Cumquat Cum"quat noun (Botany) See Kumquat .

Cumshaw Cum"shaw noun [ Chin. kom-tsie .] A present or bonus; -- originally applied to that paid on ships which entered the port of Canton. S. Wells Williams.

Cumshaw Cum"shaw transitive verb To give or make a present to.

Cumu-cirro-stratus Cu"mu-cir`ro-stra"tus noun (Meteor.) Nimbus, or rain cloud. See Nimbus , and Cloud .

Cumulate Cu"mu·late transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Cumulated (-l?`t?d); present participle & verbal noun Cumulating (-l?`t?ng).] [ Latin cumulatus , past participle of cumulare to heap up, from cumulus a heap. See Cumber .] To gather or throw into a heap; to heap together; to accumulate.

Shoals of shells, bedded and cumulated heap upon heap.
Woodward.

Cumulation Cu`mu·la"tion noun [ Confer French cumulation .] The act of heaping together; a heap. See Accumulation .

Cumulatist Cu"mu·la·tist noun One who accumulates; one who collects. [ R.]

Cumulative Cu"mu·la·tive adjective [ Confer French cumulatif .]

1. Composed of parts in a heap; forming a mass; aggregated. "As for knowledge which man receiveth by teaching, it is cumulative , not original." Bacon

2. Augmenting, gaining, or giving force, by successive additions; as, a cumulative argument, i. e. , one whose force increases as the statement proceeds.

The argument . . . is in very truth not logical and single, but moral and cumulative .
Trench.

3. (Law) (a) Tending to prove the same point to which other evidence has been offered; -- said of evidence. (b) Given by same testator to the same legatee; -- said of a legacy. Bouvier. Wharton.

Cumulative action (Medicine) , that action of certain drugs, by virtue of which they produce, when administered in small doses repeated at considerable intervals, the same effect as if given in a single large dose. -- Cumulative poison , a poison the action of which is cumulative. -- Cumulative vote or system of voting (Politics) , that system which allows to each voter as many votes as there are persons to be voted for, and permits him to accumulate these votes upon one person, or to distribute them among the candidates as he pleases.

Cumulose Cu"mu·lose` adjective [ From Cumulus .] Full of heaps.

Cumulostratus Cu"mu·lo·stra"tus noun (Meteor.) A form of cloud. See Cloud .

Cumulus Cu"mu·lus noun ; plural Cumuli (-l...). [ Latin , a heap. See Cumber .] (Meteor.) One of the four principal forms of clouds. See Cloud .

Cun Cun transitive verb [ See Cond .] To con (a ship). [ Obsolete]

Cun Cun transitive verb [ See 1st Con .] To know. See Con . [ Obsolete]

Cunabula Cu·nab"u·la noun plural [ Latin , a cradle, earliest abode, from cunae cradle.] 1. The earliest abode; original dwelling place; originals; as, the cunabula of the human race.

2. (Bibliography) The extant copies of the first or earliest printed books, or of such as were printed in the 15th century.

Cunctation Cunc·ta"tion noun [ Latin cunctatio , from cunctari , past participle cunctatus , to delay.] Delay; procrastination. [ R.] Carlyle.

Cunctative Cunc"ta·tive adjective Slow; tardy; dilatory; causing delay.

Cunctator Cunc·ta"tor noun [ Latin , lit., a delayer; -- applied as a surname to Q. Fabius Maximus.] One who delays or lingers. [ R.]

Cunctipotent Cunc·tip"o·tent adjective [ Latin cunctipotens ; cunctus all + potens powerful.] All-powerful; omnipotent. [ R] "God cunctipotent ." Neale (Trans. Rhythm of St. Bernard).

Cund Cund (kŭnd) transitive verb [ See Cond .] To con (a ship). [ Obsolete]

Cundurango Cun`du·ran"go noun (Medicine) The bark of a South American vine ( Gonolobus Condurango ) of the Milkweed family. It has been supposed, but erroneously, to be a cure for cancer. [ Written also condurango .]

Cuneal Cu"ne·al (k?"n?-a]/> l), [ Latin cuneus a wege. See Coin .] Relating to a wedge; wedge-shaped.

Cuneate Cu"ne·ate adjective [ Latin cuneatus , from cuneus a wege See Coin .] Wedge-shaped ; (Botany) , wedge-shaped, with the point at the base; as, a cuneate leaf.

Cuneatic Cu`ne·at"ic adjective Cuneiform. " Cuneatic decipherment." Sayce.

Cuneiform Cu·ne"i·form adjective [ Latin cuneus a wedge + -form : confer French cunei-forme . See Coin .] 1. Wedge-shaped; as, a cuneiform bone; -- especially applied to the wedge-shaped or arrowheaded characters of ancient Persian and Assyrian inscriptions. See Arrowheaded .

2. Pertaining to, or versed in, the ancient wedge-shaped characters, or the inscriptions in them. "A cuneiform scholar." Rawlinson.

Cuneiform, Cuniform Cu·ne"i·form, Cu"ni·form noun 1. The wedge-shaped characters used in ancient Persian and Assyrian inscriptions. I. Taylor (The Alphabet).

2. (Anat.) (a) One of the three tarsal bones supporting the first, second third metatarsals. They are usually designated as external, middle, and internal, or ectocuniform , mesocuniform , and entocuniform , respectively. (b) One of the carpal bones usually articulating with the ulna; -- called also pyramidal and ulnare .

Cunette Cu·nette" (ku*nĕt") noun [ French] (Fort.) A drain trench, in a ditch or moat; -- called also cuvette .

Cunner Cun"ner noun [ Confer Conner .] (Zoology) (a) A small edible fish of the Atlantic coast ( Ctenolabrus adspersus ); -- called also chogset , burgall , blue perch , and bait stealer . [ Written also conner .] (b) A small shellfish; the limpet or patella.

Cunning Cun"ning (kŭn"nĭng) adjective [ Anglo-Saxon cunnan to know, to be able. See 1st Con , Can .] 1. Knowing; skillful; dexterous. "A cunning workman." Ex. xxxviii. 23.

"Tis beauty truly blent, whose red and white
Nature's own sweet and cunning hand laid on.
Shak.

Esau was a cunning hunter.
Gen xxv. 27.

2. Wrought with, or exhibiting, skill or ingenuity; ingenious; curious; as, cunning work.

Over them Arachne high did lift

Her cunning web.
Spenser.

3. Crafty; sly; artful; designing; deceitful.

They are resolved to be cunning ; let others run the hazard of being sincere.
South.

4. Pretty or pleasing; as, a cunning little boy. [ Colloq. U.S.] Barlett.

Syn. -- Cunning , Artful , Sly , Wily , Crafty . -- These epithets agree in expressing an aptitude for attaining some end by peculiar and secret means. Cunning is usually low; as, a cunning trick. Artful is more ingenious and inventive; as, an artful device. Sly implies a turn for what is double or concealed; as, sly humor; a sly evasion. Crafty denotes a talent for dexterously deceiving; as, a crafty manager. Wily describes a talent for the use of stratagems; as, a wily politician. "A cunning man often shows his dexterity in simply concealing. An artful man goes further, and exerts his ingenuity in misleading. A crafty man mingles cunning with art, and so shapes his actions as to lull suspicions. The young may be cunning , but the experienced only can be crafty . Slyness is a vulgar kind of cunning; the sly man goes cautiously and silently to work. Wiliness is a species of cunning or craft applicable only to cases of attack and defense." Crabb.

Cunning Cun"ning noun [ Anglo-Saxon cunnung trial, or Icelandic kunnandi knowledge. See Cunning , adjective ] 1. Knowledge; art; skill; dexterity. [ Archaic]

Let my right hand forget her cunning .
Ps. cxxxvii. 5.

A carpenter's desert
Stands more in cunning than in power.
Chapman.

2. The faculty or act of using stratagem to accomplish a purpose; fraudulent skill or dexterity; deceit; craft.

Discourage cunning in a child; cunning is the ape of wisdom.
Locke.

We take cunning for a sinister or crooked wisdom.
Bacon.

Cunningly Cun"ning·ly adverb In a cunning manner; with cunning.

Cunningman Cun"ning·man` noun A fortune teller; one who pretends to reveal mysteries. [ Obsolete] Hudibras.

Cunningness Cun"ning·ness noun Quality of being cunning; craft.

Cup Cup (kŭp) noun [ Anglo-Saxon cuppe , Late Latin cuppa cup; confer Latin cupa tub, cask; confer also Greek ky`ph hut, Sanskrit kūpa pit, hollow, OSlav. kupa cup. Confer Coop , Cupola , Cowl a water vessel, and Cob , Coif , Cop .] 1. A small vessel, used commonly to drink from; as, a tin cup , a silver cup , a wine cup ; especially, in modern times, the pottery or porcelain vessel, commonly with a handle, used with a saucer in drinking tea, coffee, and the like.

2. The contents of such a vessel; a cupful.

Give me a cup of sack, boy.
Shak.

3. plural Repeated potations; social or excessive indulgence in intoxicating drinks; revelry.

Thence from cups to civil broils.
Milton.

4. That which is to be received or indured; that which is allotted to one; a portion.

O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.
Matt. xxvi. 39.

5. Anything shaped like a cup; as, the cup of an acorn, or of a flower.

The cowslip's golden cup no more I see.
Shenstone.

6. (Medicine) A cupping glass or other vessel or instrument used to produce the vacuum in cupping.

Cup and ball , a familiar toy of children, having a cup on the top of a piece of wood to which, a ball is attached by a cord; the ball, being thrown up, is to be caught in the cup; bilboquet. Milman. -- Cup and can , familiar companions. -- Dry cup , Wet cup (Medicine) , a cup used for dry or wet cupping . See under Cupping . -- To be in one's cups , to be drunk.

Cup Cup transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Cupped (kŭpt); present participle & verbal noun Cupping .] 1. To supply with cups of wine. [ R.]

Cup us, till the world go round.
Shak.

2. (Surg.) To apply a cupping apparatus to; to subject to the operation of cupping. See Cupping .

3. (Mech.) To make concave or in the form of a cup; as, to cup the end of a screw.

Cup shake Cup shake (Forestry) A shake or fissure between the annual rings of a tree, found oftenest near the roots.

Cup-gall Cup"-gall` noun A kind of oak-leaf gall. See Gall .

Cup-moss Cup"-moss` noun (Botany) A kind of lichen, of the genus Cladonia .

Cup-rose Cup"-rose noun Red poppy. See Cop-rose .

Cupbearer Cup"bear`er (-bâr`ẽr) noun 1. One whose office it is to fill and hand the cups at an entertainment.

2. (Antiq.) One of the attendants of a prince or noble, permanently charged with the performance of this office for his master. "I was the king's cupbearer ." Neh. i. 11.

Cupboard Cup"board (kŭb"bẽrd) noun [ Cup + board .] 1. A board or shelf for cups and dishes. [ Obsolete] Bacon.

2. A small closet in a room, with shelves to receive cups, dishes, food, etc.; hence, any small closet.

Cupboard love , interested love, or that which has an eye to the cupboard. "A cupboard love is seldom true." Poor Robin. [ Colloq.] -- To cry cupboard , to call for food; to express hunger. [ Colloq.] "My stomach cries cupboard." W. Irving.

Cupboard Cup"board transitive verb To collect, as into a cupboard; to hoard. [ R.] Shak.

Cupel Cu"pel (kū"pĕl) noun [ Late Latin cupella cup (cf. Latin cupella , small cask, dim. of cupa ) : confer French coupelle . See Cup , and confer Coblet .] A shallow porous cup, used in refining precious metals, commonly made of bone ashes (phosphate of lime). [ Written also coppel .]

Cupel dust , powder used in purifying metals.

Cupel Cu·pel" (ku*pĕl") transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Cupelled (-p?ld"); present participle & verbal noun Cupelling .] To refine by means of a cupel.

Cupellation Cu`pel·la"tion (kū`pĕl*lā"shŭn) noun [ See Cupel .] The act or process of refining gold or silver, etc., in a cupel.

» The process consist in exposing the cupel containing the metal to be assayed or refined to a hot blast, by which the lead, copper, tin, etc., are oxidized, dissolved, and carried down into the porous cupel, leaving the unoxidizable precious metal. If lead is not already present in the alloy it must be added before cupellation.

Cupful Cup"ful noun ; plural Cupfuls (-f...lz). As much as a cup will hold.

Cupid Cu"pid n . [ Latin Cupido , from cupido desire, desire of love, from cupidus . See Cupidity .] (Rom. Myth.) The god of love, son of Venus; usually represented as a naked, winged boy with bow and arrow.

Pretty dimpled boys, like smiling cupids .
Shak.

Cupidity Cu·pid"i·ty noun [ French cupidite , Latin cupiditas , from cupidus longing, desiring, from cupere to long for, desire. See Covet .] 1. A passionate desire; love. [ Obsolete]

2. Eager or inordinate desire, especially for wealth; greed of gain; avarice; covetousness .

With the feelings of political distrust were mingled those of cupidity and envy, as the Spaniard saw the fairest provinces of the south still in the hands of the accursed race of Ishmael.
Prescott.

Cupola Cu"po·la noun ; plural Cupolas (-l...z). [ Italian cupola , Late Latin cupula , cuppula (cf. Latin cupula little tub). from cupa , cuppa , cup; confer Latin cupa tub. So called on account of its resemblance to a cup turned over. See Cup , and confer Cupule .] 1. (Architecture) A roof having a rounded form, hemispherical or nearly so; also, a ceiling having the same form. When on a large scale it is usually called dome .

2. A small structure standing on the top of a dome; a lantern.

3. A furnace for melting iron or other metals in large quantity, -- used chiefly in foundries and steel works.

4. A revolving shot-proof turret for heavy ordnance.

5. (Anat.) The top of the spire of the cochlea of the ear.

Cupper Cup"per (kŭp"pẽr) noun [ Fropm cup .] One who performs the operation of cupping.

Cupping Cup"ping noun (Medicine) The operation of drawing blood to or from the surface of the person by forming a partial vacuum over the spot. Also, sometimes, a similar operation for drawing pus from an abscess.

Cupping glass , a glass cup in which a partial vacuum is produced by heat, in the process of cupping. -- Dry cupping , the application of a cupping instrument without scarification, to draw blood to the surface, produce counter irritation, etc. -- Wet cupping , the operation of drawing blood by the application of a cupping instrument after scarification.

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