Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Caus'tic or Caus'tic-al, a. p. 208Destructive to the texture of any thing; burning; corrosive; pungent. 2. Severe; satirical; sharp; as, a caustic remark. Caustic curve (Geom.), a curve to which the rays of light, reflected or…Caus'tic, n. p. 208Any substance which, applied to animal substances, burns, corrodes, or destroys the texture; an escharotic. 2. (Opt.) A caustic curve. Lunar caustic, a preparation of silver, obtained by solution in…Caus'tic-al-ly, adv. p. 208In a caustic or severe manner.Caus-tic'i-ty, n. p. 208The quality or property which characterizes caustic bodies; sharpness; pungency; corrosiveness; as, the causticity of potash. 2. Severity of language; sarcasm; as, the causticity of a reply or remark.Caus'tic-ness, n. p. 208The quality of being caustic; causticity. Scott.Cau'tel, n. p. 208Caution; prudence; wariness. [Obs.] Fuller. 2. Cunning; craftiness; subtlety. [Obs.] Do not, like the slothful servant, thy master's message with cautela and doubts. Latimer.Cau'te-loŭs, a. p. 208Cautious; prudent; wary. [Obs.] “Cautelous, though young.” Drayton. 2. Cunning; treacherous; insidious. [Obs.] “Cautelous baits and practice.” Shak.Cau'te-loǔs-ly, adv. p. 208In a cautious or wary manner. [Obs.] 2. In a cunning or crafty manner. [Obs.]Cau'te-lōus-ness, n. p. 208Cautiousness. [Obs.]Cau'ter, n. p. 208A hot, searing iron. Minshew.Cau'ter-ant, n. p. 208A cauterizing substance, as lunar caustic. Ogilvie.Cau'ter-ism, n. p. 208The use or application of caustics; cautery. Ferrand.Cau'ter-i-zā'tion, n. p. 208(Surg.) The act of burning or searing some morbid part by the application of fire.Cau'ter-ize, v. t. p. 208To burn or sear with fire or a hot iron, as morbid flesh. Dunglison.Cau'ter-y, n. p. 208(Surg.) A burning or searing, as of morbid flesh, by a hot iron, or by caustic medicines that burn, corrode, or destroy any solid part of an animal body. ☞ The burning by a hot iron is called actual…Cau'ting-ī'ron, n. p. 208(Far.) An instrument used in cauterizing or searing. Craig.Cau'tion, n. p. 208A careful attention to the probable effects of a measure, and a judicious course of conduct to avoid failure or disaster; prudence in regard to danger; provident care; wariness. 2. Security…Cau'tion, v. t. p. 208To give notice of danger to; to warn; to exhort to take heed. You cautioned me against their charms. Swift.Cau'tion-a-ry, a. p. 208Containing caution, or warning to avoid danger; as, cautionary advice. 2. Given as a pledge or in security. He hated Barnevelt, for his getting the cautionary towns out of his hands. Barnet.Cau'tion-er, n. p. 208One who gives caution or advice. 2. (Scots Law.) A person who is bound for another to the performance of an obligation; a surety for a debt or contract; a guarantor. Bouvier.Cau'tion-ry, n. p. 208(Scots Law.) The act of giving security for another: suretiship; the obligation of suretiship.Cau'tious (kaw'shus), a. p. 208<br>1. Attentive to examine probable effects and consequences of measures, with a view to avoid danger or misfortune; prudent; circumspect; wary; watchful; as, a cautious general; a cautious lawyer.…Cau'tious-ly, adv. p. 208With caution; in a wary, scrupulous manner.Cau'tious-ness, n. p. 208The quality of being cautious; watchfulness; provident care; circumspection; prudence with regard to danger. Addison.Căv'al-cāde', n. p. 208A procession of persons on horseback; a formal, pompous march of horsemen and equipage, by way of parade, or to grace a triumph, &c. He brought back his war-worn cavalcade to the city. Prescott.Căv'a-liēr', n. p. 208A military man serving on horseback; a knight. 2. A gay, sprightly, gallant man. Shak. 3. One of the leaders of the court party in the time of King Charles I.;—so called on account of the gayety of…Căv'a-liēr',, a. p. 208Gay; sprightly; generous. The plodding, persevering, scrupulous accuracy of the one, and the easy, cavalier, verbal fluency of the other, form a complete contrast. Hazlitt. 2. Brave; warlike. The…Căv'-a-liĕr'ish, a. p. 208Of, or pertaining to, a cavalier, or to the adherents of King Charles I. [Obs.] “The cavalierish party.” Ludlow.Căv'-a-liēr'-ism, n. p. 208The practice or principles of cavaliers. W. Scott.Căv'a-liĕr'ly, adv. p. 208In a supercilious, disdainful, or haughty manner.Căv'a-liēr'ness, n. p. 208A disdainful manner; haughtiness.Căv'al-lărd', n. p. 208A drove of horses or mules; as, to steal a cavalard of horses. [South-western States.] Bartlett.Căv'al-ry, n. p. 208(Mil.) That part of a military force which consists of troops that serve on horseback, as dragoons, light-horse, &c. “A meager force of cavalry.” Motley. ☞ The distinction between heavy and light…Ca-văss’ or Ca-wăss’, n. p. 208A police-officer in Turkey.Cā'vāte, v. t. p. 208To dig out; to make hollow. [Obs.]Căv'a-tī'na, n. p. 208(Mus.) An air of one movement, with little repetition of the words, and frequently preceded by a recitative.Ca-vā'tion, n. p. 208A making hollow; an excavation. [Obs.] Bailey.Ca-vā'zion, n. p. 208(Arch.) A trench or excavation for the foundation of a building, or for cellarage. Weale.Cāve, n. p. 208A hollow place in the earth; a subterraneous cavity; a den. “Umbrageous grots and caves of cool recess.” Milton. There's not a hollow cave or lurking place, ... but I will find them out. Shak. 2. A…Cāve, v. t. p. 208To make hollow. “The moldered earth had caved the bank.” Spenser.Cāve, v. i. p. 208To dwell in a cave. “Such as we cave here.” Shak. They Who in oppression’s darkness caved. Baron. 2. To break down; to yield or give up. [Colloq.] To cave in, to fall in and leave a hollow, as earth…Cā've-āt, n. p. 208(Law.) A notice given by an interested party to some officer not to do a certain act until the party is heard in opposition; as, a caveat entered in a probate court to stop the proving of a will or…Cā've-ăt, v. i. p. 208To enter a caveat.Caveat emptor. p. 208(Law.) Let the purchaser beware, i. e., let him examine the article he is buying, and act on his own judgment.Cā've-ā'ting, n. p. 208(Fencing.) The shifting the sword from one side of an adversary's sword to the other.Cā've-ā'tor, n. p. 208One who enters a caveat.Căv'en-dish, n. p. 208Tobacco softened and pressed.Cāv'ern, n. p. 208A deep, hollow place in the earth; a cave.Căv'er-ned, a. p. 208Full of caverns. “The caverned ground.” Philips. 2. Living in a cavern. “Caverned hermit.” Pope.Căv'ern-ōūs, a. p. 208Full of caverns; filled with small cavities; hollow. “A bare and cavernous rock.” Warburton.Ca-vĕrn'ū-lōus, a. p. 208Full of little cavities; as, cavernulous metal. Black.Căv'es-son or Căv'e-zon, n. p. 208A sort of nose-band, of iron, leather, &c., sometimes flat and sometimes hollow or twisted, which is put on the nose of a horse, to wring it, and assist in breaking and training him. [Written also…Ca-vĕt'to, n. p. 208(Arch.) A hollowed molding,Ca-viare' or Cāv'i-ār, n. p. 208The roes of certain large fish, prepared and salted;—used as a relish, especially in Russia. Caviare was considered a delicacy, by some, in Shakespeare's time, but was not relished by most. Hence…Cāv'i-cōrn, n. p. 208(Zoöl.) Any ruminant animal whose horns are hollow, and planted on a bony process of the front, as the antelope. R. Owen.Căv'il, v. i. p. 208To raise captious and frivolous objections; to find fault without good reason. You do not well, in obstinacy. To cavil in the course of this contract. Shak.Căv'il, v. t. p. 208To receive or treat with objections; to find fault with. [Obs.]Căv'il, n. p. 208A false or frivolous objection; a fallacious reason, bearing some resemblance to truth; a sophistical argument. “All the cavils of prejudice and unbelief.” South. “Abstract cavils concerning the…Căv'il-er, n. p. 208One who cavils; one who raises captious objections; a captious disputant. “Cavilers at the style of the Scriptures.” Boyle.Cāv'il-ing-ly, adv. p. 208In a caviling manner.