. & past participle of Compass, Rounded; arched.
compasses noun An instrument for describing circles, measuring figures, etc., consisting of two, or (rarely) more, pointed branches, or legs, usually joined at the top by a rivet on which they move.
compelled imp. & past participle of Compel
compeller noun One who compels or constrains.
compendia plural of Compendium
competing present participle & vb. noun of Compete
competent adjective Answering to all requirements; adequate; sufficient; suitable; capable; legally qualified; fit., Rightfully or properly belonging; incident; — followed by to.
compiling present participle & vb. noun of Compile
complaint noun Expression of grief, regret, pain, censure, or resentment; lamentation; murmuring; accusation; fault-finding., Cause or subject of complaint or murmuring., An ailment or disease of the body., A formal allegation or charge against a party made or presented to the appropriate court or officer, as for a wrong done or a crime committed (in the latter case, generally under oath); an information; accusation; the initial bill in proceedings in equity.
complanar adjective See Coplanar.
completed imp. & past participle of Complete
complexed adjective Complex, complicated.
complexly adverb In a complex manner; not simply.
complexus noun A complex; an aggregate of parts; a complication.
compliant adjective Yielding; bending; pliant; submissive.
complices plural of Complice
complying present participle & vb. noun of Comply
component verb t. Serving, or helping, to form; composing; constituting; constituent., A constituent part; an ingredient.
comported imp. & past participle of Comport
composing present participle & vb. noun of Compose, Tending to compose or soothe., Pertaining to, or used in, composition.
composite verb t. Made up of distinct parts or elements; compounded; as, a composite language., Belonging to a certain order which is composed of the Ionic order grafted upon the Corinthian. It is called also the Roman or the Italic order, and is one of the five orders recognized by the Italian writers of the sixteenth century. See Capital., Belonging to the order Compositae; bearing involucrate heads of many small florets, as the daisy, thistle, and dandelion., That which is made up of parts or compounded of several elements; composition; combination; compound.
composure noun The act of composing, or that which is composed; a composition., Orderly adjustment; disposition., Frame; make; temperament., A settled state; calmness; sedateness; tranquillity; repose., A combination; a union; a bond.
comprador noun A kind of steward or agent.
comprisal noun The act of comprising or comprehending; a compendium or epitome.
comprised imp. & past participle of Comprise
compromit noun To pledge by some act or declaration; to promise., To put to hazard, by some indiscretion; to endanger; to compromise; as, to compromit the honor or the safety of a nation.
comptible verb t. Accountable; responsible; sensitive.
computing present participle & vb. noun of Compute
computist noun A computer.
comradery noun The spirit of comradeship; comradeship.
concaving present participle & vb. noun of Concave
concavity noun A concave surface, or the space bounded by it; the state of being concave.
concavous adjective Concave.
concealed imp. & past participle of Conceal, Hidden; kept from sight; secreted.
concealer noun One who conceals.
conceding present participle & vb. noun of Concede
conceited adjective Endowed with fancy or imagination., Entertaining a flattering opinion of one’s self; vain., Curiously contrived or designed; fanciful.
conceived imp. & past participle of Conceive
conceiver noun One who conceives.
concenter verb i. Alt. of Concentre, Alt. of Concentre
concentre verb i. To come to one point; to meet in, or converge toward, a common center; to have a common center., To draw or direct to a common center; to bring together at a focus or point, as two or more lines; to concentrate.
concerned imp. & past participle of Concern, Disturbed; troubled; solicitous; as, to be much concerned for the safety of a friend.
concerted imp. & past participle of Concert, Mutually contrived or planned; agreed on; as, concerted schemes, signals.
concertos plural of Concerto
conchifer noun One of the Conchifera.
conchitic adjective Composed of shells; containing many shells.
conciator adjective The person who weighs and proportions the materials to be made into glass, and who works and tempers them.
concierge noun One who keeps the entrance to an edifice, public or private; a doorkeeper; a janitor, male or female.
conciliar adjective Alt. of Conciliary
concisely adverb In a concise manner; briefly.
concision noun A cutting off; a division; a schism; a faction.
concluded imp. & past participle of Conclude
concluder noun One who concludes.
concocted imp. & past participle of Concoct
concocter noun One who concocts.
concordat noun A compact, covenant, or agreement concerning anything., An agreement made between the pope and a sovereign or government for the regulation of ecclesiastical matters with which both are concerned; as, the concordat between Pope Pius VII and Bonaparte in 1801.
concourse noun A moving, flowing, or running together; confluence., An assembly; a gathering formed by a voluntary or spontaneous moving and meeting in one place., The place or point of meeting or junction of two bodies., An open space where several roads or paths meet; esp. an open space in a park where several roads meet., Concurrence; cooperation.
concreate verb t. To create at the same time.
concreted imp. & past participle of Concrete
concubine noun A woman who cohabits with a man without being his wife; a paramour., A wife of inferior condition; a lawful wife, but not united to the man by the usual ceremonies, and of inferior condition. Such were Hagar and Keturah, the concubines of Abraham; and such concubines were allowed by the Roman laws. Their children were not heirs of their father.
concurred imp. & past participle of Concur
condemned imp. & past participle of Condemn, Pronounced to be wrong, guilty, worthless, or forfeited; adjudged or sentenced to punishment, destruction, or confiscation., Used for condemned persons.
condemner noun One who condemns or censures.
condensed imp. & past participle of Condense
condenser noun One who, or that which, condenses., An instrument for condensing air or other elastic fluids, consisting of a cylinder having a movable piston to force the air into a receiver, and a valve to prevent its escape., An instrument for concentrating electricity by the effect of induction between conducting plates separated by a nonconducting plate., A lens or mirror, usually of short focal distance, used to concentrate light upon an object., An apparatus for receiving and condensing the volatile products of distillation to a liquid or solid form, by cooling., An apparatus, separate from the cylinder, in which the exhaust steam is condensed by the action of cold water or air. See Illust. of Steam engine.
condignly adverb According to merit.
condiment noun Something used to give relish to food, and to gratify the taste; a pungment and appetizing substance, as pepper or mustard; seasoning.
condition noun Mode or state of being; state or situation with regard to external circumstances or influences, or to physical or mental integrity, health, strength, etc.; predicament; rank; position, estate., Essential quality; property; attribute., Temperament; disposition; character., That which must exist as the occasion or concomitant of something else; that which is requisite in order that something else should take effect; an essential qualification; stipulation; terms specified., A clause in a contract, or agreement, which has for its object to suspend, to defeat, or in some way to modify, the principal obligation; or, in case of a will, to suspend, revoke, or modify a devise or bequest. It is also the case of a future uncertain event, which may or may not happen, and on the occurrence or non-occurrence of which, the accomplishment, recission, or modification of an obligation or testamentary disposition is made to depend., To make terms; to stipulate., To impose upon an object those relations or conditions without which knowledge and thought are alleged to be impossible., To invest with, or limit by, conditions; to burden or qualify by a condition; to impose or be imposed as the condition of., To contract; to stipulate; to agree., To put under conditions; to require to pass a new examination or to make up a specified study, as a condition of remaining in one’s class or in college; as, to condition a student who has failed in some branch of study., To test or assay, as silk (to ascertain the proportion of moisture it contains)., train; acclimate.
conditory noun A repository for holding things; a hinding place.
condoling present participle & vb. noun of Condole
condoning present participle & vb. noun of Condone
conducing present participle & vb. noun of Conduce
conducent adjective Conducive; tending.
conducive adjective Loading or tending; helpful; contributive; tending to promote.
conducted imp. & past participle of Conduct
conductor noun One who, or that which, conducts; a leader; a commander; a guide; a manager; a director., One in charge of a public conveyance, as of a railroad train or a street car., The leader or director of an orchestra or chorus., A substance or body capable of being a medium for the transmission of certain forces, esp. heat or electricity; specifically, a lightning rod., A grooved sound or staff used for directing instruments, as lithontriptic forceps, etc.; a director., Same as Leader.
condyloid adjective Shaped like or pertaining to a condyle.
condyloma noun Alt. of Condylome
condylome noun A wartlike new growth on the outer skin or adjoining mucous membrane.
confected imp. & past participle of Confect
conferred imp. & past participle of Confer
conferree noun Same as Conferee.
conferrer noun One who confers; one who converses., One who bestows; a giver.
confervae plural of Conferva
confessed imp. & past participle of Confess
confesser noun One who makes a confession.
confessor noun One who confesses; one who acknowledges a fault, or the truth of a charge, at the risk of suffering; specifically, one who confesses himself a follower of Christ and endures persecution for his faith., A priest who hears the confessions of others and is authorized to grant them absolution.
confestly adverb See Cofessedly.
confidant noun fem. Alt. of Confidante
confiding present participle & vb. noun of Confide, That confides; trustful; unsuspicious.
confident noun See Confidant.
configure verb t. To arrange or dispose in a certain form, figure, or shape.
confining present participle & vb. noun of Confine
confinity noun Community of limits; contiguity.
confirmee noun One to whom anything is confirmed.
confirmer noun One who, or that which, confirms, establishes, or ratifies; one who corroborates.
confitent noun One who confesses his sins and faults.
confiteor noun A form of prayer in which public confession of sins is made.
confiture noun Composition; preparation, as of a drug, or confection; a sweetmeat.
confixure noun Act of fastening.
conflated imp. & past participle of Conflate
confluent adjective Flowing together; meeting in their course; running one into another., Blended into one; growing together, so as to obliterate all distinction., Running together or uniting, as pimples or pustules., Characterized by having the pustules, etc., run together or unite, so as to cover the surface; as, confluent smallpox., A small steam which flows into a large one., The place of meeting of steams, currents, etc.
conformed imp. & past participle of Conform
conformer noun One who conforms; one who complies with established forms or doctrines.
confronte adjective Same as Affronte.
confucian adjective Of, or relating to, Confucius, the great Chinese philosopher and teacher., A Confucianist.
confusing present participle & vb. noun of Confuse
confusely adverb Confusedly; obscurely.
confusion noun The state of being mixed or blended so as to produce indistinctness or error; indistinct combination; disorder; tumult., The state of being abashed or disconcerted; loss self-possession; perturbation; shame., Overthrow; defeat; ruin., One who confuses; a confounder.
confusive adjective Confusing; having a tendency to confusion.
confutant noun One who undertakes to confute.
confuting present participle & vb. noun of Confute
congeable adjective Permissible; done lawfully; as, entry congeable.
congealed imp. & past participle of Congeal
congenial adjective Partaking of the same nature; allied by natural characteristics; kindred; sympathetic., Naturally adapted; suited to the disposition.
congenite adjective Congenital; connate; inborn. See Congenital.
congeries noun sing & pl. A collection of particles or bodies into one mass; a heap; an aggregation.
congested adjective Crowded together., Containing an unnatural accumulation of blood; hyperaemic; — said of any part of the body.
conglobed imp. & past participle of Conglobe
conglutin noun A variety of vegetable casein, resembling legumin, and found in almonds, rye, wheat, etc.
congruent adjective Possessing congruity; suitable; agreeing; corresponding.
congruism noun See Congruity.
congruity noun The state or quality of being congruous; the relation or agreement between things; fitness; harmony; correspondence; consistency., Coincidence, as that of lines or figures laid over one another., That, in an imperfectly good persons, which renders it suitable for God to bestow on him gifts of grace.
congruous adjective Suitable or concordant; accordant; fit; harmonious; correspondent; consistent.
conically adverb In the form of a cone.
coniferin noun A glucoside extracted from the cambium layer of coniferous trees as a white crystalline substance.
conjector noun One who guesses or conjectures.
conjoined imp. & past participle of Conjoin, Joined together or touching.
conjugate adjective United in pairs; yoked together; coupled., In single pairs; coupled., Containing two or more radicals supposed to act the part of a single one., Agreeing in derivation and radical signification; — said of words., Presenting themselves simultaneously and having reciprocal properties; — frequently used in pure and applied mathematics with reference to two quantities, points, lines, axes, curves, etc., A word agreeing in derivation with another word, and therefore generally resembling it in signification., A complex radical supposed to act the part of a single radical., To unite in marriage; to join., To inflect (a verb), or give in order the forms which it assumed in its several voices, moods, tenses, numbers, and persons., To unite in a kind of sexual union, as two or more cells or individuals among the more simple plants and animals.
conjugial adjective Conjugal.
conjugium noun The marriage tie.
conjuring present participle & vb. noun of Conjure
connation noun Connection by birth; natural union.
connature noun Participation in a common nature or character.
connected imp. & past participle of Connect
connector noun One who, or that which, connects, A flexible tube for connecting the ends of glass tubes in pneumatic experiments., A device for holding two parts of an electrical conductor in contact.
connexion noun Connection. See Connection.
connexive adjective See Connective.
conniving present participle & vb. noun of Connive
connivent adjective Forbearing to see; designedly inattentive; as, connivent justice., Brought close together; arched inward so that the points meet; converging; in close contact; as, the connivent petals of a flower, wings of an insect, or folds of membrane in the human system, etc.
connotate verb t. To connote; to suggest or designate (something) as additional; to include; to imply.
connoting present participle & vb. noun of Connote
connubial adjective Of or pertaining to marriage, or the marriage state; conjugal; nuptial.
connusant adjective See Cognizant.
conominee noun One nominated in conjunction with another; a joint nominee.
conquered imp. & past participle of Conquer
conqueror noun One who conquers.
conscient adjective Conscious.
conscious adjective Possessing the faculty of knowing one’s own thoughts or mental operations., Possessing knowledge, whether by internal, conscious experience or by external observation; cognizant; aware; sensible., Made the object of consciousness; known to one’s self; as, conscious guilt.
conscribe verb t. To enroll; to enlist.
conscript adjective Enrolled; written; registered., One taken by lot, or compulsorily enrolled, to serve as a soldier or sailor., To enroll, by compulsion, for military service.
consecute verb t. To follow closely; to endeavor to overtake; to pursue.
consensus noun Agreement; accord; consent.
consented imp. & past participle of Consent
consenter adjective One who consents.
conserved imp. & past participle of Conserve
conserver noun One who conserves.
consigned imp. & past participle of Consign
consignee noun The person to whom goods or other things are consigned; a factor; — correlative to consignor.
consigner noun One who consigns. See Consignor.
consignor noun One who consigns something to another; — opposed to consignee.
consisted imp. & past participle of Consist
consolate verb t. To console; to comfort.
consoling present participle & vb. noun of Console, Adapted to console or comfort; cheering; as, this is consoling news.
consonant adjective Having agreement; congruous; consistent; according; — usually followed by with or to., Having like sounds., harmonizing together; accordant; as, consonant tones, consonant chords., Of or pertaining to consonants; made up of, or containing many, consonants., An articulate sound which in utterance is usually combined and sounded with an open sound called a vowel; a member of the spoken alphabet other than a vowel; also, a letter or character representing such a sound.
consonous adjective Agreeing in sound; symphonious.
consopite adjective Lulled to sleep., To lull to sleep; to quiet; to compose.
consorted imp. & past participle of Consort
conspired imp. & past participle of Conspire
conspirer noun One who conspires; a conspirator.
constable noun A high officer in the monarchical establishments of the Middle Ages., An officer of the peace having power as a conservator of the public peace, and bound to execute the warrants of judicial officers.
constancy noun The state or quality of being constant or steadfast; freedom from change; stability; fixedness; immutability; as, the constancy of God in his nature and attributes., Fixedness or firmness of mind; persevering resolution; especially, firmness of mind under sufferings, steadiness in attachments, or perseverance in enterprise; stability; fidelity.
constrain verb t. To secure by bonds; to chain; to bond or confine; to hold tightly; to constringe., To bring into a narrow compass; to compress., To hold back by force; to restrain; to repress., To compel; to force; to necessitate; to oblige., To violate; to ravish., To produce in such a manner as to give an unnatural effect; as, a constrained voice.
constrict verb t. To draw together; to render narrower or smaller; to bind; to cramp; to contract or cause to shrink.
construct verb t. To put together the constituent parts of (something) in their proper place and order; to build; to form; to make; as, to construct an edifice., To devise; to invent; to set in order; to arrange; as, to construct a theory of ethics., Formed by, or relating to, construction, interpretation, or inference.
construed imp. & past participle of Construe
consulage noun A duty or tax paid by merchants for the protection of their commerce by means of a consul in a foreign place.
consulary adjective Consular.
consulate noun The office of a consul., The jurisdiction or residence of a consul., Consular government; term of office of a consul.
consulted imp. & past participle of Consult
consulter noun One who consults, or asks counsel or information.
consuming present participle & vb. noun of Consume
contagion noun The transmission of a disease from one person to another, by direct or indirect contact., That which serves as a medium or agency to transmit disease; a virus produced by, or exhalation proceeding from, a diseased person, and capable of reproducing the disease., The act or means of communicating any influence to the mind or heart; as, the contagion of enthusiasm., Venom; poison.
contagium noun Contagion; contagious matter.
contained imp. & past participle of Contain
container noun One who, or that which, contains.
contemned imp. & past participle of Contemn
contemner noun One who contemns; a despiser; a scorner.
contemper verb t. To modify or temper; to allay; to qualify; to moderate; to soften.
contended imp. & past participle of Contend
contender noun One who contends; a contestant.
contented adjective Content; easy in mind; satisfied; quiet; willing.
contently adverb In a contented manner.
contested imp. & past participle of Contest
conticent adjective Silent.
continent adjective Serving to restrain or limit; restraining; opposing., Exercising restraint as to the indulgence of desires or passions; temperate; moderate., Abstaining from sexual intercourse; exercising restraint upon the sexual appetite; esp., abstaining from illicit sexual intercourse; chaste., Not interrupted; connected; continuous; as, a continent fever., That which contains anything; a receptacle., One of the grand divisions of land on the globe; the main land; specifically (Phys. Geog.), a large body of land differing from an island, not merely in its size, but in its structure, which is that of a large basin bordered by mountain chains; as, the continent of North America.
continual adjective Proceeding without interruption or cesstaion; continuous; unceasing; lasting; abiding., Occuring in steady and rapid succession; very frequent; often repeated.
continued imp. & past participle of Continue, Having extension of time, space, order of events, exertion of energy, etc.; extended; protracted; uninterrupted; also, resumed after interruption; extending through a succession of issues, session, etc.; as, a continued story.
continuer noun One who continues; one who has the power of perseverance or persistence.
contorted adjective Twisted, or twisted together., Twisted back upon itself, as some parts of plants., Arranged so as to overlap each other; as, petals in contorted or convolute aestivation.
contralto noun The part sung by the highest male or lowest female voices; the alto or counter tenor., the voice or singer performing this part; as, her voice is a contralto; she is a contralto., Of or pertaining to a contralto, or to the part in music called contralto; as, a contralto voice.
contrarry adjective To contradict or oppose; to thwart.
contrived imp. & past participle of Contrive
contriver noun One who contrives, devises, plans, or schemas.
contumacy noun Stubborn perverseness; pertinacious resistance to authority., A willful contempt of, and disobedience to, any lawful summons, or to the rules and orders of court, as a refusal to appear in court when legally summoned.
contumely noun Rudeness compounded of haughtiness and contempt; scornful insolence; despiteful treatment; disdain; contemptuousness in act or speech; disgrace.
contusing present participle & vb. noun of Contuse
contusion noun The act or process of beating, bruising, or pounding; the state of being beaten or bruised., A bruise; an injury attended with more or less disorganization of the subcutaneous tissue and effusion of blood beneath the skin, but without apparent wound.
conundrum noun A kind of riddle based upon some fanciful or fantastic resemblance between things quite unlike; a puzzling question, of which the answer is or involves a pun., A question to which only a conjectural answer can be made.
conusable adjective Cognizable; liable to be tried or judged.
convenong present participle & vb. noun of Convene
converged imp. & past participle of Converge
conversed imp. & past participle of Converse
converser noun One who engages in conversation.
converted imp. & past participle of Convert
converter noun One who converts; one who makes converts., A retort, used in the Bessemer process, in which molten cast iron is decarburized and converted into steel by a blast of air forced through the liquid metal.
convexity noun The state of being convex; the exterior surface of a convex body; roundness.
conveying present participle & vb. noun of Convey
convicted imp. & past participle of Convict
convinced imp. & past participle of Convince
convincer noun One who, or that which, convinces; one who wins over by proof.
convivial adjective Of or relating to a feast or entertainment, or to eating and drinking, with accompanying festivity; festive; social; gay; jovial.
convocate verb t. To convoke; to call together.
convoking present participle & vb. noun of Convoke
convolute adjective Rolled or wound together, one part upon another; — said of the leaves of plants in aestivation.
convolved imp. & past participle of Convolve
convoying present participle & vb. noun of Convoy
convulsed imp. & past participle of Convulse
coopering present participle & vb. noun of Cooper
cooperage noun Work done by a cooper., The price paid for coopers; work., A place where coopers’ work is done.
cooperant adjective Operating together; as, cooperant forces.
cooperate verb i. To act or operate jointly with another or others; to concur in action, effort, or effect.
coparceny noun An equal share of an inheritance.
copartner noun One who is jointly concerned with one or more persons in business, etc.; a partner; an associate; a partaker; a sharer.
copatriot noun A joint patriot.
copesmate noun An associate or companion; a friend; a partner.
copestone noun A stone for coping. See Coping.
copiously adverb In a copious manner.
coportion noun Equal share.
coppering present participle & vb. noun of Copper, The act of covering with copper., An envelope or covering of copper.
copperish adjective Containing, or partaking of the nature of, copper; like copper; as, a copperish taste.
coprolite noun A piece of petrified dung; a fossil excrement.
copsewood noun Brushwood; coppice.
copulated imp. & past participle of Copulate
copygraph noun A contrivance for producing manifold copies of a writing or drawing.
copyright noun The right of an author or his assignee, under statute, to print and publish his literary or artistic work, exclusively of all other persons. This right may be had in maps, charts, engravings, plays, and musical compositions, as well as in books., To secure a copyright on.
coquetted imp. & past participle of Coquet
corallian noun A deposit of coralliferous limestone forming a portion of the middle division of the oolite; — called also coral-rag.
coralline adjective Composed of corallines; as, coralline limestone., A submarine, semicalcareous or calcareous plant, consisting of many jointed branches., Formerly any slender coral-like animal; — sometimes applied more particulary to bryozoan corals.
corallite noun A mineral substance or petrifaction, in the form of coral., One of the individual members of a compound coral; or that part formed by a single coral animal.
coralloid adjective Having the form of coral; branching like coral.
coral-rag noun Same as Corallian.
coralwort noun A cruciferous herb of certain species of Dentaria; — called also toothwort, tooth violet, or pepper root.
corchorus noun The common name of the Kerria Japonica or Japan globeflower, a yellow-flowered, perennial, rosaceous plant, seen in old-fashioned gardens.
cordately adverb In a cordate form.
cordelier noun A Franciscan; — so called in France from the girdle of knotted cord worn by all Franciscans., A member of a French political club of the time of the first Revolution, of which Danton and Marat were members, and which met in an old Cordelier convent in Paris.
cordeling adjective Twisting.
cordially adverb In a cordial manner.
cordoform adjective Heart-shaped.
cordonnet noun Doubled and twisted thread, made of coarse silk, and used for tassels, fringes, etc.
co-regent noun A joint regent or ruler.
coreopsis noun A genus of herbaceous composite plants, having the achenes two-horned and remotely resembling some insect; tickseed. C. tinctoria, of the Western plains, the commonest plant of the genus, has been used in dyeing.
coriander noun An umbelliferous plant, the Coriandrum sativum, the fruit or seeds of which have a strong smell and a spicy taste, and in medicine are considered as stomachic and carminative.
corivalry noun Alt. of Corivalship
corkiness noun The quality of being corky.
corkscrew noun An instrument with a screw or a steel spiral for drawing corks from bottles., To press forward in a winding way; as, to corkscrew one’s way through a crowd.
cormogeny noun The embryological history of groups or families of individuals.
cormorant noun Any species of Phalacrocorax, a genus of sea birds having a sac under the beak; the shag. Cormorants devour fish voraciously, and have become the emblem of gluttony. They are generally black, and hence are called sea ravens, and coalgeese., A voracious eater; a glutton, or gluttonous servant.
cormoraut adjective Ravenous; voracious.
cornamute noun A cornemuse.
corncrake noun A bird (Crex crex or C. pratensis) which frequents grain fields; the European crake or land rail; — called also corn bird.
cornelian noun Same as Carnelian.
cornemuse noun A wind instrument nearly identical with the bagpipe.
corneouss adjective Of a texture resembling horn; horny; hard.
cornering present participle & vb. noun of Corner
cornercap noun The chief ornament.
cornfield noun A field where corn is or has been growing; — in England, a field of wheat, rye, barley, or oats; in America, a field of Indian corn.
cornfloor noun A thrashing floor.
cornicula plural of Corniculum
cornified adjective Converted into horn; horny.
corniform adjective Having the shape of a horn; horn-shaped.
cornopean noun An obsolete name for the cornet-a-piston.
cornshuck noun The husk covering an ear of Indian corn.
cornstalk noun A stalk of Indian corn.
corollary noun That which is given beyond what is actually due, as a garland of flowers in addition to wages; surplus; something added or superfluous., Something which follows from the demonstration of a proposition; an additional inference or deduction from a demonstrated proposition; a consequence.
corollate adjective Alt. of Corollated
corolline adjective Of or pertaining to a corolla.
coronamen noun The upper margin of a hoof; a coronet.
coronated adjective Having or wearing a crown., Having the coronal feathers lengthened or otherwise distinguished; — said of birds., Girt about the spire with a row of tubercles or spines; — said of spiral shells., Having a crest or a crownlike appendage.
coroneted adjective Wearing, or entitled to wear, a coronet; of noble birth or rank.
coronilla noun A genus of plants related to the clover, having their flowers arranged in little heads or tufts resembling coronets.
corporace noun See Corporas.
corporale adjective A fine linen cloth, on which the sacred elements are consecrated in the eucharist, or with which they are covered; a communion cloth.
corporate adjective Formed into a body by legal enactment; united in an association, and endowed by law with the rights and liabilities of an individual; incorporated; as, a corporate town., Belonging to a corporation or incorporated body., United; general; collectively one., To incorporate., To become incorporated.
corporeal adjective Having a body; consisting of, or pertaining to, a material body or substance; material; — opposed to spiritual or immaterial.
corporify verb t. To embody; to form into a body.
corposant noun St. Elmo’s fire. See under Saint.
corpulent adjective Very fat; obese., Solid; gross; opaque.
corpuscle noun A minute particle; an atom; a molecule., A protoplasmic animal cell; esp., such as float free, like blood, lymph, and pus corpuscles; or such as are imbedded in an intercellular matrix, like connective tissue and cartilage corpuscles. See Blood.
corradial adjective Radiating to or from the same point.
corrasion noun The erosion of the bed of a stream by running water, principally by attrition of the detritus carried along by the stream, but also by the solvent action of the water.
corrasive adjective Corrosive.
corrected imp. & past participle of Correct
correctly adverb In a correct manner; exactly; acurately; without fault or error.
corrector noun One who, or that which, corrects; as, a corrector of abuses; a corrector of the press; an alkali is a corrector of acids.
correlate verb i. To have reciprocal or mutual relations; to be mutually related., To put in relation with each other; to connect together by the disclosure of a mutual relation; as, to correlate natural phenomena., One who, or that which, stands in a reciprocal relation to something else, as father to son; a correlative.
corrigent noun A substance added to a medicine to mollify or modify its action.
corrivate verb t. To cause to flow together, as water drawn from several streams.
corroding present participle & vb. noun of Corrode
corrodent adjective Corrosive., Anything that corrodes.
corrosion noun The action or effect of corrosive agents, or the process of corrosive change; as, the rusting of iron is a variety of corrosion.
corrosive adjective Eating away; having the power of gradually wearing, changing, or destroying the texture or substance of a body; as, the corrosive action of an acid., Having the quality of fretting or vexing., That which has the quality of eating or wearing away gradually., That which has the power of fretting or irritating.
corrugant adjective Having the power of contracting into wrinkles.
corrugate adjective Wrinkled; crumpled; furrowed; contracted into ridges and furrows., To form or shape into wrinkles or folds, or alternate ridges and grooves, as by drawing, contraction, pressure, bending, or otherwise; to wrinkle; to purse up; as, to corrugate plates of iron; to corrugate the forehead.
corrugent adjective Drawing together; contracting; — said of the corrugator.
corrupted imp. & past participle of Corrupt
corrupter noun One who corrupts; one who vitiates or taints; as, a corrupter of morals.
corruptly adverb In a corrupt manner; by means of corruption or corrupting influences; wrongfully.
corseting present participle & vb. noun of Corset
corticate adjective Alt. of Corticated
corticine noun A material for carpeting or floor covering, made of ground cork and caoutchouc or India rubber.
corticose adjective Abounding in bark; resembling bark; barky.
corticous adjective Relating to, or resembling, bark; corticose.
corundums plural of Corundum
coruscant adjective Glittering in flashes; flashing.
coruscate verb i. To glitter in flashes; to flash.
corvorant noun See Cormorant.
corybants plural of Corybant
corymbose adjective Consisting of corymbs, or resembling them in form.
coryphene noun A fish of the genus Coryphaena. See Dolphin. (2)
corypheus noun The conductor, chief, or leader of the dramatic chorus; hence, the chief or leader of a party or interest.
coscoroba noun A large, white, South American duck, of the genus Cascoroba, resembling a swan.
coshering noun A feudal prerogative of the lord of the soil entitling him to lodging and food at his tenant’s house.
cosmogony noun The creation of the world or universe; a theory or account of such creation; as, the poetical cosmogony of Hesoid; the cosmogonies of Thales, Anaxagoras, and Plato.
cosmolabe noun An instrument resembling the astrolabe, formerly used for measuring the angles between heavenly bodies; — called also pantacosm.
cosmoline noun A substance obtained from the residues of the distillation of petroleum, essentially the same as vaseline, but of somewhat stiffer consistency, and consisting of a mixture of the higher paraffines; a kind of petroleum jelly.
cosmology noun The science of the world or universe; or a treatise relating to the structure and parts of the system of creation, the elements of bodies, the modifications of material things, the laws of motion, and the order and course of nature.
cosmorama noun An exhibition in which a series of views in various parts of the world is seen reflected by mirrors through a series of lenses, with such illumination, etc., as will make the views most closely represent reality.
costively adverb In a costive manner.
costotome noun An instrument (chisel or shears) to cut the ribs and open the thoracic cavity, in post-mortem examinations and dissections.
cosupreme noun A partaker of supremacy; one jointly supreme.
cotangent noun The tangent of the complement of an arc or angle. See Illust. of Functions.
cotarnine noun A white, crystalline substance, C12H13NO3, obtained as a product of the decomposition of narcotine. It has weak basic properties, and is usually regarded as an alkaloid.
cothurnus noun Same as Cothurn.
coticular adjective Pertaining to whetstones; like or suitable for whetstones.
cotillion noun A brisk dance, performed by eight persons; a quadrille., A tune which regulates the dance., A kind of woolen material for women’s skirts., A formal ball.
cotrustee noun A joint trustee.
cottagely adjective Cottagelike; suitable for a cottage; rustic.
cottolene noun A product from cotton-seed, used as lard.
cottonade noun A somewhat stout and thick fabric of cotton.
cottonary adjective Relating to, or composed of, cotton; cottony.
cottonous adjective Resembling cotton.
cotyledon noun One of the patches of villi found in some forms of placenta., A leaf borne by the caulicle or radicle of an embryo; a seed leaf.
couchancy noun State of lying down for repose.
couchless adjective Having no couch or bed.
councilor noun A member of a council.
counseled imp. & past participle of Counsel
counselor noun One who counsels; an adviser., A member of council; one appointed to advise a sovereign or chief magistrate. [See under Consilor.], One whose profession is to give advice in law, and manage causes for clients in court; a barrister.
countable adjective Capable of being numbered.
countless adjective Incapable of being counted; not ascertainable; innumerable.
countrify verb t. To give a rural appearance to; to cause to appear rustic.
countries plural of Country
courbaril noun See Anime, n.
courtbred adjective Bred, or educated, at court; polished; courtly.
courteous adjective Of courtlike manners; pertaining to, or expressive of, courtesy; characterized by courtesy; civil; obliging; well bred; polite; affable; complaisant.
courtesan noun A woman who prostitutes herself for hire; a prostitute; a harlot.
courtiery noun The manners of a courtier; courtliness.
courtlike adjective After the manner of a court; elegant; polite; courtly.
courtling noun A sycophantic courtier.
courtship noun The act of paying court, with the intent to solicit a favor., The act of wooing in love; solicitation of woman to marriage., Courtliness; elegance of manners; courtesy., Court policy; the character of a courtier; artifice of a court; court-craft; finesse.
courtyard noun A court or inclosure attached to a house.
cousinage noun Relationship; kinship.
coussinet noun A stone placed on the impost of a pier for receiving the first stone of an arch., That part of the Ionic capital between the abacus and quarter round, which forms the volute.
covariant noun A function involving the coefficients and the variables of a quantic, and such that when the quantic is lineally transformed the same function of the new variables and coefficients shall be equal to the old function multiplied by a factor. An invariant is a like function involving only the coefficients of the quantic.
covelline noun Alt. of Covellite
covellite noun A native sulphide of copper, occuring in masses of a dark blue color; — hence called indigo copper.
covenable adjective Fit; proper; suitable.
covenably adverb Fitly; suitably.
coverture noun Covering; shelter; defense; hiding., The condition of a woman during marriage, because she is considered under the cover, influence, power, and protection of her husband, and therefore called a feme covert, or femme couverte.
covetable adjective That may be coveted; desirable.
cowardice noun Want of courage to face danger; extreme timidity; pusillanimity; base fear of danger or hurt; lack of spirit.
cowardish adjective Cowardly.
cowardize verb t. To render cowardly
cowblakes noun pl. Dried cow dung used as fuel.
cowhiding present participle & vb. noun of Cowhide
cowlstaff noun A staff or pole on which a vessel is supported between two persons.
cow-pilot noun A handsomely banded, coral-reef fish, of Florida and the West Indies (Pomacentrus saxatilis); — called also mojarra.
coxcombly adjective like a coxcomb.
coxcombry noun The manners of a coxcomb; foppishness.
crabeater noun The cobia., An etheostomoid fish of the southern United States (Hadropterus nigrofasciatus)., A small European heron (Ardea minuta, and other allied species).
crabfaced adjective Having a sour, disagreeable countenance.
crabsidle verb i. To move sidewise, as a crab. [Jocular].
crabstick noun A stick, cane, or cudgel, made of the wood of the crab tree.
crab tree See under Crab.
crab-yaws noun A disease in the West Indies. It is a kind of ulcer on the soles of the feet, with very hard edges. See Yaws.
crackling noun The making of small, sharp cracks or reports, frequently repeated., The well-browned, crisp rind of roasted pork., Food for dogs, made from the refuse of tallow melting.
cracksmen plural of Cracksman
cracksman noun A burglar.
cracovian adjective Of or pertaining to Cracow in Poland.
craftless adjective Without craft or cunning.
craftsmen plural of Craftsman
craftsman noun One skilled in some trade or manual occupation; an artificer; a mechanic.
cramoisie adjective Alt. of Cramoisy
crampfish noun The torpedo, or electric ray, the touch of which gives an electric shock. See Electric fish, and Torpedo.
cramponee adjective Having a cramp or square piece at the end; — said of a cross so furnished.
crampoons noun A clutch formed of hooked pieces of iron, like double calipers, for raising stones, lumber, blocks of ice, etc., Iron instruments with sharp points, worn on the shoes to assist in gaining or keeping a foothold.
cranberry noun A red, acid berry, much used for making sauce, etc.; also, the plant producing it (several species of Vaccinum or Oxycoccus.) The high cranberry or cranberry tree is a species of Viburnum (V. Opulus), and the other is sometimes called low cranberry or marsh cranberry to distinguish it.
crankbird noun A small European woodpecker (Picus minor).
crankness noun Liability to be overset; — said of a ship or other vessel., Sprightliness; vigor; health.
crannying present participle & vb. noun of Cranny
crapefish noun Salted codfish hardened by pressure.
crapulent adjective Alt. of Crapulous
crapulous adjective Surcharged with liquor; sick from excessive indulgence in liquor; drunk; given to excesses.
crassness noun Grossness.
crataegus noun A genus of small, hardy trees, including the hawthorn, much used for ornamental purposes.
craterous adjective Pertaining to, or resembling, a crater.
craunched imp. & past participle of Craunch
cravatted adjective Wearing a cravat.
cravening present participle & vb. noun of Craven
crayoning present participle & vb. noun of Crayon
craziness noun The state of being broken down or weakened; as, the craziness of a ship, or of the limbs., The state of being broken in mind; imbecility or weakness of intellect; derangement.
creamcake noun A kind of cake filled with custard made of cream, eggs, etc.
creatable adjective That may be created.
creatinin noun A white, crystalline, nitrogenous body closely related to creatin but more basic in its properties, formed from the latter by the action of acids, and occurring naturally in muscle tissue and in urine.
creatress noun She who creates.
creatural adjective Belonging to a creature; having the qualities of a creature.
credendum noun A thing to be believed; an article of faith; — distinguished from agendum, a practical duty.
crediting present participle & vb. noun of Credit
creditrix noun A female creditor.
credulity noun Readiness of belief; a disposition to believe on slight evidence.
credulous adjective Apt to believe on slight evidence; easily imposed upon; unsuspecting., Believed too readily.
creedless adjective Without a creed.
creekfish noun The chub sucker.
creephole noun A hole or retreat into which an animal may creep, to escape notice or danger., A subterfuge; an excuse.
cremaster noun A thin muscle which serves to draw up the testicle., The apex of the last abdominal segment of an insect.
cremation noun A burning; esp., the act or practice of cremating the dead.
crematory noun A furnace for cremating corpses; a building containing such a furnace., Pertaining to, or employed in, cremation.
cremocarp noun The peculiar fruit of fennel, carrot, parsnip, and the like, consisting of a pair of carpels pendent from a supporting axis.
crenation noun A rounded tooth on the edge of a leaf., The condition of being crenate.
crenature noun A rounded tooth or notch of a crenate leaf, or any part that is crenate; — called also crenelle., The state of being crenated or notched.
crenelate verb t. To furnish with crenelles., To indent; to notch; as, a crenelated leaf.
crenelled adjective Same as Crenate.
crenulate adjective Alt. of Crenulated
creosoted imp. & past participle of Creosote
crepitant adjective Having a crackling sound; crackling; rattling.
crepitate verb To make a series of small, sharp, rapidly repeated explosions or sounds, as salt in fire; to crackle; to snap.
crepuscle noun Alt. of Crepuscule
crescence noun Increase; enlargement.
crescendo adjective & adverb With a constantly increasing volume of voice; with gradually increasing strength and fullness of tone; — a direction for the performance of music, indicated by the mark, or by writing the word on the score., A gradual increase in the strength and fullness of tone with which a passage is performed., A passage to be performed with constantly increasing volume of tone.
cresorcin noun Same as Isorcin.
cresselle noun A wooden rattle sometimes used as a substitute for a bell, in the Roman Catholic church, during the latter part of Holy Week, or the last week of Lent.
crestless adjective Without a crest or escutcheon; of low birth.
creticism noun Falsehood; lying; cretism.
cretinism noun A condition of endemic or inherited idiocy, accompanied by physical degeneracy and deformity (usually with goiter), frequent in certain mountain valleys, esp. of the Alps.
cretinous adjective Having the characteristics of a cretin.
cribbling present participle & vb. noun of Cribble
cribellum noun A peculiar perforated organ of certain spiders (Ciniflonidae), used for spinning a special kind of silk.
cricketer noun One who plays at cricket.
crimeless adjective Free from crime; innocent.
criminate verb t. To accuse of, or charge with, a crime., To involve in a crime or in its consequences; to render liable to a criminal charge.
criminous adjective Criminal; involving great crime or grave charges; very wicked; heinous.
crimpling present participle & vb. noun of Crimple
crimsoned imp. & past participle of Crimson
crinatory adjective Crinitory.
crinitory adjective Of or relating to hair; as, a crinitory covering.
crinkling present participle & vb. noun of Crinkle
crinoidal adjective Of pertaining to crinoids; consisting of, or containing, crinoids.
crinoidea noun pl. A large class of Echinodermata, including numerous extinct families and genera, but comparatively few living ones. Most of the fossil species, like some that are recent, were attached by a jointed stem. See Blastoidea, Cystoidea, Comatula.
crinoline noun A kind of stiff cloth, used chiefly by women, for underskirts, to expand the gown worn over it; — so called because originally made of hair., A lady’s skirt made of any stiff material; latterly, a hoop skirt.
crinosity noun Hairiness.
crippling present participle & vb. noun of Cripple, Spars or timbers set up as a support against the side of a building.
crispated adjective Having a crisped appearance; irregularly curled or twisted.
crispness noun The state or quality of being crisp.
criterion noun A standard of judging; any approved or established rule or test, by which facts, principles opinions, and conduct are tried in forming a correct judgment respecting them.
criticise verb t. To examine and judge as a critic; to pass literary or artistic judgment upon; as, to criticise an author; to criticise a picture., To express one’s views as to the merit or demerit of; esp., to animadvert upon; to find fault with; as, to criticise conduct., To act as a critic; to pass literary or artistic judgment; to play the critic; — formerly used with on or upon., To discuss the merits or demerits of a thing or person; esp., to find fault.
criticism noun The rules and principles which regulate the practice of the critic; the art of judging with knowledge and propriety of the beauties and faults of a literary performance, or of a production in the fine arts; as, dramatic criticism., The act of criticising; a critical judgment passed or expressed; a critical observation or detailed examination and review; a critique; animadversion; censure.
crocheted imp. & past participle of Crochet
crocketed adjective Ornamented with crockets.
crocodile noun A large reptile of the genus Crocodilus, of several species. They grow to the length of sixteen or eighteen feet, and inhabit the large rivers of Africa, Asia, and America. The eggs, laid in the sand, are hatched by the sun’s heat. The best known species is that of the Nile (C. vulgaris, or C. Niloticus). The Florida crocodile (C. Americanus) is much less common than the alligator and has longer jaws. The name is also sometimes applied to the species of other related genera, as the gavial and the alligator., A fallacious dilemma, mythically supposed to have been first used by a crocodile.
croconate noun A salt formed by the union of croconic acid with a base.
croftland noun Land of superior quality, on which successive crops are raised.
crookback noun A crooked back; one who has a crooked or deformed back; a hunchback.
crookbill noun A New Zealand plover (Anarhynchus frontalis), remarkable for having the end of the beak abruptly bent to the right.
crookedly adverb In a curved or crooked manner; in a perverse or untoward manner.
croqueted imp. & past participle of Croquet
crosiered adjective Bearing a crosier.
crossbeak noun Same as Crossbill.
crossbeam noun A girder., A beam laid across the bitts, to which the cable is fastened when riding at anchor.
crossbill A bill brought by a defendant, in an equity or chancery suit, against the plaintiff, respecting the matter in question in that suit., A bird of the genus Loxia, allied to the finches. Their mandibles are strongly curved and cross each other; the crossbeak.
crossbite noun A deception; a cheat., To deceive; to trick; to gull.
crossbred adjective Produced by mixing distinct breeds; mongrel.
cross-bun noun A bun or cake marked with a cross, and intended to be eaten on Good Friday.
crossette noun A return in one of the corners of the architrave of a door or window; — called also ancon, ear, elbow., The shoulder of a joggled keystone.
cross-eye noun See Strabismus.
crossfish noun A starfish.
crossflow verb i. To flow across, or in a contrary direction.
crossnath verb t. To shade by means of crosshatching.
crosshead noun A beam or bar across the head or end of a rod, etc., or a block attached to it and carrying a knuckle pin; as the solid crosspiece running between parallel slides, which receives motion from the piston of a steam engine and imparts it to the connecting rod, which is hinged to the crosshead.
crossjack noun The lowest square sail, or the lower yard of the mizzenmast.
crossness noun The quality or state of being cross; peevishness; fretfulness; ill humor.
crossroad noun A road that crosses another; an obscure road intersecting or avoiding the main road.
crossruff noun The play in whist where partners trump each a different suit, and lead to each other for that purpose; — called also seesaw.
cross-tie noun A sleeper supporting and connecting the rails, and holding them in place.
crosswise adverb In the form of a cross; across; transversely.
crosswort noun A name given to several inconspicuous plants having leaves in whorls of four, as species of Crucianella, Valantia, etc.
crotaline adjective Resembling, or pertaining to, the Crotalidae, or Rattlesnake family.
crotchety adjective Given to crotchets; subject to whims; as, a crotchety man.
crotonine noun A supposed alkaloid obtained from croton oil by boiling it with water and magnesia, since found to be merely a magnesia soap of the oil.
crouching present participle & vb. noun of Crouch
croustade noun Bread baked in a mold, and scooped out, to serve minces upon.
crowberry noun A heathlike plant of the genus Empetrum, and its fruit, a black, scarcely edible berry; — also called crakeberry.
crownless adjective Without a crown.
crown-saw noun A saw in the form of a hollow cylinder, with teeth on the end or edge, and operated by a rotative motion.
crownwork noun A work consisting of two or more bastioned fronts, with their outworks, covering an enceinte, a bridgehead, etc., and connected by wings with the main work or the river bank.
crow-silk noun A filamentous fresh-water alga (Conferva rivularis of Linnaeus, Rhizoclonium rivulare of Kutzing).
crowstone noun The top stone of the gable end of a house.
croziered adjective Crosiered.
crucifier noun One who crucifies; one who subjects himself or another to a painful trial.
cruciform adjective Cross-shaped; (Bot.) having four parts arranged in the form of a cross.
crucified imp. & past participle of Crucify
crudeness noun A crude, undigested, or unprepared state; rawness; unripeness; immatureness; unfitness for a destined use or purpose; as, the crudeness of iron ore; crudeness of theories or plans.
crudities plural of Crudity
cruelness noun Cruelty.
cruelties plural of Cruelty
cruentate adjective Smeared with blood.
cruentous adjective Bloody; cruentate.
crumbling present participle & vb. noun of Crumble
crummable adjective Capable of being crumbed or broken into small pieces.
crumpling present participle & vb. noun of Crumple
crunching present participle & vb. noun of Crunch
crusading present participle & vb. noun of Crusade, Of or pertaining to a crusade; as, a crusading spirit.
crustacea noun pl. One of the classes of the arthropods, including lobsters and crabs; — so called from the crustlike shell with which they are covered.
crustated adjective Covered with a crust; as, crustated basalt.
crustific adjective Producing or forming a crust or skin.
cryptical adjective Hidden; secret; occult.
cryptogam noun A plant belonging to the Cryptogamia.
cryptonym noun A secret name; a name by which a person is known only to the initiated.
ctenocyst noun An organ of the Ctenophora, supposed to be sensory.
ctenoidei noun pl. A group of fishes, established by Agassiz, characterized by having scales with a pectinated margin, as in the perch. The group is now generally regarded as artificial.
cubbyhole noun A snug or confined place.
cubically adverb In a cubical method.
cubicular adjective Belonging to a chamber or bedroom.
cuckolded imp. & past participle of Cuckold
cuckoldly adjective Having the qualities of a cuckold; mean-spirited; sneaking.
cuckoldom noun The state of a cuckold; cuckolds, collectively.
cuckoldry noun The state of being a cuckold; the practice of making cuckolds.
cuckoobud noun A species of Ranunculus (R. bulbosus); — called also butterflower, buttercup, kingcup, goldcup.
cucullate adjective Alt. of Cucullated
cucurbite noun A vessel or flask for distillation, used with, or forming part of, an alembic; a matrass; — originally in the shape of a gourd, with a wide mouth. See Alembic.
cudgelled of Cudgel
cudgeling present participle & vb. noun of Cudgel
cuirasses plural of Cuirass
cuirassed adjective Wearing a cuirass., Having a covering of bony plates, resembling a cuirass; — said of certain fishes.
cullender noun A strainer. See Colander.
cullionly adjective Mean; base.
culminant adjective Being vertical, or at the highest point of altitude; hence, predominant.
culminate verb i. To reach its highest point of altitude; to come to the meridian; to be vertical or directly overhead., To reach the highest point, as of rank, size, power, numbers, etc., Growing upward, as distinguished from a lateral growth; — applied to the growth of corals.
culpatory adjective Expressing blame; censuring; reprehensory; inculpating.
cultivate verb t. To bestow attention, care, and labor upon, with a view to valuable returns; to till; to fertilize; as, to cultivate soil., To direct special attention to; to devote time and thought to; to foster; to cherish., To seek the society of; to court intimacy with., To improve by labor, care, or study; to impart culture to; to civilize; to refine., To raise or produce by tillage; to care for while growing; as, to cultivate corn or grass.
cultrated adjective Sharp-edged and pointed; shaped like a pruning knife, as the beak of certain birds.
culturing present participle & vb. noun of Culture
culturist noun A cultivator., One who is an advocate of culture.
culverkey noun A bunch of the keys or samaras of the ash tree., An English meadow plant, perhaps the columbine or the bluebell squill (Scilla nutans).
cumbering present participle & vb. noun of Cumber
cumbrance noun Encumbrance.
cumulated imp. & past participle of Cumulate
cunctator noun One who delays or lingers.
cuneiform adjective Alt. of Cuniform, Alt. of Cuniform
cunningly adverb In a cunning manner; with cunning.
cupbearer noun One whose office it is to fill and hand the cups at an entertainment., One of the attendants of a prince or noble, permanently charged with the performance of this office for his master.
cupelling present participle & vb. noun of Cupel
curb roof A roof having a double slope, or composed, on each side, of two parts which have unequal inclination; a gambrel roof.
curbstone noun A stone /et along a margin as a and protection, as along the edge of a sidewalk next the roadway; an edge stone.
curculios plural of Curculio
curdiness noun The state of being curdy.
curialism noun The view or doctrine of the ultramontane party in the Latin Church.
curialist noun One who belongs to the ultramontane party in the Latin Church.
curiality noun The privileges, prerogatives, or retinue of a court.
curiosity noun The state or quality or being curious; nicety; accuracy; exactness; elaboration., Disposition to inquire, investigate, or seek after knowledge; a desire to gratify the mind with new information or objects of interest; inquisitiveness., That which is curious, or fitted to excite or reward attention.
curiously adverb In a curious manner.
curliness noun State of being curly.
curlingly adverb With a curl, or curls.
currently adverb In a current manner; generally; commonly; as, it is currently believed.
curricula plural of Curriculum
currycomb noun A kind of card or comb having rows of metallic teeth or serrated ridges, used in currying a horse., To comb with a currycomb.
cursorary adjective Cursory; hasty.
cursorial adjective Adapted to running or walking, and not to prehension; as, the limbs of the horse are cursorial. See Illust. of Aves., Of or pertaining to the Cursores.
cursorily adverb In a running or hasty manner; carelessly.
curstness noun Peevishness; malignity; frowardness; crabbedness; surliness.
curtailed imp. & past participle of Curtail
curtailer noun One who curtails.
curtained imp. & past participle of Curtain
curtal ax Alt. of Curtelasse
curtle ax Alt. of Curtelasse
curtation noun The interval by which the curtate distance of a planet is less than the true distance.
curtesies plural of Curtesy
curtilage noun A yard, courtyard, or piece of ground, included within the fence surrounding a dwelling house.
curvation noun The act of bending or crooking.
curvative adjective Having the margins only a little curved; — said of leaves.
curvature noun The act of curving, or the state of being bent or curved; a curving or bending, normal or abnormal, as of a line or surface from a rectilinear direction; a bend; a curve., The amount of degree of bending of a mathematical curve, or the tendency at any point to depart from a tangent drawn to the curve at that point.
curveting present participle & vb. noun of Curvet
curviform adjective Having a curved form.
cushioned imp. & past participle of Cushion
cushionet noun A little cushion.
cuspidate verb t. To make pointed or sharp., Alt. of Cuspidated
custodial adjective Relating to custody or guardianship.
custodian noun One who has care or custody, as of some public building; a keeper or superintendent.
custodier noun A custodian.
customary adjective Agreeing with, or established by, custom; established by common usage; conventional; habitual., Holding or held by custom; as, customary tenants; customary service or estate., A book containing laws and usages, or customs; as, the Customary of the Normans.
custumary adjective See Customary.
cutaneous adjective Of pertaining to the skin; existing on, or affecting, the skin; as, a cutaneous disease; cutaneous absorption; cutaneous respiration.
cuticular adjective Pertaining to the cuticle, or external coat of the skin; epidermal.
cutlasses plural of Cutlass
cutthroat noun One who cuts throats; a murderer; an assassin., Murderous; cruel; barbarous.
cuttingly adverb In a cutting manner.
cyamelide noun A white amorphous substance, regarded as a polymeric modification of isocyanic acid.
cyanosite noun Native sulphate of copper. Cf. Blue vitriol, under Blue.
cyanotype noun A photographic picture obtained by the use of a cyanide.
cyanurate noun A salt of cyanuric acid.
cycloidal adjective Pertaining to, or resembling, a cycloid; as, the cycloidal space is the space contained between a cycloid and its base.
cycloidei noun pl. An order of fishes, formerly proposed by Agassiz, for those with thin, smooth scales, destitute of marginal spines, as the herring and salmon. The group is now regarded as artificial.
cyclopean adjective Pertaining to the Cyclops; characteristic of the Cyclops; huge; gigantic; vast and rough; massive; as, Cyclopean labors; Cyclopean architecture.
cyclorama noun A pictorial view which is extended circularly, so that the spectator is surrounded by the objects represented as by things in nature. The realistic effect is increased by putting, in the space between the spectator and the picture, things adapted to the scene represented, and in some places only parts of these objects, the completion of them being carried out pictorially.
cylindric adjective Alt. of Cylindrical
cymbalist noun A performer upon cymbals.
cymbiform adjective Shaped like a boat; (Bot.) elongated and having the upper surface decidedly concave, as the glumes of many grasses.
cymophane noun See Chrysoberyl.
cynically adverb In a cynical manner.
cynorexia noun A voracious appetite, like that of a starved dog.
cynosural adjective Of or pertaining to a cynosure.
cyphonism noun A punishment sometimes used by the ancients, consisting in the besmearing of the criminal with honey, and exposing him to insects. It is still in use among some Oriental nations.
cypresses plural of Cypress
cyprinoid adjective Like the carp (Cyprinus)., One of the Cyprinidae, or Carp family, as the goldfish, barbel, etc.
cysticule noun An appendage of the vestibular ear sac of fishes.
cystidean noun One of the Cystidea.
cystocarp noun A minute vesicle in a red seaweed, which contains the reproductive spores.
cystocele noun Hernia in which the urinary bladder protrudes; vesical hernia.
cystoidea noun Same as Cystidea.
cystolith noun A concretion of mineral matter within a leaf or other part of a plant., A urinary calculus.
cystotome noun A knife or instrument used in cystotomy.
cystotomy noun The act or practice of opening cysts; esp., the operation of cutting into the bladder, as for the extraction of a calculus.
cytherean adjective Pertaining to the goddess Venus.
cytoblast noun The nucleus of a cell; the germinal or active spot of a cellule, through or in which cell development takes place.
cytococci plural of Cytococcus
cytogenic adjective Alt. of Cytogenetic
cytoplasm noun The substance of the body of a cell, as distinguished from the karyoplasma, or substance of the nucleus.
czarinian adjective Of or pertaining to the czar or the czarina; czarish.
czarowitz noun The title of the eldest son of the czar of Russia.
clycerole noun Same as Glycerite.