Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary 1908/Chapman Chrysoprase

Chapman, chap′man, n. one who buys or sells: an itinerant dealer, a pedlar: (obs.) a purchaser.—n. , 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. .—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. pa.p. charred.—adj. , 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. ').—v.t. to engrave, imprint, write: to represent, delineate, or describe.—n. '.—v.t. ', to describe by peculiar qualities: to distinguish or designate.—ns. '; ', that which marks or constitutes the character.—adjs. ', ', marking or constituting the peculiar nature.—adv. '.—adj. ', without character or distinctive qualities.—ns. '; , 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. , 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. ', liable to be charged, imputable: blamable: (B.) burdensome.—n. '.—adv. '.—adj. ' (Shak.), expensive.—n. ' (Shak.), a common school where a fee was charged, in distinction to a free-school.—adj. '.—n. , 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. , 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. . [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. ', of or relating to charity: liberal to the poor.—n. '.—adv. .—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. '.—ns. ', . [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.  (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. '.—adj. ', abounding with charms.—p.adj. ', highly pleasing: delightful: fascinating.—adv. '.—adj. , 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. , 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. '; '. [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  , 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. , 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. ', 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; ', 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. , 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. '.—n. '. [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. , 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. ', one who practises chasing; ', 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; . [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. '.—ns. ', the quality of being chaste; , 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. ', purified: modest.—n. '.

Chastise, chas-tīz′, v.t. to inflict punishment upon for the purpose of correction: to reduce to order or to obedience.—adj. '.—n. '.



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. pa.p. —n. familiar, idle talk.—n. '.—adj. ', 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 a castellan; , 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. ', one who chatters or talks incessantly; ', 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; , 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. , 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 . [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. , 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. ', '.—adj. . [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. , 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. ', 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. '.—adv. '.—n. '.—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. ', one who cheats: (Shak.) an officer who collected the fines to be paid into the Exchequer; ' (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. ', a clerk who checks accounts, &c.; ', one who hinders or rebukes; ', a board on which checkers or draughts is played; ', a latch-key; ', 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. ', a coupling rein, a strap hindering the horse from lowering its head; ', a string by which the occupant of a carriage may attract the driver's notice; ', the collector of admission tickets at a theatre, railway-train, &c.; , 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 . [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. ', the bone of the cheek; ', a dilatation of the skin of the cheek, forming a bag outside the teeth, as in monkeys, &c.; ', a molar tooth.—adj. ', 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. ', one who, or that which, cheers.—adj. ', of good spirits: joyful: lively.—advs. ', '.—ns. '; '; ' (Milton), cheerfulness.—adj. ', without comfort: gloomy.—n. '.—adj. ', cheerful.—adv. in a cheery manner: heartily.—adj. , 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. ', a cake made of soft curds, sugar, and butter, or whipped egg and sugar; ', the larva of a small fly, remarkable for its leaping power, found in cheese; ', a very small insect which breeds in cheese; ', a dealer in cheese; ' (Shak.), paring, or rind, of cheese.—adj. mean and parsimonious.—ns. ', a machine in which curds for cheese are pressed; ', the plant Ladies' bed-straw, so called because used as rennet in curdling milk; ', a vat or wooden case in which curds are pressed; '.—adj. ', 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 '.—adj. '.—n. , [Gr. cheir, the hand, manteia, prophecy.]

Cheiroptera, kī-rop′tėr-a, n.pl. the order of Bats.—adj. . [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. . [Gr. cheir, hand, thērion, beast.]

Chela, kē′la, n. the prehensile claw of a crab or scorpion.—adj. '.—n. ', the book-scorpion.—adjs. '; '. [L.,—Gr. chēlē.]

Chela, chē′la, n. a novice in esoteric Buddhism.—n. . [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.  (-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. . [Gr. chelōnē, a tortoise.]

Chemise, she-mēz′, n. a woman's shirt or sark, a smock or shift.—n. , 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. ', ' (', in many compound words), ' (a Paracelsian term, Gr. chēmeia, chemistry, iatreia, medical treatment).—adv. '.—n.pl. ', substances which form the subject of chemical effects.—ns. ', chemical action; ', 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.).]

Chemitype, kemi′-tīp, n. the chemical process for obtaining casts in relief from an engraving.—n. .

Chemosh, kē′mosh, n. the national god of Moab: any false god.

Chenille, she-nēl′, n. a thick, velvety-looking cord of silk or wool (and so resembling a caterpillar), used in ornamental sewing and manufactured trimmings. [Fr. chenille, a caterpillar—L. canicula, a hairy little dog, canis, a dog.]

Cheque, Check, chek, n. a money order on a banker payable at demand.—ns. ', a book containing cheque forms given by a bank to its customers; ', ', a chess-board: alternation of colours, as on a chess-board: (pl.) draughts: chess-men.—v.t. to mark in squares of different colours: to variegate: interrupt.—adjs. ', ', variegated, like a chess-board: varying in character.—ns. ', any pattern having alternating squares of different colours; ', a cheque signed by the owner, but without having the amount to be drawn indicated; ', an ordinary cheque with two transverse lines drawn across it, which have the effect of making it payable only through a banker. [See Check.]

Cherimoyer, cher-i-moi′er, n. a Peruvian fruit resembling the custard-apple.—Also .

Cherish, cher′ish, v.t. to protect and treat with affection: to nurture, nurse: to entertain in the mind.—n. . [Fr. chérir, chérissant—cher, dear—L. carus.]

Cheroot, she-rōōt′, n. a cigar not pointed at either end. [Fr. cheroute, representing the Tamil name shuruttu, a roll (Colonel Yule).]

Cheroot. See Shaya-root.

Cherry, cher′i, n. a small bright-red stone-fruit: the tree that bears it.—adj. like a cherry in colour: ruddy.—ns. ', a pleasant liqueur made by steeping Morello cherries in brandy; ', the common English name for the Cerasus Lauro-Cerasus of Asia Minor; ', a West Indian species of Capsicum; ', a pie made of cherries; the common heliotrope; ', a game which consists in throwing cherry-stones into a small hole; ', the hard seed of the cherry. [A.S. ciris—L. cerasus—Gr. kerasos, a cherry-tree, said to be so named from Cerasus, a town in Pontus, from which the cherry was brought.]

Cherry, cher′i, v.t. (Spens.) to cheer.

Chersonese, ker′so-nēz, n. a peninsula, [Gr. cher-sonēsos—chersos, land, dry land, nēsos, an island.]

Chert, chėrt, n. a kind of quartz or flint: hornstone.—adj. , like or containing chert. [Prob. Celt.; Ir. ceart, a pebble.]

Cherub, cher′ub, n. a winged creature with human face, represented as associated with Jehovah, esp. drawing his chariot-throne: a celestial spirit: a beautiful child:—pl. ', ', '.—adjs. ', ', ', angelic.—adv. '.—n. ' (Shak.), a cherub. [Heb. k’rūb, pl. k’rūbīm.]

Cherup, cher′up, v.t. to urge on by chirruping.

Chervil, chėr′vil, n. an umbelliferous plant, cultivated as a pot-herb, and used in soups and for a garnish, &c., in the same manner as parsley. In Scotland the plant is commonly called Myrrh. [A.S. cerfille (Ger. kerbel)—L. cærefolium—Gr. chairephyllon.]

Chesil, chez′il, n. gravel: shingle: bran.—Also Chisel. [A.S. cisil.]

Chess, ches, n. a game of skill for two persons or parties, played with figures or 'pieces,' which are moved on a chequered board.—n. ', the board on which chess is played.—n.pl. ', pieces used in chess. [Fr. échecs; It. scacchi; Ger. schach. Orig. from Pers. sháh, a king.]

Chess, ches, n. one of the parallel planks of a pontoon-bridge—generally in pl.

Chessel, ches′el, n. a cheese mould or vat.

Chest, chest, n. a large strong box: the part of the body between the neck and the abdomen, the thorax.—adj. ', having a chest: placed in a chest.—n. ', in singing or speaking, a deep note, the lowest sound of the voice. [A.S. cyst; Scot. kist—L. cista—Gr. kistē.]

Chestnut, Chesnut, ches′nut, n. a nut or fruit enclosed in a prickly case: the tree that bears it: (slang) a stale joke or story.—adj. of a chestnut colour, reddish-brown. [O. Fr. chastaigne—L. castanea—Gr. kastanon, from Castana, in Pontus.]

Chetvert, chet′vert, n. a Russian dry measure, equal to 8 chetveriks.



Cheval-de-frise, she-val′-de-frēz, n. a piece of timber armed with spikes, used to defend a passage or to stop cavalry:—pl. Chevaux-de-frise —n. , a large glass or mirror supported on a frame. [Fr.,—cheval, horse; Frise, Friesland.]

Chevalier, shev-a-lēr′, n. a cavalier: a knight: a gallant. [Fr.,—cheval—L. caballus, a horse.]

Chevelure, shev′e-lūr, n. a head of hair: a periwig: the nebulous part of a comet. [Fr.,—L. capillatura—capillus, hair.]

Cheven, chev′en, n. the chub.—Also .

Cheverel, chev′ėr-el, n. a kid: soft, flexible leather made of kid-skin.—adj. like kid leather, pliable. [Fr. chevreau, a kid—chèvre; L. capra, a goat.]

Chevesaile, chev′e-sāl, n. an ornamental collar of a coat. [O. Fr. chevesaile—chevece, the neck.]

Cheviot, chē′vi-ot, or chev′i-ot, n. a hardy breed of short-wooled sheep reared on the Cheviot Hills: a cloth made from their wool.

Chevisance, shev′i-zäns, n. (Spens.) achievement, performance. [Fr.,—chevir, to accomplish; chef, the head, the end.]



Chevron, shev′ron, n. a rafter: (her.) the representation of two rafters of a house meeting at the top: the V-shaped band of worsted braid or gold lace worn on the sleeve of a non-commissioned officer's coat.—adjs. ', '. [Fr. chevron (Sp. cabrio), a rafter—L. capreolus, dim. of caper, a goat.]

Chevy, chev′i, Chivy, chiv′i, n. a cry, shout: a hunt.—v.t. to chase. [Perh. from 'Chevy Chase,' a well-known ballad relating a Border battle.]

Chew, chōō, v.t. to cut and bruise with the teeth: to masticate: (fig.) to meditate, reflect.—n. action of chewing: a quid of tobacco.—ns. ', a kind of pie or pudding made of various ingredients mixed together; ', a preparation made from a gum called chicle, produced by a Mexican tree allied to the india-rubber tree, sweetened and flavoured.—Chew the cud, to masticate a second time food that has already been swallowed and passed into the first stomach: to ruminate in thought. [A.S. ceówan; Ger. kauen; cf. Jaw.]

Chewet, chōō′et, n. a chough; (Shak.) a chatterer. [Fr. chouette, an owl.]

Chian, kī′an, adj. pertaining to Chios in the Ægean Sea.

Chianti, kē-an′ti, n. a red wine of Tuscany.

Chiaroscuro, kyär′o-skū-ro, n. distribution or blending of light and shade, the art of representing light in shadow and shadow in light.

Chiasm, kī′azm, n. (anat.) a decussation or intersection, esp. that of the optic nerves—also '.—n. ' (rhet.), contrast by parallelism in reverse order, as 'Do not live to eat, but eat to live.'—adj. . [Gr. chiasma, two lines crossed as in the letter X.]

Chiaus, chows, n. Same as Chouse.

Chibouk, Chibouque, chi-book′, n. a long straight-stemmed Turkish pipe for smoking. [Turk.]

Chic, shēk, n. style, fashion: adroitness.—adj. stylish, 'up to the mark.' [Fr.]

Chica, chē′ka, n. an orange-red dye-stuff, obtained by boiling the leaves of the Bignonia, a climber of the banks of the Cassiquiare and the Orinoco. [Native name.]

Chicane, shi-kān′, v.i. to use shifts and tricks.—v.t. to deceive.—n. a trick or artifice.—ns. ', one who chicanes: a quibbler; ', trickery or artifice, esp. in legal proceedings: quibbling; , quibbling. [Fr. chicane, sharp practice at law, most prob. from Late Gr. tzykanion, a game at mall, tzykaniz-ein, to play at mall—Pers. tchaugān, a crooked mallet.]

Chiccory. See Chicory.

Chich, chich, n. a dwarf pea. Same as Chick-pea.

Chicha, chēch′a, n. a South American liquor fermented from maize. [Haytian.]

Chick, chik, n. the young of fowls, esp. of the hen: a child, as a term of endearment.—ns. ', ', terms of endearment addressed to children; ', the young of birds, esp. of the hen: its flesh: a child: a faint-hearted person; ', a game at dice (see Hazard); ', a cowardly person.—adj. '.—ns. ', a contagious febrile disease, chiefly of children, and bearing some resemblance to a very mild form of small-pox; ', a little chicken; , a species of stitchwort, and one of the most common weeds of gardens and cultivated fields—for making poultices, and for feeding cage-birds, which are very fond of its leaves and seeds.—Mother Carey's chicken, a sailor's name for the Stormy Petrel; No chicken, one no longer young. [A.S. cicen; cf. Dut. kieken, Ger. küchlein.]

Chick-pea, chik′-pē, n. a dwarf species of pea cultivated for food in the south of Europe and other places. [Fr. chiche—L. cicer, and Pea.]

Chicory, Chiccory, chik′o-ri, n. a plant whose long carrot-like root is ground to adulterate coffee.—Also . [Fr. chicorée—L. cichorium, succory—Gr. kichōrion.]

Chide, chīd, v.t. to scold, rebuke, reprove by words: to be noisy about, as the sea.—v.i. to make a snarling, murmuring sound, as a dog or trumpet:—pr.p. pa.t. chid, (obs.) chōde; pa.p. chid, —ns. ' (Shak.), a quarrelsome person; ', scolding. [A.S. cídan.]

Chief, chēf, adj. head: principal, highest, first: (Scot.) intimate.—adv. chiefly.—n. a head or principal person: a leader: the principal part or top of anything: (her.) an ordinary, consisting of the upper part of the field cut off by a horizontal line, generally made to occupy one-third of the area of the shield.—ns. ', the President of the Court of Exchequer; ', ', state of being chief: sovereignty; ', an Irish chieftaincy: the dues paid to a chief; ', a female chief; ' (see Justice).—adj. ', without a chief or leader.—adv. ', in the first place: principally: for the most part.—ns. ', a rent paid to the supreme lord: a chief's lands; ', the head of a clan: a leader or commander:—fem. '; ', '; '.—In chief (her.) means that the charge is borne in the upper part of the shield: applied to holding land directly from the sovereign: at the head, as commander-in-chief. [Fr. chef—L. caput, the head.]

Chield, chēld, n. (Scot.) a lad, a young man.—Also Chiel. [A form of Child.]

Chiff-chaff, chif′-chaf, n. a small species of Warbler, so called from the resemblance of its notes to the syllables which form its name.

Chiffon, shif′ong, n. any merely ornamental part of a woman's dress.—n. , an ornamental cupboard: (Fr.) a rag-picker. [Fr.—chiffe, rag.]

Chiffre, shē′fr, n. (mus.) a figure used to denote the harmony. [Fr.]

Chig, chig, v.t. (prov.) to chew.—n. a chew, quid.

Chignon, shē′nyong, n. a general term for the long back-hair of women, when gathered up and folded into a roll on the back of the head and neck. [Fr., meaning first the nape of the neck, the joints of which are like the links of a chain—chaînon, the link of a chain—chaîne, a chain.]

Chigoe, chig′ō, Chigre, Chigger, n. a species of flea of the West Indies, the female of which buries itself beneath the toe-nails, and produces troublesome sores. [Fr. chique.]

Chikara, chi-kä′rä′, n. a four-horned goat-like antelope of Bengal.

Chikara, chik′a′rä, n. a Hindu musical instrument of the violin class.

Chilblain, chil′blān, n. a localised inflammation of the skin which occurs in cold weather on hands and feet, more rarely on ears and nose. [Chill and Blain.]

Child, chīld, n. an infant or very young person: (Shak.) a female infant: one intimately related to one older: expressing origin or relation, e.g. child of the East, child of shame, child of God, &c.: a disciple: a youth of gentle birth, esp. in ballads, &c.—sometimes Childe and Chylde: (pl.) offspring: descendants: inhabitants:—pl. '.—ns. ', the act of bringing forth children; ', the state of a woman brought to bed with child; ', the giving birth to a child: parturition; ', a nervous affection with spasm of the muscles closing the glottis.—adj. ' (Shak.), possessed of a child.—n. ', state of being a child: the time of one's being a child.—adjs. ' (Shak.), fruitful, teeming; ', of or like a child: silly: trifling.—adv. '.—ns. ', ', what is natural to a child: puerility.—adjs. ', without children; ', like a child: becoming a child: docile: innocent.—n. , a very young wife.—Child's play, something very easy to do: something slight.—From or Of a Child, since the days of childhood.—Second childhood, the childishness of old age.—With child, pregnant, e.g. Get with child, Be or Go with child. [A.S. cild, pl. cild, later cildru, -ra. The Ger. equivalent word is kind.]

Childermas-day, chil′dėr-mas-dā, n. an anniversary in the Church of England, called also Innocents' Day, held 28th December, to commemorate the slaying of the children by Herod. [Child, Mass, and Day.]

Chiliad, kil′i-ad, n. the number 1000: 1000 of anything.—ns. ', a plane figure having 1000 angles; ', a solid figure having 1000 sides; ', a leader or commander of a thousand men; ', the position of chiliarch; ', the doctrine that Christ will reign bodily upon the earth for 1000 years; ', one who holds this opinion. [Gr.,—chilioi, 1000.]

Chill, chil, n. coldness: a cold that causes shivering: anything that damps or disheartens.—adj. shivering with cold: slightly cold: opposite of cordial.—v.i. to grow cold.—v.t. to make chill or cold: to blast with cold: to discourage.—adj. Chilled, made cold: hardened by chilling, as iron.—n. '.—adj. ', cooling, cold.—n. .—adj. Chilly, that chills: somewhat chill.—Take the chill off, to give a slight heat: to make lukewarm. [A.S. cele, ciele, cold. See Cold, Cool.]

Chilli, chil′li, n. the seed pod or fruit of the capsicum, extremely pungent and stimulant, and employed in sauces, mixed pickles, &c.; when dried and ground, forms the spice called Cayenne pepper. [The Mexican name.]

Chillum, chil′um, n. the part of a hookah containing the tobacco and charcoal balls: a hookah itself: the act of smoking it. [Hind. chilam.]

Chiltern Hundreds. See Hundreds.

Chime, chīm, n. the harmonious sound of bells or other musical instruments: agreement of sound or of relation: harmony: (pl.) a set of bells.—v.i. to sound in harmony: to jingle: to accord or agree: to rhyme.—v.t. to strike, or cause to sound in harmony: to say words over mechanically.—Chime in, to join in, in agreement; Chime in with, to agree, or fall in with. [M. E. chimbe, prob. O. Fr. cymbale—L. cymbalum, a cymbal.]

Chime, Chimb, chīm, n. the rim formed by the ends of the staves of a cask: (naut.) a hollowed or bevelled channel in the waterway of a ship's deck. [Cog. with Dut. kim, Ger. kimme, edge.]

Chimer, shim′er, Chimere, shi-mēr, n. the upper robe worn by a bishop, to which lawn sleeves are attached. [O. Fr. chamarre; Sp. zamarra, chamarra, sheepskin.]

Chimera, Chimæra, ki-mē′ra, n. a fabulous, fire-spouting monster, with a lion's head, a serpent's tail, and a goat's body: any idle or wild fancy: a picture of an animal having its parts made up of various animals: a genus of cartilaginous fishes, often ranked along with the sharks and rays.—adjs. ', ', of the nature of a chimera: wild: fanciful.—adv. . [L.,—Gr. chimaira, a she-goat.]

Chimney, chim′ni, n. a passage for the escape of smoke or heated air from a furnace: in houses, that part of the passage which is built above the roof: anything of a like shape.—ns. ', or ', a cylindrical pipe of earthenware or other material placed at the top of a chimney to increase the draught; ', in old chimneys, the space between the fire and the wall forming the sides of the fireplace: fireside, commonly spoken of as the place for the aged and infirm; ', a shelf over the fireplace; ', the stalk of a chimney which rises above the building; ', a group of chimneys carried up together; ', a very tall chimney; ', the Hirundo rustica, a very common swallow: the chimney-swift; ', ', one who sweeps or cleans chimneys; , the top of a chimney.—Chimney-pot hat, a familiar name for the ordinary cylindrical hat of gentlemen. [Fr. cheminée—L. camīnus; Gr. kaminos, a furnace.]

Chimpanzee, chim-pan′zē, n. an African ape, the highest of the anthropoid or more man-like apes, belonging to the same genus as the gorilla. [West African.]

Chin, chin, n. the jutting part of the face below the mouth.—Up to the chin, deeply immersed. [A.S. cin; Ger. kinn, Gr. genys.]

China, chīn′a, n. fine kind of earthenware, originally made in China: porcelain.—ns. ', a common name of cinchona bark (derived not from the empire of China, but from. Kina or Quina, the Peruvian name of cinchona—see Quinine); ', a fine white clay used in making porcelain; ' (Bœhmeria nivea), a small shrubby-like plant, allied to the nettle, native to China; the fibre of this plant used for making ropes and cordage, and also in China for the manufacture of grass-cloth; ' (see Ink); ', a native of China; ', the root-stock of a Chinese shrubby plant, formerly used in Europe medicinally, but still in the East as a remedy in rheumatic or syphilitic cases; ', a name applied to several varieties of garden roses; ', a shop in which china, crockery, &c. are sold; ', porcelain-ware; ', a Chinaman.—adj. , of or belonging to China.—China aster (see Aster).

Chinch, chinch, n. the bed-bug in America. [Sp.,—L. cimic-em.]

Chinchilla, chin-chil′la, n. a small rodent quadruped of South America, valued for its soft gray fur: the fur itself. [Sp.]

Chincough, chin′kof, n. a disease, esp. of children, attended with violent fits of coughing: whooping-cough. [For chink-cough; Scot. kink-host, Dut. kinkhoest. See Chink and Cough.]

Chine, chīn, n. the spine or backbone: a piece of the backbone and adjoining parts for cooking: a ridge, crest.—v.t. (Spens.) to break the back. [O. Fr. eschine, prob. from Old High Ger. scina, a pin, thorn.]

Chiné, shē-nā′, adj. mottled in appearance, the warp being dyed in different colours, or from threads of different colours twisted together. [Fr., lit. 'Chinese.']

Chine, chīn, n. a ravine. [A.S. cinu, a cleft.]

Chink, chingk, n. a cleft, a narrow opening.—v.i. to crack.—v.t. to fill up cracks.—adj. , full of chinks. [Apparently formed upon M. E. chine, a crack—A.S. cinu, a cleft.]

Chink, chingk, n. the clink, as of coins.—v.i. to give forth a sharp sound. [From the sound.]

Chink, chingk, n. a gasp for breath.—v.i. to gasp—the northern form Kink. [Cf. Dut. kinken, to cough; Ger. keichen, to gasp.]

Chinkapin, ching′ka-pin, n. the dwarf chestnut, a native of the United States.—Also . [Ind.]

Chinook, chin-ōōk′, n. a trader's jargon, consisting of words from French and English, as well as Chinook and other Indian tongues.

Chintz, chints, n. a highly glazed printed calico, with a pattern generally in several colours on a white or light-coloured ground. [Orig. pl. of Hind, chint, spotted cotton-cloth.]

Chip, chip, v.t. to chop or cut into small pieces: to hew: of chickens, to break the shell of the egg in hatching: to pare away the crust of bread, &c.: to bet:—pr.p. pa.p. chipped.—n. a small piece of wood or other substance chopped off: (slang) a sovereign.—n. ', a cheap kind of hat, made of what is popularly called Brazilian grass, but really consisting of strips of the leaves of a palm (Chamærops argentea) imported from Cuba.—adj. ', abounding in chips: dry as a chip: seedy from an overdose of liquor.—Chip in, to supply one's part.—A chip of the old block, one with the characteristics of his father. [M. E. chippen, to cut in pieces. Conn. with Chop.]

Chipmuck, Chipmunk, chip′muk, -mungk, n. a kind of squirrel, common in North America.

Chippendale, chip′pen-dāl, adj. applied to a light style of drawing-room furniture, after the name of a well-known cabinet-maker of the 18th century. The name is also applied to a style of book plates.

Chiragra, kī-rag′ra, n. gout in the hand.—adjs. ', '. [Gr.]

Chirimoya. See Cherimoyer.

Chirk, chėrk, v.i. (Scot.) to grate: to chirp or squeak. [A.S. cearcian, to creak.]

Chirl, chirl, v.i. to emit a low sound: to warble.—n. a kind of musical warble. [Scot., from the sound. See Chirr.]

Chirm, chėrm, v.i. to cry out: to chirp.—n. noise, din, hum of voices. [A.S. cirman, to cry out; cf. Dut. kermen.]

Chirognomy, kī-rog′nō-mi, n. the so-called art or science of judging character from the lines of the hand, palmistry.—adj. . [Gr. cheir, the hand, gnōmē, understanding.]

Chirograph, kī-rog-raf′, n. any written or signed document.—ns. ', ', one who professes the art of writing— '—n. ', the art of writing, or penmanship. [Gr. cheir, the hand, graphē, writing.]

Chirology, kī-rol′o-ji, n. the art of discoursing with the hands or by signs, as the deaf and dumb do.—n. , one who converses by signs with the hands. [Gr. cheir, the hand, logia, a discourse.]

Chiromancy. Same as Cheiromancy.

Chiropodist, kī-rop′o-dist, n. a hand and foot doctor: one who removes corns, bunions, warts, &c. [Gr. cheir, the hand, and pous, podos, the foot.]

Chirp, chėrp, n. the sharp, shrill sound of certain birds and insects.—v.i. to make such a sound; to talk in a happy and lively strain.—v.t. to cheer.—n. ', a little bird: a chirping-cup.—adj. ', merry: cheering.—n. ', a cup that cheers.—adj. ', lively: merry. [From the sound.]

Chirr, chėr, v.i. to chirp, as is done by the cricket or grasshopper. [From the sound.]

Chirrup, chir′up, v.i. to chirp: to make a sound with the mouth to urge on a horse: to cheer up. [Lengthened form of Chirp, and then brought into connection with cheer up.]

Chirt, chėrt, n. a squeeze.—v.t. to squeeze. [Conn. with Chirr.]

Chirur′geon, Chirur′gery, ', old forms of Surgeon, Surgery, Surgical.—adv. ' (Shak.), in a manner becoming a surgeon. [Fr. chirurgien—Gr. cheirourgos—cheir, the hand, ergon, a work.]

Chisel, chiz′el, n. an iron or steel tool to cut or hollow out wood, stone, &c.: esp. the tool of the sculptor.—v.t. to cut, carve, &c. with a chisel: (slang) to cheat:—pr.p. pa.p. —adj. ', cut with a chisel; (fig.) having sharp outlines, as cut by a chisel.—n. '.—adj. '.—n. ', the scalpriform perennial incisor of a rodent. [O. Fr. cisel—L. cædĕre, to cut.]

Chisel, chiz′el, n. See Chesil.

Chisleu, chis′lū, n. the ninth month of the Jewish year, including parts of November and December. [Heb.]

Chit, chit, n. a note: an order or pass.—Also . [Hind. chitthi.]

Chit, chit, n. a baby: a lively or pert young child: contemptuously, a young woman or girl. [A.S. cith, a young tender shoot.]

Chitchat, chit′chat, n. chatting or idle talk: prattle: gossip. [A reduplication of Chat.]

Chitin, kī′tin, n. the substance which forms most of the hard parts of jointed footed animals.—adj. . [Fr. chitine—Gr. chiton, a tunic.]

Chiton, kī′ton, n. the ancient Greek tunic: a genus of marine molluscs. [Gr. chitōn, a tunic]

Chitter, chit′ėr, v.i. (Scot.) to shiver.—n. . [Cf. Chatter.]

Chitterling, chit′ėr-ling, n. the smaller intestines of a pig or other edible animal: a frill—prov. forms, Chidling, Chitling, Chitter. [Ety. dub.]

Chivalry, shiv′al-ri, n. the usages and qualifications of chevaliers or knights: bravery and courtesy: the system of knighthood in feudal times.—adjs. ', ', pertaining to chivalry: bold: gallant.—adv. '.—n. '. [Fr. chevalerie—cheval—Low L. caballus, a horse.]

Chive, chīv, n. an herb like the leek and onion, with small, flat, clustered bulbs: a small bulb.—Also Cive. [Fr. cive—L. cæpa, an onion.]

Chivy, chiv′vy, or Chevy, chev′vy, n. a hunting cry.—v.t. to chase.—v.i. to scamper. [Prob. from the Border battle of Chevy Chase.]

Chlamys, klā′mis, n. an ancient Greek short cloak or mantle for men: a purple cope: a genus of phytophagous beetles. [Gr.]

Chloasma, klō-az′ma, n. a skin-disease marked by yellowish-brown patches. [Gr. chloē, verdure.]

Chlorine, klō′rin, n. a yellowish-green gas with a peculiar and suffocating odour.—ns. ', a limpid, colourless, oily liquid, with a peculiar penetrating odour, formed when anhydrous alcohol is acted on by dry chlorine gas; ', the habit of using chloral, a morbid state induced by such; ', a salt composed of chloric acid and a base.—adj. ', of or from chlorine.—n. ', a compound of chlorine with some other substance, as potash, soda, &c.—v.t. ', to convert into a chloride: (phot.) to cover with chloride of silver—also '.—n. ', the process of getting gold, &c., out of ore by the use of chlorine.—v.t. ', to combine or otherwise treat with chlorine—also '.—ns. ', a mineral consisting of silica, alumina, &c., in variable proportions—it is of a green colour, rather soft, and is easily scratched with a knife; ', a patent medicine containing opium, chloroform, &c., used for allaying pain and inducing sleep; ', a limpid, mobile, colourless, volatile liquid, with a characteristic odour and a strong sweetish taste, used to induce insensibility.—adj. ', like chlorine.—ns. ', an instrument for measuring the bleaching powers of chloride of lime; ', the process of testing the decolouring power of any compound of chlorine; ', the ordinary colouring matter of vegetation, consisting of minute soft granules in the cells; ', properly green-sickness, a peculiar form of anæmia or bloodlessness, common in young women, and connected with the disorders incident to the critical period of life.—adjs. ', pertaining to chlorosis; ', full of chlorine.—Chloric acid, a syrupy liquid, with faint chlorine colour and acid reaction. [Gr. chlōros, pale-green.]

Chobdar, chob′dar, n. a frequent attendant of Indian nobles, and formerly also of Anglo-Indian officials of rank, carrying a staff overlaid with silver. [Pers.]

Chock, chok, v.t. to fasten as with a block or wedge.—n. a wedge to keep a cask from rolling: a log.—adjs. ', ', quite full; , very tight. [See Choke.]

Chocolate, chok′ō-lāt, n. a preparation of the seeds of Theobroma cacao, made by grinding the seeds mixed with water to a very fine paste: a beverage made by dissolving this paste in boiling water.—adj. chocolate-coloured, dark reddish-brown: made of or flavoured with chocolate. [Sp. chocolate; from Mex. chocolatl, chocolate.]

Chode, chōd, an obsolete pa.t. of Chide.

Choice, chois, n. act or power of choosing: the thing chosen: alternative: preference: the preferable or best part.—adj. worthy of being chosen: select: appropriate.—adjs. ' (Shak.), selected with care; ' (Spens.), making many choices, fickle.—adv. ', with discrimination or care.—n. ', particular value: excellence: nicety.—Hobson's choice, the alternative of a thing offered or nothing, from Hobson, a Cambridge carrier and innkeeper, who insisted on lending out the horse nearest the stable door, or none at all.—Make choice of, to select; Take one's choice, to take what one wishes. [Fr. choix—choisir; cf. Choose.]

Choir, kwīr, n. a chorus or band of singers, esp. those belonging to a church: the part of a church appropriated to the singers: the part of a cathedral separated from the nave by a rail or screen.—v.i. (Shak.) to sing in chorus.—ns. ', one of the departments of a cathedral organ, standing behind the great-organ, having its tones less powerful, and more fitted to accompany the voice; ', a screen of lattice-work, separating the choir from the nave, so as to prevent general access thereto, though not to interrupt either sight or sound.—adj. ', belonging to a chorus or choir.—ns. ', ', a simple harmonised composition, with slow rhythm: a tune written for a psalm or hymn: in R.C. usage, any part of the service sung by the whole choir.—adv. ', in the manner of a chorus: so as to suit a choir. [Fr. chœur—L. chorus—Gr. choros.]

Choke, chōk, v.t. to throttle: to suffocate: to stop or obstruct: to suppress.—v.i. to be choked or suffocated.—n. the action of choking.—n. ', the bore of a gun when narrowed at the muzzle so as to concentrate the shot: a shot-gun so bored.—v.t. to bore in such a way.—n. ', a name given to certain nearly allied species of cherry, natives of North America, whose fruit, though at first rather agreeable, is afterwards astringent in the mouth.—adj. Choked, suffocated, clogged.—n. ', the carbonic acid gas given off by coal which accumulates in coal-mines, and may suffocate those exposed to it.—adj. ' (see Chock-full).—ns. ', one who chokes: a neckerchief; ', suffocation.—adj. smothering.—adj. , tending to choke: inclined to choke.—Choke off, to put an end to, as if by choking; Choke up, to obstruct completely, to suffocate.—White choker, a white neckerchief worn by clergymen, &c. [Prob. from sound.]

Choky, chō′ki, n. a prison: a toll-station. [Hind.]

Cholæmia, Cholemia, ko-lē′mi-a, n. a morbid accumulation of the constituents of bile in the blood.—adj. . [Gr. cholē, bile, haima, blood.]

Cholagogue, kol′a-gog, n. a purgative causing evacuations of bile.—adj. . [Gr. cholē, bile, agōgos, leading.]

Choler, kol′ėr, n. the bile: (Shak.) biliousness: anger, irascibility.—adj. , full of choler: passionate. [Fr.,—L.,—Gr. cholera—cholē, bile.]

Cholera, kol′ėr-a, n. a highly infectious and deadly disease characterised by bilious vomiting and purging.—adj. .—British cholera, an acute catarrhal affection of the mucous membrane of the stomach and small intestines. [Gr. cholera.]

Cholesterine, ko-les′te-rin, n. a substance occurring abundantly in bile and biliary calculi, probably a monovalent alcohol.—adj. . [Gr. cholē, bile, stereos, solid.]

Choliamb, kō′li-amb, n. a variety of iambic trimeter, having a trochee for an iambus as the sixth foot.—adj. . [L.,—Gr. chōliambos—chōlos, lame, iambos, iambus.]

Choltry, chōl′tri, n. a khan or caravansary for travellers: a shed used as a place of assembly.—Also . [Malayalam.]

Chondrify, kon′dri-fī, v.t. to convert into cartilage.—v.i. to be converted into cartilage.—n. . [Gr. chondros, cartilage.]

Chondroid, kon′droid, adj. cartilaginous.—ns. ', the proper substance of cartilage; ', inflammation of cartilage; ', the formation of cartilage.—adj. '.—ns. ', a description of the cartilages; ', the knowledge of the cartilages.

Chondropterygian, kon-drop-te-rij′i-an, adj. gristly-finned, belonging to the Chondropterygii, a group of fishes variously defined in different systems. [Gr. chondros, cartilage, pterygion, dim. of pteryx, a wing.]

Choose, chōōz, v.t. to take one thing in preference to another: to select.—v.i. to will or determine: to think fit:—pa.t. chōse; pa.p. —ns. ' (Shak.), one who chooses; ', choice: selection.—Cannot choose, can have no alternative.—Not much to choose between, each about equally bad.—Pick and choose, to select with care. [A.S. céosan, Dut. kiesen.]

Chop, chop, v.t. to cut with a sudden blow: to cut into small pieces: (Milton) to change: to exchange or barter: (Milton) to trade in: to bandy words.—v.i. to change about: to shift suddenly, as the wind.—n. a blow: a piece cut off: a slice of mutton or pork, containing a rib: a change: vicissitude.—ns. ', a house where mutton-chops and beef-steaks are served: an eating-house; ', one who or that which chops: a cleaver; ', a knife for chopping or mincing meat.—adj. ', full of chops or cracks: running in irregular waves—also .—Chop and change, to buy and sell: to change about; Chop at, to aim a blow at; Chop in, to break in, interrupt; Chop logic, to dispute in logical terms: to bandy words; Chop up, to cut into small pieces.—A chop-logic (Shak.), a contentious fellow. [A form of Chap.]

Chop, chop, n. the chap or jaw, generally used in pl.: a person with fat cheeks: the mouth of anything, as a cannon.—adj. , lit. having the chop or lower jaw fallen down: cast-down: dejected. [See Chap (3).]

Chop, chop, n. in China and India, an official mark or seal: a license or passport which has been sealed. [Hind. chhāp, seal, impression.]

Chopin, chop′in, n. an old French liquid measure containing nearly an English imperial pint: a Scotch measure containing about an English quart. [O. Fr. chopine, Old Dut. schoppe; Scot. chappin, Ger. schoppen, a pint.]

Chopine, chop-ēn′, chop′in, n. a high clog or patten introduced into England from Venice during the reign of Elizabeth. [Sp. chapin.]

Chopping, chop′ing, adj. stout, strapping, plump.

Chop-sticks, chop′-stiks, n.pl. two small sticks of wood, ivory, &c., used by the Chinese instead of knife and fork. [Chop, a corr. of kih, quick.]

Choragus, ko-rā′gus, n. in Athens, the person appointed to organise the chorus: the leader of a choir.—adj. , pertaining to a choragus.—Choragic monument, a small temple on which were dedicated the tripods given in the Dionysian contests to the victorious chorus. [Gr. chorēgos—choros, chorus, and agein, to lead.]

Choral, Chorale. See Choir.

Chord, kord, n. (mus.) the simultaneous and harmonious union of sounds of a different pitch.—The Common chord is a note with its third and perfect fifth reckoned upwards. [Formed from Accord.]

Chord, kord, n. the string of a musical instrument: (fig.) of the emotions: (geom.) a straight line joining the extremities of an arc: a straight line joining any two points in the curve of a circle, ellipse, &c. [L. chorda—Gr. chordē, an intestine.]

Chorea, ko-rē′a, n. St Vitus's dance, a nervous disease causing irregular and involuntary movements of the limbs or face. [L.,—Gr. choreia, a dancing.]

Choree, kō′rē, n. a trochee.—Also . [L.,—Gr.]

Choreography. See Chorus.

Chorepiscopal, kō-re-pis′ko-pal, adj. pertaining to a local or suffragan bishop. [Gr. chōra, place.]

Choriamb, kō′ri-amb, n. a metrical foot of four syllables, the first and last long, the two others short.—adj. and n. . [Gr. choriambos—choreios, a trochee, iambos, iambus.]

Chorion, kō′ri-on, n. the outer fœtal envelope: the external membrane of the seeds of plants:—pl. '.—adj. '. [Gr.]

Chorography, kō-rog′ra-fi, n. the description of the geographical features of a particular region.—adjs. ', '; '.—ns. '; , the science of the geographical distribution of plants and animals.

Chorus, kō′rus, n. a band of singers and dancers, esp. in the Greek plays: a company of singers: that which is sung by a chorus: the combination of several voices in one simultaneous utterance: the part of a song in which the company join the singer.—adj. '.—ns. ', ', the notation of dancing.—adj. '.—ns. ', ', a member of a choir. [L.,—Gr. choros, dance.]

Chose, Chosen. See Choose.

Chough, chuf, n. a kind of jackdaw which frequents rocky places on the seacoast. [A.S. céo; from the cry of the bird. See Caw.]

Choultry. See Choltry.

Chouse, chows, n. (obs.) a cheat: one easily cheated: a trick.—v.t. to cheat, swindle. [Prob. from Turk. chaush, a messenger or envoy.]

Chout, chowt, n. one-fourth part of the revenue extorted by the Mahrattas as blackmail: blackmail, extortion. [Hind. chauth, the fourth part.]

Chow-chow, chow′-chow, n. a mixture of food such as the Chinese use, e.g. preserved pickles.—adj. miscellaneous, mixed. [Pigeon-English.]

Chowder, chow′dėr, n. a dish made of a mixture of fish and biscuits. [Fr. chaudière, a pot.]

Chowry, chow′ri, n. an instrument used for driving away flies. [Hindi, chaunri.]

Chrematistic, krē-ma-tis′tik, adj. pertaining to finance.—n. , the science of wealth. [Gr.,—chrēma, a thing.]

Choy-root. See Shaya-root.

Chrestomathy, kres-tom′a-thi, n. a book of selections from foreign languages, usually for beginners.—adjs. ', '. [Gr. chrēstos, useful, mathein, to know.]

Chrism, krizm, n. consecrated or holy oil: unction: confirmation: chrisom. (q.v.).—adj. ', pertaining to chrism.—n. a case for containing chrism: a pyx: a veil used in christening.—ns. ', a vessel for containing chrism; , a white cloth laid by the priest on a child newly anointed with chrism after its baptism: the child itself.—Chrisom child (Shak.), a child still wearing the chrisom cloth: an innocent child. [O. Fr. chresme (Fr. chrême)—Gr. chrisma, from chriein, chrisein, to anoint.]

Christ, krīst, n. the Anointed, the Messiah.—ns. Christ-cross-row the alphabet, from the use in horn-books of having a cross at the beginning; Chrīst's-thorn, a kind of prickly shrub common in Palestine and south of Europe, so called because supposed to have been the plant from which the crown of thorns was made.—v.t. Christen  to baptise in the name of Christ: to give a name to.—ns. ', that part of the world in which Christianity is the received religion: the whole body of Christians; ', the ceremony of baptism; ', the condition of being the Christ or Messiah; ', a follower of Christ: (coll.) a human being.—adj. relating to Christ or His religion: being in the spirit of Christ.—v.t. ', to make Christian: to convert to Christianity.—ns. ', ', the religion of Christ: the spirit of this religion.—adjs. ', '.—ns. ', '.—adjs. ', .—Christian era, the era counted from the birth of Christ; Christian name, the name given when christened, as distinguished from the surname. [A.S. crist—Gr. Christos—and chriein, chrisein, to anoint.]

Christadelphian, kris-ta-del′fi-an, n. a member of a small religious body holding conditional immortality, denying a personal devil, &c.—sometimes called Thomasites from Dr John Thomas of Brooklyn (1805-71). [Lit. 'Brethren of Christ,' Gr. Christos, Christ, and adelphos, brother.]

Christmas, kris′mas, n. an annual festival, originally a mass, in memory of the birth of Christ, held on the 25th of December.—ns. ', a box containing Christmas presents: a Christmas gift; ', a card, more or less ornamented, sent from friend to friend at this season; ', the evening before Christmas; ', or ', the Helleborus niger, flowering in winter; ', a tree, usually fir, set up in a room, and loaded with Christmas presents. [Christ and Mass.]

Christology, kris-tol′o-ji, n. that branch of theology which treats of the nature and person of Christ.—adj. '.—n. '. [Gr. Christos, and logia, a discourse.]

Christom, kris′um, n. (Shak.). Same as Chrisom, under Chrism (q.v.).

Christophany, kris-tof′a-ni, n. an appearance of Christ to men. [Gr. Christos, and phainein, to appear.]

Chromatic, krō-mat′ik, adj. relating to colours: coloured: (mus.) relating to notes in a melodic progression, which are raised or lowered by accidentals, without changing the key of the passage, and also to chords in which such notes occur.—ns. ', a salt of chromic acid; ', the science of colours.—v.t. ', to impregnate with a chromate.—ns. ', a treatise on colours; ', the science of colours, or a treatise thereon; ', one of the pigment-cells in animals: one of the granules in protoplasm: one of the brightly coloured bead-like bodies in the oral disc of certain actinias, &c.; ', coloured vision; ', an arrangement in a magic-lantern by which effects like those of the kaleidoscope are produced; ', ', a photographic process by which a coloured impression of a picture is obtained.—adj. relating to the chromatype.—ns. Chrōme, ', a metal remarkable for the beautiful colours of its compounds.—adj. '.—ns. ', a mineral consisting of oxide of chromium and iron; ', or merely ', a lithograph printed in colours; '; ', a layer of incandescent red gas surrounding the sun through which the light of the photosphere passes—also '; ', typography in colours; ', a picture printed in colours from wooden blocks; .—Chromatic scale, a scale proceeding by semitones; Chromic acid, an acid of chromium, of an orange-red colour, much used in dyeing and bleaching. [Gr. chrōmatikos—chrōma, colour.]

Chronic, -al, kron′ik, -al, adj. lasting a long time: of a disease, deep seated or long continued, as opposed to acute.—n. , chronic invalid. [Gr. chronikos—chronos, time.]

Chronicle, kron′i-kl, n. a bare record of events in order of time: a history: (pl.) name of two of the Old Testament books: a story, account.—v.t. to record.—n. , a historian. [O. Fr. chronique—L.—Gr. chronika, annals—chronos, time.]

Chronogram, kron′o-gram, n. an inscription in which the time or date of an event is given by certain of the letters printed larger than the rest. [Gr. chronos, time, gramma, a letter—graphein, to write.]

Chronograph, kron′o-graf, n. a chronogram: an instrument for taking exact measurements of time, or for recording graphically the moment or duration of an event.—ns. ', a chronicler; ', chronology. [Gr. chronos, time, graphein, to write.]

Chronology, kron-ol′o-ji, n. the science of time.—ns. ', '.—adjs. ', '.—adv. . [Gr. chronos, time, logia, a discourse.]

Chronometer, kron-om′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring time: a watch.—adjs. ', '.—n. , the art of measuring time by means of instruments: measurement of time. [Gr. chronos, and metron, a measure.]

Chronoscope, kron′ō-skōp, n. an instrument for measuring very short intervals of time, esp. with projectiles.

Chrysalis, kris′a-lis, Chrysalid, n. a term originally applied to the golden-coloured resting stages in the life-history of many butterflies, but sometimes extended to all forms of pupæ or nymphs: the shell whence the insect comes:—pl. ' (i-dēz).—adjs. ', ', '. [Gr. chrysallis—chrysos, gold.]

Chrysanthemum, kris-an′the-mum, n. a genus of composite plants to which belong the corn marigold and ox-eye daisy. [Gr. chrysos, gold, anthemon, flower.]

Chryselephantine, kris-el-e-fan′tin, adj. noting the art of making statues jointly of gold and ivory. [Gr. chrysos, gold, elephantinos, made of ivory—elephas, -antos, ivory.]

Chrysoberyl, kris′o-ber-il, n. a mineral of various shades of greenish-yellow or gold colour. [Gr. chrysos, gold, and Beryl.]

Chrysocolla, kris-ō-kol′a, n. a silicate of protoxide of copper, bluish-green. [Gr. chrysos, gold, kolla, glue.]

Chrysocracy, kri-sok′ra-si, n. the rule of wealth. [Gr. chrysos, gold, kratein, to rule.]

Chrysolite, kris′ō-līt, n. a yellow or green precious stone. [Gr. chrysos, and lithos, a stone.]

Chrysophan, kris′ō-fan, n. an orange-coloured bitter substance found in rhubarb.—adj. . [Gr. chrysos, gold, phanēs, appearing.]

Chrysophilite, kri-sof′i-līt, n. a lover of gold.

Chrysophyll, kris′ō-fil, n. the yellow colouring matter in the green chlorophyl pigment of plants.—Also Xanthophyl. [Gr. chrysos, gold, phyllon, a leaf.]

Chrysoprase, kris′o-prāz, n. a variety of chalcedony: (B.) a yellowish-green stone, nature unknown. [Gr. chrysos, and prason, a leek.]