||Cha"ja (?), n. [Native name.] (Zo÷l.) The crested screamer of Brazil (Palamedea, or Chauna, chavaria), so called in imitation of its notes; -- called also chauna, and faithful kamichi. It is often domesticated and is useful in guarding other poultry. See Kamichi.
||Cha*la"za (?), n.; pl. E. Chalazas, L. ChalazŠ (#). [NL., fr. Gr. &?; hail, pimple.] 1. (Bot.) The place on an ovule, or seed, where its outer coats cohere with each other and the nucleus.
2. (Biol.) A spiral band of thickened albuminous substance which exists in the white of the bird's egg, and serves to maintain the yolk in its position; the treadle.
Cha*la"zal (?), a. Of or pertaining to the chalaza.
Cha*laze" (?), n. Same as Chalaza.
Chal`a*zif"er*ous (?), a. [Chalaza + -ferous.] Having or bearing chalazas.
||Cha*la"zi*on (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; dim. of &?; hail, pimple.] (Med.) A small circumscribed tumor of the eyelid caused by retention of secretion, and by inflammation of the Melbomian glands.
Chal*can"thite (?), n. [L. chalcanthum a solution of blue vitriol, Gr. &?;.] (Min.) Native blue vitriol. See Blue vitriol, under Blue.
Chal"ce*don"ic (?), a. Of or pertaining to chalcedony.
Chal*ced"o*ny (kăl*s&ebreve;d"&osl;*n&ybreve; or kăl"s&esl;*d&osl;*n&ybreve;; 277), n.; pl. Chalcedonies (-n&ibreve;z). [ L. chalcedonius, fr. Gr. CHalkhdw`n Chalcedon, a town in Asia Minor, opposite to Byzantium: cf. calcÚdoine, OE. calcidoine, casidoyne. Cf. Cassidony.] (Min.) A cryptocrystalline, translucent variety of quartz, having usually a whitish color, and a luster nearly like wax. [Written also calcedony.]
&fist; When chalcedony is variegated with with spots or figures, or arranged in differently colored layers, it is called agate; and if by reason of the thickness, color, and arrangement of the layers it is suitable for being carved into cameos, it is called onyx. Chrysoprase is green chalcedony; carnelian, a flesh red, and sard, a brownish red variety.
||Chal`chi*huitl" (ch&adot;l`ch&esl;*w&esl;tl"), n. (Min.) The Mexican name for turquoise. See Turquoise.
Chal"cid fly` (?). [From Gr. chalko`s copper; in allusion to its metallic colors.] (Zo÷l.) One of a numerous family of hymenopterous insects (ChalcididŠ. Many are gallflies, others are parasitic on insects.
Chal*cid"i*an (?), n. [L. chalcis a lizard, Gr. chalki`s.] (Zo÷l.) One of a tropical family of snakelike lizards (ChalcidŠ), having four small or rudimentary legs.
Chal"co*cite (?), n. [Gr. chalko`s brass.] (Min.) Native copper sulphide, called also copper glance, and vitreous copper; a mineral of a black color and metallic luster. [Formerly written chalcosine.]
{ Chal*cog"ra*pher (?), Chal*cog"ra*phist (?), } n. An engraver on copper or brass; hence, an engraver of copper plates for printing upon paper.
Chal*cog"ra*phy (?), n. [Gr. chalko`s copper, brass + -graphy.] The act or art of engraving on copper or brass, especially of engraving for printing.
Chal`co*pyr"ite (?), n. [Gr. chalko`s brass + E. pyrite. So named from its color.] (Min.) Copper pyrites, or yellow copper ore; a common ore of copper, containing copper, iron, and sulphur. It occurs massive and in tetragonal crystals of a bright brass yellow color.
Chal*da"ic (?), a. [L. Chaldaicus.] Of or pertaining to Chaldea. -- n. The language or dialect of the Chaldeans; Chaldee.
Chal"da*ism (?), n. An idiom or peculiarity in the Chaldee dialect.
Chal*de"an (?), a. [L. Chaldaeus.] Of or pertaining to Chaldea. -- n. (a) A native or inhabitant of Chaldea. (b) A learned man, esp. an astrologer; -- so called among the Eastern nations, because astrology and the kindred arts were much cultivated by the Chaldeans. (c) Nestorian.
Chal"dee (?), a. Of or pertaining to Chaldea. -- n. The language or dialect of the Chaldeans; eastern Aramaic, or the Aramaic used in Chaldea.
Chaldee Paraphrase, A targum written in Aramaic.
{ Chal"drich (?), Chal"der (?), } n. [Icel. tjaldr.] (Zo÷l.) A kind of bird; the oyster catcher.
Chal"dron (?), n. [OF. chaldron, F. chaudron kettle. The same word as caldron.] An English dry measure, being, at London, 36 bushels heaped up, or its equivalent weight, and more than twice as much at Newcastle. Now used exclusively for coal and coke.
&fist; In the United States the chaldron is ordinarily 2,940 lbs, but at New York it is 2,500 lbs. De Colange.
||Cha*let" (?), n. [F.] 1. A herdsman's hut in the mountains of Switzerland.
Chalets are summer huts for the Swiss herdsmen.
Wordsworth.
2. A summer cottage or country house in the Swiss mountains; any country house built in the style of the Swiss cottages.
Chal"ice (?), n. [OR. chalis, calice, OF. chalice, calice, F. calice, fr. L. calix, akin to Gr. &?; and E. helmet. Cf. Calice, Calyx.] A cup or bowl; especially, the cup used in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
Chal"iced (?), a. Having a calyx or cup; cup-shaped. "Chaliced flowers." Shak.
Chalk (?), n. [AS. cealc lime, from L. calx limestone. See Calz, and Cawk.] 1. (Min.) A soft, earthy substance, of a white, grayish, or yellowish white color, consisting of calcium carbonate, and having the same composition as common limestone.
2. (Fine Arts) Finely prepared chalk, used as a drawing implement; also, by extension, a compound, as of clay and black lead, or the like, used in the same manner. See Crayon.
Black chalk, a mineral of a bluish color, of a slaty texture, and soiling the fingers when handled; a variety of argillaceous slate. -- By a long chalk, by a long way; by many degrees. [Slang] Lowell. -- Chalk drawing (Fine Arts), a drawing made with crayons. See Crayon. -- Chalk formation. See Cretaceous formation, under Cretaceous. -- Chalk line, a cord rubbed with chalk, used for making straight lines on boards or other material, as a guide in cutting or in arranging work. -- Chalk mixture, a preparation of chalk, cinnamon, and sugar in gum water, much used in diarrheal affection, esp. of infants. -- Chalk period. (Geol.) See Cretaceous period, under Cretaceous. - - Chalk pit, a pit in which chalk is dug. -- Drawing chalk. See Crayon, n., 1. -- French chalk, steatite or soapstone, a soft magnesian mineral. -- Red chalk, an indurated clayey ocher containing iron, and used by painters and artificers; reddle.
Chalk, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Chalked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Chalking.] 1. To rub or mark with chalk.