List of Abbreviations Used in This Dictionary

Cropper, krop′ėr, n. a fall; failure.—Come a cropper, to have a fall, perhaps from phrase 'neck and crop.'

Croquet, krō′kā, n. a game in which two or more players try to drive wooden balls, by means of long-handled mallets, through a series of arches set in the ground. [North Fr. croquet, a dial. form of crochet, dim. of croc, croche, a crook.]

Croquette, krok-et′, n. a ball of minced meat or fish, seasoned and fried. [Fr. croquer, to crunch.]

Crore, krōr, n. the sum of ten millions, or one hundred lacs. [Hind.]

Crosier, Crozier, krō′zhėr, n. a cross mounted on a staff, borne before archbishops and patriarchs—often confounded with the pastoral staff.—adj. Crō′siered. [O. Fr. crocier—Late L. crociarius—L. crux, a cross.]

Cross, kros, n. a gibbet on which malefactors were hung, consisting of two pieces of timber, one placed crosswise on the other, either thus Latin cross or St Andrew's cross: the instrument on which Christ suffered, and thus the symbol of the Christian religion: the sufferings of Christ: the atonement effected by these: a representation of the cross, a staff surmounted by a cross, a monument, model, or ornament in the form of a cross, esp. that in this form in the centre of a town at which proclamations are made, &c.: (Scot.) a signal or call to arms sent throughout a district, being a cross of two sticks charred and dipped in blood (Fiery cross): the transverse part of an anchor, or the like: a surveyor's cross-staff: anything that crosses or thwarts: a crossing or crossway: adversity or affliction in general.—v.t. to mark with a cross, or to make the sign of the cross.—ns. Cross′-aisle, a transept aisle of a cruciform church; Cross′-bear′er, one who carries a cross in a procession; Cross′-bun, a bun marked with the form of a cross, eaten on Good-Friday; Cross′ing, the making the sign of the cross; Cross′-stitch, a double stitch in the form of a cross; Cross′let, a little cross.—Crost, obsolete pa.p. of Cross.—Cross-and-pile, the obverse and reverse side of a coin, head and tail; Cross of Calvary, the Latin cross or cross of crucifixion elevated on three steps; Cross of Jerusalem, one having each arm capped by a cross-bar; Cross of Lorraine, a cross with two horizontal arms, combining the Greek and Latin crosses; Cross of St James, a Latin cross figured as a sword; Cross of St Patrick, the saltier cross of Ireland (red on a white ground).—Cross one's mind, to flash across the mind; Cross the path of any one, to thwart him.—Ansate cross (crux ansata), a common symbol of immortality in ancient Egypt; Archiepiscopal cross, the pastoral staff surmounted by a cross; Buddhist cross, the gammadion or fylfot, with returned arms, a symbol found in prehistoric remains in Italy and elsewhere; Capital cross, a Greek cross having each extremity terminated in an ornament like a Tuscan capital; Capuchin-cross, a cross having each arm terminated by a ball; Celtic cross, a type of cross found in Ireland and in the north and west of Scotland, varying from a cross incised on a flat slate to an elaborate cruciform monument—some crosses of this type show Scandinavian workmanship, and hence are often called Runic crosses; Greek cross, an upright cross with limbs of equal length—the well-known Cross of St George (red on a white ground); Latin cross (crux immissa), an upright cross having the lower limb longer than the others; Maltese cross, the badge of the knights of Malta, converging to a point in the centre, with two points to each limb; Norman cross, an elaborate memorial cross like a Gothic turret set on the ground, or on the base of a few steps, with niches for figures and pinnacles; Patriarchal cross, a cross with two horizontal bars; Rouen cross, a cross in fretwork, as a brooch or pendant; St Andrew's cross (crux decussata), or Cross saltier, a cross of two shafts of equal length crossed diagonally at the middle—the saltier cross of Scotland (white on a blue ground); St Anthony's cross (crux commissa), shaped like a St Anthony's cross; Southern cross, a constellation in the Antarctic region where the stars are in the form of a cross. [O. Fr. crois (Fr. croix)—L. cruc-em, orig. an upright post to which latterly a cross-piece was added.]

Cross, kros, adj. lying across: transverse: oblique: opposite: adverse: ill-tempered: interchanged: dishonest: balancing, neutralising.—adv. across.—n. a crossing or mixing of breeds, esp. of cattle: something intermediate in character between two other things: dishonest practices, esp. in a sporting contest when one of the parties corruptly allows himself to be beaten.—v.t. to lay one body or draw one line across another: to cancel by drawing cross lines: to pass from side to side: to write across a bank-cheque the name of a banking company, or simply '& Co.' between the lines, to be filled up with the name of a banking company, through whom alone it may be paid: to obstruct: to thwart: to interfere with.—v.i. to lie or be athwart: to move or pass from place to place.—n. Cross′-ac′tion (law), an action brought by the defender against the pursuer in the same cause.—adjs. Cross′-armed, having the arms crossed: (bot.) brachiate; Cross′-band′ed, having the grain of the veneer run across that of the rail—of a hand-rail.—n. Cross′-bar, a transverse bar: a kind of lever.—adj. Cross′-barred.—ns. Cross′-beam, a large beam stretching across a building and serving to hold its sides together; Cross′-bench, in the House of Lords, certain benches so placed, on which independent members sometimes sit; Cross′-bill, a bill brought by the defendant in a Chancery suit against the plaintiff; Cross′-bill, a genus of birds resembling bullfinches, linnets, &c., with the mandibles of the bill crossing each other near the points; Cross′-birth, a birth in which the child lies transversely in the uterus.—v.t. Cross′bite, to bite the biter.—n.pl. Cross′-bones, a figure of two thigh-bones laid across each other—together with the skull, a conventional emblem of death.—ns. Cross′bow, a weapon for shooting arrows, formed of a bow placed crosswise on a stock; Cross′bower, -bowman, one who uses a crossbow.—adj. Cross′-bred.—ns. Cross′-breed, a breed produced by the crossing or intermixing of different races; Cross′-breed′ing; Cross′-butt′ock, a particular throw over the hip in wrestling; Cross′-cheque (see Cheque).—adj. Cross′-coun′try, across the fields rather than by the road.—n. Cross′-cut, a short road across from one point to another.—v.t. to cut across.—ns. Cross′cut-saw, a large saw worked by two men, one at each end, for cutting beams crosswise; Cross′-divi′sion, the division of any group into divisions that cut across each other and produce confusion.—adj. Crossed, marked by a line drawn crosswise, often denoting cancellation: folded: cruciate.—n. Cross′-examinā′tion.—v.t. Cross′-exam′ine, to test the evidence of a witness by subjecting him to an examination by the opposite party.—adj. Cross′-eyed, having a squint.—ns. Cross′-fertilisā′tion, the fecundation of a plant by pollen from another; Cross′-fire (mil.), the crossing of lines of fire from two or more points; Cross′-gar′net, a T-shaped hinge.—adjs. Cross′-gar′tered (Shak.), wearing the garters crossed on the leg; Cross′-grained, having the grain or fibres crossed or intertwined: perverse: contrary: intractable.—ns. Cross′-grain′edness; Cross′-guard, the bar, at right angles to the blade, forming the hilt-guard of a sword; Cross′-hatch′ing, the art of shading by parallel intersecting lines; Cross′-head, a beam across the head of something, esp. the bar at the end of the piston-rod of a steam-engine; Cross′ing, act of going across: the place where a roadway, &c. may be crossed: intersection: act of thwarting: cross-breeding.—adj. Cross′-legged, having the legs crossed.—adv. Cross′ly.—ns. Cross′ness; Cross′-patch, an ill-natured person; Cross′-piece, a piece of material of any kind crossing another: (naut.) a timber over the windlass, with pins for belaying the running rigging; Cross′-pur′pose, a contrary purpose: contradictory conduct or system: an enigmatical game; Cross′-quar′ters, an ornament of tracery like the four petals of a cruciform flower: a quatrefoil.—v.t. Cross′-ques′tion, to question minutely, to cross-examine.—ns. Cross′-ref′erence, a reference in a book to another title or passage; Cross′-road, a road crossing the principal road, a bypath; Cross′-row (same as Christ-cross-row); Cross′-sea, a sea that sets at an angle to the direction of the wind; Cross′-sill, a railroad sleeper lying under the rails transversely as a support to the stringer; Cross′-spring′er, a cross-rib in a groined vault; Cross′-staff, a surveying instrument consisting of a staff surmounted with a brass circle divided into four equal parts by two intersecting lines; Cross′-stone, chiastolite: staurolite: harmotome; Cross′-tie, in a railroad, a timber placed under opposite rails as a support; Cross′-tin′ing, a mode of harrowing crosswise.—n.pl. Cross′trees, pieces of timber placed across the upper end of the lower-masts and top-masts of a ship.—ns. Cross′-vault′ing, vaulting formed by the intersection of two or more simple vaults; Cross′way, a way that crosses another; Cross′-wind, an unfavourable wind, a side-wind.—adv. Cross′wise, in the form of a cross: across.—Cross as two sticks, particularly perverse and disagreeable.—Cross the path of any one, to thwart him; Cross one's mind, to flash across the mind.

Crosse, kros, n. the implement used in lacrosse.

Crossette, kro-set′, n. a small projecting part of an impost-stone at the extremity of an arch: a shoulder in an arch-stone fitting into the stone next to it. [Fr.]

Crotalaria, krō-ta-lā′ri-a, n. a genus of Leguminosæ, the rattlewort. [Gr. krotalon, a rattle.]

Crotalidæ, krō-tal′i-dē, n.pl. a family of venomous serpents, including rattlesnakes, copper-heads, &c.

Crotalo, krō′ta-lō, n. a Turkish musical instrument, like the ancient cymbalum.

Crotch, kroch, n. a fork, as of a tree: the bifurcation of the human body.—adj. Crotched. [Ety. obscure.]

Crotchet, kroch′et, n. a hook: a note in music, equal to half a minim, Crotchet: a crooked or perverse fancy: a whim, or conceit.—adjs. Crotch′eted, Crotch′ety, having crotchets or peculiarities: whimsical.—n. Crotch′eteer, a crotchety person. [Fr. crochet, dim. of croche, a hook. See Crochet.]

Croton, krō′ton, n. a genus of tropical plants, producing a brownish-yellow oil, having a hot, biting taste.—ns. Crō′tonate, a salt formed by the union of crotonic acid with a base; Crō′ton-oil, a powerful purgative oil, expressed from the seeds of the Croton tiglium, also used externally.—Croton′ic acid, an acid obtained from croton-oil. [Gr. krotōn, a tick or mite, which the seed of the plant resembles.]

Crottles, krot′ls, n.pl. lichens used for dyeing. [Gael. crotal.]

Crouch, krowch, v.i. to squat or lie close to the ground: to cringe: to fawn. [Possibly crook.]

Crouched-friars = Crutched-friars. See Crutch.

Crouch-ware, krowch′-wār, n. a finely finished pottery made with an admixture of pipe-clay in Shropshire: the famous salt-glazed stoneware made at Burslem.

Croup, krōōp, n. a severe disease in the throat of children, accompanied by a hoarse cough.—v.i. to cry or speak hoarsely.—n. Croup′iness.—adjs. Croup′ous, Croup′y. [A.S. kropan, to cry; Scot. roup, croup, hoarseness; from the sound.]

Croup, krōōp, n. the rump of a horse: the place behind the saddle.—n. Croup′on (obs.), the croup: the human buttocks. [Fr. croupe, a protuberance; allied to Crop.]

Croupade, kroo-pād′, n. in the manège, a leap in which the horse draws up his hind-legs toward the belly. [Fr.]

Crouper, krōōp′ėr, n. obsolete form of Crupper.

Croupier, krōō′pi-ėr, n. one who sits at the lower end of the table as assistant-chairman at a public dinner: a vice-president: he who watches the cards and collects the money at the gaming-table. [Fr., 'one who rides on the croup.']

Crouse, krōōs, adj. (Scot.) lively, pert.—adv. boldly, pertly.—adv. Crouse′ly. [M. E. crūs; cf. Ger. kraus, Dut. kroes, crisp, cross.]

Crout, krowt, n. See Sauer-kraut.

Crow, krō, n. a large bird, generally black, of the genus Corvus, which includes magpies, nut-crackers, jays, choughs, &c.: the cry of a cock: a crow-bar.—v.i. to croak: to cry as a cock, in joy or defiance: to boast, swagger (with over):—pa.t. crew (krōō) or crowed; pa.p. crowed.—ns. Crow′-bar, a large iron bar mostly bent at the end, to be used as a lever; Crow′-berr′y, a small creeping shrub, producing small black berries; Crow′-flow′er (Shak.), perhaps the same as Crow′foot, a common weed, the flower of which is like a crow's foot, the buttercup: crow's-foot: a number of lines rove through a long wooden block, supporting the backbone of an awning horizontally; Crow′-keep′er (Shak.), a scarecrow; Crow′-quill, a pen made of the quill of a crow, &c., for fine writing or etching; Crow's′-bill, Crow′-bill (surg.), a kind of forceps for extracting bullets, &c., from wounds; Crow's′-foot, one of the wrinkles produced by age, spreading out from the corners of the eyes: (mil.) a caltrop; Crow's′-nest (naut.), a shelter at the top-gallant mast-head of whalers for the man on the lookout.—n.pl. Crow′-steps (see Corbie).—n. Crow′-toe (Milt.), probably the same as Crowfoot.—As the crow flies, in a straight line; Eat crow, or boiled crow, to be forced to do something very disagreeable; Have a crow to pluck with, to have something to settle with some one. [A.S. crawe, a crow, crawan, to cry like a cock; imit.]

Crowd, krowd, n. a number of persons or things closely pressed together, without order: the rabble: multitude.—v.t. to gather into a lump or crowd: to fill by pressing or driving together: to compress.—v.i. to press on: to press together in numbers: to swarm.—p.adj. Crowd′ed.—Crowd sail, to carry a press of sail for speed. [A.S. crúdan, to press.]

Crowd, krowd, n. (obs.) an ancient musical instrument of the nature of the violin.—n. Crowd′er (obs.), a fiddler. [W. crwth, a hollow protuberance, a fiddle; Gael., Ir. cruit.]

Crowdie, krowd′i, n. a mixture of meal and water: (Scot.) brose. [Der. unknown.]

Crown, krown, n. the diadem or state-cap of royalty: regal power: the sovereign: honour: reward, as the 'martyr's crown:' the top of anything, esp. of the head: completion: accomplishment; a coin stamped with a crown, esp. the silver 5s. piece—used also as the translation of the old French écu, worth from six francs (or livres) to three francs: a size of paper, because originally water-marked with a crown: (archit.) a species of spire or lantern, formed by converging flying-buttresses.—v.t. to cover or invest with a crown: to invest with royal dignity: to adorn: to dignify: to complete happily.—ns. Crown′-ag′ent, a solicitor in Scotland who prepares criminal prosecutions; Crown′-ant′ler, the uppermost antler of the horn of a stag; Crown′-col′ony, a colony whose administration is directly under the home government; Crown Derby porcelain (see Porcelain).—p.adj. Crowned, having or wearing a crown: rewarded: consummated.—ns. Crown′er (Shak.), a corruption of coroner; Crown′et, a coronet: (Shak.) that which crowns or accomplishes; Crown′-glass, a kind of window-glass formed in circular plates or discs; Crown′-impē′rial, a plant, a species of fritillary; Crown′ing.—n.pl. Crown′-jew′els, jewels pertaining to the crown or sovereign.—ns. Crown′-land, land belonging to the crown or sovereign; Crown′-law′yer, the lawyer who acts for the crown in criminal cases.—adj. Crown′less.—ns. Crown′let, a small crown; Crown′-liv′ing, a church living in the gift of the crown; Crown-office, the office for the business of the crown side of the King's Bench: the office in which the great seal is affixed; Crown′-pā′per, in England, a printing-paper of the size 15 × 20 in.: in America, a writing-paper 15 × 19 in.; Crown′-post, the same as King-post (q.v.); Crown′-prince, the prince who succeeds to the crown; Crown′-saw, a circular saw made by cutting teeth round a cylinder; Crown′-wheel, a wheel resembling a crown, with teeth or cogs set at right angles to its plane; Crown′-wit′ness, a witness for the crown in a criminal prosecution instituted by it; Crown′work (fort.), an outwork composed of a bastion between two curtains, with demi-bastions at the extremes.—Crown of the causeway, the middle of the street. [O. Fr. corone (Fr. couronne)—L. corona; cf. Gr. korōnos, curved.]

Croze, krōz, n. the groove in the staves of a cask in which the edge of the head is set.

Crozier. See Crosier.

Crucial, krōō′shi-al, adj. testing, searching, from the practice of marking a testing instance with a cross to draw attention to it.—adj. Cru′ciāte (bot.), arranged in the form of a cross, as leaves or petals. [Fr. crucial, from L. crux, crucis, a cross.]

Crucian, Crusian, kroo′shi-an, n. the German carp, having no barbels.

Crucible, krōō′si-bl, n. an earthen pot for melting ores, metals, &c. [Low L. crucibulum, most prob. from L. crux.]

Cruciferæ, kroo-sif′ėr-ē, n. a natural order of exogenous plants (many edible), having a corolla of four petals arranged in the form of a cross.—n. Cruc′ifer, a cross-bearer in a procession.—adj. Crucif′erous (bot.), bearing four petals in the form of a cross. [L. crux, crucis, a cross, ferre, to bear.]

Crucify, krōō′si-fī, v.t. to put to death by fixing the hands and feet to a cross: to subdue completely: to mortify: to torment:—pa.p. cru′cified.—ns. Crucifī′er, one who crucifies; Cru′cifix, a figure or picture of Christ fixed to the cross; Crucifix′ion, death on the cross, esp. that of Christ.—adjs. Cru′ciform, in the form of a cross; Crucig′erous, bearing a cross. [O. Fr. crucifier—L. crucifigĕre, crucifixum—crux, and figĕre, to fix.]

Crude, krōōd, adj. raw, unprepared: not reduced to order or form: unfinished: undigested: immature.—adv. Crude′ly.—ns. Crude′ness; Crud′ity, rawness: unripeness: that which is crude.—adj. Crud′y (Shak.), crude, raw. [L. crudus, raw.]

Cruel, krōō′el, adj. disposed to inflict pain, or pleased at suffering: void of pity, merciless, savage: severe.—adj. Cru′el-heart′ed, delighting in cruelty: hard-hearted: unrelenting.—adv. Cru′elly.—ns. Cru′elness (obs.); Cru′elty. [Fr. cruel—L. crudelis.]

Cruet, krōō′et, n. a small jar or phial for sauces and condiments.—n. Cru′et-stand, a stand or frame for holding cruets. [Acc. to Skeat, prob. formed from Dut. kruik, a jar = Eng. crock; and acc. to E. Müller, dim. of O. Fr. cruye (mod. Fr. cruche, cruchette, a jar), from root of crock.]

Cruise, krōōz, v.i. to sail to and fro: to rove on the sea.—n. a sailing to and fro: a voyage in various directions in search of an enemy, or for the protection of vessels.—n. Cruis′er. [Dut. kruisen, to cross—kruis, a cross.]

Cruisie. See Crusie.

Cruisken, kroos′ken, n. (Ir.) a small bottle.—Also Cruis′keen.

Cruive, Cruve, krōōv, n. (Scot.) a sty, hovel: a wattled hedge built on tidal flats for catching fish.

Cruller, krul′ėr, n. a cake cut from rolled dough made of eggs, butter, sugar, flour, &c., fried crisp in boiling lard. [Cf. Dut. krullen, to curl.]

Crumb, krum, n. a small bit or morsel of bread: a small particle of anything: the soft part of bread.—v.t. to break into crumbs: to fill with crumbs.—ns. Crumb′-brush, a brush for sweeping crumbs off the table; Crumb′-cloth, a cloth laid under a table to keep falling crumbs from the carpet.—adjs. Crumb′y, Crum′my, in crumbs: soft. [A.S. cruma; Dut. kruim; Ger. krume; allied to crimp.]

Crumble, krum′bl, v.t. to break into crumbs: to scatter in crumbs.—v.i. to fall into small pieces: to decay.—n. a crumb: that which crumbles easily.—adj. Crumb′ly, apt to crumble, brittle. [Orig. dim. of Crumb; Dut. kruimelen; Ger. krümeln.]

Crumenal, krōō′me-nal, n. (Spens.) a purse. [From L. crumena, a purse.]

Crump, krump, adj. crooked: wrinkled.—ns. Crum′my, a cow with a crumpled horn; Crump′et, a kind of crumby or soft cake or muffin.—adj. Crump′y, crump: easily broken. [A.S. crump—crumb, crooked; Ger. krumm. Cf. Cramp, Crimp.]

Crumple, krump′l, v.t. to contort: to mark with or draw into folds or wrinkles: to crease.—v.i. to become wrinkled: to contract or shrink.—adj. Crump′led.—n. Crump′ling. [Formed from Crump.]

Crunch, krunsh, v.t. to crush with the teeth: to chew anything hard, and so make a noise.—n. the act of crunching. [From the sound; cf. Fr. grincer.]

Crunkle, krunk′l, v.i. to crumple.

Crunt, krunt, n. (Scot.) a blow on the head.

Cruor, krōō′or, n. coagulated blood.—n. Cru′orine, the red colouring matter of blood corpuscles.

Crup, krup, adj. (prov.) brittle.

Crupper, krup′ėr, n. a strap of leather fastened to the saddle and passing under the horse's tail to keep the saddle in its place: the hind part of a horse. [Fr. cropière—crope, the croup.]

Crural, krōō′ral, adj. belonging to or shaped like a leg. [L. cruralis, from crus, cruris, the leg.]

Crusade, kroo-sād′, n. a military expedition under the banner of the cross to recover the Holy Land from the Turks: any daring or romantic undertaking.—v.i. to go on a crusade.—n. Crusad′er, one engaged in a crusade. [Fr. croisade—Prov. crozada—croz, a cross—L. crux, a cross.]

Crusado, kroo-sā′do, n. a Portuguese coin, so called because marked with a cross. [Port. cruzado.]

Cruse, krōōz, n. an earthen pot: a small cup or bottle. [Cf. Ice. krus; Dan. kruus; Ger. krause.]

Cruset, krōō′set, n. a goldsmith's crucible. [Fr. creuset.]

Crush, krush, v.t. to break or bruise: to squeeze together: to beat down or overwhelm: to subdue: to ruin.—v.i. to become broken under pressure.—n. a violet squeezing: a vast crowd of persons or things.—adj. Crushed, broken by pressure: subdued: oppressed.—ns. Crush′er, he who, or that which, crushes or subdues: (slang) a policeman; Crush′-hat, a hat so constructed as to collapse and become flat: an opera-hat.—adj. Crush′ing, bruising: overwhelming.—adv. Crush′ingly.—n. Crush′-room, a room in a theatre, &c., where the audience may promenade during the intervals of the entertainment.—Crush a cup, to empty a cup: to quaff.—Crushed strawberry, of the colour of strawberries that have been crushed. [O. Fr. croissir; per. cog. with Mid. High Ger. krosen, to crunch.]

Crusie, Crusy, krōōz′i, n. (Scot.) a lamp which burns oil. [From Cruset.]

Crust, krust, n. the hard rind or outside coating of anything: the outer part of bread: covering of a pie, &c.: (geol.) the solid exterior of the earth.—v.t. to cover with a crust or hard case.—v.i. to gather into a hard crust.—adj. Crustāt′ed, covered with a crust.—n. Crustā′tion, an adherent crust.—adv. Crust′ily.—n. Crust′iness.—adj. Crust′y, of the nature of or having a crust, as port or other wine: having a hard or harsh exterior: hard: snappy: surly. [O. Fr.,—L. crusta, rind.]

Crusta, krus′ta, n. something, as a gem, prepared for inlaying: a hard coating: a cocktail served in a glass, its rim encrusted in sugar:—pl. Crustæ (ē).

Crustacea, krus-tā′shi-a, n.pl. a large class of Arthropod animals, almost all aquatic, including crabs, lobsters, shrimps, sand-hoppers, wood-lice, water-fleas, barnacles, acorn-shells, &c.—n. Crustā′cean, one of the crustacea.—adj. Crustaceolog′ical.—ns. Crustaceol′ogist; Crustaceol′ogy, the science which treats of the crustacea.—adjs. Crustā′ceous, Crustā′cean, pertaining to the crustacea, or shellfish.

Crut, krut, n. (prov.) a dwarf.

Crutch, kruch, n. a staff with a cross-piece at the head to place under the arm of a lame person: any support like a crutch.—v.t. to support: to prop.—v.i. to go on crutches.—adj. Crutched, marked by the sign of or wearing a cross.—n.pl. Crutched′-frī′ars, an order of friars so called from the sign of the cross which they wore—Crouched- or Crossed-friars. [From root of Crook; perh. modified by L. crux.]

Crux, kruks, n. a cross: (fig.) something that occasions difficulty. [L. crux, a cross.]

Crwth, kröth, n. an old Welsh stringed instrument, four of its six strings played with a bow, two twitched by the thumb. [W.]

Cry, krī, v.i. to utter a shrill loud sound, esp. one expressive of pain or grief: to lament: to weep: to bawl.—v.t. to utter loudly: to proclaim or make public:—pa.t. and pa.p. cried.—n. any loud sound, esp. of grief or pain: a fit of weeping: a pack of hounds, hence of people: particular sound uttered by an animal: bawling: lamentation: prayer: clamour:—pl. Cries.—ns. Crī′er; Cry′ing, act of calling loudly: weeping.—adj. calling loudly: claiming notice: notorious.—Cry against, to protest against; Cry down, to condemn: to decry; Cry off, to withdraw from a bargain; Cry on, to call upon: to invoke; Cry up, to praise: extol.—A far cry, a great distance; Great cry and little wool, appearance without reality: much ado about nothing; Hue and cry (see Hue); In full cry, in full pursuit, used of dogs in hunt; Within cry of, within hearing distance. [Fr. crier—L. quiritāre, to scream—freq. of L. queri, to lament.]

Cryolite, krī′o-līt, n. a mineral found on the coast of Greenland, consisting mainly of a fluoride of aluminium in combination with fluoride of sodium. [Gr. kryos, frost, and lithos, a stone.]

Cryophorus, krī-of′o-rus, n. an instrument for showing the decrease of temperature in water by evaporation. [Gr. kryos, frost, and pherein, to bear.]

Crypt, kript, n. an underground cell or chapel, esp. one used for burial.—adjs. Cryp′tic, -al, hidden: secret: unseen. [L. crypta—Gr. kryptē—kryptein, to conceal. Doublet of Grot.]

Cryptogamia, krip-to-gā′mi-a, n. the class of flowerless plants, or those which have their fructification concealed.—n. Cryp′togam.—adjs. Cryptogā′mian, Cryptogam′ic, Cryptog′amous.—ns. Cryptog′amist; Cryptog′amy. [Gr. kryptos, concealed, and gamos, marriage.]

Cryptogram, krip′tō-gram, n. a cryptograph.—ns. Cryptad′ia, things to be kept secret; Cryptol′ogy, secret language; Cryp′tonym, a secret name.

Cryptography, krip-tog′ra-fi, n. the art of secret writing: the character or cipher so used.—ns. Crypt′ograph; Cryptog′rapher.—adjs. Cryptograph′ic, -al. [Gr. kryptos, secret, and graphein, to write.]

Crystal, kris′tal, n. a superior kind of quartz, clear like ice: (chem.) a piece of matter which has assumed a definite geometrical form, with plane faces.—adjs. Crys′tal, Crys′tallīne, consisting of or like crystal in clearness, &c.; Crys′talform; Crys′tallīsable, capable of being crystallised or formed into crystals.—n. Crystallīsā′tion, the act of crystallising.—v.t. Crys′tallīse, to reduce to the form of a crystal.—v.i. to assume a crystalline form.—ns. Crys′tallite; Crystallogen′esis.—adj. Crystallogen′ic.—n. Crystallog′rapher, one skilled in crystallography.—adj. Crystallograph′ic—n. Crystallog′raphy, the science of crystallisation.—adj. Crys′talloid, having the form of a crystal.—n. a name given by Graham to a class of substances which when in solution pass easily through membranes.—n. Crys′tallomancy, a mode of divination by means of transparent bodies. [O. Fr. cristol—L. crystallum—Gr. krystallos, ice—kryos, frost.]

Ctenoid, tē′noid, adj. comb-shaped, applied by Agassiz to the scales and fins of certain fishes, as the perch, &c.—adj. and n. Ctenoid′ean. [Gr. kteis, ktenos, a comb, eidos, form.]

Ctenophora, ten-of′o-ra, n.pl. a sub-class of Cœlenterates—beautifully delicate, free-swimming marine organisms, generally globular, moving by means of comb-like plates. [Gr. kteis, ktenos, a comb, pherein, to carry.]

Cub, kub, n. the young of certain animals, as foxes, &c.: a whelp: a young boy or girl (in contempt).—v.i. to bring forth young:—pr.p. cub′bing; pa.p. cubbed.—adjs. Cub′bish, like a cub: awkward; Cub′-drawn (Shak.), drawn or sucked by cubs.—n. Cub′hood.—adj. Cub′less, without cubs. [Prob. Celt., as Ir. cuib, a whelp, from cu, a dog.]

Cub, kub, n. a cattle-pen: chest.

Cuban, kū′ban, n. a native of the island of Cuba in the West Indies.—adj. pertaining to Cuba.

Cube, kūb, n. a solid body having six equal square faces, a solid square: the third power of a number, as—2 × 2 × 2 = 8.—v.t. to raise to the third power.—ns. Cū′bage, Cubā′tion, Cū′bature, the act of finding the solid or cubic content of a body: the result thus found.—adjs. Cū′bic, -al, pertaining to a cube: of the third power or degree: solid.—adv. Cū′bically.—n. Cū′bicalness, state or quality of being cubical.—adjs. Cū′biform; Cū′boid, Cuboid′al, resembling a cube in shape.—Cube root, the number or quantity that produces a given cube by being raised to the third power—thus 2 is the cube root of 8. [Fr.,—L. cubus—Gr. kybos, a die.]

Cubeb, kū′beb, n. the dried berry of Piper cubeba, a climbing shrub, native to Sumatra—useful as a stomachic and carminative in indigestion, for piles and for sore throats.—n. Cubeb′in, a crystallising substance in cubebs. [Fr. cubèbe—Ar. kabābah.]

Cubica, kū′bi-ka, n. a fine worsted for linings.

Cubicle, kū′bi-kl, n. a bedroom.

Cubit, kū′bit, n. a measure employed by the ancients, equal to the length of the arm from the elbow to the tip of the middle-finger, from 18 to 22 inches—also Cū′bitus.—adj. Cū′bital, of the length of a cubit. [L. cubitum, the elbow; cf. L. cubāre, to lie down.]

Cucking-stool, kuk′ing-stōōl, n. a stool in which scolds and other culprits were placed, usually before their own door, to be pelted by the mob. [Mentioned in Domesday Book as in use in Chester, and called cathedra stercoris. From an obs. word cuck, to ease one's self; cf. Ice. kúka.]

Cuckold, kuk′old, n. a man whose wife has proved unfaithful.—v.t. to wrong (a husband) by unchastity.—v.t. Cuck′oldise, to make a cuckold.—adv. Cuck′oldly (Shak.).—ns. Cuck′old-mak′er; Cuck′oldom, state of a cuckold: act of adultery; Cuck′oldry, adultery. [O. Fr. cucuault—cucu, cuckoo.]

Cuckoo, kook′kōō, n. a bird which cries cuckoo, remarkable for laying its eggs in the nests of other birds.—ns. Cuck′oo-bud (Shak.), name of a plant; Cuck′oo-clock, a clock in which the hours are told by a cuckoo-call; Cuck′oo-flow′er, a species of Cardamine—called also Lady's Smock; Cuck′oo-pint, the Wake-robin, Arum maculatum; Cuck′oo-spit, -spit′tle, a frothy spittle, made by many insects parasitic on plants, surrounding the larvæ and pupæ.

Cucullate, -d, kū′kul-lāt, -ed, adj. hooded: shaped like a hood. [L. cucullatus—cucullus, a hood.]

Cucumber, kū′kum-bėr, n. a creeping plant, with heart-shaped leaves, rough with bristly hairs, and large oblong fruit used as a salad and pickle—a native of southern Asia.—adj. Cucum′iform. [L. cucumis, cucumeris.]

Cucurbit, kū′kur-bit, n. a chemical vessel used in distillation, originally shaped like a gourd.—adjs. Cucur′bital, Cucurbitā′ceous, pertaining to the Cucurbitaceæ, mostly herbaceous climbers, as the gourd, melon, &c.; Cucur′bitive, like a gourd-seed. [Fr. cucurbite—L. cucurbita, a gourd.]

Cud, kud, n. the food brought from the first stomach of a ruminating animal back into the mouth and chewed again.—n. Cud′weed, the popular name for many species of plants covered with a cottony down.—Chew the cud, to meditate. [A.S. cwidu.]

Cudbear, kud′bār, n. a purple or violet coloured powder prepared from a lichen, used in dyeing. [A corr. of Cuthbert—from Dr Cuthbert Gordon, who first made it an article of commerce.]

Cuddle, kud′l, v.t. to hug: to embrace: to fondle.—v.i. to lie close and snug together.—n. a close embrace. [Perh. a freq. of M. E. couth, cosy.]

Cuddy, kud′i, n. a small cabin or cookroom, in the fore-part of a boat or lighter: in large vessels, the officers' cabin under the poopdeck. [Origin uncertain; cf. Fr. cahute; Dut. kajuit; Ger. kajüte.]

Cuddy, kud′i, n. the right of a lord to entertainment from his tenant: rent: (Spens.) Cuddeehih. [Corr. of Ir. cuid oidhche—cuid, a share, oidhche, night.]

Cuddy, Cuddie, kud′i, n. a donkey: (Scot.) a stupid person. [Perh. formed from Cuthbert.]

Cudgel, kud′jel, n. a heavy staff: a club.—v.t. to beat with a cudgel:—pr.p. cud′gelling; pa.p. cud′gelled.—ns. Cud′geller; Cud′gelling.—adj. Cud′gel-proof, not to be hurt by beating.—Take up the cudgels, to engage in a contest. [A.S. cycgel.]

Cue, kū, n. the last words of an actor's speech serving as a hint to the next speaker: any hint: the part one has to play. [Acc. to some from Fr. queue, tail, as the ending words of the last speech; in 17th cent. written Q, and derived from L. quando, 'when,' i.e. when the actor was to begin.]

Cue, kū, n. a twist of hair at the back of the head: a rod used in playing billiards.—v.t. of the hair, to form in a cue. [Fr. queue—L. cauda, a tail.]

Cuff, kuf, n. a stroke with the open hand.—v.t. to strike with the open hand: to beat. [Origin obscure; cf. Sw. kuffa, to knock.]

Cuff, kuf, n. the end of the sleeve near the wrist: a covering for the wrist: a handcuff (q.v.). [Prob. cog. with Coif.]

Cuff, kuf, n. Scotch form of Scruff.—Cuff of the neck. See Scruff.

Cuffin, kuf′in, n. a man: a justice of the peace. [Thieves' slang.]

Cufic, kūf′ik, adj. of or pertaining to Cufa, esp. applied to the kind of writing of the scholars of Cufa in Asiatic Turkey, seat of the most expert copyists of the Koran.

Cuirass, kwi-ras′, or kū-, n. a defensive covering for the breast and back, of leather or iron fastened with straps and buckles, &c.—v.t. to furnish with such.—n. Cuirassier′, a horse-soldier armed with such. [Fr. cuirasse—cuir, leather—L. corium, skin leather.]

Cuir-bouilli, kwēr-bōō′lyi, n. leather softened by boiling, then dried, retaining the impressions made on it.—Also Cuir-bouilly.

Cuisine, kwe-zēn′, n. a kitchen or cooking department: cookery.—n. Cuisin′ier, a cook. [Fr. (It. cucina)—L. coquina—coquĕre, to cook.]

Cuisse, kwis, Cuish, kwish, n. armour for the thighs, consisting of iron plates laid horizontally over each other and riveted together. [Fr. cuisse (It. coscia, the thigh)—L. coxa, the hip.]

Cuiter, küt′ėr, v.t. (Scot.) to fondle, pamper.

Cuittle, küt′l, v.t. to curry: (Scot.) to cajole.

Culch, kulch, n. (prov.) rubbish.

Culdee, kul′dē, n. one of a fraternity of monks living in Scotland in the 8th century in groups of cells. [Acc. to Reeves and Skene, the old Ir. céle dé, 'servants of God,' or 'companions of God'—Latinised by Boece into Culdei, as if cultores Dei.]

Cul-de-four, kōō-de-foor, n. (archit.) a sort of low spherical vault, oven-like.—ns. Cul-de-lampe, an ornamental design used in filling up blank spaces in a book; Cul-de-sac, a street, &c., closed at one end: a blind alley. [Fr. cul, bottom—L. culus; Fr. four, furnace, lampe, lamp, sac, sack.]

Culet, kū′let, n. the small flat surface at the back or bottom of a brilliant: the part of armour protecting the body behind, from the waist downwards—also Culette. [O. Fr., cul—L. culus, the rump.]

Culex, kū′leks, n. the typical genus of Culicidæ or gnats—adj. Culic′iform, gnat-like. [L.]

Culinary, kū′lin-ar-i, adj. pertaining to the kitchen or to cookery: used in the kitchen. [L. culinarius—culina, a kitchen.]

Cull, kul, v.t. to select, pick out.—ns. Cull′er; Cull′ing. [Fr. cueillir, to gather—L. colligĕre—col, together, legĕre, to gather. Doublet of Collect.]

Cullender. See Colander.

Cullet, kul′et, n. refuse glass.

Cullion, kul′yun, n. a wretch: a cowardly fellow.—adj. Cull′ionly (Shak.), mean, base. [Fr. couillon, a poltroon (It. coglione)—L. coleus, a leather bag.]

Cullis, kul′is, n. a gutter in a roof: a groove, as for a side-scene in a theatre. [Fr. coulisse.]

Cully, kul′i, n. a mean dupe.—v.t. to deceive meanly:—pa.p. cull′ied.—ns. Cull, a dupe; Cull′yism, state of being a cully. [Prob. a contr. of Cullion.]

Culm, kulm, n. the stalk or stem of corn or of grasses.—v.i. to form a culm.—adj. Culmif′erous, having a culm. [L. culmus, a stalk.]

Culm, kulm, n. coal-dust: name given in some parts of England to anthracite or stone-coal.—adj. Culmif′erous, producing culm. [See Coom.]

Culmen, kul′men, n. highest point: the median length-wise ridge of a bird's upper mandible. [L.]

Culminate, kul′min-āt, v.i. (astron.) to be vertical or at the highest point of altitude: to reach the highest point (with in).—adj. Cul′minant, at its highest point.—n. Culminā′tion, act of culminating: the top: (astron.) transit of a body across the meridian or highest point for the day. [Low L. culmināre, from L. culmen, properly columen, a summit.]

Culottic, kul-ot′ic, adj. wearing trousers: (Carlyle) respectable. [Fr. culotte, breeches.]

Culpable, kul′pa-bl, adj. faulty: criminal.—ns. Culpabil′ity, Cul′pableness, liability to blame.—adv. Cul′pably.—adj. Cul′patory, expressive of blame. [O. Fr. coupable—L. culpabilis—culpa, a fault.]

Culprit, kul′prit, n. one in fault: a criminal: (Eng. law) a prisoner accused but not yet tried. [From the fusion in legal phraseology of cul. (culpable, culpabilis), and prit, prist (O. Fr. prest), ready. Not culpate—law L. culpatus, a person accused.]

Cult, kult, n. a system of religious belief, worship.—Also Cult′us. [L. cultus—colĕre, to worship.]

Culter, kul′tėr, n. obsolete form of Coulter.—adjs. Cultiros′tral, Culturos′tral; Cul′trate, -d, shaped like a pruning-knife; Cul′triform, in the form of a pruning-knife: sharp-edged.

Cultism, kult′ism, n. a style of writing after the manner of Luis de Góngora y Argote (1561-1627), a Spanish lyric poet—estilo culto, being florid, pedantic, often obscure.—ns. Cult′ist, Cult′orist. [Sp. culte, elegant—L. cultus.]

Cultivate, kul′ti-vāt, v.i. to till or produce by tillage: to prepare for crops: to devote attention to: to civilise or refine.—adjs. Cul′tivable, Cultivat′able, capable of being cultivated.—ns. Cultivā′tion, the art or practice of cultivating: civilisation: refinement; Cul′tivator.—Cultivate a person's friendship, to endeavour to get his good-will. [Low L. cultivāre, -ātum—L. colĕre, to till, to worship.]

Culture, kul′tūr, n. cultivation: the state of being cultivated: refinement the result of cultivation.—v.t. to cultivate: to improve.—adjs. Cul′turable; Cul′tural.—p.adj. Cul′tured, cultivated: well educated: refined.—adj. Cul′tureless. [L. cultūra—colĕre.]

Cultus. See Cult.

Culver, kul′vėr, n. a dove: a pigeon.—n. Cul′ver-key, an herb, probably the columbine, having key-shaped flowerets.—adj. Cul′vertailed, dovetailed. [A.S. culfre, prob. from L. columba.]

Culverin, kul′vėr-in, n. one of the earlier forms of cannon of great length, generally an 18-pounder, weighing 50 cwt.—ns. Cul′verineer; Dem′i-cul′verin, a 9-pounder, weighing 30 cwt. [Fr. coulevrine, from couleuvre, a serpent.]

Culver's physic, root, n. popular name of a kind of speedwell, the rhizome of Veronica virginica, used medicinally. [Prob. from one Dr Culver.]

Culvert, kul′vėrt, n. an arched channel of masonry for carrying water beneath a road, railway, &c. [Perh. from Fr. couler, to flow—L. colāre.]

Culvertage, kul′ver-tāj, n. degradation of a vassal to the position of a serf. [O. Fr. culvert, a serf.]

Cumbent, kum′bent, adj. lying down; reclining. [L. cumbens, -entis, pr.p. of cumbĕre, to lie down.]