Cat-salt Cat"-salt` noun A sort of salt, finely granulated, formed out of the bittern or leach brine.

Cat-silver Cat"-sil`ver noun Mica. [ Archaic]

Cat-tail Cat"-tail noun (Botany) A tall rush or flag ( Typha latifolia ) growing in marshes, with long, flat leaves, and having its flowers in a close cylindrical spike at the top of the stem. The leaves are frequently used for seating chairs, making mats, etc. See Catkin .

» The lesser cat-tail is Typha angustifolia .

Cat's-eye Cat's"-eye` (kăts"ī`) noun (Min.) A variety of quartz or chalcedony, exhibiting opalescent reflections from within, like the eye of a cat. The name is given to other gems affording like effects, esp. the chrysoberyl.

Cat's-foot Cat's`-foot noun (Botany) A plant ( Nepeta Glechoma ) of the same genus with catnip; ground ivy.

Cat's-paw Cat's"-paw` noun 1. (Nautical) (a) A light transitory air which ruffles the surface of the water during a calm, or the ripples made by such a puff of air. (b) A particular hitch or turn in the bight of a rope, into which a tackle may be hooked.

2. A dupe; a tool; one who, or that which, is used by another as an instrument to a accomplish his purposes.

» In this sense the term refers to the fable of the monkey using the cat's paw to draw the roasting chestnuts out of the fire.

Cat's-tail Cat's"-tail noun See Timothy , Cat-tail , Cirrus .

Cata Cat"a [ Greek kata` .] The Latin and English form of a Greek preposition, used as a prefix to signify down , downward , under , against , contrary or opposed to , wholly , completely ; as in cata clysm, cata rrh. It sometimes drops the final vowel, as in cato ptric; and is sometimes changed to cath , as in cath artic, cath olic.

Catabaptist Cat`a·bap"tist noun [ Prefix cata + aptist . See Baptist .] (Eccl.) One who opposes baptism, especially of infants. [ Obsolete] Featley.

Catabasion Cat`a·ba"sion noun [ New Latin , from Greek kataba`sion .] A vault under altar of a Greek church.

Catabiotic Cat`a·bi·ot"ic adjective See under Force .

Catacaustic Cat`a·caus"tic adjective [ Prefix cata + caustic .] (Physics) Relating to, or having the properties of, a caustic curve formed by reflection. See Caustic , adjective Nichol.

Catacaustic Cat`a·caus"tic noun (Physics) A caustic curve formed by reflection of light. Nichol.

Catachresis Cat`a·chre"sis noun [ Latin from Greek ... misuse, from ... to misuse; kata` against + ... to use.] (Rhet.) A figure by which one word is wrongly put for another, or by which a word is wrested from its true signification; as, "To take arms against a sea of troubles". Shak. "Her voice was but the shadow of a sound." Young.

Catachrestic, Catachrestical Cat`a·chres"tic, Cat`a·chres"tic·al adjective Belonging to, or in the manner of, a catachresis; wrested from its natural sense or form; forced; far-fetched.

-- Cat`a*chres"tic*al*ly , adverb

[ A] catachrestical and improper way of speaking.
Jer. Taylor.

Cataclasm Cat"a·clasm noun [ Greek ...; ... down + ... to break.] A breaking asunder; disruption.

Cataclysm Cat"a·clysm noun [ Latin cataclysmos , Greek kataklysmo`s , from ... to dash over, inundate; kata` downward, against + ... to wash or dash over: confer French cataclysme .] 1. An extensive overflow or sweeping flood of water; a deluge.

2. (Geol.) Any violent catastrophe, involving sudden and extensive changes of the earth's surface.

Cataclysmal, Cataclysmic Cat`a·clys"mal, Cat`a·clys"mic adjective Of or pertaining to a cataclysm.

Cataclysmist Cat`a·clys"mist noun One who believes that the most important geological phenomena have been produced by cataclysms.

Catacomb Cat"a·comb noun [ Italian catacomba , from Latin catacumba perhaps from Greek kata` downward, down + ky`mbh cavity.] A cave, grotto, or subterraneous place of large extent used for the burial of the dead; -- commonly in the plural.

» The terms is supposed to have been applied originally to the tombs under the church of St. Sebastian in Rome. The most celebrated catacombs are those near Rome, on the Appian Way, supposed to have been the place or refuge and interment of the early Christians; those of Egypt, extending for a wide distance in the vicinity of Cairo; and those of Paris, in abandoned stone quarries, excavated under a large portion of the city.

Catacoustic Cat`a·cous"tic noun [ Prefix cata + acoustics : confer French caraconstique .] (Physics) That part of acoustics which treats of reflected sounds or echoes See Acoustics . Hutton.

Catacrotic Cat`a·crot"ic adjective [ Cata- + Greek ... a beating.] (Physiol.) Designating, pertaining to, or characterized by, that form of pulse tracing, or sphygmogram, in which the descending portion of the curve is marked by secondary elevations due to two or more expansions of the artery in the same beat. -- Ca*tac"rotism noun

Catadicrotism Cat`a·di"cro·tism noun [ Cata- + dicrotism .] (Physiol.) Quality or state of being catacrotic. -- Cat`a*di*crot"ic adjective

Catadioptric, Catadioptrical Cat`a·di·op"tric, Cat`a·di·op"tric·al adjective [ Prefix cata + dioptric : confer French catadioptrique .] (Physics) Pertaining to, produced by, or involving, both the reflection and refraction of light; as, a catadioptric light. Hutton.

Catadioptrics Cat`a·di·op"trics noun The science which treats of catadioptric phenomena, or of the used of catadioptric instruments.

Catadrome Cat"a·drome noun [ Greek kata`dromos race course; kata` down + dro`mos course.] 1. A race course.

2. (Machinery) A machine for raising or lowering heavy weights.

Catadromous Ca·tad"ro·mous adjective [ Greek kata` down + dro`mos a running.] 1. (Botany) Having the lowest inferior segment of a pinna nearer the rachis than the lowest superior one; -- said of a mode of branching in ferns, and opposed to anadromous .

2. (Zoology) Living in fresh water, and going to the sea to spawn; -- opposed to anadromous , and said of the eel.

Catafalco Cat`a·fal"co noun [ Italian ] See Catafalque .

Catafalque Cat"a·falque` noun [ French, from Italian catafalco , scaffold, funeral canopy; of uncertain origin; confer Spanish catafalso , cadahalso , cadalso , Pr. casafalc , Old French chafaut . Confer Scaffold .] A temporary structure sometimes used in the funeral solemnities of eminent persons, for the public exhibition of the remains, or their conveyance to the place of burial.

Catagmatic Cat`·ag·mat"ic adjective [ Greek ... fracture, from ... to break in places; kata` down + 'agny`nai to break: confer French catagmatique .] (Medicine) Having the quality of consolidating broken bones.

Cataian Ca·ta"ian noun A native of Cathay or China; a foreigner; -- formerly a term of reproach. Shak.

Catalan Cat"a·lan adjective Of or pertaining to Catalonia. -- noun A native or inhabitant of Catalonia; also, the language of Catalonia.

Catalan furnace , Catalan forge (Metal.) , a kind of furnace for producing wrought iron directly from the ore. It was formerly much used, esp. in Catalonia, and is still used in some parts of the United States and elsewhere.

Catalectic Cat`a·lec"tic adjective [ Latin catalecticus , Greek ... incomplete, from ... to leave off; kata` down, wholly + lh`gein to stop.] 1. (Pros.) Wanting a syllable at the end, or terminating in an imperfect foot; as, a catalectic verse.

2. (Photog. & Chem.) Incomplete; partial; not affecting the whole of a substance. Abney.

Catalepsy Cat"a·lep`sy Cat`a*lep"sis noun [ New Latin catalepsis , from Greek ... a seizure, from ... to seize upon; kata` down + ... to take, seize.] (Medicine) A sudden suspension of sensation and volition, the body and limbs preserving the position that may be given them, while the action of the heart and lungs continues.

Cataleptic Cat`a·lep"tic adjective [ Greek katalhptiko`s .] Pertaining to, or resembling, catalepsy; affected with catalepsy; as, a cataleptic fit.

Catallacta Cat`al·lac"ta noun plural [ New Latin , from Greek .... See Catallactics .] (Zoology) A division of Protozoa, of which Magosphæra is the type. They exist both in a myxopod state, with branched pseudopodia, and in the form of ciliated bodies united in free, spherical colonies.

Catallactics Cat`al·lac"tics noun [ Greek ... to exchange; kata` wholly + ... to change.] The science of exchanges, a branch of political economy.

Catalog Cat"a·log noun & v. Catalogue.

Catalogize Cat"a·lo·gize transitive verb To insert in a catalogue; to register; to catalogue. [ R.] Coles.

Catalogue Cat"a·logue noun [ French, from catalogus , from Greek ... a counting up, list, from ... to count up; kata` down, completely + ... to say.] A list or enumeration of names, or articles arranged methodically, often in alphabetical order; as, a catalogue of the students of a college, or of books, or of the stars.

Card catalogue , a catalogue, as of books, having each item entered on a separate card, and the cards arranged in cases by subjects, or authors, or alphabetically. -- Catalogue raisonné [ French], a catalogue of books, etc., classed according to their subjects.

Syn. -- List; roll; index; schedule; enumeration; inventory. See List .

Catalogue Cat"a·logue transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Catalogued ; present participle & verbal noun Cataloguing .] To make a list or catalogue; to insert in a catalogue.

Cataloguer Cat"a·log`uer noun A maker of catalogues; esp. one skilled in the making of catalogues.

Catalpa Ca·tal"pa noun [ From the language of the Indians of Carolina, where Catesby discovered this tree in the year 1726.] (Botany) A genus of American and East Indian trees, of which the best know species are the Catalpa bignonioides , a large, ornamental North American tree, with spotted white flowers and long cylindrical pods, and the C. speciosa , of the Mississipi valley; -- called also Indian bean .

Catalysis Ca·tal"y·sis noun ; plural Catalyse . [ ML., from Greek ... dissolution, from ... to destroy, dissolve; kata` down, wholly + ... to loose.]

1. Dissolution; degeneration; decay. [ R.]

Sad catalysis and declension of piety.
Evelyn.

2. (Chemistry) (a) A process by which reaction occurs in the presence of certain agents which were formerly believed to exert an influence by mere contact. It is now believed that such reactions are attended with the formation of an intermediate compound or compounds, so that by alternate composition and decomposition the agent is apparenty left unchanged; as, the catalysis of making ether from alcohol by means of sulphuric acid; or catalysis in the action of soluble ferments (as diastase, or ptyalin) on starch. (b) The catalytic force.

Catalytic Cat`a·ly"tic adjective Relating to, or causing, catalysis. "The catalytic power is ill understood." Ure.

Catalytic force , that form of chemical energy formerly supposed to determine catalysis.

Catalytic Cat`a·lyt"ic noun (Chemistry) An agent employed in catalysis, as platinum black, aluminium chloride, etc.

Catamaran Cat`a·ma·ran" noun [ The native East Indian name.] 1. A kind of raft or float, consisting of two or more logs or pieces of wood lashed together, and moved by paddles or sail; -- used as a surf boat and for other purposes on the coasts of the East and West Indies and South America. Modified forms are much used in the lumber regions of North America, and at life-saving stations.

2. Any vessel with twin hulls, whether propelled by sails or by steam; esp., one of a class of double- hulled pleasure boats remarkable for speed.

3. A kind of fire raft or torpedo bat.

The incendiary rafts prepared by Sir Sidney Smith for destroying the French flotilla at Boulogne, 1804, were called catamarans .
Knight.

4. A quarrelsome woman; a scold. [ Colloq.]

Catamenia Cat`a·me"nia (kăt`ȧ*mē"nĭ*ȧ) noun plural [ New Latin , from Greek ta` katamh`nia .] (Medicine) The monthly courses of women; menstrual discharges; menses.

Catamenial Cat`a·me"ni·al (- a l) adjective [ Greek katamh`nios monthly; kata` down, back, again + mh`n month.] Pertaining to the catamenia, or menstrual discharges.

Catamite Cat"a·mite (kăt"ȧ*mīt) noun [ Latin Catamitus , an old form of Ganymedes Ganymede, Greek Ganymh`dhs .] A boy kept for unnatural purposes.

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