CASSOWARY, kas'[=o]-war-i, _n._ a genus of running birds, nearly related to
the true ostrich, and nearer to the American rhea. [Malay _kasu[=a]r[=i]_
or _kasav[=a]r[=i]_.]
CAST, kast, _v.t._ to throw or fling: to throw off, shed, drop: to throw
down: to throw together or reckon: to mould or shape: (_B._) to consider,
to cast or throw up.--_v.i._ to warp:--_pa.t._ and _pa.p._ cast.--_n._ act
of casting: a throw of anything, as the sounding-lead, a fishing-line: the
thing thrown, esp. in angling: the distance thrown: a motion, turn, or
squint, as of the eye: a chance: a mould: the form received from a mould:
manner, stamp, or quality: a shade of colour, a degree of guilt, &c.: the
assignment of the various parts of a play to the several actors: the
company of actors to whom such have been assigned.--_n._ CAST'AWAY, one
cast away, an outcast.--_adj._ worthless, rejected.--_adjs._ CAST (_B._),
CAST'ED (_Shak._), cast off.--_ns._ CAST'ING, act of casting or moulding:
that which is cast: a mould; CAST'ING-NET, a species of net for fishing;
CAST'ING-VOTE, the voice or vote of the president of a meeting, by which he
is enabled, when the other votes are equally divided, to cast the balance
on the one side or the other; CAST'ING-WEIGHT, the weight which makes the
balance cast or turn when exactly poised.--_adj._ CAST'-OFF, laid aside or
rejected.--_n._ anything thrown aside.--_n._ CAST'-STEEL, steel that has
been melted, cast into ingots, and rolled out into bars.--CAST ABOUT, to
contrive, to look about, to search for, as game: (_B._) to turn, to go
round; CAST A NATIVITY, to make an astrological calculation; CAST ANCHOR,
to moor a ship; CAST AN EYE, A GLANCE, to look at; CAST A THING IN ONE'S
TEETH, to bring a reproach against some one; CAST AWAY, to wreck, to waste;
CAST DOWN, to deject or depress in mind: to turn the eyes downward; CAST
LOOSE, to set loose or adrift; CAST UP, to throw up, to bring up anything
as a reproach.--BE CAST (_law_), to be defeated.--THE LAST CAST, the last
venture. [Scand.; as Ice. _kasta_, to throw.]
CASTALIAN, kas-t[=a]'li-an, _adj._ pertaining to _Castalia_, a fountain in
Parnassus, sacred to Apollo and the Muses.
[Illustration]
CASTANET, kas'ta-net, _n._ a musical instrument of percussion in the form
of two hollow shells of ivory or hard wood, which are bound together by a
band fastening on the thumb, and struck by the fingers to produce a
trilling sound in keeping with the rhythm of the music--much used in Spain
as an accompaniment to dances and guitars. [Sp. _castañeta_--L. _castanea_,
a chestnut.]
CASTE, käst, _n._ a term applied chiefly to distinct classes or sections of
society in India, and, in a modified sense, to social distinctions of an
exclusive nature among other nations.--LOSE CASTE, to descend in social
rank. [A name given by the Portuguese to the classes of people in India;
Port. _casta_, breed, race.--L. _castus_, pure, unmixed.]
CASTELLAN, CASTELLATED. See CASTLE.
CASTIGATE, kas'tig-[=a]t, _v.t._ to chastise: to correct: to punish with
stripes.--_ns._ CASTIG[=A]'TION, act of castigating: chastisement: severe
punishment; CAS'TIG[=A]TOR, one who castigates.--_adj._ CAS'TIG[=A]TORY.
[L. _castig[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_, from _castus_, pure.]
CASTILIAN, kas-til'yan, _adj._ and _n._ of or belonging to _Castile_, a
native of Castile, or the language thereof, standard Spanish.--CASTILE
SOAP, a hard soap made with olive-oil and soda.
CAST-IRON. See IRON.
CASTLE, kas'l, _n._ a fortified house or fortress: the residence of a
prince or nobleman, or a large country mansion generally: anything built in
the likeness of such: a defensive tower borne on an elephant's back: a
large ship, esp. of war.--_v.t._ to enclose or fortify with a
castle.--_v.i._ (_chess_) to bring the castle or rook up to the square next
the king, and move the king to the other side of the castle.--_n._
CAS'TELLAN, governor or captain of a castle.--_adj._ CAS'TELLATED, having
turrets and battlements like a castle.--_n._ CAS'TLE-BUILD'ING, the act of
building castles in the air or forming visionary projects.--_adj._
CAS'TLED, furnished with castles.--_n._ CAS'TLE-GUARD, the guard for the
defence of a castle.--CASTLES IN THE AIR, or IN SPAIN, groundless or
visionary projects.--THE CASTLE, Dublin Castle, the seat of the viceroy and
the executive--_Castle influence_, &c. [A.S. _castel_--L. _castellum_, dim.
of _castrum_, a fortified place.]
CASTOR, kas'tor, _n._ the beaver: a hat made of its fur. [L.,--Gr.
_kast[=o]r_; cf. Sans. _kasturi_, musk.]
CASTOR, kast'or, _n._ a small wheel on the legs of furniture: a small
vessel with perforated top for pepper, &c.--also CAST'ER. [From CAST.]
CASTOR-OIL, kas'tor-oil, _n._ a medicinal oil obtained from a tropical
plant, the _Ricinus communis_. [Ety. dub.; prob. from _castor_ or
_castoreum_, the unctuous substance obtained from two pear-shaped glands in
the beaver, formerly much used in midwifery.]