Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Chin-chĭl'la, n. p. 224(Zool.) A small rodent animal (Chinchilla lanigera), of the size of a large squirrel, chiefly remarkable for its fine fur, which is very soft and of a pearly-gray color. It is a native of Peru and…Chin'-cough, n. p. 224(Med.) A disease attended with violent paroxysms of coughing; hooping-cough.Chīne, n. p. 224The back-bone or spine of an animal. “And chine with rising bristles roughly spread.” Dryden. 2. A piece of the back-bone of an animal, with the adjoining parts, cut for cooking. 3. The chimb or…Chīne, v. t. p. 224To cut through the back-bone of; to cut into chine-pieces.Chīned, a. p. 224Pertaining to, or having, a chine, or back-bone;—used in composition. Beau. & Fl.Chī-nēse', a. p. 224(Geog.) Pertaining to China.Chī-nēşe', n. sing. & pl. p. 224(Geog.) A native or the natives of China. 2. The language of China.Chīn’gle, n. p. 224Gravel free from dirt; shingle. See SHINGLE.Chīn'gly, a. p. 224See SHINGLY.Chĭnk, n. p. 224A small cleft, rent, or fissure, of greater length than breadth; a gap or crack; as, the chinks of a wall. Through one cloudless chink, in a black, stormy sky, Shines out the dewy morning star.…Chĭnk, v. i. p. 225To crack; to open.Chĭnk, v. t. p. 225To open or part and form a fissure in. 2. To fill up the chinks of; as, to chink a wall.Chĭnk, n. p. 225A short, sharp sound, as of metal struck with little violence. “Chink of bell.” Cowper. 2. Money; cash. [Cant.] “To leave his chink to better hands.” Somerville.Chĭnk, v. t. p. 225To cause to sound, as coins, small pieces of metal, or any small, sonorous bodies, by bringing them into collision with each other. Pope.Chĭnk, v. i. p. 225To make a small, sharp sound, as by the collision of little pieces of money, or other small sonorous bodies. Arbuthnot.Chĭnk'y, a. p. 225Full of chinks or fissures; gaping; opening in narrow clefts. Dryden.Chinned, a. p. 225Having a chin; — used chiefly in compounds; as, short-chinned.Chīn'qua-pin, n. p. 225See CHINCAPIN.Chīnse, v. t. p. 225(Naut.) To thrust oakum into the seams or chinks of, with a chisel or the point of a knife, as a temporary expedient for calking. Totten.Chintz, n. p. 225Cotton cloth, printed with flowers and other devices, in a number of different colors. Chintzes are gaudy, and engage our eyes Too much about the party-colored dyes. Swift.Chiop-pīne', n. p. 225A kind of high shoe, clog, or patten, formerly worn by ladies, to raise them above the ground. [Obs.] Your ladyship is nearer to heaven than when I saw you last by the altitude of a chioppine. Shak.Chĭp, v. t. p. 225To cut into small pieces or chips; to diminish by cutting away a little at a time, or in small pieces; to hew. Shak.Chĭp, v. i. p. 225To break or fly off in small pieces.Chĭp, n. p. 225A piece of wood, stone, or other substance, separated by an ax, chisel, or any cutting instrument. 2. A fragment or piece broken off; a small piece.Chĭp'-ăx or Chĭp'-ăxe, n. p. 225An ax for chipping.Chĭp'-bŏn'net or Chĭp'-hăt, n. p. 225A bonnet or hat made of wood split into thin filaments.Chĭp'munk, n. p. 225(Zoöl.) A squirrel-like animal of the genus Tamias, sometimes called the striped squirrel. The common species of the United States is the Tamias lysteri. [Written also chipmonk, chipmuck, and…Chip'per, v. i. p. 225To chirp or chirrup. [Prov. Eng.] Forby.Chip'per, a. p. 225Lively; cheerful; talkative. [N. Eng.]Chip'ping, n. p. 225A chip; a piece cut off or separated by a cutting or engraving instrument; a fragment. 2. The flying or breaking off in small pieces of the edges of potter's ware and porcelain.Chip'ping-bird, n. p. 225(Ornith.) A kind of sparrow (Zonotrichia socialis), of small size, very common in the United States; — called also chippy.Chip'py, a. p. 225Abounding in chips.Chī-rā'grā, n. p. 225(Med.) Gout in the hand.Chī-rāg'rīe-al, a. p. 225Having the gout in the hand, or subject to that disease. Browne.Chirk, a. p. 225Lively; cheerful; in good spirits. [Local, U. S.]Chĭrk, v. i. p. 225To chirp. [Obs.] Chaucer.Chirk, v. t. p. 225To make lively; to cheer.Chĭrm, v. i. p. 225To sing as a bird. [Obs.] Huloet.Chi'ro-grāph, n. p. 225(Old Law.) (a.) A writing which, requiring a counterpart, was engrossed twice on the same piece of parchment, with a space between, in which was written the word chirographum, through which the…Chī-rōg'ra-pher, n. p. 225One who exercises or professes the art or business of writing. Chirographer of fines, an officer in the common pleas, who engrosses fines acknowledged in that court, and delivers the indentures to…Chi'ro-grăph'ie or Chi'ro-grăph'ie-al, a. p. 225Pertaining to chirography.Chi-rōg'ra-phist, n. p. 225A chirographer. 2. One who tells fortunes by examining the hand.Chī-rōg'ra-phy, n. p. 225The art of writing; as, skilled in chirography. 2. A writing done with one's own hand; handwriting; as, my chirography.Chi'ro-gym'nast, n. p. 225(Mus.) A mechanical contrivance for exercising the fingers of a pianist.Chī'ro-lōg'ie-al, a. p. 225Pertaining to chirology.Chī-rōl'o-gi'ei, n. p. 225One who communicates thoughts by signs made with the hands and fingers.Chī-rōl'o-gy, n. p. 225The art or practice of communicating thoughts by signs made by the hands and fingers; a substitute for spoken or written language in intercourse with the deaf and dumb; dactyology.Chĭ'ro-mān'cer, n. p. 225One who attempts to foretell future events, or to tell the fortunes and dispositions of persons, by inspecting the hands; as, the chiromancer's art. Dryden.Chī'ro-măn'cy, n. p. 225The art or practice of attempting to foretell events, or to discover the disposition of a person, by inspecting the lines and lineaments of his hand; divination by the hand; palmistry.Chī'ro-mān'tis or Chī'ro-mān'tist, n. p. 225One who foretells future events, in relation to an individual, by inspecting his hand; a chiromancer.Chī'ro-măn'tic or Chī'ro-măn'tic-al, a. p. 225Pertaining to chiromancy, or divination by the hand. “Chiromantic deception.” Grellman. “Chiromantical conjectures.” Brown.Chī'ro-nŏm'ic, a. p. 225Relating to chironomy, or the art of moving the hands in oratory or pantomime. “Chironomic art.” Melmoth.Chī-rŏn'ō-my, n. p. 225The art or rule of moving the hands in oratory or pantomime; gesture.Chī'ro-pläst, n. p. 225(Mus.) An instrument to guide the hands and fingers of pupils in playing on the piano-forte.Chī'ro-pōd, n. p. 225(Zool.) An animal of the order of mammals, having hands, or feet resembling hands.Chī-rōp'o-dist, n. p. 225One who treats diseases of the hands and feet; especially one who removes corns and bunions from the feet.Chī-rōs'o-phist, n. p. 225A fortune-teller.Chĭrp, v. i. p. 225To make a short, sharp sound, as is done by fowls, birds, or crickets. The careful hen Calls all her chirping family around. Thomson.Chirp, v. t. p. 225To make cheerful; to enliven. He takes his chirping pint, he cracks his jokes. Pope.Chĭrp, n. p. 225A short, sharp note. “The chirp of flitting bird.” Bryant.