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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.

  1. Chăs'ti-ty, n.p. 220Purity or freedom from all unlawful sexual intercourse. So dear to heaven is saintly chastity, That when a soul is found sincerely so, A thousand liveried angels lackey her. Milton. She . . . hath…
  2. Chăs'ū-ble, n.p. 220(Eccl.) An outward vestment worn by the priest in saying mass, having a large embroidered or gilt cross on the back, and a pillar in front, designed to be emblematical of Christ’s sufferings.…
  3. Chăt, v. i.p. 220To talk in a light and familiar manner; to talk without form or ceremony. “To chat a while on their adventures.” Dryden.
  4. Chăt, v. t.p. 220To talk of. [Obs.] Shak.
  5. Chăt, n.p. 220Light, familiar talk; idle talk; prate. Snuff or the fan supplies each pause of chat. Pope.
  6. Chāt, n.p. 220A twig, or little stick. See CHIT.
  7. Châ-teau' or CHA-TEAUX', n.p. 220A castle. [France.] Burke. 2. A residence in the country; a country-seat. Chateaux en Espagne, castles in Spain, Spain being the region of romance; castles in the air.
  8. Chât'e-lāin or Chât'e-lāine, n.p. 220An ornament of gold worn by a lady at her waist, with chains for a watch, keys, &c. Simmonds.
  9. Chāt'e-lēt, n.p. 220A little castle. Chambers.
  10. Chāt'el-la-ny, n.p. 220The lordship or jurisdiction of a castellan, or governor of a castle.
  11. Cha-toy'ant, a.p. 220(Min.) Having a changeable, undulating luster, or color, like that of a cat's eye in the dark. Dana.
  12. Cha-toy'ant, n.p. 220(Min.) A hard stone, as the species of chalcedony called cat's eye, which, when cut and polished, presents on its surface, and in the interior, an undulating or wavy light. Dana.
  13. Cha-toy'ment, n.p. 220Changeableness of color, as in a mineral; play of colors. Cleveland.
  14. Chăt Po-tā'tōesp. 220Small potatoes, such as are given to swine.
  15. Chăt'tel, n.p. 220(Law.) Every kind of property except the freehold, or the things which are parcel of it; it is a more extensive term than goods or effects. ☞ Chattels are personal or real: personal are such as…
  16. Chăt'tel-īsm, n.p. 220The holding of chattels.
  17. Chăt'ter, v. i.p. 220To utter sounds which somewhat resemble language, but are inarticulate and indistinct. The jay makes answer, as the magpie chatters. Wordsworth. 2. To talk idly, carelessly, or with undue rapidity…
  18. Chăt'ter, n.p. 220Sounds like those of a magpie or monkey; idle talk. Swift.
  19. Chat-ter-ā’tion, n.p. 220The act of chattering; idle, careless talk. 2. Inclination to, or habit of, talking incessantly; loquacity. [Colloq.] Johnson.
  20. Chăt'ter-bŏx, n.p. 220One who talks incessantly and idly. [Colloq.]
  21. Chăt'ter-er, n.p. 220A prater; an idle talker. 2. (Ornith.) A bird of the family Ampelidæ:— so called from its loud and monotonous note. The only European species is the Ampelis garrula; the common American species…
  22. Chât'ter-ing, n.p. 220Rapid, inarticulate sounds, as of birds; idle talk; rapid striking of the teeth, as in chilliness.
  23. Chât'ty, a.p. 220Given to free conversation; talkative.
  24. Chät'wood, n.p. 220Little sticks; fuel. Johnson.
  25. Chaud'-méd'ley, n.p. 220(Law.) The killing of a person in an affray, in the heat of blood, and while under the influence of passion, thus distinguished from chance medley, killing in self-defense, or in a casual affray.…
  26. Chauf'fer, n.p. 220(Chem.) A small furnace, usually a cylindrical box of sheet iron, with a pipe at the top, and a grate at the bottom. Fyfe.
  27. Chaul'dron, n.p. 220See CHAWDRON.
  28. Chaun, n.p. 220A gap. [Obs.] Cotgrave.
  29. Chaun, v. i.p. 220To open; to yawn. [Obs.] Sherwood.
  30. Chāunt, n. & v.p. 220See CHANT.
  31. Chăv'en-der, n.p. 220(Ichth.) A kind of fish, sometimes called chub. Walton.
  32. Chaw, v. t.p. 220To grind with the teeth; to masticate, as food in eating; to ruminate, or to chew, as the cud. The trampling steed, with gold and purple trapped, Chawing the foaming bit, there fiercely stood.…
  33. Chaw, n.p. 220The jaw. [Obs.] Holland. 2. As much as is put in the mouth at once; a chew; a cud. [Low.]
  34. Chaw'dron, n.p. 220Entrails. [Obs.] Shak. [Written also chaudron, chauldron.]
  35. Chāy'-rōot, n.p. 220The root of the Oldenlandia umbellata, native in India, and used for dyeing a durable red color. [Written also choy-root.] Loudon.
  36. Chēap, a.p. 220Bearing a low price in market; of small cost. Where there are a great many sellers to a few buyers, there the thing sold will be cheap. Locke. 2. Being of small value; common; not respected.
  37. Chēap, n.p. 220A bargain; a purchase. [Obs.] The sack that thou hast drunk me would have bought me lights as good cheap at the dearest chand'ler's in Europe. Shak.
  38. Chēap'en, v. t.p. 220To attempt to buy; to ask the price of; to chaffer for. To shops in crowds the daggled females fly, Frequent to cheapen goods, but nothing buy. Swift. 2. To beat down the price; to depreciate. My…
  39. Chēap'en-er, n.p. 220One who cheapens or bargains.
  40. Chēap'ly, adv.p. 220At a small price; at a low rate.
  41. Chēap'ness, n.p. 220Lowness in price, considering the usual price, or real value.
  42. Chēar, n. & v.p. 220See CHEER.
  43. Chēat, v. t.p. 220To deceive and defraud in any way; to impose upon; to trick. A sorcerer that, by his cunning, hath cheated me of this island. Shak. To cheat winter of its dreariness. W. Irving. Syn.—To trick; cozen…
  44. Chēat, n.p. 220An act of deception; a fraud; a trick; imposition; imposture. 2. A person who cheats; one guilty of fraud by deceitful practices. “Airy wonders, Which cheats interpret.” Johnson. 3. (Bot.) A…
  45. Chēat, n.p. 221Wheat, or bread made from it. Drayton. Their purest cheat. Thrice bolted, kneaded, and subdued in paste. Chapman. Cheat bread, a kind of wheat bread, considered by some as being of the finest…
  46. Chēat'a-ble-ness, n.p. 221Capability of being cheated. Hammond.
  47. Chēat'er, n.p. 221One who cheats; one who practices a fraud in dealings of any kind. 2. (Com.) An officer of the exchequer who exacted forfeitures, called escheator. [Rare.] Shak.
  48. Chēat'ing-ly, adv.p. 221In a cheating manner.
  49. Che-bāc'co, a.p. 221(Naut.) Pertaining to, or resembling, a kind of boat employed in the Newfoundland fisheries;—called also pinkstern. Bartlett.
  50. Check, n.p. 221A sudden or continued restraint, physical or moral; a stop; a hinderance; an obstruction. “A remarkable check to the first progress of Christianity.” Addison. Useful checks upon the administration of…
  51. Check, v. t.p. 221To put a sudden or continued restraint upon; to hinder; to repress; to curb; to moderate. So many clogs to check and retard the headlong course of violence and oppression. Burke. 2. To rebuke, chide…
  52. Chĕck, v. i.p. 221To make a stop; to pause;—with at. The mind, once jaded by an attempt above its power, either is disabled for the future, or else checks at any vigorous undertaking ever after. Locke. 2. To clash or…
  53. Chĕck'-bōōk, n.p. 221A book containing blank checks upon a bank. Bouvier.
  54. Chĕck'er, v. t.p. 221To variegate with cross lines; to form into little squares, like a chess-board, by lines or stripes of different colors. 2. To variegate or diversify with different qualities, scenes, or events. Our…
  55. Chĕck'er, n.p. 221One who checks or restrains; a rebuker. 2. [See CHECKER, v. t.] A chess-board. 3. A piece in the game of draughts or checkers.
  56. Chĕck'er or Chĕck'er-work, n.p. 221Work varied alternately as to its colors or materials; work consisting of cross-lines.
  57. Chĕck'er-bĕr'ry, n.p. 221(Bot.) (a.) The partridge-berry (Mitchella repens). (b.) The wintergreen (Gaultheria).
  58. Chēck'er-bōard, n.p. 221A board for playing checkers, or draughts.
  59. Chĕck'ered, a.p. 221Variegated or diversified as with checkers. “The checkered shade.” Milton.
  60. Chĕck'ers, n.p. 221A common game, called also draughts, played on a board of sixty-four squares of alternate colors, usually white and black. Two persons play, each having twelve counters or pieces distinguished by…