Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
- 1,538
- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Cha-cōne', n. p. 214Cha-cōnne' p. 214A slow air in triple time on a ground bass, somewhat resembling the saraband; a dance borrowed from the Arabians.Chād, n. p. 214(Ichth.) A kind of fish; the shad. See SHAD. Carew.Chæ'to-don, n. p. 214(Ichth.) A genus of fishes belonging to the family Squamipennes, or scaly finned fish, and characterized by a rhomboidal body and brilliant colors. Baird.Chāfe, v. t. p. 214To excite physical heat or irritation in by means of friction; to stimulate. To rub her temples, and to chafe her skin. Spenser. 2. To excite heat in the mind of; to excite passion in; to fret; to…Chāfe, v. i. p. 214To be excited or heated; to rage; to fret; to be in violent action. Take no care Who chafes, who frets. Shak. 2. To fret or wear by rubbing. The troubled Tiber chafing with his shores. Shak. 3. To be…Chāfe, n. p. 214Heat or irritation excited by friction. 2. Violent agitation of the mind or passions. “In a sultry chafe.” Milton.Chāf'er, n. p. 214One who chafes. 2. A dish or pan. “A chafer of water to cool the ends of the irons.” Baker.Chāf'er, n. p. 214(Entom.) An insect;— also called cock-chafer or May-bug.Chāf'er-y, n. p. 214(Iron Works.) A forge in which the metal is subjected to a welding heat. Nicholson.Chāfe'-wāx, n. p. 214An assistant or attendant to the lord chancellor, who fits the wax for the sealing of writs. [Eng.] Harris.Chāff, n. p. 214The glumes, husk, or light, dry covering of grains and grasses. It consists of membranous scales which are separated from the seed by threshing, winnowing, or like processes. Take the corn and leave…Chăff, n. p. 214Light, idle talk, by way of making fun or turning into ridicule. [Colloq.]Chāff, v. i. p. 214To use light, idle language by way of fun or ridicule. [Colloq.] At the end of Strand they make a stand, Swearing that they are at a loss: And, chafing, say, that's not the way They must go to…Chăff, v. t. p. 214To make fun of; to turn into ridicule by addressing in frivolous or ironical language. Morgan saw that his master was chaffing him. Thackeray.Chāff'-cŭt'ter or Chāff'-en'gīne, n. p. 214A machine for cutting up straw, &c., into chaff.Chāf'fer, v. i. p. 214To treat about a purchase; to bargain; to haggle; to negotiate. To chaffer for preferments with his gold. Dryden. 2. To talk much or idly. Trench.Chăf'fer, v. t. p. 214To make a purchase of; to buy. He chaffered chairs in which churchmen were set. Spencer. 2. To exchange. “[To] chaffer words.” Spencer.Chāf'fer, n. p. 214That which is chaffered; merchandise. [Obs.] “Cattle, chaffer, or merchandise.” Holinshed.Chäf'fer-er, n. p. 214One who chaffers; a bargainer; a buyer.Chäffern, n. p. 214A vessel for heating water. [Obs.]Chäf'fer-y, n. p. 214Traffic; buying and selling; bargaining. [Obs.] Spencer.Chäff'finch, n. p. 214(Or-nith.) A bird belonging to the Fringillidæ, or finch family (Fringilla cœlebs), said to delight in chaff, and having a very sweet note which is much admired. Baird.Chäff'ing, n. p. 214The use of light, frivolous language by way of fun or ridicule.Chäff'less, a. p. 214Without chaff. Shak.Chäff'-weed, n. p. 214(Bot.) (a.) A species of Gnaphalium; cudweed. (b.) A species of Centunculus. Muhlenberg.Chäff'y, a. p. 214Containing, resembling, or consisting of, chaff. “Chaffy snow.” Armstrong. “Chaffy grain beneath the thresher’s flail.” Coleridge. 2. Light or worthless as chaff. “Slight and chaffy opinion.”…Chāf'ing-dish, n. p. 214A dish or vessel to hold coals for heating any thing set on it; a portable grate for coals.Chāf'ing-gēar, n. p. 214(Naut.) Matting or other soft substance placed on rigging, spars, &c., to prevent chafing.Sha-green′, n. p. 214See SHAGREEN.Cha-grīn', n. p. 214Ill-humor; vexation; peevishness; fretfulness. Hear me, and touch Belinda with chagrin. Pope. Syn.—Vexation; mortification; peevishness; fretfulness; disgust; disquiet.—CHAGRIN, VEXATION…Cha-grīn′, v. t. p. 214To excite ill-humor in; to vex; to mortify. “He was not a little chagrined.” Cook.Chāin, n. p. 214A series of links or rings, usually of metal, connected or fitted into one another, used for various purposes, as of support, of restraint, of ornament, of connection, of the exertion and…Chāin, v. t. p. 214To fasten, bind, or connect with a chain; to fasten or bind with any thing in the manner of a chain. “Chained behind the hostile car.” Prior. 2. To keep in slavery; to enslave. And which more blest?…Chāin'-bōlt, n. p. 214(Naut.) A large bolt used to secure to a ship's side the links or dead-eyes through which the standing rigging is rove. Simmonds.Chāin'-bōnd, n. p. 214See BOND.Chāin'-brīdge, n. p. 214A bridge suspended on chains; a suspension bridge. Simmonds.Chāin'-cā'ble, n. p. 214A cable made of links of iron.Chāin'-găng, n. p. 214A gang or number of convicts chained together. Howitt.Chāin'less, a. p. 214Having no chain; not restrained or fettered. “The chainless mind.” Byron.Chāin'let, n. p. 214A small chain. The spurs and ringing chainlets sound. W. Scott.Chāin'-māil, n. p. 214A kind of armor made of interlaced rings, both flexible and strong. Fosbroke.Chāin'-mōld'ing or Chāin'-mōuld'ing, n. p. 214(Arch.) A form of molding in imitation of a chain; used in the Norman style. Gwilt.Chāin'-pŭmp, n. p. 214A pump consisting of an endless chain, equipped with a sufficient number of disks or buckets, passing upward through a wooden tube, and moving on two wheels, one above, the other below. It is moved…Chāin'-rūle, n. p. 214(Arith.) A theorem for solving numerical problems by composition of ratios, or compound proportion, by which, when several ratios of equality are given, the consequent of each being the same as the…Chāin'-shot, n. p. 214(Mil.) Two balls, or half balls, connected by a chain, and used to cut down masts, or cut away shrouds and rigging.Cháin'-stitch, n. p. 214A kind of stitch in sewing, made by interlocking threads, so as to leave open spaces, like the links of a chain. Simmonds.Chāin'-tīm'ber, n. p. 214(Arch.) See BOND.Chāin'-wāles, n. pl. p. 214(Naut.) Pieces of plank bolted to the sides of a ship to spread the lower rigging. See CHANNELS.Chain'-wheel, n. p. 214(Mech.) An inversion of the chain-pump, by which it becomes a recipient of power.Chain'-work, n. p. 214Work consisting of threads, cords, and the like, linked together in the form of a chain, as lineal chaining or tambour-work, reticulation or net-work, &c.Châir, n. p. 214A movable seat with a back, intended for one person. 2. An official seat, as of a chief magistrate, a judge, a professor; a pulpit; hence, the office itself. The chair of a philosophical school.…Châir, v. t. p. 214To carry publicly in a chair in triumph;—applied to a candidate for office who has gained his election. [Eng.]Châir'man, n. p. 214(Legislative Bodies.) The presiding officer or speaker of an assembly, association, or company; particularly of a legislative house; also, the president or senior member of a committee. 2. One whose…Châir'man-shĭp, n. p. 214The office of a chairman or presiding officer of a meeting.Chāise, n. p. 215A two-wheeled carriage for two persons, with a calash top and the body hung on leather straps, or thorough-braces. ItCha-lā's'ties, n. p. 215(Med.) A medicine proper for removing rigidity or stiffness of the parts of the body; an emollient. Dunglison.Cha-lā'zā or Cha-lā'ze', n. p. 215(Bot.) The place on a seed where its outer coats cohere with each other and the nucleus. Gray.Chāl'ce-dŏn'ic, a. p. 215Pertaining to chalcedony.Chal-cēd’o-ny or Chāl’çe-do-ny, n. p. 215(Min.) An uncrystallized, translucent variety of quartz, having usually a whitish color, and a luster nearly like wax. ☞ When chalcedony of different colors is arranged in stripes, or layers, it…