Catchword (n.) The first word of any page of a book after the first, inserted at the right hand bottom corner of the preceding page for the assistance of the reader. It is seldom used in modern printing.
Catchword (n.) A word or phrase caught up and repeated for effect; as, the catchword of a political party, etc.
Catchwork (n.) A work or artificial water-course for throwing water on lands that lie on the slopes of hills; a catchdrain.
Cate (n.) Food. [Obs.] See Cates.
Catechetic (a.) Alt. of Catechetical
Catechetical (a.) Relating to or consisting in, asking questions and receiving answers, according to the ancient manner of teaching.
Catechetically (adv.) In a catechetical manner; by question and answer.
Catechetics (n.) The science or practice of instructing by questions and answers.
Catechin (n.) One of the tannic acids, extracted from catechu as a white, crystalline substance; -- called also catechuic acid, and catechuin.
Catechisation (n.) The act of catechising.
Catechised (imp. & p. p.) of Catechise
Catechising (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Catechise
Catechise (v. t.) To instruct by asking questions, receiving answers, and offering explanations and corrections, -- esp. in regard to points of religious faith.
Catechise (v. t.) To question or interrogate; to examine or try by questions; -- sometimes with a view to reproof, by eliciting from a person answers which condemn his own conduct.
Catechiser (n.) One who catechises.
Catechism (n.) A form of instruction by means of questions and answers.
Catechism (n.) A book containing a summary of principles, especially of religious doctrine, reduced to the form of questions and answers.
Catechismal (a.) Of or pertaining to a catechism, having the form of questions and answers; catechetical.
Catechist (n.) One who instructs by question and answer, especially in religions matters.
Catechistic (a.) Alt. of Catechistical
Catechistical (a.) Of or pertaining to a catechist or to a catechism.
Catechize (v. t.) See Catechise.
Catechu (n.) A dry, brown, astringent extract, obtained by decoction and evaporation from the Acacia catechu, and several other plants growing in India. It contains a large portion of tannin or tannic acid, and is used in medicine and in the arts. It is also known by the names terra japonica, cutch, gambier, etc.
Catechuic (a.) Of or pertaining to catechu or its derivatives. See catechin.
Catechumen (L. catechunenus, Gr. / instructed, from /. See) One who is receiving rudimentary instruction in the doctrines of Christianity; a neophyte; in the primitive church, one officially recognized as a Christian, and admitted to instruction preliminary to admission to full membership in the church.
Catechumenate (n.) The state or condition of a catechumen or the time during which one is a catechumen.
Catechumenical (a.) Of or pertaining to catechumens; as, catechumenical instructions.
Catechumenist (n.) A catechumen.
Categorematic (a.) Capable of being employed by itself as a term; -- said of a word.
Categorical (a.) Of or pertaining to a category.
Categorical (a.) Not hypothetical or relative; admitting no conditions or exceptions; declarative; absolute; positive; express; as, a categorical proposition, or answer.
Categorically (adv.) Absolutely; directly; expressly; positively; as, to affirm categorically.
Categoricalness (n.) The quality of being categorical, positive, or absolute.
Categorist (n.) One who inserts in a category or list; one who classifies.
Categorize (v. t.) To insert in a category or list; to class; to catalogue.
Categories (pl. ) of Category
Category (n.) One of the highest classes to which the objects of knowledge or thought can be reduced, and by which they can be arranged in a system; an ultimate or undecomposable conception; a predicament.
Category (n.) Class; also, state, condition, or predicament; as, we are both in the same category.
Catel (n.) Property; -- often used by Chaucer in contrast with rent, or income.
Catelectrode (n.) The negative electrode or pole of a voltaic battery.
Catelectrotonic (a.) Relating to, or characterized by, catelectrotonus.
Catelectrotonus (n.) The condition of increased irritability of a nerve in the region of the cathode or negative electrode, on the passage of a current of electricity through it.
Catene (pl. ) of Catena
Catena (n.) A chain or series of things connected with each other.
Catenary (a.) Alt. of Catenarian
Catenarian (a.) Relating to a chain; like a chain; as, a catenary curve.
Catenary (n.) The curve formed by a rope or chain of uniform density and perfect flexibility, hanging freely between two points of suspension, not in the same vertical line.
Catenated (imp. & p. p.) of Catenate
Catenating (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Catenate
Catenate (v. t.) To connect, in a series of links or ties; to chain.
Catenation (n.) Connection of links or union of parts, as in a chain; a regular or connected series. See Concatenation.
Catenulate (a.) Consisting of little links or chains.
Catenulate (a.) Chainlike; -- said both or color marks and of indentations when arranged like the links of a chain, as on shells, etc.
Cater (n.) A provider; a purveyor; a caterer.
Catered (imp. & p. p.) of Cater
Catering (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Cater
Cater (n.) To provide food; to buy, procure, or prepare provisions.
Cater (n.) By extension: To supply what is needed or desired, at theatrical or musical entertainments; -- followed by for or to.
Cater (n.) The four of cards or dice.
Cater (v. t.) To cut diagonally.
Cateran (n.) A Highland robber: a kind of irregular soldier.
Cater-cornered (a.) Diagonal.
Cater-cousin (n.) A remote relation. See Quater-cousin.
Caterer (n.) One who caters.
Cateress (n.) A woman who caters.
Caterpillar (n.) 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.
Caterpillar (n.) A plant of the genus Scorpiurus, with pods resembling caterpillars.
Caterwauled (imp. & p. p.) of Caterwaul
Caterwauling (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Caterwaul
Caterwaul (v. i.) To cry as cats in rutting time; to make a harsh, offensive noise.
Caterwaul (n.) A caterwauling.
Caterwauling (n.) The cry of cats; a harsh, disagreeable noise or cry like the cry of cats.
Catery (n.) The place where provisions are deposited.
Cates (n.) Provisions; food; viands; especially, luxurious food; delicacies; dainties.
Cat-eyed (a.) Having eyes like a cat; hence, able to see in the dark.
Catfall (n.) A rope used in hoisting the anchor to the cathead.
Catfish (n.) 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 (n.) A cord of great toughness made from the intestines of animals, esp. of sheep, used for strings of musical instruments, etc.
Catgut (n.) A sort of linen or canvas, with wide interstices.
Catharine wheel () See catherine wheel.
Catharist (n.) One aiming at or pretending to a greater purity of like than others about him; -- applied to persons of various sects. See Albigenses.
Cat-harpin (n.) See Cat-harping.
Cat-harping (n.) One of the short ropes or iron cramps used to brace in the shrouds toward the masts so a to give freer sweep to the yards.
Catharsis (n.) A natural or artificial purgation of any passage, as of the mouth, bowels, etc.
Cathartic (a.) Alt. of Catharical
Catharical (a.) Cleansing the bowels; promoting evacuations by stool; purgative.
Catharical (a.) Of or pertaining to the purgative principle of senna, as cathartic acid.
Cathartic (n.) A medicine that promotes alvine discharges; a purge; a purgative of moderate activity.
Cathartin (n.) The bitter, purgative principle of senna. It is a glucoside with the properties of a weak acid; -- called also cathartic acid, and cathartina.
Cathay (n.) 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.)
Cathead (n.) A projecting piece of timber or iron near the bow of vessel, to which the anchor is hoisted and secured.
Cathedra (n.) The official chair or throne of a bishop, or of any person in high authority.
Cathedral (n.) The principal church in a diocese, so called because in it the bishop has his official chair (Cathedra) or throne.
Cathedral (a.) Pertaining to the head church of a diocese; as, a cathedral church; cathedral service.
Cathedral (a.) Emanating from the chair of office, as of a pope or bishop; official; authoritative.
Cathedral (a.) Resembling the aisles of a cathedral; as, cathedral walks.
Cathedralic (a.) Cathedral.
Cathedrated (a.) Relating to the chair or office of a teacher.
Catheretic (n.) A mild kind caustic used to reduce warts and other excrescences.
Catherine wheel () Same as Rose window and Wheel window. Called also Catherine-wheel window.