List of Abbreviations Used in This Dictionary

Chamberlain, chām′bėr-lān, or -lin, n. an officer appointed by a king or nobleman, or by a corporation, to perform domestic and ceremonial duties.—n. Cham′berlainship.—Lord Chamberlain, an officer of high standing in the royal household, having control over all the officers and servants 'above stairs,' except those of the bedchamber, over the establishment attached to the Chapel Royal, the physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries of the household; Lord Great Chamberlain, a hereditary officer who has the government of the palace of Westminster, and upon solemn occasions the keys of Westminster Hall and of the Court of Requests are delivered to him. [O. Fr. chambrelenc; Old Ger. chamerling—L. camera, a chamber, and affix -ling or -lenc = Eng. -ling in hireling.]

Chambertin, shang′bert-ang, n. a famous red Burgundy from the vineyard of that name near Dijon, in France.

Chameleon, ka-mēl′yun, n. a small lizard famous for changing its colour: (fig.) an inconstant person.—adjs. Chamel′eonic, Chamel′eon-like. [L. chamæleon—Gr. chamaileōn—chamai (= L. humi), on the ground, dwarf, and leōn, a lion.]

Chamelot, kam′e-lot, n. (Spens.). Camlet.

Chamfer, cham′fėr, n. a bevel or slope made by paring off the edge of anything originally right-angled, either in wood or stone work: a groove, channel, or furrow.—v.t. to cut or grind off bevel-wise, as a corner: to channel or make furrows upon; to flute, as a column.—adj. Cham′fered, furrowed, grooved, wrinkled. [Fr. chanfrein—O. Fr. chanfraindre, which acc. to Dr Murray may be from chant fraindre—L. cantum frangĕre, to break the edge or side.]

Chamfrain, cham′fren, n. a piece of leather or plate of steel to protect the face of a horse in battle.—Also Cham′fron, Chaf′fron. [Fr. chanfrein; origin unknown.]

Chamlet, kam′let, n. Same as Camlet.

Chamois, sha′moi, sham′i, or sham′waw, n. a goat-like species or genus of antelope inhabiting the Alps and other high mountains of southern and central Europe: a soft kind of leather originally made from its skin. [Fr.,—Teut.; cf. mod. Ger. gemse, a chamois.]

Chamomile. See Camomile.

Champ, champ, v.i. to make a snapping noise with the jaws in chewing.—v.t. to bite or chew: to crush: to mash.—n. champing.—n. Champ′ing, the action of the verb champ: mashing. [Older form cham, most prob. from Scand.]

Champac, cham′pak, n. an Indian tree of great beauty, much venerated by Brahminists and Buddhists.—Also Cham′pak. [Hind.]

Champagne, sham-pān′, n. a light sparkling wine from Champagne in France. Still or non-effervescent champagne is also made.

Champaign, sham-pān′, adj. level, open.—n. an open, level country.—n. Champ (her.), the field of a shield.—The Champagne, level land. [A doublet of Campaign, from O. Fr. champaigne—L. campania, a plain.]

Champerty, sham′pėr-ti, n. an illegal bargain whereby the one party is to assist the other in recovering property, and is to share in the proceeds.—n. Cham′part, the division of the produce of land, the right of the feudal lord. [Norm. Fr.—L. campi pars, part of the field.]

Champignon, sham-pin′yon, n. a mushroom, esp. the Fairy-ring Agaric. [Fr.]

Champion, cham′pi-un, n. one who fights in single combat for himself or for another: one who defends a cause: a successful combatant: in boxing, running, &c., one who has excelled all others: a hero:—fem. Cham′pioness.—adj. acting as champion, first: first-class.—v.t. (obs.) to challenge: to defend: to support.—n. Cham′pionship. [Fr.,—Low L. campio, campion-em—L. campus, a plain, a place for games.]

Chance, chans, n. that which falls out or happens: an unexpected event: risk: opportunity: possibility of something happening: probability: (pl.) misfortunes.—v.t. to risk.—v.i. to happen.—adj. happening by chance.—adv. perchance.—n. Chance′-com′er, one who comes by chance or unexpectedly.—adjs. Chance′ful (Spens.), full of risk or danger, hazardous; Chanc′y (coll.), lucky, bringing good luck: also risky, uncertain.—By chance, accidentally; Even chance, the probability being equally for or against.—How chance? (Shak.) how does it happen that?—Stand a good chance, to have a reasonable expectation; Take one's chance, to accept what happens: to risk an undertaking; The main chance, the chief object (often used of matrimony): what is most important. [O. Fr. cheance—Low L. cadentia—L. cadĕre, to fall.]

Chancel, chan′sel, n. the eastern part of a church, originally separated from the nave by a screen of lattice-work, so as to prevent general access thereto, though not to interrupt either sight or sound. [O. Fr.,—L. cancelli, lattices.]

Chancellor, chan′sel-or, n. (Shak.) secretary: the president of a court of chancery or other court: the official who keeps the registers of an order of knighthood: the titular head of a university: (Scot.) the foreman of a jury.—ns. Chan′cellorship; Chan′cellory.—Chancellor of a cathedral, an officer who formerly had charge of the chapter library, custody of the common seal, superintendence of the choir practices, and headship of the cathedral schools; Chancellor of a diocese, an ecclesiastical judge uniting the functions of vicar-general and official principal, appointed to assist the bishop in questions of ecclesiastical law, and hold his courts for him; Chancellor of the Exchequer, the chief minister of finance in the British government; Lord Chancellor, Lord High Chancellor, the presiding judge of the Court of Chancery, the keeper of the great seal, and the first lay person of the state after the blood-royal. [Fr. chancelier—Low L. cancellarius, orig. an officer that had charge of records, and stood near the cancelli (L.), the crossbars that surrounded the judgment-seat.]

Chance-medley, chans′-med-li, n. homicide justifiable because done in the hot blood caused by an unprovoked assault—the word has no reference to homicide by accident: inadvertency. [O. Fr. chance medlée, mingled chance. 'From the fact that medley is also a noun, and chance-medley a possible combination in the sense of "fortuitous medley," the meaning has often been mistaken' (Dr Murray).]

Chancery, chan′sėr-i, n. formerly the highest court of justice next to the House of Lords, presided over by the Lord High Chancellor—now a division of the High Court of Justice: a court of record generally: (slang) the position of a boxer's head when under his adversary's arm: (obs.) the office of a chancellor or ambassador.—Chancery office, in Scotland, an office in the General Register House at Edinburgh, managed by a director, in which all royal charters of novodamus, patents of dignities, gifts of offices, remissions, legitimations, presentations, commissions, and other writs appointed to pass the Great and Quarter Seals are recorded.—In Chancery, in litigation, as an estate: (slang) in an awkward predicament. [Fr. chancellerie.]

Chancre, shang′kėr, n. an ulcer arising from the direct application of syphilitic poison.—adjs. Chan′croid, Chan′crous. [Fr.; a form of Canker.]

Chandelier, shan-de-lēr′, n. a frame with branches for holding lights.—ns. Chand′ler, originally a candle maker and dealer: a dealer generally; Chand′lering.—adv. Chand′lerly.—ns. Chand′lery, goods sold by a chandler; Ship′-chand′ler, dealer in general stores for ships. [Fr.,—Low L. candelaria, a candlestick—L. candēla, a candle.]

Change, chānj, v.t. to alter or make different: to put or give for another: to make to pass from one state to another: to exchange.—v.i. to suffer change: to change one's clothes.—n. the act of changing: alteration or variation of any kind: (Shak.) exchange: (Shak.) fickleness: a shift: variety: small coin: also used as a short term for the Exchange.—ns. Changeabil′ity, Change′ableness, fickleness: power of being changed.—adj. Change′able, subject or prone to change: fickle: inconstant.—adv. Change′ably.—adj. Change′ful, full of change: changeable.—adv. Change′fully.—ns. Change′fulness; Change′-house (Scot.), a small inn or alehouse.—adj. Change′less, without change: constant.—ns. Change′ling, a child taken or left by the fairies in place of another—usually an under-sized, crabbed child: one apt to change; Chang′er, one who changes the form of anything: one employed in changing or discounting money; Chang′ing-piece (Shak.), a fickle person.—Change colour, to blush or turn pale; Change one's mind, to form a different opinion; Change one's self, to change one's clothes; Change one's tune, to change from joy to sorrow: to change one's manner of speaking.—Put the change on, to delude, trick.—Ring the changes, to go through the various changes in ringing a peal of bells: to go over in every possible order: to pass counterfeit money: to bemuddle a shopman into giving too much change. [Fr. changer—Late L. cambiāre—L. cambīre, to barter.]

Chank, changk, Chank-shell, changk′-shel, n. the popular name of the shell of several species of Turbinella, a genus of Gasteropod molluscs, natives of the East Indian seas, used as ornaments by Hindu women. [Hind. cantch.]

Channel, chan′el, n. the bed of a stream of water: the deeper part of a strait, bay, or harbour: a strait or narrow sea: a groove or furrow: means of passing or conveying: (Scot.) gravel.—v.t. to make a channel: to furrow: to convey.—p.adj. Chann′elled.—The Channel, the English Channel. [O. Fr. chanel, canel—L. canalis, a canal.]

Channel, chan′el, n. a flat piece of wood or iron projecting horizontally from a ship's side to spread the shrouds and keep them clear of the bulwarks—fore, main, and mizzen channels. [Corr. of Chain-wale. Cf. Gunnel.]

Chanson, shan′son, n. a song.—n. Chan′sonette. [Fr.]

Chant, chant, v.t. to sing: to celebrate in song: to recite in a singing manner: to sell horses fraudulently.—n. song: melody: a kind of sacred music, in which prose is sung.—ns. Chant′er, Chant′or, a singer: a precentor: in a bagpipe, the pipe with finger-holes, on which the melody is played: one who cries up horses; Chant′ress; Chant′ry, an endowment, or chapel, for the chanting of masses; Chant′y, a sailor's song, usually with a drawling refrain, sung in concert while raising the anchor, &c. [Fr. chanter—L. cantāre, canĕre, to sing.]

Chantage, shan-täj′, chant′āj, n. extortion of money by threats of scandalous revelations. [Fr.]

Chanterelle, shan-ter-el′, n. the highest string of the violin, &c.: a yellowish edible mushroom. [Fr.]

Chanticleer, chant′i-klēr, n. a cock. [From the name of the cock in the old beast-epic of Reynard the Fox.] [O. Fr. chanter, to sing, cler, clear.]

Chaos, kā′os, n. shapeless mass: disorder: the state of matter before it was reduced to order by the Creator.—adj. Chaot′ic, confused.—adv. Chaot′ically. [Gr.]

Chap, chap, v.i. to crack: to strike, of a clock, &c.: to knock at a door.—v.t. to fissure.—n. crack: an open fissure in the skin, caused by exposure to frost: a knock.—adj. Chap′less.—p.adj. Chapped, cracked, of a heavy soil in dry weather, or of the skin in frost: cut short.—adj. Chap′py. [M. E. chappen; cog. with Dut. and Ger. kappen.]

Chap, chap, n. a fellow, originally a customer, from Chapman.—n. Chap′pie, a familiar diminutive.

Chap, chap, n. generally pl. the jaws.—adj. Chap′fall′en, a variant of Chop-fallen (q.v.). [Northern Eng. and Scot. chafts—Scand., as Ice. kjaptr, the jaw.]

Chaparral, chap-a-ral′, n. dense tangled brushwood. [Sp., prob. Basque achaparra.]

Chap-book. See Chapman.

Chape, chāp, n. the plate of metal at the point of a scabbard: the catch or hook by which the sheath of a weapon was attached to the belt.—adj. Chape′less. [Fr.,—Low L. capa, a cap.]

Chapeau, sha-pō′, n. a hat. [Fr.]

Chapel, chap′el, n. a place of worship inferior or subordinate to a regular church, or attached to a palace, garrison, prison, school, college, &c.: an oratory in a mausoleum, &c., or a cell of a church containing its own altar: a dissenters' place of worship, as of Nonconformists in England, Roman Catholics or Episcopalians in Scotland, &c.: a chapel service—hence 'to keep one's chapels'—to make the requisite number of attendances at such: an association of workmen in a printing-office.—n. Chap′elry, the jurisdiction of a chapel.—Chapel cart (see Cart).—Chapel of ease, a chapel for worshippers far from the parish church; Chapel Royal, the oratory of a royal palace; Lady chapel, such a chapel dedicated to the Virgin; Proprietary chapel, one that is the property of a private person or persons. [O. Fr. capele—Low L. cappella, dim. of cappa, a cloak or cope; orig. from the cloak of St Martin.]

Chaperon, shap′e-rōn, n. a kind of hood or cap: one who attends a lady in public places as a protector.—v.t. to attend a lady to public places.—n. Chap′eronage. [Fr., a large hood—chape, a hooded cloak—Low L. cappa. See Cape.]

Chapiter, chap′i-tėr, n. the head or capital of a column. [Fr. chapitel—Low L. capitellum, dim. of L. caput, the head.]

Chaplain, chap′lān, or chap′lin, n. a clergyman attached to a ship of war, a regiment, a public institution, or private family.—ns. Chap′laincy, Chap′lainry, Chap′lainship. [O. Fr. chapelain—Low L. capellanus—capella. See Chapel.]

Chaplet, chap′let, n. a garland or wreath for the head: a circlet of gold, &c.: a string of beads used in counting prayers, one-third of a rosary in length: anything in a string: a metal support of a cylindrical pipe.—adj. Chap′leted. [O. Fr. chapelet—chape, a head-dress.]

Chapman, chap′man, n. one who buys or sells: an itinerant dealer, a pedlar: (obs.) a purchaser.—n. Chap′-book, a name given to the books which were formerly sold by chapmen. [A.S. céap-man—céap, trade, and mann, man; cf. Ger. kaufmann, and see Cheap.]

Chapter, chap′tėr, n. a main division of a book, or of anything: a subject or category generally: an assembly of the canons of a cathedral or collegiate church, or the members of a religious or military order: an organised branch of some society or fraternity.—v.t. to put into chapters: to take to task.—n. Chap′ter-house.—Chapter-and-verse, the exact reference to the passage of the authority for one's statements.—The chapter of accidents, the catalogue of unforeseen events.—To the end of the chapter, throughout the whole subject. [O. Fr. chapitre—L. capitulum, dim. of caput, the head. From the practice of reading to the assembled canons or monks a capitulum or chapter of their rule, or of the Scriptures, the men themselves came to be called in a body the capitulum or chapter, and their meeting-place the chapter-house.]

Chaptrel, chap′trel, n. the capital of a pillar which supports an arch. [Dim. of Chapiter.]

Char, chär, n. a small fish of the salmon kind, found in mountain lakes and rivers. [Prob. Celt.; cf. Gael, ceara, red, blood-coloured.]

Char, chär, v.t. to roast or burn until reduced to carbon or coal, to scorch:—pr.p. char′ring; pa.p. charred.—adj. Char′ry, pertaining to charcoal. [Prob. formed from char-coal.]

Char. See Chare.

Char-à-banc, shar′-a-bang, n. a long light vehicle with transverse seats. [Fr.]

Character, kar′ak-tėr, n. a letter, sign, figure, stamp, or distinctive mark: a mark of any kind, a symbol in writing, &c.: writing generally, handwriting: a secret cipher: any essential feature or peculiarity: nature: (obs.) personal appearance: the aggregate of peculiar qualities which constitutes personal or national individuality: moral qualities especially, the reputation of possessing such: a formal statement of the qualities of a person who has been in one's service or employment: official position, rank, or status, or a person who has filled such: a person noted for eccentricity: a personality as created in a play or novel (Shak. Char′act).—v.t. to engrave, imprint, write: to represent, delineate, or describe.—n. Characterisā′tion.—v.t. Char′acterise, to describe by peculiar qualities: to distinguish or designate.—ns. Char′acterism; Characteris′tic, that which marks or constitutes the character.—adjs. Characteris′tic, -al, marking or constituting the peculiar nature.—adv. Characteris′tically.—adj. Char′acterless, without character or distinctive qualities.—ns. Char′acterlessness; Char′actery, writing: impression: that which is charactered.—In character, in harmony with the part assumed, appropriate, as a Character actor, one who tries to represent eccentricities. [Fr. caractère—L. character—Gr. charaktēr, from charass-ein, to cut, engrave.]

Charade, shar-äd′, n. a species of riddle, the subject of which is a word proposed for solution from an enigmatical description of its component syllables and of the whole—the charade is often acted. [Fr.; ety. dub. Littré gives Prov. charrada, chatter; Prof. Skeat quotes Sp. charrada, the speech of a clown.]

Charcoal, chär′kōl, n. charred wood or coal made by charring wood; the carbonaceous residue of vegetable, animal, or mineral substances when they have undergone smothered combustion. [The first element of the word is of doubtful origin.]

Chare, chār, Char, chär, n. an occasional piece of work, an odd job: (pl.) household work—in America usually Chore.—v.i. to do odd jobs of work: to do house-cleaning.—n. Char′woman, a woman hired by the day to do odd jobs of domestic work. [A.S. cerran, cierran, to turn.]

Charet, chär′et, n. (Spens.) same as Chariot.

Charge, chärj, v.t. to load, to put into, to fill (with): to load heavily, burden: to fill completely: to cause to receive electricity: to lay a task upon one, to enjoin, command: to deliver officially an injunction, as a judge to a jury, a bishop or archdeacon to his clergy, or a senior to a junior minister at a Presbyterian ordination: to bring an accusation against: to exact a sum of money from, to ask as the price.—v.i. to make an onset.—n. that which is laid on: cost or price: the load of powder, &c., for a gun: attack or onset: care, custody: the object of care, esp. a minister of religion's flock or parish: an accumulation of electricity in a Leyden jar: command: exhortation: accusation: (pl.) expenses.—adj. Charge′able, liable to be charged, imputable: blamable: (B.) burdensome.—n. Charge′ableness.—adv. Charge′ably.—adj. Charge′ful (Shak.), expensive.—n. Charge′-house (Shak.), a common school where a fee was charged, in distinction to a free-school.—adj. Charge′less.—n. Charg′er, a flat dish capable of holding a large joint, a platter: a war-horse.—Give in charge, to hand over to the police. [Fr. charger—Low L. carricāre, to load—L. carrus, a wagon. See Car, Cargo.]

Chargé-d'affaires, shar′zhā-da-fār′, n. a fourth-class diplomatic agent, accredited, not to the sovereign, but to the department for foreign affairs—he also holds his credentials only from the minister: the person in charge for the time. [Fr.]

Charily, Chariness. See Chary.

Chariot, char′i-ot, n. a four-wheeled pleasure or state carriage: a car used in ancient warfare: a light four-wheeled carriage with back-seats.—v.t. to carry in a chariot.—v.i. to ride in a chariot.—n. Charioteer′, one who drives a chariot.—v.t. and v.i. to drive or to ride in such. [Fr., dim. of char, a Car.]

Charism, kar′izm, n. a free gift of grace.—adj. Charismat′ic. [Gr. charisma—charis, grace.]

Charity, char′i-ti, n. (N.T.) universal love: the disposition to think favourably of others, and do them good: almsgiving: (pl.) affections.—adj. Char′itable, of or relating to charity: liberal to the poor.—n. Char′itableness.—adv. Char′itably.—Cold as charity, an ironical phrase implying the coldness of much so-called charity, which should naturally be warm. [Fr. charité—L. caritat-em, carus, dear.]

Charivari, shär′i-vär′i, n. a French term used to designate a wild tumult and uproar, produced by the beating of pans, kettles, and dishes, mingled with whistling, bawling, groans, and hisses, expressive of displeasure against an individual—the 'rough music' not unknown in England as a popular protest against an unequal marriage, or the like. [Ety. dub.; the word, as suggesting derision, has been adopted as a name by satirical journals.]

Chark, chärk, v.t. to burn to charcoal.—n. charcoal, coke.

Charlatan, shär′la-tan, n. a mere talking pretender: a quack.—adj. Charlatan′ic.—ns. Char′latanism, Char′latanry. [Fr.,—It. ciarlatano—ciarlare, to chatter, an imit. word.]

Charles's Wain, n. a name given to the seven bright stars in Ursa Major, the Plough. [A.S. Carles wægn, Carl being Charlemagne.]

Charley, Charlie, chär′li, n. a night-watchman: the small triangular beard familiar in the portraits of Charles I.: the fox.—n. Char′ley-pitch′er (slang), one who makes a living by the thimble-and-pea trick.

Charlock, chär′lok, n. a plant of the mustard family, with yellow flowers, that grows as a weed in cornfields. [A.S. cerlic.]

Charlotte, shär′lot, n. a dish of apple marmalade covered with crumbs of toast.—Charlotte russe, a custard enclosed in a kind of sponge-cake.

Charm, chärm, n. a spell: something thought to possess occult power, a metrical form of words: attractiveness: a trinket worn on a watch-guard: the blended singing of birds, children, &c.: (pl.) female beauty or other personal attractions: that which can please irresistibly.—v.t. to influence by a charm: to subdue by secret influence: to enchant: to delight, to allure.—adj. Charmed, protected, as by a special charm.—n. Charm′er.—adj. Charm′ful, abounding with charms.—p.adj. Charm′ing, highly pleasing: delightful: fascinating.—adv. Charm′ingly.—adj. Charm′less, wanting or destitute of charms. [Fr. charme—L. carmen, a song.]

Charneco, chär′ne-ko, n. (Shak.) a kind of sweet wine. [Prob. from the name of a village near Lisbon.]

Charnel, chär′nel, adj. of, or pertaining to, a charnel or burial-place, as in 'charnel-vault,' &c.: sepulchral, death-like.—n. Char′nel-house, a place where the bones of the dead are deposited. [O. Fr. charnel—Low L. carnāle—L. carnalis, caro, carnis, flesh.]

Charon, kā′ron, n. in Greek mythology, the ferryman who rowed the shades of the dead across the river Styx in the lower world: a ferryman generally. [Gr.]

Charpie, shär′pē, n. lint shredded down so as to form a soft material for dressing wounds. [O. Fr. charpir—L. carpĕre, to pluck.]

Charpoy, char′poi, n. the common Indian bedstead, sometimes handsomely wrought and painted. [Hind. chaārpāī—Pers. chihār-pāī, four feet.]

Charqui, chär′kē, n. beef cut into long strips and dried in the sun—jerked beef. [Peruv.]

Charr. Same as Char (1).

Chart, chärt, n. a marine or hydrographical map, exhibiting a portion of a sea or other water, with the islands, coasts of contiguous land, soundings, currents, &c: an outline-map, or a tabular statement giving information of any kind.—adjs. Chartā′ceous; Chart′less. [O. Fr. charte—L. charta, a paper.]

Charter, chärt′er, n. any formal writing in evidence of a grant, contract, or other transaction, conferring or confirming titles, rights, or privileges, or the like: the formal deed by which a sovereign guarantees the rights and privileges of his subjects, like the famous Mag′na Chart′a, signed by King John at Runnymede, 15th June 1215, or the Charte of Louis XVIII. at the Restoration in 1814, or that sworn by Louis-Philippe, 29th August 1830: any instrument by which powers and privileges are conferred by the state on a select body of persons for a special object, as the 'charter of a bank:' a patent: grant, allowance: immunity.—v.t. to establish by charter: to let or hire, as a ship, on contract.—p.adj. Chart′ered, granted or protected by a charter: privileged: licensed: hired by contract. [O. Fr. chartre—L. cartula, carta.]

Charterhouse, chärt′ėr-hows, n. a Carthusian monastery: the famous hospital and school instituted in London in 1611, on the site of a Carthusian monastery—now transferred—the 'masterpiece of Protestant English charity' in Fuller's phrase.—ns. Char′treuse, a Carthusian monastery, esp. the original one, the Grande Chartreuse near Grenoble in France: a famous liqueur, green, yellow, or white, long manufactured here by the monks from aromatic herbs and brandy: a kind of enamelled pottery: a pale greenish colour; Char′treux, a Carthusian: the Charterhouse School.

Charter-party, chärt′ėr-pär′ti, n. the common written form in which the contract of affreightment is expressed—viz. the hiring of the whole or part of a ship for the conveyance of goods. [Fr. charte-partie, lit. a divided charter, as the practice was to divide it in two and give a half to each person. L. charta partīta.]

Chartism, chärt′izm, n. a movement in Great Britain for the extension of political power to the working-classes, rising out of widespread national distress and popular disappointment with the results of the Reform Bill of 1832—its programme, the 'People's Charter,' drawn up in 1838, with six points: (1) Manhood Suffrage; (2) Equal Electoral Districts; (3) Vote by Ballot; (4) Annual Parliaments; (5) Abolition of Property Qualification; and (6) Payment of Members of the House of Commons.—n. Chart′ist, a supporter of chartism.

Chartography. See Cartography.

Chartreuse, Chartreux. See Charterhouse.

Chartulary. Same as Cartulary.

Charwoman. See Chare.

Chary, chār′i, adj. sparing: cautious.—adv. Char′ily.—n. Char′iness. [A.S. cearig—cearu, care.]

Charybdis, kar-ib′dis, n. a dangerous whirlpool between Italy and Sicily, and opposite to Scylla, the two together providing a proverbial alternative of ruin hardly to be escaped.

Chase, chās, v.t. to pursue: to hunt: to drive away, put to flight.—n. pursuit: a hunting: that which is hunted: ground abounding in game.—n. Chase′port, the porthole at the bow or stern of a vessel, through which the chase-gun is fired.—Beasts of chase, properly the buck, doe, fox, marten, and roe: wild beasts that are hunted generally.—Wild-goose chase, any foolish or profitless pursuit. [O. Fr. chacier, chasser—L. captāre, freq. of capĕre, to take.]

Chase, chās, v.t. to decorate metal-work, whether hammered or punched up, by engraving the exterior.—ns. Chas′er, one who practises chasing; Chas′ing, the art of representing figures in bas-relief by punching them out from behind, and then carving them on the front: the art of cutting the threads of screws. [Short for Enchase.]

Chase, chās, n. a case or frame for holding types: a groove. [Fr. châsse, a shrine, a setting—L. capsa, a chest. See Case.]

Chasericulture, chas-er-i-kul′tūr, n. the combined industries of tea-growing and of silk-production. [A combination of Chinese cha, tea, chasze, the former tea valuers of Canton, and L. sericum, silk.]

Chasm, kazm, n. a yawning or gaping hollow: a gap or opening: a void space.—adjs. Chasmed; Chasm′y. [Gr. chasma, from chain-ein, to gape; cf. Chaos.]

Chasse, shäs, n. a dram or liqueur taken after coffee, to remove the taste.—Also Chasse-café [Fr. chasse-café—chasser, to chase, remove.]

Chassé, shäs′ā, n. a kind of gliding step in dancing.—v.t. to make such a step: (slang) to dismiss. [Fr.]

Chassepot, shas′po, n. the kind of bolt-action breechloading rifle adopted by the French army in 1866. [From Antoine Alphonse Chassepot, the inventor.]

Chasseur, sha-sār′, n. a hunter or huntsman: one of a select body of French light troops, either infantry or cavalry; a domestic dressed in military garb in the houses of the great. [Fr. chasser, to hunt.]

Chaste, chāst, adj. modest; refined; virtuous: pure in taste and style.—adv. Chaste′ly.—ns. Chaste′ness, the quality of being chaste; Chas′tity, sexual purity: virginity: refinement of language: moderation. [O. Fr. chaste—L. castus, pure.]

Chasten, chās′n, v.t. to free from faults by punishing—hence to punish, to purify or refine: to restrain or moderate.—p.adj. Chas′tened, purified: modest.—n. Chas′tenment.

Chastise, chas-tīz′, v.t. to inflict punishment upon for the purpose of correction: to reduce to order or to obedience.—adj. Chastīs′able.—n. Chas′tisement.

Chasuble, chaz′ū-bl, n. a sleeveless vestment worn over the alb by the priest while celebrating mass. [O. Fr. chesible—Low L. casubula—L. casula, a mantle, dim. of casa, a hut.]

Chat, chat, v.i. to talk idly or familiarly:—pr.p. chat′ting; pa.p. chat′ted.—n. familiar, idle talk.—n. Chat′tiness.—adj. Chat′ty, given to chat, talkative. [Short for Chatter.]

Chat, chat, n. a genus of small birds in the thrush family, of which the wheatear is a familiar example. [From the sound of their voice.]

Chateau, sha-tō′, n. a castle, a great country-seat, esp. in France (common in place-names, and connected with wines, as 'Château Lafitte,' 'Château Yqem,' &c.).—ns. Chatelain (shat′e-lān), a castellan; Chat′elaine, a female castellan: an ornamental appendage, suitable to a lady chatelaine, consisting of short chains bearing keys, corkscrew, scissors, &c., attached to the waist-belt: a similar thing in miniature attached to the watch-chain.—Château en Espagne, a castle in the air. [O. Fr. chastel (Fr. château)—L. castellum, dim. of castrum, a fort.]

Chaton, sha-tong′, n. the head of a ring. [Fr.]

Chatoyant, shat-oi′ant, adj. with a changing lustre, like a cat's eye in the dark. [Fr.]

Chatta, chät′a, n. an umbrella. [Hind.]

Chattel, chat′l, n. any kind of property which is not freehold, distinguished further into chattels-real and chattels-personal, the latter being mere personal movables—money, plate, cattle, and the like; the former including leasehold interests.—Goods and chattels, all corporeal movables. [O. Fr. chatel—Low L. captale—L. capitale, &c., property, goods.]

Chatter, chat′er, v.i. to talk idly or rapidly: to sound as the teeth when one shivers.—ns. Chatt′erbox, one who chatters or talks incessantly; Chatt′erer, one that chatters: an idle talker: a significant popular name applied to the birds of a small family of finch-like perching birds, as the Bohemian wax-wing and the cedar bird of America; Chatt′ering, noise like that made by a magpie, or by the striking together of the teeth: idle talk. [From the sound.]

Chatty, chat′i, n. an earthen water-pot in India. [Hind.]

Chaucerian, chä-sē′ri-an, adj. pertaining to Chaucer, or like him.—n. a devoted student of Chaucer.—n. Chau′cerism, anything characteristic of Chaucer.

Chaud-mellé, shōd-mā′lā, n. a fight arising in the heat of passion: the killing of a man in such a fight.—Also Chaud′-med′ley. [O. Fr. chaude-mellee, hot fight. See Mêlée.]

Chaufe, Chauff (Spens.). Forms of Chafe.

Chauffer, chaw′fėr, n. a metal box for holding fire, a portable furnace or stove. [See Chafer.]

Chauffeur, shōf-fėr, n. a motor-car attendant. [Fr.]

Chausses, shōs, or shō′sez, n.pl. any closely fitting covering for the legs, hose generally: the defence-pieces for the legs in ancient armour.—n. Chaussure′, a general name for boots and shoes. [O. Fr. chauces—L. calcias, pl. of calcia, hose.]

Chautauquan, sha-taw′kwan, adj. pertaining to a system of instruction for adults by home reading and study under guidance, evolved from the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle, organised in 1878.

Chauvinism, shō′vin-izm, n. an absurdly extravagant pride in one's country, with a corresponding contempt for foreign nations—the French equivalent of the Jingoism of London music-halls.—ns. Chau′vin, Chau′vinist.—adj. Chauvinist′ic. [Fr. chauvinisme, from Chauvin, a figure in La Cocarde tricolore.]

Chavender, chav′en-der, n. the chub or cheven.

Chaw, chaw, n. (Spens.) the jaw—usually pl.—v.t. to chew, still used of tobacco.—n. Chaw′-bā′con, a country clown, a rustic fellow.—Chawed up, destroyed. [See Jaw.]

Chawdron, chaw′dron, n. (Shak.) part of the entrails of an animal. [O. Fr. chaudun.]

Chay, a vulgar form of Chaise.

Chaya-root. Same as Shaya-root.

Cheap, chēp, adj. low in price: of a place where prices are low, as 'a cheap market:' of a low price in relation to the value: easily obtained: of small value, or reckoned at such.—v.t. Cheap′en, to ask the price of a thing: to make cheap, to lower the price of: to lower the reputation of: to beat down the price of.—n. Cheap′ener.—adv. Cheap′ly.—n. Cheap′ness.—Cheap Jack, or John, a travelling hawker who pretends to give great bargains; Cheap labour, labour paid at a poor rate; Cheap trip, an excursion by rail or steamer at a reduced fare; Cheap-tripper, one who goes on such a trip.—Dirt cheap, ridiculously cheap.—On the cheap, cheap or cheaply.—To be cheap of anything (Scot.), to get off with less than one deserved or expected, as of punishment. [Orig. good cheap, i.e. a good bargain; A.S. ceap, price, a bargain; A.S. céapian, Ice. kaupa, Ger. kaufen, to buy; Scot. coup—all borrowed from L. caupo, a huckster.]

Cheat, chēt, v.t. to deceive, defraud, impose upon.—v.i. to practise deceit.—n. a fraud: one who cheats.—ns. Cheat′er, one who cheats: (Shak.) an officer who collected the fines to be paid into the Exchequer; Cheat′ery (coll.), cheating.—Put a cheat upon, to deceive.—Tame cheater, a decoy. [M. E. cheten, a form of escheten, to escheat.]

Check, chek, v.t. to bring to a stand: to restrain or hinder: to rebuke: to control an account, &c., by comparison with certified data, vouchers, &c.: to place in check at chess: to mark with a pattern of crossing lines.—n. a term in chess when one party obliges the other either to move or guard his king: anything that checks: a sudden stop, repulse, or rebuff: (B., Shak.) a rebuke: a mark put against items in a list: an order for money (usually written Cheque): any counter-register used as security, a counterfoil: a token, of printed paper or metal, given to a railroad passenger to make secure the after-identification of his luggage, to a person leaving his seat in a theatre with the intention of returning, &c.: (U.S.) a counter used in games at cards—hence 'to pass in one's checks' = to die: a pattern of cross lines forming small squares, as in a chessboard: any fabric woven with such a pattern.—adj. (her.) divided into small squares by transverse, perpendicular, and horizontal lines.—ns. Check′-clerk, a clerk who checks accounts, &c.; Check′er, one who hinders or rebukes; Check′er-board, a board on which checkers or draughts is played; Check′-key, a latch-key; Check′mate, in chess, a check given to the adversary's king when in a position in which it can neither be protected nor moved out of check, so that the game is finished: a complete check: defeat: overthrow.—v.t. in chess, to make a movement which ends the game: to defeat.—ns. Check′-rein, a coupling rein, a strap hindering the horse from lowering its head; Check′-string, a string by which the occupant of a carriage may attract the driver's notice; Check′-tak′er, the collector of admission tickets at a theatre, railway-train, &c.; Check′-weigh′er, one who on the part of the men checks the weight of coal sent up to the pit-mouth. [O. Fr. eschec, eschac (Low L. scaccus, scāchus, It. scacco, Sp. jaque, Ger. scach), through Ar. from Pers. shāh, king—Checkmate being O. Fr. eschec mat—Ar. shāh māt(a), 'the king is dead,' i.e. can make no further move.]

Checker. See Chequer.

Checker-berry, chek′ėr-beri, n. an American name for the winter-green (q.v.).

Checkers, chek′ėrz, n.pl. the game of draughts.

Checklaton, chek′la-ton, n. (Spens.) a cloth of gold or other rich material.—Also Cic′latoun. [O. Fr. ciclaton, from Ar., prob. from the same root as scarlet.]

Cheddar, ched′ar, n. an excellent kind of cheese first made in Somersetshire. [From the village of Cheddar in Somersetshire.]

Cheek, chēk, n. the side of the face below the eye, the fleshy lateral wall of the mouth: effrontery, impudence, as in 'to have the cheek' to do anything, 'to give cheek:' one of the side-posts of a door or window: the cheek-strap of a horse's bridle, the ring at the end of the bit: anything arranged in internal pairs.—v.t. to address insolently.—ns. Cheek′bone, the bone of the cheek; Cheek′-pouch, a dilatation of the skin of the cheek, forming a bag outside the teeth, as in monkeys, &c.; Cheek′-tooth, a molar tooth.—adj. Cheek′y, insolent, saucy.—Cheek by jowl, side by side.—To one's own cheek, for one's own private use. [A.S. céce, céace, the cheek, jaw; cf. Dut. kaak.]

Cheep, chēp, v.i. to chirp, as a young bird.—n. any similar sound. [From the sound, like Chirp.]

Cheer, chēr, n. disposition, frame of mind (with good, &c.): joy: a shout of approval or welcome: kind treatment: entertainment: fare, food.—v.t. to comfort: to encourage: to applaud: to inspirit—'to cheer up.'—v.i. in such phrases as 'How cheer'st thou?'—refl. as in 'Cheer thee.'—n. Cheer′er, one who, or that which, cheers.—adj. Cheer′ful, of good spirits: joyful: lively.—advs. Cheer′fully, Cheer′ily.—ns. Cheer′fulness; Cheer′iness; Cheer′ishness (Milton), cheerfulness.—adj. Cheer′less, without comfort: gloomy.—n. Cheer′lessness.—adj. Cheer′ly, cheerful.—adv. in a cheery manner: heartily.—adj. Cheer′y, cheerful: promoting cheerfulness. [O. Fr. chiere, the countenance—Low L. cara, the face.]

Cheese, chēz, n. a wholesome article of food, made into a round form, from the curd of milk coagulated by rennet, separated from the whey, and pressed into a hard mass.—ns. Cheese′-cake, a cake made of soft curds, sugar, and butter, or whipped egg and sugar; Cheese′-hop′per, the larva of a small fly, remarkable for its leaping power, found in cheese; Cheese′-mite, a very small insect which breeds in cheese; Cheese′-mong′er, a dealer in cheese; Cheese′-par′ing (Shak.), paring, or rind, of cheese.—adj. mean and parsimonious.—ns. Cheese′-press, a machine in which curds for cheese are pressed; Cheese′-renn′et, the plant Ladies' bed-straw, so called because used as rennet in curdling milk; Cheese′-vat, a vat or wooden case in which curds are pressed; Chees′iness.—adj. Chees′y, having the nature of cheese.—Cheese it (slang), stop, have done, run off.—Green Cheese, cheese not yet dried.—To make cheeses, to whirl round and then sink down suddenly so as to make the petticoats stand out like a cheese. [A.S. cése, cýse, curdled milk (Ger. käse)—L. caseus.]

Cheese, chēz, n. (slang) the correct thing, of excellent quality, [Colonel Yule explains it as Pers. and Hind. chīz, thing, the expression having formerly been common among young Anglo-Indians, e.g. 'These cheroots are the real chīz,' i.e. the real thing.]

Cheetah, chē′tah, n. an Eastern animal like the leopard, used in hunting. [Hind, chītā—Sans. chitraka, chitrakāya, having a speckled body.]

Chef, shef, n. a master-cook; a reliquary in the shape of a head.—adj. chief, as in Chef d'œuvre, masterpiece, [Fr. See Chief.]

Cheiromancy, kī′ro-man-si, n. the art of telling fortunes by the lineaments of the hand—also Cheiros′ophy.—adj. Cheirosoph′ical.—n. Cheiros′ophist, [Gr. cheir, the hand, manteia, prophecy.]

Cheiroptera, kī-rop′tėr-a, n.pl. the order of Bats.—adj. Cheirop′terous. [Gr. cheir, the hand, pteron, a wing.]

Cheirotherium, kī-ro-thēr′i-um, n. the name originally given to the Labyrinthodont, from its peculiar hand-like impressions in the Triassic rocks.—adj. Cheirothē′rian. [Gr. cheir, hand, thērion, beast.]

Chela, kē′la, n. the prehensile claw of a crab or scorpion.—adj. Chē′late.—n. Chē′lifer, the book-scorpion.—adjs. Chelif′erous; Chē′liform. [L.,—Gr. chēlē.]

Chela, chē′la, n. a novice in esoteric Buddhism.—n. Chē′laship. [Hind. chēlā, servant.]

Chelicera, kēl-is′er-a, n. a technical term, usually restricted to the biting organs which form the first pair of appendages in spiders, scorpions, and other Arachnida:—pl. Chelic′eræ (-rē). [Gr. chēlē, a crab's claw, keras, horn.]

Chelonia, ke-lō′ni-a, n. an order of vertebrate animals including the tortoise and turtle.—adj. and n. Chelō′nian. [Gr. chelōnē, a tortoise.]

Chemise, she-mēz′, n. a woman's shirt or sark, a smock or shift.—n. Chemisette′, a kind of bodice worn by women, the lace or muslin which fills up the open front of a woman's dress. [Fr. chemise—Low L. camisia, a nightgown, surplice.]

Chemistry, kem′is-tri, formerly Chym′istry, n. the science which treats of the properties of substances both elementary and compound, and of the laws of their combination and action one upon another.—adjs. Chem′ic, -al (Chem′ico-, in many compound words), Chemiat′ric (a Paracelsian term, Gr. chēmeia, chemistry, iatreia, medical treatment).—adv. Chem′ically.—n.pl. Chem′icals, substances which form the subject of chemical effects.—ns. Chem′ism, chemical action; Chem′ist, one skilled in chemistry, specially a druggist or apothecary.—Chemical affinity, the name given to the tendency to combine with one another which is exhibited by many substances, or to the force by which the substances constituting a compound are held together; Chemical notation, a method of expressing the composition of chemical substances and representing chemical changes, by certain known symbols and formulæ; Chemical works, manufactories where chemical processes are carried on for trade, as alkali works, &c. [From Alchemy (q.v.).]