CADENAS, kad'e-nas, _n._ in medieval times, a locked casket containing a
great man's table requisites, knife, fork, spoon, &c., often in the form of
a ship. [O. Fr.,--L. _catena_, a chain.]
CADENCE, k[=a]'dens, _n._ the fall of the voice at the end of a sentence:
tone, sound, modulation.--_adj._ C[=A]'DENCED, rhythmical.--_n._
C[=A]'DENCY, regularity of movement: (_her._) the relative status of
younger sons.--_adj._ C[=A]'DENT (_Shak._), falling.--_n._ CADEN'ZA, a
flourish given by a solo voice or instrument at the close of a movement.
[Fr.--L. _cad-[)e]re_, to fall.]
CADET, ka-det', _n._ the younger or youngest son: a member of the younger
branch of a family: in the army, one who serves as a private to become an
officer: a student in a military school.--_n._ CADET'SHIP.--CADET CORPS,
parties of boys undergoing military training. [Fr. _cadet_, formerly
_capdet_--Low L. _capitettum_, dim. of _caput_, the head.]
CADGE, kaj, _v.i._ to beg or go about begging.--_n._ CADG'ER, a carrier who
collects country produce, a hawker: a fellow who picks up his living about
the streets. [Prob. conn. with CATCH.]
CADGY, kaj'i, _adj._ (_prov._) frolicsome: wanton. [Cf. Dan. _kaad_,
wanton, Ice. _kátr_, merry.]
CADI, k[=a]'di, _n._ a judge in Mohammedan countries. [Ar. _q[=a]d[=i]_, a
judge.]
CADMEAN, kad-m[=e]'an, _adj._ relating to _Cadmus_, who introduced the
original Greek alphabet.
CADMIA, kad'mi-a, _n._ oxide of zinc, containing from 10 to 20 per cent. of
cadmium. [Gr. _kadmia_, _kadmeia_ (_ge_), Cadmean (earth), calamine.]
CADMIUM, kad'mi-um, _n._ a white metal occurring in zinc ores. [See
CADMIA.]
CADRANS, kad'rans, _n._ a wooden instrument by which a gem is adjusted
while being cut. [Fr. _cadran_, a quadrant.]
CADRE, kad'r, _n._ a nucleus, framework, esp. the permanent skeleton of a
regiment or corps, the commissioned and non-commissioned officers, &c.,
around whom the rank and file may be quickly grouped. [Fr.]
[Illustration]
CADUCEUS, ka-d[=u]'se-us, _n._ (_myth._) the rod carried by Mercury, the
messenger of the gods--a wand surmounted with two wings and entwined by two
serpents.--_adj._ CAD[=U]'CEAN. [L., akin to Gr. _k[=e]rukeion_, a herald's
wand--_k[=e]rux_, a herald.]
CADUCIBRANCHIATE, ka-d[=u]i-si-brang'ki-[=a]t, _adj._ losing the gills on
attaining maturity, as all the salamanders.--_n.pl._ CADUCIBRANCHI[=A]'TA.
[L. _caducus_, caducous, _branchiæ_, gills.]
CADUCOUS, ka-d[=u]'kus, _adj._ falling early, as leaves or flowers.--_n._
CAD[=U]'CITY, transitoriness, senility. [L. _caducus_--_cad-[)e]re_, to
fall.]
CÆCUM, s[=e]'kum, _n._ a blind sac: a sac or bag having only one opening,
connected with the intestine of an animal.--_adj._ CÆ'CAL. [L.--_cæcus_,
blind.]
CAEN-STONE, k[=a]'en-st[=o]n, _n._ a cream-coloured limestone brought from
_Caen_ in France.
CÆSAR, s[=e]'zar, _n._ an absolute monarch, an autocrat, from the Roman
dictator Caius Julius Cæsar (100-44 B.C.).--_adj._ CÆSAR'EAN, relating to
Julius Cæsar.--_ns._ CÆ'SARISM; CÆ'SARIST; CÆ'SARSHIP.--CÆSAREAN OPERATION,
the popular name for Hysterotomy, the delivery of a child by cutting
through the walls of the abdomen, as is said to have been the case with
Cæsar.
CÆSIUM, s[=e]z'i-um, _n._ a silver-white, soft, and extensile alkaline
metal, almost always found along with rubidium, discovered by Bunsen and
Kirchhoff in 1860 by spectrum analysis.--_adj._ CÆS'IOUS, bluish green. [L.
_cæsius_, bluish gray.]
CÆSURA, CESURA, s[=e]-z[=u]'ra, _n._ a syllable cut off at the end of a
word after the completion of a foot: a pause in a verse.--_adj._
CÆS[=U]'RAL. [L.--_cæd[)e]re_, _cæsum_, to cut off.]
CAFÉ, käf'[=a], _n._ a coffee-house, a restaurant.--CAFÉ CHANTANT, a public
place of entertainment where the guests hear music while sipping their
liquor. [Fr.]
CAFFEINE, kaf'e-in, or kaf-[=e]'in, _n._ the alkaloid or active principle
of coffee and tea. [Fr. _caféine_. See COFFEE.]
CAFFRE, kaf'f[.e]r, _n._ more correctly KAFIR (q.v.).