Cateress Ca"ter·ess noun A woman who caters. Milton.
Caterpillar Cat"er·pil`lar noun [ Middle English
catyrpel , corrupted from Old French
chatepelouse , or
cate pelue , from
chate , French
chatte , she-cat, fem. of
chat , Latin
catus + Latin
pilosus hairy, or French
pelu hairy, from Latin
pilus hair. See
Cat , and
Pile hair.]
1. (Zoology) The larval state of a butterfly or any lepidopterous insect; sometimes, but less commonly, the larval state of other insects, as the sawflies, which are also called false caterpillars. The true caterpillars have three pairs of true legs, and several pairs of abdominal fleshy legs (prolegs) armed with hooks. Some are hairy, others naked. They usually feed on leaves, fruit, and succulent vegetables, being often very destructive, Many of them are popularly called worms, as the cutworm, cankerworm, army worm, cotton worm, silkworm. 2. (Botany) A plant of the genus Scorpiurus , with pods resembling caterpillars. Caterpillar catcher ,
or Caterpillar eater (Zoology) ,
a bird belonging to the family of Shrikes, which feeds on caterpillars. The name is also given to several other birds. --
Caterpillar hunter (Zoology) ,
any species of beetles of the genus Callosoma and other allied genera of the family Carabidæ which feed habitually upon caterpillars.
Caterwaul Cat"er·waul intransitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Caterwauled ;
present participle & verbal noun Caterwauling .] [
Cat +
waul ,
wawl , to cry as a cat.]
To cry as cats in rutting time; to make a harsh, offensive noise. Coleridge.
Caterwaul Cat"er·waul noun A caterwauling.
Caterwauling Cat"er·waul`ing noun The cry of cats; a harsh, disagreeable noise or cry like the cry of cats. Shak.
Catery Ca"ter·y noun [ See
Cater ,
noun ]
The place where provisions are deposited. [ Obsolete]
Cates Cates noun plural [ Confer
Acates , and see
Cater ,
noun ]
Provisions; food; viands; especially, luxurious food; delicacies; dainties. Shak. Cates for which Apicius could not pay.
Shurchill.
Choicest cates and the fiagon's best spilth.
R. Browning.
Catfall Cat"fall` noun (Nautical) A rope used in hoisting the anchor to the cathead. Totten.
Catfish Cat"fish` noun (Zoology) A name given in the United States to various species of siluroid fishes; as, the yellow cat ( Amiurus natalis ); the bind cat ( Gronias nigrilabrus ); the mud cat ( Pilodictic oilwaris ), the stone cat ( Noturus flavus ); the sea cat ( Arius felis ), etc. This name is also sometimes applied to the wolf fish . See Bullhrad .
Catgut Cat"gut` noun [
Cat +
gut .]
1. A cord of great toughness made from the intestines of animals, esp. of sheep, used for strings of musical instruments, etc. 2. A sort of linen or canvas, with wide interstices.
Catharine wheel Cath"a·rine wheel` See catherine wheel .
Catharist Cath"a·rist noun [ Late Latin
catharista , from Greek ... clean, pure.]
One aiming at or pretending to a greater purity of like than others about him; -- applied to persons of various sects. See Albigenses .
Catharsis Ca·thar"sis noun [ New Latin , from Greek .... See
Cathartic .]
(Medicine) A natural or artificial purgation of any passage, as of the mouth, bowels, etc.
Catharsis Ca·thar"sis noun (Psychotherapy) The process of relieving an abnormal excitement by reëstablishing the association of the emotion with the memory or idea of the event that first caused it, and of eliminating it by complete expression (called the abreaction ).
Cathartic Ca·thar"tic noun [ Greek ....]
(Medicine) A medicine that promotes alvine discharges; a purge; a purgative of moderate activity. » The
cathartics are more energetic and certain in action that the
laxatives , which simply increase the tendency to alvine evacuation; and less powerful and irritaint that the
drastic purges, which cause profuse, repeated, and watery evacuations. --
Ca*thar"tic*al*ly ,
adverb --
Ca*thar"tic*al*ness ,
noun
Cathartic, Catharical Ca·thar"tic, Ca·thar"ic·al adjective [ Greek ..., from ... to cleanse, from ... pure; akin to French
chaste .]
1. (Medicine) Cleansing the bowels; promoting evacuations by stool; purgative. 2. Of or pertaining to the purgative principle of senna, as cathartic acid.
cathartin ca·thar"tin noun (Chemistry) The bitter, purgative principle of senna. It is a glucoside with the properties of a weak acid; -- called also cathartic acid , and cathartina .
Cathay Ca·thay" noun China; -- an old name for the Celestial Empire, said have been introduced by Marco Polo and to be a corruption of the Tartar name for North China ( Khitai , the country of the Khitans.) Better fifty years of Europe than a cycle of Cathay .
Tennyson.
Cathead Cat"head` noun (Nautical) A projecting piece of timber or iron near the bow of vessel, to which the anchor is hoisted and secured.
Cathedra Cath"e·dra noun [ Latin , from Greek ... seat. See
Chair .]
The official chair or throne of a bishop, or of any person in high authority. Ex cathedra [ Latin , from the chair],
in the exercise of one's office; with authority. The Vatican Council declares that the Pope, is infallible "when he speaks ex cathedra ."
Addis & Arnold's Cath. Dict.
Cathedral Ca·the"dral noun [ Late Latin
cathedralis (sc.
ecclesia ): confer French
cathédrale . See
Cathedra .]
The principal church in a diocese, so called because in it the bishop has his official chair ( Cathedra ) or throne.
Cathedral Ca·the"dral adjective [ Late Latin
cathedralis : confer French
cathédral .]
1. Pertaining to the head church of a diocese; as, a cathedral church; cathedral service. 2. Emanating from the chair of office, as of a pope or bishop; official; authoritative. Now, what solemnity can be more required for the pope to make a cathedral determination of an article!
Jer. Taylor.
3. Resembling the aisles of a cathedral; as, cathedral walks. Pope.
Cathedralic Cath`e·dral"ic adjective Cathedral. [ R.]
Cathedrated Cath`e·dra"ted adjective [ From
Cathedra .]
Relating to the chair or office of a teacher. [ Obsolete]
Catheretic Cath`e·ret"ic noun [ Greek ..., from ... to bring down or raze; ... down + ... to take.]
(Medicine) A mild kind caustic used to reduce warts and other excrescences. Dunglison.
Catherine wheel Cath"er·ine wheel` [ So called from St. Catherine of Alexandria, who is represented with a wheel , in allusion to her martyrdom.] 1. (Geoth.Arth.) Same as Rose window and Wheel window . Called also Catherine-wheel window . 2. (Pyrotechny) A revolving piece of fireworks resembling in form the window of the same name. [ Written also Catharine wheel .]
Catheter Cath"e·ter noun [ Latin , from Greek ... a thing let down or put in, catheter, from ... to send down, to let down; ... + ... to send.]
(Medicine) The name of various instruments for passing along mucous canals, esp. applied to a tubular instrument to be introduced into the bladder through the urethra to draw off the urine. Eustachian catheter .
See under Eustachian . --
Prostatic catheter ,
one adapted for passing an enlarged prostate.
Catheterism, Catheterization Cath"e·ter·ism, Cath`e·ter·i·za"tion noun (Medicine) The operation of introducing a catheter.
Catheterize Cath"e·ter·ize transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Catheterized ;
present participle & verbal noun Catheterizing .]
(Medicine) To operate on with a catheter. Dunglison.
Cathetometer Cath`e·tom"e·ter noun [ From Greek ... vertical height +
-meter .]
An instrument for the accurate measurement of small differences of height; esp. of the differences in the height of the upper surfaces of two columns of mercury or other fluid, or of the same column at different times. It consists of a telescopic leveling apparatus (d) , which slides up or down a perpendicular metallic standard very finely graduated ( bb ). The telescope is raised or depressed in order to sight the objects or surfaces, and the differences in vertical height are thus shown on the graduated standard. [ Written also
kathetometer .]
Cathetus Cath"e·tus noun ;
plural catheti . [ Latin , from Greek ... a perpendicular line, from ... let down, from .... See
Catheter .]
(Geom.) One line or radius falling perpendicularly on another; as, the catheti of a right-angled triangle, that is, the two sides that include the right angle. Barlow.
Cathode Cath"ode noun [ Greek ... descent; ... down + ... way.]
(Physics) The part of a voltaic battery by which the electric current leaves substances through which it passes, or the surface at which the electric current passes out of the electrolyte; the negative pole; -- opposed to anode . Faraday. Cathode ray (Physics ) ,
a kind of ray generated at the cathode in a vacuum tube, by the electrical discharge.
Cathodic Ca·thod"ic (kȧ*thŏd"ĭk)
adjective (Physiol.) A term applied to the centrifugal, or efferent, course of the nervous influence. Marshall Hall.
Cathodograph Ca·thod"o·graph noun Also
Ca*thod"e*graph [
Cathode +
-graph .]
(Physics) A picture produced by the Röntgen rays; a radiograph.
Catholic Cath"o·lic (kăth"o*ĭk)
adjective [ Latin
catholicus , Greek
kaqoliko`s , universal, general;
kata` down, wholly +
"o`los whole, probably akin to English
solid : confer French
catholique .]
1. Universal or general; as, the catholic faith. Men of other countries [ came] to bear their part in so great and catholic a war.
Southey.
» This epithet, which is applicable to the whole Christian church, or its faith, is claimed by Roman Catholics to belong especially to their church, and in popular usage is so limited.
2. Not narrow-minded, partial, or bigoted; liberal; as, catholic tastes. 3. Of or pertaining to, or affecting the Roman Catholics; as, the Catholic emancipation act. Catholic epistles ,
the epistles of the apostles which are addressed to all the faithful, and not to a particular church; being those of James, Peter, Jude, and John.
Catholic Cath"o·lic noun 1. A person who accepts the creeds which are received in common by all parts of the orthodox Christian church. 2. An adherent of the Roman Catholic church; a Roman Catholic. Old Catholic ,
the name assumed in 1870 by members of the Roman Catholic church, who denied the ecumenical character of the Vatican Council, and rejected its decrees, esp. that concerning the infallibility of the pope, as contrary to the ancient Catholic faith.
Catholical Ca·thol"i·cal adjective Catholic. [ Obsolete]
Catholicism Ca·thol"i·cism noun [ Confer French
catholicisme .]
1. The state or quality of being catholic or universal; catholicity. Jer. Taylor. 2. Liberality of sentiment; breadth of view. 3. The faith of the whole orthodox Christian church, or adherence thereto. 4. The doctrines or faith of the Roman Catholic church, or adherence thereto.
Catholicity Cath`o·lic"i·ty noun 1. The state or quality of being catholic; universality. 2. Liberality of sentiments; catholicism. 3. Adherence or conformity to the system of doctrine held by all parts of the orthodox Christian church; the doctrine so held; orthodoxy. 4. Adherence to the doctrines of the church of Rome, or the doctrines themselves.
Catholicize Ca·thol"i·cize v. t. & i. To make or to become catholic or Roman Catholic.
Catholicly Cath"o·lic·ly adverb In a catholic manner; generally; universally. Sir Latin Cary.
Catholicness Cath"o·lic·ness noun The quality of being catholic; universality; catholicity.
Catholicon Ca·thol"i·con noun [ Greek ..., neut. ..., universal. See
Catholic .]
(Medicine) A remedy for all diseases; a panacea.
Catholicos Ca·thol"i·cos noun [ New Latin See
Catholic .]
(Eccl.) The spiritual head of the Armenian church, who resides at Etchmiadzin, Russia, and has ecclesiastical jurisdiction over, and consecrates the holy oil for, the Armenians of Russia, Turkey, and Persia, including the Patriarchs of Constantinople, Jerusalem, and Sis. » The Patriarch of Constantinople is the
civil head of the Armenians in Turkey.
Catilinarian Cat`i·li·na"ri·an adjective [ Latin
Catilinarius .]
Pertaining to Catiline, the Roman conspirator; resembling Catiline's conspiracy.
Cation Cat"i·on noun [ Greek ... downward + ... going, present participle of ... to go.]
(Chemistry) An electro-positive substance, which in electro-decomposition is evolved at the cathode; -- opposed to anion . Faraday.
Catkin Cat"kin noun [
Cat +
- kin .]
(Botany) An ament; a species of inflorescence, consisting of a slender axis with many unisexual apetalous flowers along its sides, as in the willow and poplar, and (as to the staminate flowers) in the chestnut, oak, hickory, etc. -- so called from its resemblance to a cat's tail. See Illust. of Ament .
Catlike Cat"like` adjective Like a cat; stealthily; noiselessly.
Catling Cat"ling noun [
Cat +
- ing .]
1. A little cat; a kitten. "Cat nor
catling ."
Drummond. 2. Catgut; a catgut string. [ R.]
Shak. 3. (Surg.) A double-edged, sharp- pointed dismembering knife. [ Spelt also
catlin .]
Crobb.
Catlinite Cat"lin·ite noun [ From George
Catlin , an American traveler.]
A red clay from the Upper Missouri region, used by the Indians for their pipes.
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