List of Abbreviations Used in This Dictionary

Cumber, kum′bėr, v.t. to trouble or hinder with something useless: to retard, trouble.—n. encumbrance: cumbering.—adj. Cum′bered, hampered: obstructed.—ns. Cum′berer; Cum′ber-ground, a useless thing, from Luke, xiii. 7.—adj. Cum′berless, unencumbered.—ns. Cum′berment, Cum′brance, encumbrance.—adjs. Cum′bersome, unwieldy: heavy; Cum′brous, hindering: obstructing: heavy.—adv. Cum′brously.—n. Cum′brousness. [O. Fr. combrer, to hinder—Low L. cumbrus, a heap; corr. of L. cumulus, a heap.]

Cumbrian, kum′bri-an, adj. (geol.) of or pertaining to a system of slaty rocks best developed in Cumberland and Westmorland, now merged in the Cambrian or Silurian system.

Cumin, Cummin, kum′in, n. an umbelliferous plant, common in Egypt, and cultivated in southern Europe and India—its seeds, resembling the caraway, valuable as carminatives. [L. cuminum—Gr. kyminon, cog. with Heb. kammôn.]

Cummer, kum′ėr, Kimmer, kim′ėr, n. a gossip: a woman: (Scot.) a girl. [Fr. commère—L. con, with, mater, mother.]

Cummerbund, kum′ėr-bund, n. a waist-belt, a sash. [Anglo-Ind.—Pers. kamarband, a loin-band.]

Cumshaw, kum′shaw, n. a gift, a tip. [Pidgin-English.]

Cumulate, kūm′ū-lāt, v.t. to heap together: to accumulate.—adjs. Cum′ulate, -d, heaped up.—n. Cumulā′tion (= Accumulation).—adj. Cum′ulative, increasing by successive additions.—adv. Cum′ulatively. [L. cumulāre, -ātum—cumulus, a heap.]

Cumulus, kū′mū-lus, n. a heap; a kind of cloud common in summer, consisting of rounded heaps with a darker horizontal base.—adjs. Cū′muliform; Cū′mulose.—n. Cū′mulo-strā′tus, a cloud looking like a combination of the cumulus and stratus. [L. cumulus, a heap, and stratus.]

Cunabula, kū-nab′ul-a, n.pl. a cradle. [L.]

Cunarder, kūn-ard′ėr, n. one of a certain line of steamships between England and America. [Founded by Sir Samuel Cunard (1787-1865).]

Cunctator, kungk-tā′tor, n. one who delays or puts off.—n. Cunctā′tion, delay.—adjs. Cunctā′tious, Cunctā′tive, Cunctā′tory, inclined to delay. [L.,—cunctāri, to delay.]

Cuneal, kū′ne-al, Cuneate, kū′ne-āt, adj. of the form of a wedge.—adjs. Cunē′iform, Cū′niform, wedge-shaped—specially applied to the old Babylonian and Assyrian writing, of which the characters have a wedge-shape. [L. cuneus, a wedge.]

Cunette. See Cuvette.

Cunning, kun′ing, adj. knowing: skilful: artful: crafty.—n. knowledge: skill: faculty of using stratagem to accomplish a purpose: artifice.—adv. Cunn′ingly.—n. Cunn′ingness, quality of being cunning: artfulness, slyness. [A.S. cunnan, to know.]

Cup, kup, n. a vessel used to contain liquid: a drinking-vessel: the liquid contained in a cup: that which we must receive or undergo: afflictions: blessings.—v.i. to extract blood from the body by means of cupping-glasses: (Shak.) to make drunk:—pr.p. cup′ping; pa.p. cupped.—ns. Cup′-bear′er, one who attends at a feast to fill out and hand the wine; Cupboard (kub′urd), a place for keeping victuals, dishes, &c.—v.t. to store.—ns. Cup′board-love, -faith, love or faith indulged in for a material end; Cup′ful, as much as fills a cup:—pl. Cup′fuls; Cup′-gall, a cup-shaped gall in oak-leaves; Cup′-lī′chen, or -moss, a species of Cladonia; Cup′man, a boon companion; Cup′per, a cup-bearer: one professionally engaged in cupping; Cup′ping, the application of cups from which the air has been exhausted to a scarified part of the skin for the purpose of drawing blood; Cup′ping-glass, a glass used in the operation of cupping; Dry′-cup′ping, the application of cups without previous scarification; Lov′ing-cup, a cup (from which all drink) passed round at the close of a feast.—Cry cupboard, to cry for food; In his cups, under the influence of liquor; Many a slip between the cup and the lip, a proverb signifying that something adverse may occur at the last moment. [A.S. cuppe (Fr. coupe, It. coppa, a cup, the head); all from L. cupa, cuppa, a tub.]

Cupel, kū′pel, n. a small vessel used by goldsmiths in assaying precious metals.—v.t. to assay in a cupel.—n. Cupellā′tion, the process of assaying precious metals. [L. cupella, dim. of cupa. See Cup.]

Cupidity, kū-pid′i-ti, n. covetousness.—n. Cū′pid, the god of love. [L. cupiditas—cupĕre, to desire.]

Cupola, kū′po-la, n. a spherical vault, or concave ceiling, on the top of a building: the internal part of a dome: a dome.—v.t. to furnish with such. [It.; dim. of Low L. cupa, a cup—L. cupa, a tub.]

Cupreous, kūp′rē-us, Cupric, kūp′rik, adj. of or containing copper.—adj. Cuprif′erous, producing copper.—n. Cū′prite, the red oxide of copper. [L. cuprum, copper, ferre, to bear.]

Cupressus, kū-pres′us, n. the cypress genus of coniferous trees. [L.]

Cupule, kū′pūl, n. (bot.) a shortened axis with a number of more or less cohering bracts enclosing the ripening fruit—also Cū′pula.—adj. Cupulif′erous, bearing cupules. [L. cupula, dim. of cupa, a tub, and ferre, to carry.]

Cur, kur, n. a worthless dog, of low breed: a churlish fellow.—adj. Cur′rish.—adv. Cur′rishly.—n. Cur′rishness. [M. E. curre; cf. Old Dut. korre, Dan. kurre, to whir.]

Curaçoa, koo-ra-sō′a, n. a liqueur so named from the island of Curaçao in the West Indies, where it was first made.—Also Curaça′o.

Curari, koo-rä′ri, n. a poison used by South American Indians for their arrows—also Cura′ra.—n. Cura′rine, a highly poisonous alkaloid extracted from curari. [From the native name.]

Curassow, kū-ras′ō, n. a large turkey-like South American bird.

Curate, kūr′āt, n. one who has the cure of souls: an inferior clergyman in the Church of England, assisting a rector or vicar.—ns. Cur′acy, Cur′ateship, the office, employment, or benefice of a curate. [Low L. curatus, from L. cura, care.]

Curator, kūr-ā′tor, n. one who has the charge of anything: a superintendent: one appointed by law as guardian: a member of a board for electing university professors and the like:—fem. Curā′trix.—n. Curā′torship, the office of a curator. [L. curator, an overseer—curāre, to cure.]

Curb, kurb, v.t. to bend to one's will: to subdue: to restrain or check: to furnish with or guide by a curb.—n. that which curbs: a check or hinderance: a chain or strap attached to the bit of a bridle for restraining the horse.—adjs. Curb′able; Curb′less.—ns. Curb′-roof, a roof whose upper rafters have a less inclination than the lower ones; Curb′stone, Kerb′stone, a stone placed edgeways against earth or stone work to check it. [Fr. courber, from L. curvus, crooked, bent.]

Curch, kurch, n. a covering for the head, a kerchief.

Curculio, kur-kū′li-o, n. the fruit-weevil. [L.]

Curcuma, kur′kū-ma, n. a genus of plants yielding turmeric.—n. Cur′cumine, the colouring matter of turmeric. [Fr.,—Ar. kurkum, saffron.]

Curd, kurd, n. milk thickened or coagulated: the cheese part of milk, as distinguished from the whey.—n. Curd′iness.—v.i. Curd′le, to turn into curd: to congeal: to thicken.—v.t. to congeal.—adj. Curd′y, like or full of curd. [Prob. Celt.; Gael. gruth, Ir. cruth.]

Cure, kūr, n. care of souls or spiritual charge: care of the sick: act of healing: that which heals: a remedy, or course of remedial treatment.—v.t. to heal: to preserve, as by drying, salting, &c.:—pr.p. cūr′ing; pa.p. cūred.—adj. Cur′able, that may be cured.—ns. Cur′ableness, Curabil′ity, quality of being curable; Cure′-all, a panacea.—adjs. Cur′ative, Cur′atory, tending to cure; Cure′less, that cannot be cured.—ns. Cur′er, one who cures: a physician; Cur′ing-house, a house or place in which anything is cured, esp. a building in which sugar is drained, as in the West Indies. [O. Fr. cure—-L. cura, care; not the same as Care.]

Curé, kū′rā, n. a parish priest in France.

Curfew, kur′fū, n. in feudal times the ringing of a bell at eight o'clock, as a signal to put out all fires and lights. [O. Fr. covrefeu; couvrir, to cover, feu, fire—L. focus.]

Curia, kū′ri-a, n. one of the ten divisions of a Roman tribe: a building in which the senate met, a provincial senate: a court, legislative or judicial: the court of the papal see.—ns. Cū′rialism; Cū′rialist.—adj. Curialist′ic. [L.]

Curiet, kū′ri-et, n. (Spens.) a cuirass.

Curio, kū′ri-o, n. any article of virtu or bric-à-brac, or anything considered rare and curious.—n. Curiō′so, a collector or admirer of curios.

Curious, kū′ri-us, adj. anxious to learn: inquisitive: showing great care or nicety: skilfully made: singular: rare.—n. Curios′ity, state or quality of being curious: inquisitiveness: that which is curious: anything rare or unusual.—adv. Cū′riously.—n. Cū′riousness.—Curious arts (B.), magical practices. [Fr. curieux—L. curiosus—cura.]

Curl, kurl, v.t. to twist into ringlets: to coil.—v.i. to shrink into ringlets: to rise in undulations: to writhe: to ripple: to play at the game of curling.—n. a ringlet of hair, or what is like it: a wave, bending, or twist.—adjs. Curled; Curled′-pate (Shak.), having curled hair.—ns. Curl′er, one who, or that which, curls: a player at the game of curling; Curl′icue, a fantastic curl; Curl′iewurlie (Scot.), any fantastic round ornament; Curl′iness; Curl′ing, a game, common in Scotland, consisting in hurling heavy smooth stones along a sheet of ice.—ns.pl. Curl′ing ī′rons, Curl′ing-tongs, an iron instrument used for curling the hair.—n. Curl′ing-stone, a heavy stone with a handle, used in curling.—adjs. Curl′y, having curls: full of curls; Curl′y-head′ed. [M. E. crull; Dut. krullen, Dan. krolle, to curl.]

Curlew, kur′lū, n. one of the wading-birds, having a very long slender bill and legs, and a short tail. [O. Fr. corlieu; prob. from its cry.]

Curmudgeon, kur-muj′un, n. an avaricious, ill-natured fellow: a miser.—adj. Curmud′geonly. [Earlier corn-mudgin; mudge, mooch; M. E. muchen—O. Fr. mucier, to hide.]

Curmurring, kur-mur′ing, n. a rumbling sound, esp. that made in the bowels by flatulence. [Imit.]

Curr, kur, v.i. to cry like an owl, to purr like a cat, &c. [Imit.]

Currach, -agh, kur′ach, n. a coracle. [Gael.]

Currant, kur′ant, n. a small kind of raisin or dried grape imported from the Levant: the fruit of several species of ribes.—ns. Curr′ant-jell′y; Curr′ant-wine. [From Corinth.]

Current, kur′ent, adj. running or flowing: passing from person to person: generally received: now passing: present.—n. a running or flowing: a stream: a portion of water or air moving in a certain direction: course.—n. Curr′ency, circulation: that which circulates, as the money of a country: general estimation.—adv. Curr′ently.—n. Curr′entness, state of being current: general acceptance.—Pass current, to be received as genuine. [L. currens, -ent-is—currĕre), to run.]

Curricle, kur-i′kl, n. a two-wheeled open chaise, drawn by two horses abreast: a chariot.—n. Curric′ulum, a course, esp. the course of study at a university. [L. curriculum, from currĕre.]

Currish, Currishly, &c. See Cur.

Curry, kur′i, n. a kind of sauce or seasoning much used in India, compounded of pepper, ginger, and other spices: a stew mixed with curry-powder.—n. Curr′y-pow′der. [Tamil kari, sauce.]

Curry, kur′i, v.t. to dress leather: to rub down and dress a horse: to beat: to scratch:—pr.p. curr′ying; pa.p. curr′ied.—ns. Curr′ier, one who curries or dresses tanned leather; Curr′y-comb, an iron instrument or comb used for currying or cleaning horses; Curr′ying.—Curry favour (corruption of Curry favell, to curry the chestnut horse), to seek favour by flattery. [O. Fr. correier (mod. corroyer), conrei, outfit, from a supposed Low L. form conredāre, con-, with, rēdāre, seen in Array.]

Curry, Currie, obsolete forms of Quarry.

Curse, kurs, v.t. to invoke or wish evil upon: to devote to perdition: to vex or torment.—v.i. to utter imprecations: to swear.—n. the invocation or wishing of evil or harm upon: evil invoked on another: torment: any great evil.—adj. Curs′ed, under a curse: blasted by a curse: hateful.—adv. Curs′edly.—ns. Curs′edness; Curs′er; Curs′ing.—adj. Curst, cursed: deserving a curse: ill-tempered: shrewish: froward.—n. Curst′ness, state of being curst: peevishness: frowardness. [A.S. cursian—curs, a curse; ety. dub.; not conn. with Cross.]

Cursitor, kur′si-tor, n. a clerk or officer in the Court of Chancery who makes out original writs. [Low L. cursitor, from the words 'de cursu,' applied in the statute to ordinary writs.]

Cursive, kur′siv, adj. written with a running hand, of handwriting: flowing.—adv. Cur′sively. [Low L. cursivus—L. currĕre, to run.]

Cursorial, kur-sō′ri-al, adj. adapted for running.—n.pl. Cursō′res, an order of birds variously limited.

Cursory, kur′sor-i, adj. hasty: superficial: careless.—adj. Cur′sorary (Shak.), cursory.—adv. Cur′sorily.—n. Cur′soriness. [L. currĕre, cursum, to run.]

Curst. See Curse.

Cursus, kur′sus, n. a race-course: a form of daily prayer or service; an academic curriculum. [L.]

Curt, kurt, adj. short: concise: discourteously brief or summary.—adj. Curt′āte, shortened or reduced; applied to the distance of a planet from the sun or earth reduced to the plane of the ecliptic.—n. Curtā′tion.—adv. Curt′ly.—n. Curt′ness. [L. curtus, shortened.]

Curtail, kur-tāl′, v.t. to cut short: to cut off a part: to abridge:—pr.p. curtail′ing; pa.p. curtailed′.—ns. Curtail′ment; Curtail′-step, the rounded step at the bottom of a stair. [Old spelling curtal, O. Fr. courtault (It. cortaldo)—L. curtus.]

Curtain, kur′tin, n. drapery hung round and enclosing a bed, &c.: the part of a rampart between two bastions.—v.t. to enclose or furnish with curtains.—n. Cur′tain-lec′ture, a lecture or reproof given in bed by a wife to her husband.—Behind the curtain, away from public view; Draw the curtain, to draw it aside, so as to show what is behind, or in front of anything so as to hide it. [O. Fr. cortine—Low L. cortina; prob. L. cors, cortis, a court.]

Curtal, kur′tal, n. a horse with a curt or docked tail: anything docked or cut short.—adj. docked or shortened.—n. Cur′tal-frī′ar (Scott), a friar with a short frock. [Fr. courtaud—court. See Curtail.]

Curtal-ax, kur′tal-aks, Curt-axe, kurt′aks, n. (Spens.), a short, broad sword. [A corr. of the earlier forms coutelas, curtelas. See Cutlass.]

Curtilage, kur′til-āj, n. a court attached to a dwelling-house. [O. Fr. courtillage. See Court.]

Curtsy, Curtsey, kurt′si, n. an obeisance, made by bending the knees, proper to women and children.—v.i. to make a curtsy. [See Courtesy.]

Curule, kū′rōōl, adj. applied to a chair in which the higher Roman magistrates had a right to sit. [L. curulis—currus, a chariot.]

Curve, kurv, n. anything bent: a bent or curved line: an arch.—v.t. to bend: to form into a curve.—adjs. Cur′vāte, -d, curved or bent in a regular form.—n. Curvā′tion.—adj. Cur′vative.—n. Cur′vature, a curving or bending: the continual bending or the amount of bending from a straight line.—adjs. Curved; Cur′vicaudate, having a crooked tail; Curvicos′tate, having curved ribs; Curvifō′liate, having curved leaves; Cur′viform; Cur′ving; Curviros′tral, with the bill curved downward; Cur′vital, of or pertaining to curvature.—n. Cur′vity, the state of being curved. [L. curvus, crooked.]

Curvet, kur′vet, kur-vet′, n. a light leap of a horse in which he raises his forelegs together, next the hindlegs with a spring before the forelegs touch the ground: a leap, frolic.—v.i. (kur-vet′, kur′vet) to leap in curvets: to frisk:—pr.p. curvet′ting, curvet′ing; pa.p. cur′veted. [It. corvetta, dim. of corvo—L. curvus.]

Curvilinear, kur-vi-lin′i-ar, Curvilineal, kur-vi-lin′i-al, adj. bounded by curved lines.—n. Curvilinear′ity. [L. curvus, and linearis—linea, a line.]

Cuscus, kus′kus, n. the grain of the African millet. Same as Couscous. [Fr. couscou.]

Cuscus, kus′kus, n. the fibrous root of an Indian grass, used for making fans, &c. [Pers. khas khas.]

Cushat, koosh′at, n. the ringdove or wood-pigeon. [A.S. cúscute, the former part of dub. origin, the latter derived from scéotan, to shoot.]

Cushion, koosh′un, n. a case filled with some soft, elastic stuff, for resting on: a pillow: the 'pillow' used in making bone-lace: an engraver's pad: the rubber of an electrical machine: a pad supporting a woman's hair: the elastic lining of the inner side of a billiard-table: a body of steam remaining in the cylinder of a steam-engine, acting as a buffer to the piston.—v.t. to seat on or furnish with a cushion.—p.adj. Cush′ioned, furnished with a cushion, padded: having cushion-tires.—ns. Cush′ionet, a little cushion; Cush′ion-tire, a bicycle tire made of india-rubber tubing, with india-rubber stuffing.—adj. Cush′iony, like a cushion, soft. [O. Fr. coissin—L. coxinum, coxa, hip.]

Cusk, kusk, n. the torsk: the burbot.

Cusp, kusp, n. a point: the point or horn of the moon, &c.: (archit.) a small projecting ornament common in Gothic tracery.—adjs. Cus′pidāte, -d (bot.), having a sharp end, as the canine teeth. [L. cuspis, cuspid-is, a point.]

Cuspidor, kus′pi-dor, n. a spittoon.—Also Cus′pidore. [Port.,—L. conspuĕre, to spit upon.]

Cuss, kus, n. (slang) a fellow: an expletive.—adj. Cuss′ed, cursed.—n. Cuss′edness, contrariness. [Obviously Curse; prob. in the personal sense with a supposed reference to Customer.]

Custard, kus′tard, n. a composition of milk, eggs, &c., sweetened and flavoured.—ns. Cus′tard-app′le, the fruit of a West Indian tree, having an eatable pulp, like a custard; Cus′tard-coff′in (Shak.), the paste or crust which covers a custard. [Earlier custade, a corr. of crustade, a pie with crust. See Crust.]

Custody, kus′to-di, n. a watching or guarding: care: security: imprisonment.—adj. Custō′dial.—ns. Custō′dian, Cus′tode, Custō′dier, Cus′tos, one who has care, esp. of some public building. [L. custodia, from custos, custodis, a keeper.]

Custom, kus′tum, n. what one is wont to do: usage: frequent repetition of the same act: regular trade or business: a tax on goods: (pl.) duties imposed on imports and exports.—adj. Cus′tomable, customary: common.—adv. Cus′tomarily.—n. Cus′tomariness.—adjs. Cus′tomary, according to use and wont: holding or held by custom; Cus′tomed, accustomed: usual.—ns. Cus′tomer, one accustomed to frequent a certain place of business: a buyer: (slang) a person; Cus′tom-house, the place where customs or duties on exports and imports are collected.—adj. Cus′tom-shrunk (Shak.), having fewer customers than formerly. [O. Fr. custume, costume—L. consuetud-inem, consuescĕre, to accustom.]

Custrel, kus′trėl, n. attendant on a knight: a villain. [O. Fr. coustillier, coustille, a dagger.]

Cut, kut, v.t. to make an incision in: to cleave or pass through: to divide: to carve, hew, or fashion by cutting: to wound or hurt: to affect deeply: to shorten: to break off acquaintance with, to pass intentionally without saluting: to renounce, give up: to castrate: to perform or execute, as 'to cut a caper.'—v.i. to make an incision: to pass, go quickly: (slang) to run away, to be off: to twiddle the feet rapidly in dancing:—pr.p. cut′ting; pa.t. and pa.p. cut.—n. a cleaving or dividing: a stroke or blow: an act of unkindness: the card obtained by cutting or dividing the pack: an incision or wound: a piece cut off: an engraved block, or the picture from it: manner of cutting, or, fashion: (pl.) a lot.—n. Cut′away′, a coat with the skirt cut away in a curve in front—also adj.—ns. Cut′-off, that which cuts off or shortens, a straighter road, a shorter channel cut by a river across a bend: a contrivance for saving steam by regulating its admission to the cylinder; Cut′purse (Shak.), one who stole by Cutter. cutting off and carrying away purses (the purses being worn at the girdle): a pickpocket; Cut′ter, the person or thing that cuts: in a tailor's shop, the one who measures and cuts out the cloth: a small vessel with one mast, a mainsail, a forestaysail, and a jib set to bowsprit-end, any sloop of narrow beam and deep draught; Cut′-throat, an assassin: ruffian; Cut′ting, a dividing or lopping off: an incision: a piece cut off: a paragraph from a newspaper: a piece of road or railway excavated: a twig; Cut′-wa′ter, the fore-part of a ship's prow.—Cut a dash, or figure, to make a conspicuous appearance; Cut-and-come-again, abundant supply, from the notion of cutting a slice, and returning at will for another; Cut-and-cover, a method of forming a tunnel by cutting out, arching it over, and then covering in; Cut-and-dry, or Cut-and-dried, ready made, without the merit of freshness—from the state of herbs in the shop instead of the field; Cut and run, to be off quickly; Cut down, to take down the body of one hanged by cutting the rope: to reduce, curtail; Cut in, to strike into, as to a conversation, a game at whist; Cut it too fat, to overdo a thing; Cut off, to destroy, put to an untimely death: intercept: stop; Cut off with a shilling, to disinherit, bequeathing only a shilling; Cut one's stick, to take one's departure; Cut out, to shape: contrive: debar: supplant: to take a ship out of a harbour, &c., by getting between her and the shore; Cut short, to abridge: check; Cut the coat according to the cloth, to adapt one's self to circumstances; Cut the teeth, to have the teeth grow through the gums—of an infant; Cut the throat of (fig.), to destroy utterly; Cut up, to carve: eradicate: criticise severely: turn out (well or ill) when divided into parts; Cut up rough, to become quarrelsome.—A cut above (coll.), a degree or stage above; Short cut, or Near cut, a short way. [Prob. W. cwtau, shorten.]

Cutaneous. See Cutis.

Cutch, kuch, n. the commercial name for catechu, from the Indian name kut.

Cutcherry, kuch′ėr-i, n. an office for public business, a court-house.—Also Cutch′ery. [Hind.]

Cute, kūt, adj. an aphetic form of Acute.

Cuthbert, kuth′bert, n. the apostle of Northumbria (635-687), whose name lives in (St) Cuthbert's Beads, a popular name for the perforated joints of encrinites found on Holy Island; (St) Cuthbert's duck, the eider-duck.

Cutikins, kōō′ti-kinz, n.pl. (Scot.) spatterdashes—also Cuitikins.

Cutis, kū′tis, n. the skin: the true skin, as distinguished from the cuticle.—adj. Cutān′eous, belonging to the skin.—n. Cū′ticle, the outermost or thin skin.—adj. Cutic′ular, belonging to the cuticle. [L.]

Cutlass, kut′las, n. a short, broad sword, with one cutting edge, used in the navy. [Fr. coutelas, augmentative of couteau, knife, from L. cultellus, dim. of culter, a ploughshare, a knife.]

Cutler, kut′lėr, n. one who makes or sells knives.—n. Cut′lery, the business of a cutler: edged or cutting instruments in general. [Fr. coutelier, coutel, knife.]

Cutlet, kut′let, n. a slice of meat cut off for cooking, esp. of mutton or veal—generally the rib and the meat belonging to it. [Fr. côtelette, dim. of côte, from L. costa, a rib.]

Cuttle, kut′l, n. a kind of mollusc, remarkable for its power of ejecting a black inky liquid—also Cutt′le-fish.—n. Cutt′le-bone, the internal shell or bone of the cuttle-fish, used for making tooth-powder and for polishing the softer metals. [A.S. cudele.]

Cutto, Cuttoe, kut′o, n. a large knife.

Cutty, kut′i, adj. (Scot.) short, curtailed.—n. a short clay pipe: a short, dumpy girl: applied to a woman, a term of reprobation, serious or playful.—n. Cutt′y-stool, the stool of repentance in old Scotch church discipline. [Cut.]

Cuvette, küv-et′, n. a trench sunk along the middle of a dry ditch or moat.—Also Cunette′. [Fr.]

Cyanogen, sī-an′o-jen, n. a compound of carbon, obtained by decomposing the cyanide of mercury by heat, so called from being an essential ingredient in the formation of Prussian blue.—n. Cy′anate, a salt of cyanic acid.—adj. Cyan′ic, of or belonging to cyanogen.—ns. Cy′anide, a direct compound of cyanogen with a metal; Cy′anine, the blue colouring matter of violets, &c.; Cy′anite, a mineral composed of alumina and silica, generally sky-blue; Cyanom′eter, an instrument for measuring the degrees of blueness of the sky or ocean; Cyanō′sis, morbid lividness of the skin, blue jaundice.—adj. Cyanot′ic.—ns. Cyan′otype, a photograph on paper sensitised by a cyanide; Cyan′uret, a cyanide.—Cyanic acid, an acid composed of cyanogen and oxygen. [Gr. kyanos, blue.]

Cyar, sī′ar, n. the internal auditory meatus.

Cyathiform, sī′a-thi-form, adj. like a cup a little widened at top.

Cycad, sī′kad, n. an order allied to Coniferæ, but in appearance rather resembling ferns and palms.—adj. Cycadā′ceous. [Formed from Gr. kykas, an erroneous form of koikas, koiks, the doom-palm.]

Cyclamen, sik′lä-men, n. a genus of Primulaceæ, native to southern Europe. [Formed from Gr. kyklamis, -inos.]

Cycle, sī′kl, n. a period of time in which events happen in a certain order, and which constantly repeats itself: an imaginary circle or orbit in the heavens: a series of poems, prose romances, &c., centring round a figure or event—also Cy′clus: an abbreviation for bicycle and tricycle.—v.i. to move in cycles: to ride or take exercise on a bicycle or tricycle.—adjs. Cy′clic, -al, pertaining to or containing a cycle.—ns. Cy′clist, for bicyclist or tricyclist; Cy′clograph, an instrument for describing the arcs of circles that have too large a curvature for compasses; Cy′cloid, a figure like a circle: a curve made by a point in a circle, when the circle is rolled along a straight line.—adj. Cycloid′al.—ns. Cycloid′ian, one of the fourth order of fishes, according to the classification of Agassiz, having cycloid scales with smooth edges, as the salmon; Cyclom′eter, an instrument for measuring circular arcs: an apparatus attached to the wheel of a cycle for registering the distance traversed; Cy′clorn, a cycle-horn. [Gr. kyklos, a circle.]

Cyclone, sī′klōn, n. a circular or rotatory storm.—adj. Cyclon′ic. [Coined from Gr. kyklōn, pr.p. of kykloein, to whirl round—kyklos.]

Cyclopædia, Cyclopedia, sī-klō-pē′di-a, n. the circle or compass of human knowledge: a work containing information on every department, or on a particular department, of knowledge, usually arranged alphabetically.—adjs. Cyclopæ′dic, Cyclope′dic. [Gr. kyklos, a circle, and paideia, learning.]

Cyclops, sī′klops, n. one of a fabled race of giants who lived chiefly in Sicily, with one eye in the middle of the forehead: a genus of minute freshwater copepods with an eye in front:—pl. Cyclō′pes.—adjs. Cyclopē′an, Cyclop′ic, relating to or like the Cyclops: giant-like: vast: pertaining to a prehistoric style of masonry with immense stones of irregular form. [Gr. kyklōps—kyklos, a circle, and ōps, an eye.]

Cyclorama, sī-klo-rä′ma, n. a circular panorama painted on the inside of a cylindrical surface appearing in natural perspective. [Formed from Gr. kyklos, circle, horama, view.]

Cyclosis, sī-klō′sis, n. circulation, as of blood.

Cyclyolostomous, sī-klos′tō-mus, adj. round-mouthed, as a lamprey.

Cyclostyle, sī′klo-stīl, n. an apparatus for multiplying copies of a writing. [Formed from Gr. kyklos, circle, and Style.]

Cyder. Same as Cider.

Cygnet, sig′net, n. a young swan. [Acc. to Diez, a dim. of Fr. cygne, whose old form cisne (Sp. cisne, a swan) is from Low L. cecinus, not conn. with L. cygnus, Gr. kyknos, a swan.]

Cylinder, sil′in-dėr, n. a solid circular or roller-like body, whose ends are equal parallel circles: (mech.) applied to many cylindrical parts of machines, as any rotating cylindrical portion of a printing-press.—adjs. Cylindrā′ceous, somewhat cylindrical; Cylin′dric, -al, having the form or properties of a cylinder.—n. Cylindric′ity.—adj. Cylin′driform, in the form of a cylinder.—n. Cyl′indroid, a body like a cylinder, but having its base elliptical. [Gr. kylindros, kylindein, to roll.]

Cyma, sī′ma, n. a moulding of the cornice, an ogee.—ns. Cym′agraph, an instrument for tracing the outline of mouldings; Cymā′tium, a cyma. [Gr. kyma, a billow.]

Cymar, si-mär′, n. a loose light dress worn by ladies. [See Chimer.]

Cymbal, sim′bal, n. a hollow brass, basin-like, musical instrument, beaten together in pairs.—ns. Cym′balist, a cymbal-player; Cym′balo, the dulcimer.—adj. Cym′biform, boat-shaped. [L. cymbalum—Gr. kymbanon—kymbē, the hollow of a vessel.]

Cyme, sīm, n. a young shoot: (bot.) term applied to all forms of inflorescence which are definite or centrifugal.—adjs. Cym′oid, Cym′ose, Cym′ous. [L. cyma—Gr. kyma, a sprout.]

Cymophane, sī′mō-fān, n. chrysoberyl.—adj. Cymoph′anous, opalescent. [Formed from Gr. kyma, wave, phainein, to show.]

Cymric, kim′rik, adj. Welsh.—n. Cym′ry, the Welsh, [W. Cymru, Wales.]

Cynanche, si-nang′kē, n. a name of various diseases of the throat or windpipe, esp. quinsy. [Gr., kyōn, a dog, anchein, to throttle.]

Cynic, -al, sin′ik, -al, adj. dog-like: surly: snarling: austere; misanthropic.—ns. Cynan′thropy, lycanthropy; Cyn′ic, one of a sect of philosophers founded by Antisthenes of Athens (born c. 444 B.C.), characterised by an ostentatious contempt for riches, arts, science, and amusements—so called from their morose manners: a morose man: a snarler; Cyn′icism, surliness: contempt for human nature: heartlessness, misanthropy.—adv. Cyn′ically.—n. Cyn′icalness. [Gr. kynikos, dog-like—kyōn, kynos, a dog; cf. L. can-is.]

Cynocephalus, sī-no-sef′al-us, n. the dog-faced baboon: a race of men with dogs' heads. [Gr. kyōn, kynos, dog, kephalē, head.]

Cynosure, sin′o-shōōr, or sī′, n. the dog's tail, a constellation (Ursa minor) containing the north-star; hence anything that strongly attracts attention or admiration. [Gr. kyōn, kynos, a dog, oura, a tail.]

Cyperus, sip-ē′rus, n. a tropical genus of Cyperaceæ.—adj. Cyperā′ceous, belonging to, or like, sedge plants. [From Gr. kypeiros, sedge.]

Cypher. Same as Cipher.

Cy pres, sē prā, in the law of charitable trusts in England, the principle of applying the money to some object as near as possible to the one specified, when this has become impracticable. [O. Fr.]

Cypress, sī′pres, n. an evergreen tree whose branches used to be carried at funerals; hence a symbol of death.—adj. Cyp′rine. [O. Fr. ciprès (Fr. cyprès)—L. cupressus—Gr. kyparissos.]

Cyprian, sip′ri-an, adj. belonging to the island of Cyprus: lewd, licentious—Cyprus being the place where Venus was worshipped.—n. a native of Cyprus—also Cyp′riot: a lewd woman.

Cyprus, sī′prus, n. a thin, transparent, black stuff, a kind of crape.—n. Cy′prus-lawn (Milt.). [Prob. named from the island of Cyprus.]

Cyrenaic, sī-rin-ā′ik, adj. pertaining to Cyrene, or to the hedonism of its philosopher Aristippus, a pupil of Socrates.

Cyrillic, sir-il′ik, adj. pertaining to the alphabet attributed to St Cyril (9th cent.), distinguished from the other Slavonic alphabet, the Glagolitic.

Cyst, sist, n. a bag in animal bodies containing morbid matter.—adjs. Cyst′ic, Cyst′iform, Cystoid′, having the form of, or contained in, a cyst or bag.—ns. Cys′ticle, a small cyst; Cystī′tis, inflammation of the bladder; Cys′tocele, a hernia formed by the protrusion of the bladder; Cystō′ma, a tumour containing cysts; Cystot′omy, the operation of cutting into the bladder to remove extraneous matter. [Low L. cystis—Gr. kystis, a bladder.]

Cytherean, sith-e-rē′an, adj. pertaining to Venus. [L. Cythereus—Cythera, an island in the Ægean Sea (now Cerigo), celebrated for the worship of Venus.]

Cytisus, sit′i-sus, n. a group of hardy leguminous shrubby plants, with yellow, white, or purple flowers, chiefly in the warmer temperate parts of the Old World. [Gr. kytisos.]

Cytoblast, sī′to-blast, n. the nucleus or germinal spot of a cellule, from which the organic cell is developed.—n. Cytogen′esis, cell-formation. [Gr. kytos, a vessel, blastanein, to bud.]

Czar, Tsar, tsär, or zär, n. the emperor of Russia:—fem. Czari′na, Tsari′na.—ns. Czar′evitch, Tsar-, a son of a czar.—Cesar′evitch is the title of the eldest son, and Cesarev′na, of his wife.—ns. Czarev′na, Tsarev′na, a daughter of a czar. [Russ. tsari, a king; conn. with Ger. kaiser, ult. from L. cæsar, a king or emperor.]

Czardas, zär′das (Hung. pron. chär′dosh), n. a Hungarian national dance, consisting of two sections—a slow movement called a lassu or lassan, and a quick step, the friss or friska.

Czech, tshek, n. a member of the most westerly branch of the Slavic family of races, the term including the Bohemians, or Czechs proper, the Moravians, and the Slovaks: the language of the Czechs, Bohemian, closely allied to Polish.—adj., also Czech′ic.

---

the fourth letter in our alphabet, as well as in the Phœnician, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, from which last it was immediately derived—its sound the soft dental mute: (mus.) the second note in the natural scale.

Dab, dab, v.t. to strike gently with something soft or moist, to smear:—pr.p. dab′bing; pa.p. dabbed.—n. a gentle blow: a small lump of anything soft or moist: a species of flounder of light-brown colour, with small dark spots and rough, close-set scales.—ns. Dab′ber, a sort of pad for dabbing ink on engraved wood blocks or plates; Dab′chick, a small water-fowl, a kind of grebe. [First about 1300; cf. Old Dut. dabben, to pinch; Ger. tappe, a pat. Confused with Daub and Tap.]

Dab, dab, n. an expert person.—n. Dab′ster (coll.). [Prob. a corr. of Adept.]

Dabble, dab′l, v.t. to spatter with moisture.—v.i. to play in water with hands or feet: to do anything in a trifling way.—n. Dabb′ler, one who does things superficially.—adv. Dabb′lingly. [Freq. of Dab.]

Da capo, dä kä′pō, a term in music, frequently placed at the end of a movement, indicating that the performer must return to the beginning of the music—usually written D.C. [It., 'from the beginning'—L. de, from, caput, head.]

Dace, dās, Dare, dār, Dart, därt, n. a small river fish of the carp family, and of the same genus as the roach, chub, minnow, &c. [M. E. darce—O. Fr. dars—Low L. dardus, a dart or javelin—of Teut. origin. So called from its quickness.]

Dachshund, daks′hoond, n. a badger-dog. [Ger. dachs, a badger, hund, dog.]

Dacker, dak′ėr, Daker, dā′kėr, v.i. (Scot.) to lounge, saunter.—Also Daik′er.

Dacoit, da-koit′, n. one of a gang of robbers in India and Burma—also Dakoit′.—ns. Dacoit′y, Dacoit′age, robbery by gang-robbers, brigandage. [Hind. dākāīt, a robber.]

Dacryoma, dak-ri-ō′ma, n. stoppage of the tear duct. [Formed from Gr. dakry, a tear.]

Dactyl, dak′til, n. in Latin and Greek poetry, a foot of three syllables, one long followed by two short, so called from its likeness to the joints of a finger; in English, a foot of three syllables, with the first accented, as mer'rily, vi'olate.—adjs. Dac′tylar, Dactyl′ic, relating to or consisting chiefly of dactyls.—ns. Dactyl′iomancy, divination by means of a finger-ring; Dac′tylist; Dactylog′raphy, the science of finger-rings; Dactylol′ogy, the art of talking with the fingers, like the deaf and dumb. [L. dactylus—Gr. daktylos, a finger.]

Dad, dad, Daddy, dad′i, n. father, a word used by children.—n. Dadd′y-long-legs, the crane-fly, a familiar insect with long body, legs, and antennæ. [Prob. Celt., W. tad, Bret, tad, tat; cf. Gr. tata.]

Dad, dad, v.t. to throw against something: to dash.—n. a lump: a piece: a blow. [Der. unknown.]

Daddle, dad′l, v.i. to walk in an unsteady manner, as a child or very old person: to totter:—pr.p. dadd′ling; pa.p. dadd′led. [Perh. conn. with Dawdle.]

Daddle, dad′l, n. (slang) the hand.

Daddock, dad′ok, n. (prov.) the heart of a rotten tree.

Dado, dā′do, n. in classical architecture, the cubic block forming the body of a pedestal: a skirting of wood along the lower part of the walls of a room, often represented merely by wall-paper, painting, &c. [It.,—L. datus (talus, a die, being understood), given or thrown forth—dāre, to give.]

Dædal, dē′dal, Dædalian, de-dā′li-an, adj. formed with art: displaying artistic skill: intricate. [From L. Dædalus, Gr. Daidalos, the mythical artist who constructed the Cretan labyrinth.]

Dæmon, dē′mon, n. a spirit holding a middle place between gods and men, like the dæmon or good genius of Socrates.—adj. Dæ′monic, supernatural: of power or intelligence more than human. [L. dæmon—Gr. daimōn, a spirit, a genius, and later a devil. See Demon.]

Daff, daf, v.i. to play, to play the fool.—n. Daff′ing (Scot.), foolery, gaiety. [M. E. daf, deaf, prob. Ice. dawfr (Sw. döf, Dan. döv), deaf.]

Daff, daf, v.t. (Shak.) to put off. [A variant of Doff.]

Daffodil, daf′o-dil, Daffodilly, daf′o-dil-i, Daffodowndilly, daf′o-down-dil′i, n. a yellow flower of the lily tribe—also called King's spear. [M. E. affodille—O. Fr. asphodile—Gr. asphodelus; the d is prefixed accidentally.]

Daft, daft, adj. (Scot.) silly, weak-minded, insane, unreasonably merry.—adv. Daft′ly.—n. Daft′ness. [See Daff.]

Dag, dag, n. a dagger: a hand-gun or heavy pistol, used in the 15th and 16th centuries.—Also Dagge. [Fr. dague; Celt.; cf. Bret. dag.]

Dagger, dag′ėr, n. a short sword for stabbing at close quarters: (print.) a mark of reference (Dagger), the double dagger (Double Dagger) being another.—At daggers drawn, in a state of hostility; Look daggers, to look in a hostile manner. [M. E. dagger—W. dagr (Ir. daigear); cf. Fr. dague.]

Daggle, dag′l, v.t. and v.i. to wet or grow wet by dragging on the wet ground.—n. Dagg′le-tail, a slattern.—adj. slatternly. [Freq. of prov. Eng. dag, to sprinkle, from a Scand. root seen in Sw. dagg.]

Dago, dā′go, n. (U.S.) a name applied loosely to Spanish- and Italian-born men. [Prob. a corr. of Sp. Diego—L. Jacobus.]

Dagoba, dag′o-ba, n. in Ceylon, a dome-like structure of solid masonry, containing relics of a Buddhist saint. [Singh. dāgaba.]

Dagon, dā′gon, n. the national god of the Philistines, half-man, half-fish. [Heb. dāgōn—dag, fish.]

Daguerreotype, da-ger′o-tīp, n. a method of taking pictures on metal plates by the light of the sun: a photograph fixed on a plate of copper by a certain process.—adj. Daguer′rēan.—n. Daguerrē′otypy, the art of daguerreotyping. [Fr., from Louis Daguerre (1789-1851).]

Dagwood. See Dogwood.

Dahabeeah, da-ha-bē′a, n. a Nile-boat with oars, one or two masts, and lateen sails.—Also Dahabi′eh, Dahabi′yeh. [Ar. dahabīya.]

Dahlia, dāl′i-a, n. a genus of garden plants with large flowers. [From Dahl, a Swedish botanist.]

Daidle, dā′dl, v.i. a Scotch form of daddle: also to draggle.—adj. Daid′ling, feeble: dawdling.

Daiker, dā′ker, v.i. (prov.) to deck out.

Daily, dā′li, adj. and adv. every day.—n. a daily paper.

Daimio, dī′myo, n. a Japanese territorial noble under the old feudal system. [Jap.]

Dainty, dān′ti, adj. pleasant to the palate: delicate: fastidious: (Spens.) elegant.—n. that which is dainty, a delicacy.—adj. Daint (Spens.).—adv. Dain′tily.—n. Dain′tiness. [M. E. deintee, anything worthy or costly. O. Fr. daintié, worthiness—L. dignitat-em—dignus, worthy.]

Dairy, dā′ri, n. the place where milk is kept, and butter and cheese made: an establishment for the supply of milk.—ns. Dai′ry-farm; Dai′rying; Dai′rymaid; Dai′ryman. [M. E. deye.—Ice. deigja, a dairymaid; orig. a kneader of dough.]