List of Abbreviations Used in This Dictionary

Camera, kam′ėr-a, n. a vaulted room: the judge's private chamber (In camera, of a case heard there rather than in public court).—adj. Cam′erāted, divided into chambers: arched or vaulted.

Cameronian, kam-er-ōn′i-an, n. a follower of the Covenanter Richard Cameron, killed at Airds Moss in 1680, a member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church.—adj. pertaining to this party, or to the famous Cameronian regiment (26th Foot, now the First Battalion of Scottish Rifles) in the British army, which had its origin in a body of Cameronians (1689).

Camis, kam′is, n. (Spens.) a loose robe made of some light material, as silk, &c.: a chemise. [See Chemise.]

Camisade, kam-i-sād′, n. a night attack, probably because shirts were often put on over the armour.—Also Camisad′o. [Sp., from camisa, a shirt.]

Camisards, kam′is-ar, n.pl. the insurgent Huguenots of the Cevennes, so called from the camise or blouse worn by the peasants.

Camise, kam′ēs, n. the usual Arab shirt.—Also Cam′iso, Cam′ese.

Camisole, kam′is-ōl, n. a sleeved jacket, a woman's loose morning gown or jacket.

Camlet, kam′let, n. a cloth originally made of camel's hair, but now chiefly of wool and goat's hair. [Fr.—Low L. camelotum—L. camelus.]

Camomile, Chamomile, kam′o-mīl, n. a plant, or its dried flowers, used in medicine, affording a bitter stomachic and tonic. [Fr.—L.—Gr. chamaimēlon, the earth-apple, from the apple-like smell of its blossoms—chamai, on the ground, mēlon, an apple.]

Camorra, kam-or′a, n. the name of a secret society in the former kingdom of Naples, whose members, the Camorristi, for many years terrorised the country.—ns. Camorr′ism; Camorr′ist. [It.]

Camp, kamp, n. the ground on which an army pitch their tents: the tents of an army, quarters generally, a permanent military station, as at Aldershot: any fortified site in which a force once defended itself, as a Roman or British camp: any temporary quarters for travellers, &c.—v.i. to encamp or pitch tents.—ns. Camp′-foll′ower, any one who follows in the train of an army, but takes no part in battle; Camp′meet′ing, a religious gathering held in the open air or in a temporary encampment in the fields; Camp′-shed′ding, -sheet′ing, -shot, an erection of piles, &c., along the bank of a river or an embankment, for strengthening; Camp′-stool, or -bed′stead, a portable folding-stool, a trestle-bed. [Fr. camp, a camp—L. campus, a plain.]

Camp, kamp, n. (obs.) conflict: an old form of the game of football.—v.i. to fight, struggle.—v.i. Cam′ple, to wrangle. [A.S. camp, battle; cf. Ger. kampf.]

Campagnol, kam-pa-nyol′, n. a French name for several species of field-mice or voles.

Campaign, kam-pān′, n. a large open field or plain: the time during which an army keeps the field: an excursion into the country: an organised series of operations in the advocacy of a political or social cause.—v.i. to serve in a campaign.—ns. Campagn′a, once equivalent to champaign, now used only of the Campagna, an undulating, mostly uncultivated and unhealthy plain around Rome; Campaign′er, one who has served in several campaigns. [Fr. campagne—L. campania—campus, a field.]

Campanero, kam-pa-nē′ro, n. one of the South American bell-birds, the arapunga, &c. [Sp., a bellman.]

Campanile, kam-pan-ē′lā (sometimes also kam-pan-ēl′, and even kam′pan-il and kam′pan-īl), n. a name adopted from the Italian to signify a bell-tower of the larger kind, and usually applied only to such as are detached from the church: (pl. usually Campaniles, but sometimes the It. Campanili). [It., from campana, a bell.]

Campanology, kam-pan-ol′o-ji, n. the subject or science of bells or bell-ringing.—ns. Cam′panist, Campanol′ogist, one skilled in the same.—adj. Campanolog′ical. [It. campana, a bell, and Gr. logos, a discourse.]

Campanula, kam-pan′ū-la, n. a genus of flowers, commonly known as bell-flowers or bells, usually blue or white, the best-known species the harebell and Scotch bluebell.—The Canterbury Bells is a biennial species—seen in many florists' varieties.—adjs. Campan′iform, Campan′ulate, Campan′ular.—n. Campanulā′ria, a common genus of Hydroids, with stems simple or branched, the nutritive polyps surrounded by transparent bell-shaped sheaths. [It. campana, a bell.]

Campbellite, kam′bel-īt, n. a follower of Alexander Campbell (1788-1866), founder of the sect known as the 'Disciples of Christ.'

Campeachy, kam′pēch-i, adj. pertaining to the red dye-wood better known as Logwood, first exported from Campeachy in Yucatan.

Campeador, kam-pe-a-dōr′, n. a warrior. [Sp.]

Campestral, kam-pes′tral, adj. growing in or pertaining to fields.—Also Campes′trian. [L. campestris, from campus.]

Camphine, kam′fīn, n. rectified oil of turpentine.—Also Cam′phene.

Camphor, kam′for, n. a solid essential oil, mostly obtained from the camphor laurel of India, China, and Japan, having a peculiar hot aromatic taste and a pleasant smell.—adj. Camphorā′ceous, like camphor.—v.t. Cam′phorate, to impregnate with camphor.—adjs. Cam′phorate, Camphor′ic, pertaining to camphor. [Fr. camphre—Low L. camphora—Malay kapur, chalk.]

Campion, kam′pi-un, n. the common name of plants belonging to the genera Lychnis and Silene. [Perh. from L. campus, a field.]

Campo santo, kam′po sant′o, n. the Italian name for a cemetery or burying-ground, esp. for one enclosed by an arcade. [Lit. 'holy ground,' the earth of that at Pisa having been brought from Palestine.]

Campylospermous, kam-pi-lō-sper′mus, adj. (bot.) having the albumen of the seed curved at the margin so as to form a longitudinal furrow on the ventral face. [Gr. kampylos, curved, sperma, a seed.]

Campylotropal, kam-pi-lot′rō-pal, adj. (bot.) curved so as to bring the true apex close to the base—of an ovule or seed.—Also Campylot′ropous. [Gr. kampylos, curved, trepein, to turn.]

Camstairy, kam-stār′i, adj. perverse, unruly. [Ety. dub.; first part at any rate cam, crooked.]

Camstone, kam′stōn, n. a kind of clay used to whiten doorsteps, &c.

Cam-wood, kam′-wood, n. a dye-wood obtained from Baphia nitida, a leguminous tree, a native of Angola. It is at first white, but turns red on exposure to air. [Perh. from African name kambi.]

Can, kan, v.i. to be able: to have sufficient power:—pa.t. Could.—Can is used for gan in M. E. and even in Spenser. [A.S. cunnan, to know (how to do a thing), to be able, pres. indic. can; Goth. kunnan, Ger. können, to be able. See Know.]

Can, kan, n. a vessel for holding or carrying liquids, generally of tinned iron, with a handle over the top: a chimney-pot: a vessel of tin-plate in which meat, fruit, &c. are hermetically sealed for exporting—in England usually called a tin: a drinking-mug.—v.t. to put up for preservation in cans.—n.pl. Canned′-goods, meat, fruit, &c. so prepared for preservation.—n. Can′nery, a place where meat, fish, fruit, &c. are canned. [A.S. canne; cf. L. canna, a reed, Gr. kannē, a reed.]

Canaanite, kā′nan-īt, n. a descendant of Canaan, the son of Ham: a native of the land of Canaan.—adj. Cā′naanitish.

Cañada, kan′ya-da, n. a narrow cañon. [Sp.]

Canadian, ka-nā′di-an, adj. and n. pertaining to Canada: a native of Canada.—Canada balsam (see Balsam).

Canaigre, ka-nā′ger, n. a Texan dock whose root is used in tanning,

Canaille, ka-nāl′, n. the mob, the vulgar rabble. [Fr., a dog—L. canis.]

Canakin. See Cannikin.

Canal, kan-al′, n. an artificial watercourse for navigation: a duct in the body for any of its fluids.—n. Canal′-boat, a boat for canal traffic.—adjs. Canalic′ular, canal-shaped; Canalic′ulate, -d, channelled, grooved.—ns. Canalic′ulus (anat.), a small furrow or channel; Canalisā′tion, the construction of canals.—v.t. Canal′ise, to make a canal through: to convert into a canal. [L. canalis, a water-pipe.]

Canard, ka-när′, or ka-närd′, n. an extravagant or lying story. [Fr., lit. 'duck.']

Canary, ka-nā′ri, n. a light sweet wine from the Canary Islands: a bird originally from the Canary Islands: a lively dance.—adj. canary-coloured, bright yellow.—ns. Canā′ry-bird, a canary: (slang) a jail-bird: a mistress; Canā′ry-grass, a grass of which the seed is much used as food for canary-birds; Canā′ry-wood, the dark-coloured timber of two lauraceous trees of the Azores and Madeira.

Canarese, kan-a-rēz′, adj. pertaining to Canara in western India.—n. a native thereof: the language of the Dravidian group, allied to Telegu.—Also Kanarese′.

Canaster, ka-nas′tėr, n. a kind of tobacco, so called from the rush basket in which it was originally brought from Spanish America. [Sp. canastra—L.—Gr. kanastron.]

Can-can, kan-kan, n. a dance in some public balls at Paris and elsewhere, characterised by immodest gestures and postures. [Usually referred to L. quamquam, the pronunciation of which was long hotly disputed in the French schools; Littré quotes an O. Fr. caquehan, a noisy assembly.]

Cancel, kan′sel, v.t. to erase or blot out by crossing with lines: to annul or suppress, as a printed page, &c.: to obliterate: to frustrate: to counterbalance or compensate for: to remove equivalent quantities on opposite sides of an equation:—pr.p. can′celling; pa.p. can′celled.—n. the suppression of a printed page or sheet, the page so cancelled, or the new one substituted. [Fr. canceller—L. cancell-āre, from cancelli, railings, lattice-work, dim. of cancer.]

Cancelli, kan-sel′ī, n.pl. cross-pieces forming a lattice-work or grating, as in the division between the choir and the body of a church: (anat.) reticulations.—adjs. Can′cellate, -d, marked latticewise, reticulated.—n. Cancellā′tion.—adj. Can′cellous. [L., a lattice.]

Cancer, kan′sėr, n. the name for an important group of malignant tumours, divided into two groups, Carcinomata and Sarcomata, the name being now strictly used only of the former: a constellation between Gemini and Leo, and a sign of the zodiac showing the limits of the sun's course northward in summer: the typical genus of the family Cancridæ—v.i. Cancer′ate, to become cancerous.—ns. Cancerā′tion; Can′cerite, a petrified crab.—adj. Can′cerous, of or like a cancer.—adv. Can′cerously.—n. Can′cerousness.—adjs. Can′criform, Can′croid, crab-like. [L. cancer; cog. with Gr. karkinos, a crab.]

Cancionero, kan-thē-on-ē′ro, n. a collection of songs. [Sp.]

Candelabrum, kan-de-lā′brum, n. a branched and ornamented candlestick:—pl. Candelā′bra. [L.]

Candent, kan′dent, adj. making white: glowing with heat.

Candescence, kan-des′ens, n. a white heat.—adj. Candes′cent. [L. candesc-ĕre, inceptive of cand-ēre, to glow.]

Candid, kan′did, adj. frank, ingenuous: free from prejudice: fair, impartial.—adv. Can′didly.—n. Can′didness. [Fr. candide—L. candidus, white—cand-ēre, to shine.]

Candidate, kan′di-dāt, n. one who offers himself for any office or honour, so called because, at Rome, the applicant used to dress in white.—ns. Can′didature, Can′didateship, Can′didacy. [L. candidatus, from candidus.]

Candied. See Candy.

Candle, kan′dl, n. wax, tallow, or other like substance surrounding a wick: a light.—ns. Can′dle-berr′y, the wax-myrtle, also its fruit: the fruit of Aleurites triloba, the candle-berry tree; Can′dle-bomb, a small glass bomb filled with water, exploding on being held in a candle-flame; Can′dle-coal (same as Cannel-coal); Can′dle-dip′ping, the method of making candles by dipping instead of moulding; Can′dle-end, the end-piece of a burnt-out candle; Can′dle-fish, the eulachon, a deep-sea fish of the smelt family found along the north-west coast of America, producing eulachon oil: another West American fish, resembling a pollock—the black candle-fish or horse-mackerel; Can′dle-hold′er, one who holds a candle to another while working—hence one who renders another slight assistance, or humours him; Can′dle-light, the light of a candle, illumination by means of candles: the time when candles are lighted; Can′dle-light′er, one whose business is to light the candles: a spill; Can′dle-pow′er, the illuminating power of a standard sperm candle—a unit of luminosity; Can′dlestick, an instrument for holding a candle, originally a stick or piece of wood; Can′dle-wast′er, one who studies late; Can′dle-wood, the wood of various West Indian and Mexican resinous trees.—Burn the candle at both ends, to waste in two directions at once.—Not fit to hold a candle to, not fit even to be some one's inferior, not to be compared with.—Sell by the candle, to offer for sale as long as a small piece of candle burns, the bid made just before it goes out being successful.—The game is not worth the candle, the thing is not worth the labour or expense of it. [A.S. candel—L. candela, from cand-ēre, to glow.]

Candlemas, kan′dl-mas, n. a festival of the R.C. Church in honour of the purification of the Virgin Mary, on 2d February, and so called from the number of candles used. [Candle and Mass.]

Candock, kan′dok, n. the yellow water-lily. [Can (n.) and Dock.]

Candour, kan′dur, n. freedom from prejudice or disguise: sincerity: justice: openness. [L. candor, whiteness, from candēre, to be shining.]

Candy, kan′di, Sugar-candy, shoog′ar-kan′di, n. a sweetmeat made of sugar: anything preserved in sugar.—v.t. to preserve or dress with sugar: to congeal or crystallise as sugar.—v.i. to become congealed.—p.adj. Can′died, encrusted with candy or sugar: (fig.) sugared, flattering. [Fr. candi, from Ar. qandah, candy.]

Candy, kan′di, n. a South Indian weight, generally containing 20 maunds, about 500 pounds English.—Also Can′die and Kan′dy. [Tamil.]

Cane, kān, n. the stem of one of the smaller palms—the calamus or rattan, or the larger grasses—bamboo and sugar-cane: a walking-stick.—v.t. to beat with a cane.—ns. Cane′-brake, a brake or thicket of canes; Cane′-chair, a chair made of rattan; Cane′-mill, a mill for bruising sugar-canes for the manufacture of sugar; Cane′-sū′gar, sugar obtained from the sugar-cane; Cane′-trash, refuse of sugar-cane used for fuel in boiling the juice; Cān′ing, a thrashing with a cane.—adj. Cān′y, made of cane.—Malacca cane, a walking-cane made without removing the bark from the brown-mottled or clouded stem of the palm, Calamus Scipionum, brought from Singapore or Sumatra. [Fr. canne—L. canna—Gr. kannē, a reed.]

Canella, kan-el′a, n. a genus of low aromatic trees, one species the whitewood of wild cinnamon of the West Indies, yielding canella or white cinnamon bark.

Canephor, kan′e-fōr, n. (archit.) a female figure bearing a basket on her head. [Gr. kanēphoros, one of the bearers upon their heads at the Panathenaic festival of the baskets containing the sacrificial implements.]

Canescent, ka-nes′ent, adj. tending to white: hoary. [L. canescens—canēre—canus, hoary.]

Cangue, Cang, kang, n. a Chinese portable pillory borne on the shoulders by petty offenders. [Fr. cangue—Port. cango, a yoke.]

Canicular, ka-nik′ū-lar, adj. pertaining to the Dog-star (Canic′ula) or to the Dog-days: (coll. and hum.) pertaining to a dog. [L. canicularis, canicula, dim. of canis, a dog.]

Canine, ka-nīn′, adj. like or pertaining to the dog.—Canine appetite, an inordinate appetite; Canine letter = R; Canine teeth, the four sharp-pointed tearing teeth in most mammals, one on each side of the upper and lower jaw, between the incisors or cutting teeth and the molars or grinders. [L. caninus, canis, a dog.]

Canister, kan′is-tėr, n. a box or case, usually of tin, for holding tea, shot, &c.: short for canister-shot, or case-shot.—n. Can′ister-shot (same as Case-Shot, q.v.). [L. canistrum, a wicker-basket; Gr. kanastron—kannē, a reed.]

Canities, ka-nish′i-ēz, n. whiteness of the hair.

Canker, kang′kėr, n. an eating sore: a gangrene: a disease in trees, or in horses' feet: anything that corrupts, consumes, irritates, or decays.—v.t. to eat into, corrupt, or destroy: to infect or pollute: to make sour and ill-conditioned.—v.i. to grow corrupt: to decay.—adj. Cank′ered, corroded: venomous, malignant: soured: crabbed.—adv. Cank′eredly.—n. Cank′eredness.—adj. Cank′erous, corroding like a canker.—n. Cank′er-worm, a worm that cankers or eats into plants.—adj. Cank′ery, affected with canker: (Scot.) crabbed. [L. cancer, a crab, gangrene.]

Canna, kan′na, n. a genus of reed-like plants—Indian shot: the upright stem of a candlestick, &c.: the tube by which the wine was taken from the chalice. [L., a reed.]

Canna, kan′na, n. cotton-grass. [Gael. cánach.]

Cannabic, kan′a-bik, adj. pertaining to hemp.—ns. Cann′abin, a resin obtained from the plant Cannabis Indica; Cann′abis, a genus of urticaceous plants, yielding bhang.

Cannel, kan′el, n. a bituminous coal that burns with a bright flame, and is much used for making coal oils and gas.—Also Cann′el-coal, Can′dle-coal. [Prob. conn. with Candle, because of the similarity in burning.]

Cannelure, kan′e-lūr, n. a groove or a fluting: a groove round the cylindrical part of a bullet. [Fr.]

Cannibal, kan′i-bal, n. one who eats human flesh.—adj. relating to cannibalism.—n. Cann′ibalism, the practice of eating human flesh.—adj. Cannibalist′ic—adv. Cann′ibally (Shak.). [Sp., a corr. of Caribals (Eng. Caribs), the native name of the West India Islanders, who ate human flesh.]

Cannikin, kan′i-kin, n. a small can. [Dim. of Can.]

Cannon, kan′un, n. a great gun used in war: a stroke in billiards in which the player hits both the red and his opponent's ball.—v.i. to cannonade: to make a cannon at billiards: to collide.—n. Cannonade′, an attack with cannon.—v.t. to attack or batter with cannon.—ns. Cannonad′ing; Cann′on-ball, a ball usually made of cast-iron, to be shot from a cannon; Cann′on-bit, or Cann′on, a smooth round bit; Cann′on-bone, the long bone between the knee and the foot of a horse; Cannoneer′, Cannonier′, one who manages cannon; Cann′on-game, a form of billiards in which, the table having no pockets, the game consists in making a series of cannons; Cann′on-met′al, an alloy of about 90 parts of copper and 10 of tin, from which cannon are manufactured.—adj. Cann′on-proof, proof against cannon-shot.—ns. Cann′onry, cannonading: artillery; Cann′on-shot, a cannon-ball: the distance to which a cannon will throw a ball. [Fr. canon, from L. canna, a reed.]

Cannot, kan′ot, v.i. to be unable. [Can and Not.]

Cannula, kan′ū-la, n. a surgical tube, esp. that enclosing a trocar or perforator, and the breathing-tube inserted in the windpipe after tracheotomy.—adj. Cann′ulate. [Dim. of canna, a reed.]

Canny, kan′i, adj. (Scot.) knowing: shrewd: having supernatural power (see Uncanny): comfortable: careful in money matters: gentle: sly or pawky.—adv. Cann′ily.—n. Cann′iness.—To ca' canny, to go or act cautiously. [From Can, to be able.]

Canoe, ka-nōō′, n. a boat made of the hollowed trunk of a tree, or of bark or skins: a skiff driven by paddling.—v.t. to paddle a canoe.—n. Canoe′ist. [Sp. canoa—Haytian canoa.]

Cañon, kan-yon′, n. a deep gorge or ravine between high and steep banks, worn by watercourses. [Sp. cañon, a hollow, from root of Cannon.]

Canon, kan′un, n. a law or rule, esp. in ecclesiastical matters: a general rule: standard: the books of Scripture accepted as the standard or rule of faith by the Christian Church: a species of musical composition: one bound by certain vows over and above those binding upon regular members of his community—a canon regular: a clerical dignitary belonging to a cathedral, enjoying special emoluments, and obliged to reside there part of the year: a list of saints canonised: (print.) a large kind of type.—n. Can′oness, a female beneficiary of a regular religious college.—adjs. Canon′ic, -al, according to or included in the canon: regular: ecclesiastical.—adv. Canon′ically.—n.pl. Canon′icals, the official dress of the clergy, regulated by the church canons.—ns. Canonic′ity, the state of belonging to the canon of Scripture; Canonisā′tion.—v.t. Can′onise, to enrol in the canon or list of saints.—n. Can′onist, one versed in the canon law.—adj. Canonist′ic.—ns. Can′on-law, a digest of the formal decrees of councils, œcumenical, general, and local, of diocesan and national synods, and of patriarchal decisions as to doctrine and discipline; Can′onry, the benefice of a canon.—Canon of the mass, that part of the mass which begins after the 'Sanctus' with the prayer 'Te igitur,' and ends just before the 'Paternoster;' Canon residentiary, a canon obliged to reside at a cathedral and take a share in the duty; Honorary canon, one having the titular rank of canon in a cathedral, but without duties or emoluments; Minor canon, a cleric in orders, attached to a cathedral, his duty being to assist the canons in singing divine service. [A.S., Fr., from L. canon—Gr. kanōn, a straight rod—kannē, a reed.]

Canophilist, ka-nof′i-list, n. a lover of dogs. [L. canis, a dog, Gr. philein, to love.]

Canopus, ka-nō′pus, n. a bright star in the southern constellation Argo navis: an Egyptian vase for holding the entrails of the body embalmed.—adj. Canop′ic. [L.,—Gr.]

Canopy, kan′o-pi, n. a covering over a throne or bed: a covering of state stretched over the head: any covering, as the sky: a roof-like projection over a niche, tomb, statue, &c.: the wooden covering over prebends' stalls in cathedrals, pulpits, altars, &c.—v.t. to cover with a canopy:—pr.p. can′opying; pa.p. can′opied. [Fr. canapé—Low L. canopeum—Gr. kōnōpeion, a mosquito curtain—kōnōps, a mosquito.]

Canorous, kan-ō′rus, adj. musical: melodious.—adv. Canō′rously.—n. Canō′rousness. [L. canorus, from canor, melody—canĕre, to sing.]

Canstick, kan′stik, n. (Shak.) a candlestick.

Cant, kant, v.i. to speak in a conventional manner: to use the language of thieves, &c.: to talk in an affectedly solemn or hypocritical way.—n. a hypocritical or affected style of speech: the language peculiar to a sect: odd or peculiar talk of any kind: slang: a common saying: affected use of religious phrases or sentiments.—n. Cant′er, one who cants, a beggar: one who makes hypocritical professions.—adj. Cant′ing, whining, pretending to piety: (her.) allusive (see Allusive). [L. cantāre, freq. of canĕre, to sing.]

Cant, kant, n. an inclination from the level: a toss or jerk: a sloping or tilted position: one of the segments forming a side-piece in the head of a cask: a ship's timber lying obliquely to the line of the keel.—v.t. to turn on the edge or corner: to tilt or toss suddenly.—ns. Cant′ing, tilting; Cant′ing-coin; Cant′ing-wheel; Cant′-rail, a timber running along the tops of the upright pieces in the sides of the body of a railway-carriage and supporting the roof and roof-sticks. [Prob. conn. with Dut. kant; Ger. kante, corner.]

Cant, kant, n. sale by auction.—v.t. to sell by auction. [O. Fr. encant, auction; der. uncertain, cf. Low L. incantāre, to put up to auction.]

Cant, kant, adj. brisk: lively. [Scot.; der. unknown. See Canty.]

Can't, känt, a colloquial contraction for Cannot.

Cantab, kan′tab, for Cantabrigian, adj. of or pertaining to Cambridge—Latinised Cantabrigia.

Cantabank, kan′ta-bangk, n. a strolling singer. [It. cantambanco.]

Cantaloup, kan′ta-loop, n. a small, ribbed variety of musk-melon. [Fr.,—It. Cantalupo, a town near Rome, where it was first grown in Europe.]

Cantankerous, kan-tang′kėr-us, adj. cross-grained: perverse in temper.—adv. Cantan′kerously.—n. Cantan′kerousness. [M. E. contak, quarrelling.]

Cantar, kan′tär, n. a Turkish weight of 100 rotls or pounds.

Cantata, kan-tä′ta, n. originally the name applied to a sort of musical narrative by one person, accompanied by a single instrument; subsequently an air was introduced—the modern concert-aria: now also a choral work, either sacred, and similar to, but shorter than the oratorio, or secular, either lyric or dramatic, but not intended for the stage.—ns. Canta′te, the 98th Psalm, from its opening words in Latin, 'Cantate Domino;' Can′tatrice, a female singer. [It.,—L. cantāre, freq. of canĕre, to sing.]

Canteen, kan-tēn′, n. a tin vessel used by soldiers for holding liquors: a barrack-tavern, or refreshment-house for the use of the soldiers. [Fr. cantine—It. cantina, a cellar; further der. uncertain.]

Canter, kan′tėr, n. an easy gallop.—v.i. to move at an easy gallop.—v.t. to make to canter. [Orig. Canterbury-gallop, from the easy pace at which the pilgrims rode to the shrine at Canterbury.]

Canterbury, kan′tėr-ber-ri, n. a stand with divisions in it for holding books, music, &c.—Canterbury Bells (see Campanula).

Cantharides, kan-thar′i-dēz, n.pl. Spanish flies, used for blistering.—adjs. Canthar′idal, Cantharid′ian, Cantharid′ic, composed of cantharides.—n. Canthar′idine, the active principle of blistering-flies. [L. cantharis, beetle, pl. cantharides.]

Cantharus, kan′tha-rus, n. a large two-handled drinking-cup: a laver in the atrium before ancient churches;—pl. Can′tharī, [L.]

Canthus, kan′thus, n. the angle formed by the junction of the eyelids: one of the upper and lower or anterior and posterior extremities of the compound eyes of insects:—pl. Can′thi (-thī). [Gr. kanthos, corner of the eye.]

Canticle, kan′ti-kl, n. a song: a non-metrical hymn, esp. one of those used in the public services of the church, as the Benedicite: (pl.) the Song of Solomon.—n. Can′ticum, a canticle: a part-song in an ancient play. [L. canticulum, dim of canticum.]

Cantilena, kan-ti-lē′na, n. a ballad or light song: a cantus firmus or melody for church use: a singing exercise or solfeggio. [L.]

Cantilever, kan′ti-lēv-ėr, n. a large bracket used in architecture for supporting cornices, balconies, and even stairs—the principle has been applied in the construction of bridges to support enormous weights.—Also Can′taliver. [Prob. made up of Cant, angle, and Fr. lever, to raise.]

Cantillate, kan′ti-lāt, v.t. and v.i. to chant, intone.—n. Cantillā′tion.—adj. Can′tillatory.

Cantion, kan′shun, n. (Spens.) a song.

Cantle, kan′tl, n. a fragment or edge of anything: the protuberant part of the back of a saddle: (Scot.) the top of the head.—v.t. to cut a piece from: to divide.—ns. Cant′let, a fragment, cantle; Cant′ling, the lower course of bricks enclosing a brick-clamp. [Cant, edge.]

Canto, kan′tō, n. division of a song or poem: the treble or leading melody.—n. Can′tor, the leader of the singing in a church, a precentor.—adjs. Cantō′rial; Cantō′ris (gen. of L. cantor), of or belonging to the cantor or precentor.—n. Can′tus, a melody, esp. an ecclesiastical style of music.—Canto fermo, the simple melody of the hymns and chants used in the Christian Church of the West from the earliest times. [It.,—L. cantus—canĕre, to sing.]

Canton, kan′tun, n. a division of territory, constituting in Switzerland a separate government, in France a subdivision of an arrondissement: (her.) an ordinary of a shield, being a square occupying generally the dexter, sometimes the sinister, chief of the field.—v.t. to divide into cantons: to allot quarters to troops.—adjs. Can′tonal, pertaining to or divided into cantons; Can′toned (archit.), ornamented at the corners with projecting pilasters: (her.) placed in the midst of charges occupying the corners.—n. Can′tonment (also pronounced can-tōōn′ment), the temporary quarters of troops when taking part in manœuvres or active operations: in India, permanent military towns, distinct and at some little distance from the principal cities. [O. Fr. canton; It. cantone, corner, district—canto, a corner: cf. Cant (2).]

Cantor. See under Canto.

Cantred, kan′tred, n. a division of the country: a hundred. [W. cantref—cant, hundred, and tref, town.]

Cantrip, kan′trip, n. a freak or wilful piece of trickery: a witch's spell. [Scot.; ety. unknown; Jamieson suggested cant, to turn over, raip, a roap.]

Cantuarian, kan-tū-ā′ri-an, adj. pertaining to Canterbury as the archiepiscopal see of the primate of the Church of England. [Low L. Cantuarius, Cantuarensis—A.S. Cantware (pl.), the people of Kent.]

Canty, kan′ti, adj. cheerful, lively.—n. Can′tiness. [Scot.; cf. Low Ger. kantig.]

Canvas, kan′vas, n. a coarse cloth made of hemp, used for sails, tents, &c., and for painting on: the sails of a ship.—v.t. to cover with canvas.—ns. Can′vas-back, a North American duck, very good eating, its back ashy white, crossed by broken, zigzag, dark lines; Can′vas-climb′er (Shak.), a sailor; Can′vas-stretch′er, a wooden frame on which canvas is stretched for oil-painting; Can′vas-work, embroidery upon cloth over which canvas has been laid to guide the stitches: an embroidery in Berlin wool on silk canvas with plush-stitch.—Under canvas, having the sails unfurled, under sail: living in tents. [O. Fr. canevas—L. and Gr. cannabis, hemp.]

Canvass, kan′vas, v.t. to sift, examine: to discuss: to solicit votes, contributions, &c.—v.i. to solicit votes, &c. (with for).—n. close examination: a seeking or solicitation.—n. Can′vasser. [From Canvas.]

Cany, kān′i, adj. (Milton) made of canes.

Canyon. Same as Cañon.

Canzone, kan-zō′nā, n. a song or air in two or more parts, with passages of fugue and imitation: a series of stanzas in Italian poetry, of various metrical arrangements, and restricted to no set themes—(dim.) Canzonet′, Canzonette′. [It., a song (Fr. chanson), L. cantion-em, canĕre, to sing.]

Caoutchouc, kow′chuk, n. the highly elastic juice or gum of a plant which grows in South America and Asia: india-rubber. [Fr.—Carib. cahuchu.]

Cap, kap, n. a woman's head-dress of muslin, or the like: a boy's head-dress, any kind of unbrimmed covering for the head: a cap-like covering of any kind: a cover: the top.—v.t. to put on a cap, as the official cap of a degree in some colleges: to outdo or surpass: to cover the end or top: to raise the cap in token of respect:—pr.p. cap′ping; pa.p. capped.—n. Cap′-case, a small travelling-case, a chest.—Cap and bells, the characteristic marks of a professional jester; Cap a story, quotation, verse, &c., to follow one up with another, or with its proper continuation or conclusion; Cap in hand, symbolic of reverence or submission; Cap of liberty, or Phrygian bonnet, the conical cap given to a Roman slave on enfranchisement, now the symbol of republicanism; Cap of maintenance (see Maintenance).—A feather in one's cap, something giving distinction: something to be proud of.—Black cap, that put on by the judge before pronouncing sentence of death; College cap, the so-called square mortarboard, or trencher-cap, worn at English colleges.—Percussion cap, a small copper cylinder, closed at one end, for conveniently holding the detonating powder which is exploded by the act of percussion in percussion-arms.—Set one's cap at, of a woman, to set herself to captivate a man's fancy.—The cap fits, the allusion hits or suits; Throw up one's cap, in token of immoderate joy. [A.S. cæppe—Low L. cappa, a cape or cope.]

Cap, kap, n. a wooden drinking-bowl, with two handles. [Scot., prob. from A.S. copp, a cup; prob. Scand. koppr.]

Capa, kä′pa, n. a Spanish cloak: fine Cuban tobacco for the outsides of cigars. [Sp.]

Capable, kāp′a-bl, adj. having ability, power, or skill to do: qualified, competent.—ns. Capabil′ity, Cap′ableness. [Fr.,—Low L. capabilis—L. capĕre, to hold, take.]

Capacity, kap-as′i-ti, n. power of holding or grasping a thing: room: volume: power of mind: character: position enabling one to do something.—adj. Capā′cious, including much: roomy: wide: extensive.—adv. Capā′ciously.—n. Capā′ciousness.—v.t. Capac′itate, to make capable: to qualify; Capacity for heat, power of absorbing heat.—Legal capacity, the power to alter one's rights or duties by the exercise of free-will, or responsibility to punishment for one's acts. [Fr.,—L. capacitas,—capĕre, to take, hold.]

Cap-à-pie, kap-a-pē′, adv. from head to foot, referring to arming, as a knight. [O. Fr. cap a pie (mod. de pied en cap)—L. caput, head, and pes, foot.]

Caparison, ka-par′is-un, n. the covering of a horse: a rich cloth laid over a war-horse: dress and ornaments generally.—v.t. to cover with a cloth, as a horse: to dress very richly.—adj. Capar′isoned. [Fr. caparaçon—Sp. caparazon, augmentative of capa, a cape, cover—Low L. cappa.]

Cape, kāp, n. a covering for the shoulders attached as a tippet to a coat or cloak: a sleeveless cloak. [O. Fr. cape—Low L. cappa.]

Cape, kāp, n. a head or point of land running into the sea: a headland: a wine produced in Cape Colony.—v.i. (naut.) to keep a course.—The Cape, for the Cape Colony. [Fr. cap—L. caput, the head.]

Capelin, kap′e-lin, n. a small fish of the smelt family, extremely abundant on the coasts of Newfoundland, and much used as bait in the cod-fishery.—Also Cap′lin. [Fr. and Sp. capelan.]

Capeline, kap′e-lin, n. a small iron skull-cap worn by archers in the middle ages: a light woollen hood worn by ladies going out to an evening party: a surgical bandage for the head.—Also Cap′elline. [Fr.,—Low L. capella—capa, a cap.]

Capellet, kap′e-let, n. a wen-like swelling on a horse's elbow, or on the back part of his hock. [Fr.,—Low L. capella—capa, a cap.]

Capell-meister. Same as Kapellmeister (q.v.).

Caper, kā′pėr, n. the pickled flower-bud of the caper-shrub, much grown in Sicily. It has an agreeable pungency of taste, with a slight bitterness, and is much used in sauces, along with boiled mutton, &c.—n. Cā′per-tea, a black tea with a knotty curled leaf. [L. and Gr. capparis.]

Caper, kā′pėr, v.i. to leap or skip like a goat: to dance in a frolicsome manner.—n. a leap: a prank.—n. Cā′perer, a dancer.—To cut a caper, to dance or act fantastically. [See Capriole.]

Capercailzie, kā-per-kāl′yi, n. a species of grouse, almost equal in size to a turkey, and the largest of the gallinaceous birds of Europe.—Also Capercail′lie. [Gael. capull coilie, large woodcock.]

Capernaite, kap-er′na-īt, n. a polemical term applied to a believer in transubstantiation—from John, vi. 52.—adj. Capernait′ic.—adv. Capernait′ically. [Capernaum, a town in Galilee.]

Capernoitie, kap-er-noi′ti, n. (Scot.) head, noddle.—n. Capernoi′tedness.—adjs. Capernoi′ty, Capernoi′ted, peevish: crabbed.

Capias, kā′pi-as, n. a judicial writ, commanding the sheriff to arrest the person named in it. [L. capias, thou mayst take—L. capĕre, to take.]

Capibara. Same as Capybara.

Capillaire, kap-il-lār′, n. (orig.) a syrup extracted from the maiden-hair fern: a simple syrup flavoured with orange-flower water. [Fr., 'maiden-hair'—L. capillaris. See Capillary.]

Capillament, ka-pil′a-ment, n. a filament or fine fibre. [L. capillamentum—capillus, hair.]

Capillary, kap′il-a-ri, or ka-pil′a-ri, adj. as fine or minute as a hair: having a very small bore, as a tube.—n. a tube with a bore as fine as a hair: (pl.) the minute vessels that unite the veins and arteries in animals.—adj. Capillaceous (kap-i-lā′shi-us), hair-like, capillary.—n. Capillar′ity, a name given to certain phenomena which appear when open tubes, having a very small bore, are placed in vessels containing liquids—e.g., if placed in water, the level of the water in the tube will be above that of the general surface.—adj. Cap′illose, hairy. [L. capillaris—capillus, hair, akin to caput, the head, akin to Eng. Head.]

Capital, kap′it-al, adj. relating to the head: involving the loss of the head; chief: principal: excellent.—n. the head or top part of a column or pillar: the chief or most important thing: the chief city of a country: a large letter, such as used on title-pages, &c.: the stock or money for carrying on any business.—n. Capitalisā′tion, the act of converting into capital: printing with capital letters.—v.t. Cap′italīse, to convert into capital or money.—ns. Cap′italism, condition of possessing capital: the economic system which generates capitalists; Cap′italist, one who has capital or money.—adv. Cap′itally, chiefly: principally: excellently: by capital punishment.—adj. Cap′itate (bot.), growing in or shaped like a head.—ns. Capitā′tion, a numbering of every head or individual: a tax on every head; Capite (kap′it-i), an ancient English tenure (Shak.).—Circulating or Floating capital consists of the wages paid to the workmen, and of the raw material used up in the processes of industry, &c.; Fixed capital consists of buildings, machines, tools, &c.—Hold lands in capite, to hold them directly from the sovereign.—Make capital out of, to turn to advantage. [O. Fr. capitel—L. capitalis—caput, the head.]

Capitan, kap-i-tan′, or kap′i-tan, n. the chief admiral of the Turkish fleet.—n. Capitan′o, a head-man. [See Captain.]

Capitol, kap′it-ol, n. the temple of Jupiter at Rome, built on the Capitoline hill: (U.S.) the house where Congress meets.—adjs. Capitō′lian, Capit′oline. [L. Capitolium—caput, the head.]

Capitular, kap-it′ūl-ar, n. a statute passed in a chapter or ecclesiastical court: a member of a chapter—also Capit′ulary.—adj. relating or belonging to a chapter in a cathedral.—adv. Capit′ularly. [See Chapter.]

Capitulate, kap-it′ūl-āt, v.i. to treat: to draw up terms of agreement: to yield or surrender on certain conditions or heads.—ns. Capit′ulant; Capitulā′tion.—adj. Capit′ulatory, recapitulatory. [Low L. capitulatus, pa.p. of capitulāre, to arrange under heads—capitulum, a chapter.]

Capitulum, ka-pit′ū-lum, n. (bot.) a close head of sessile flowers, as in Compositæ: (anat.) the head of a bone, esp. of a rib—also Capitel′lum.—adj. Capit′ular. [L., dim. of caput, head.]

Caple, Capul, kā′pl, n. a horse. [M. E. capel; cf. Ice. kapall; Ir. capall; prob. from Low L. caballus, a horse.]

Capnomancy, kap′no-man-si, n. divination by means of smoke. [Gr. kapnos, smoke, manteia, divination.]

Capocchia, ka-pok′ia, n. (Shak.) a fool. [It.]

Capon, kā′pn, n. a castrated cock: a fish: a letter.—v.t. Cā′ponise. [A.S. capun; L. capon-em, Gr. kapōn—koptein, to cut. See Chop.]

Caponiere, kap-ō-nēr′, n. a covered passage across the ditch of a fortified place.—Also Caponier′. [Fr.]

Caporal, kap-or-al′, n. a kind of shag tobacco. [Fr.]

Capot, ka-pot′, n. the winning of all the tricks at the game of piquet, and scoring forty.—v.i. to win all the tricks in piquet. [Fr.]

Capote, ka-pōt′, n. a long kind of cloak or mantle. [Fr., dim. of cape, a cloak.]

Cappagh-brown, kap′a-brown, n. a brown pigment yielded by a bituminous earth from Cappagh near Cork.—Also Capp′ah-brown.

Capric, kap′rik, adj. in Capric acid, a fatty acid obtained from butter, &c., having a slightly goat-like smell.—ns. Cap′rin, Cap′rine, a compound of capric acid and glycerine found in butter. [L. caper, a goat.]

Caprice, ka-prēs′, n. a change of humour or opinion without reason: a freak: changeableness.—ns. Capriccio (ka-prēt′cho), a sportive motion: (mus.) a species of free composition, not subject to rule as to form or figure; Capriccio′so, a direction in music for a free style.—adj. Capri′cious (Shak.), humorous: full of caprice: changeable.—adv. Capri′ciously.—n. Capri′ciousness. [Fr. caprice—It. capriccio; perh. from L. capra, a she-goat.]

Capricorn, kap′ri-korn, n. one of the twelve signs of the zodiac, like a horned goat. [L. capricornus—caper, a goat, cornu, a horn.]

Caprification, kap-ri-fi-kā′shun, n. a method supposed to hasten the ripening of figs, by puncturing.—adj. Cap′riform, goat-shaped. [L. caprificus, the wild fig—caper, a goat, and ficus, a fig.]