Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
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- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Curch, n. p. 324See COURCHE.Cur-cu'li-o, n. p. 324(En-tom.) (a.) A family of beetles, called also weevils, of which there are many genera. (b.) A genus in this family. The species have a beak-shaped mouth, and are destructive to fruit, grain, &c.…Cûr'-cu-li-ōn'i-dōus, a. p. 324Pertaining or related to the Curculionidæ, or weevil tribe.Cur'-cu-mā, n. p. 324A genus of plants of the order Scitamineæ, including the turmeric plant (Curcuma longa). Curcuma paper, or turmeric paper (Chem.), paper stained with a decoction of turmeric, and used to detect the…Cûrd, n. p. 324The coagulated or thickened part of milk, as distinguished from the whey, or watery part. It is eaten as food, especially when made into cheese. Curds and cream, the flower of country fare. Dryden.…Cûrd, v. t. p. 324To cause to coagulate or thicken; to curdle; to congeal. Does it curd thy blood To say I am thy mother? Shak.Cûrd, v. i. p. 324To become coagulated or thickened; to separate into curds and whey. It doth posset And curd, like eager droppings into milk. Shak.Cûrd'i-ness, n. p. 324The state of being curdy or like curd; coagulation.Cûr'dle, v. i. p. 324To change into curd; to coagulate or concrete. “The curdling cheese.” Thomson. 2. To thicken; to congeal. Then Mary could feel her heart’s blood curdle cold. Southey.Cûr'dle, v. t. p. 324To change into curd; to cause to coagulate. “To curdle whites of eggs.” Boyle. 2. To congeal or thicken. My chill blood is curdled in my veins. Dryden.Cûrd'less, a. p. 324Destitute of curd.Cûrd'y, a. p. 324Like curd; full of curd; coagulated. “A curdy mass.” Arbuthnot.Cūre, n. p. 324Care, heed, or attention. [Obs.] Of study took he most cure and heed. Chaucer. Vicarages of great cure, but small value. Fuller. 2. Spiritual charge; care of souls; the office of a curate; hence…Cūre, v. t. p. 324To bestow healing upon; to heal; to restore to health, soundness, or sanity. The child was cured from that very hour. Matt. xvii. 18. 2. To subdue or remove by remedial means; to bring relief of; to…Cūre, v. i. p. 324To pay heed; to care. [Obs.] Construe that as you list, I do not cure. Chaucer. 2. To restore health: to effect a cure. Like Achilles’ spear, So able with the change to kill and cure. Shak. 3. To be…Curé, n. p. 324A curate; a parson.Cūre'less, a. p. 324Incapable of cure; not admitting of a remedy; incurable. With patience undergo A cureless ill, since fate will have it so. Dryden.Cūr'er, n. p. 324One who cures; a healer; a physician.Cu-rête', n. p. 324(Surg.) A small scoop for removing opaque matter from the eye after extracting a cataract. Hooper.Cur'few, n. p. 324The ringing of a bell at nightfall, originally designed as a signal to the inhabitants to cover fires, extinguish lights, and retire to rest: the practice was instituted by William the Conqueror.…Cū'ri-a, n. p. 324(Rom. Antiq.) (a.) One of the thirty parts into which the Roman people were divided by Romulus. (b.) The place of assembly of one of these divisions. (c.) The place where the meetings of the Roman…Cū'ri-a-lis'tic, a. p. 324Pertaining to a court.Cū'ri-āl'i-ty, n. p. 324The privileges, prerogatives, or retinue of a court. [Obs.] Bacon.Cû'ri-et, n. p. 324Armor for the thigh. [Obs.] Spenser.Cūr'ing-house, n. p. 324A building in which any thing is cured; especially, in the West Indies, a building in which sugar is drained and dried.Cū'ri-o-lŏg'ĭc, a. p. 324Pertaining to a rude kind of hieroglyphics, or pictorial representation.Cû'ri-ös'i-ty, n. p. 324The state or quality of being curious; nicety; accuracy; scrupulousness. When thou wast in thy guilt and perfume, they mocked thee for too much curiosity. Shak. A screen accurately cut in tapiary…Cû'ri-ō'so, n. p. 324A curious person; a virtuoso.Cû'ri-oûs, a. p. 324Difficult to please or satisfy; solicitous to be correct; careful; scrupulous; nice; exact. “Little curious in her clothes.” Fuller. How shall we, If he be curious, work upon his faith? Beau. & Fl.…Cū'ri-ōus-ly, adv. p. 325In a curious manner; carefully; skillfully; attentively; inquisitively; singularly.Cū'ri-oŭs-ness, n. p. 325Carefulness; exactness; nicety. My father's care With curiousness and cost did train me up. Massinger. 2. The state of being curious; exactness of workmanship; singularity of contrivance. 3.…Curl, v. t. p. 325To twist or form into ringlets; to crisp, as the hair. But curl their locks with bodkins and with braid. Gascoigne. 2. To twist or make into coils, as a serpent. Of his tortuous train, Curled many a…Curl, v. i. p. 325To contract or bend into curls or ringlets, as hair. Thou seest it [hair] will not curl by nature. Shak. 2. To move in curves, spirals, or undulations; to contract in curving outlines; to bend in a…Cŭrl, n. p. 325A ringlet, especially of hair, or any thing of a like form. Under a coronet, his flowing hair In curls on either cheek played. Milton. 2. An undulating or curving line in any substance, as wood…Cārl'ed-ness, n. p. 325State of being curled; curliness.Cŭrl'er, n. p. 325One who curls. 2. A player at the game called curling. [Scot.]Cur'lew, n. p. 325(Ornith.) An aquatic, wading bird of the genus Numenius (N. arquatus). ☞ It has a long bill, and its color is diversified with ash and black. It frequents the sea-shore in winter, and in summer…Cārl'i-ness, n. p. 325A state of being curly.Cūrl'ing, n. p. 325A game among the Scotch, which consists in propelling by the hand a heavy weight (as a large stone or mass of iron) along the surface of the ice, so as to strike another heavy weight and drive it in…Cûrl'ing-ī'rons, n. pl. p. 325An instrument for curling the hair;— called also curling-tongs.Cārl'ing-ly, adv. p. 325In a waving manner.Cŭrl'ing-tŏngs, n. pl. p. 325See CURLING-IRONS.Cŭrl'y, a. p. 325Having curls; tending to curl; full of ripples.Cur-mŭd'geon, n. p. 325An avaricious, churlish fellow; a miser; a niggard, a churl. “A gray-headed curmudgeon of a negro.” W. Irving.Cur-mŭd'geon-ly, a. p. 325In the manner of a curmudgeon; niggardly; churlish.Cur-mŭr'ring, a. p. 325Producing a rumbling or grumbling sound, as in the stomach. W. Scott.Cŭr'rant, n. p. 325The fruit of a well-known shrub belonging to the genus Ribes (R. rubrum), a genus also including the gooseberry and the black currant. 2. A small kind of dried grape, imported from the Levant…Cŭr'ren-cy, n. p. 325The state or quality of being current; a continual course or passing from person to person, or hand to hand; general acceptance; circulation. The currency of time to establish a custom ought to be…Cŭr'rent, a. p. 325Running or moving rapidly. Like the current fire, that renneth Upon a cord. Gower. To chase a creature that was current then In these wild woods, the hart with golden horns. Tennyson. 2. Now passing…Cŭr'rent, n. p. 325A flowing or passing; onward motion; hence, a stream, especially of a fluid; as, a current of water or of air; a current of electricity, of magnetism, &c. Two such silver currents, when they join, Do…Cŭr'rent-ly, adv. p. 325In a current manner; generally; commonly.Cŭr'rent-ness, n. p. 325The quality or condition of being current; currency; circulation; general reception. 2. Easiness of pronunciation; fluency. [Obs.] When currentness [combineth] with staidness, how can the language…Cŭr'ri-cle, n. p. 325A small or short course. [Obs.] Upon a curricle in this world depends a long course of the next. Browne. 2. A chaise with two wheels, drawn by two horses abreast.Cur-rĭc'-u-lŭm, n. p. 325A race-course; a place for running. 2. A course; particularly, a specified fixed course of study, as in a university.Cûr'rie, n. p. 325See CURRY.Cŭr'ried, p. a. p. 325Dressed by currying; dressed as leather; cleaned; prepared. 2. Prepared with curry; as, curried rice, fowl, &c.Cûr'ri-er, n. p. 325One who curries, dresses, and colors leather, after it is tanned.Cûr'rish, a. p. 325Having the qualities, or exhibiting the characteristics, of a cur; snarling; quarrelsome; intractable; churlish; hence, also, brutal; malignant. “Some currish plot,—some trick.” Lockhart. Thy currish…Cûr'rish-ly, adv. p. 325Like a cur; in a brutal manner.Cûr'rish-ness, n. p. 325Moroseness; churlishness.