CHAUSSES, sh[=o]s, or sh[=o]'sez, _n.pl._ any closely fitting covering for
the legs, hose generally: the defence-pieces for the legs in ancient
armour.--_n._ CHAUSSURE', a general name for boots and shoes. [O. Fr.
_chauces_--L. _calcias_, pl. of _calcia_, hose.]
CHAUTAUQUAN, sha-taw'kwan, _adj._ pertaining to a system of instruction for
adults by home reading and study under guidance, evolved from the
_Chautauqua_ Literary and Scientific Circle, organised in 1878.
CHAUVINISM, sh[=o]'vin-izm, _n._ an absurdly extravagant pride in one's
country, with a corresponding contempt for foreign nations--the French
equivalent of the Jingoism of London music-halls.--_ns._ CHAU'VIN,
CHAU'VINIST.--_adj._ CHAUVINIST'IC. [Fr. _chauvinisme_, from _Chauvin_, a
figure in _La Cocarde tricolore_.]
CHAVENDER, chav'en-der, _n._ the chub or cheven.
CHAW, chaw, _n._ (_Spens._) the jaw--usually _pl._--_v.t._ to chew, still
used of tobacco.--_n._ CHAW'-B[=A]'CON, a country clown, a rustic
fellow.--CHAWED UP, destroyed. [See JAW.]
CHAWDRON, chaw'dron, _n._ (_Shak._) part of the entrails of an animal. [O.
Fr. _chaudun_.]
CHAY, a vulgar form of CHAISE.
CHAYA-ROOT. Same as SHAYA-ROOT.
CHEAP, ch[=e]p, _adj._ low in price: of a place where prices are low, as 'a
cheap market:' of a low price in relation to the value: easily obtained: of
small value, or reckoned at such.--_v.t._ CHEAP'EN, to ask the price of a
thing: to make cheap, to lower the price of: to lower the reputation of: to
beat down the price of.--_n._ CHEAP'ENER.--_adv._ CHEAP'LY.--_n._
CHEAP'NESS.--CHEAP JACK, or JOHN, a travelling hawker who pretends to give
great bargains; CHEAP LABOUR, labour paid at a poor rate; CHEAP TRIP, an
excursion by rail or steamer at a reduced fare; CHEAP-TRIPPER, one who goes
on such a trip.--DIRT CHEAP, ridiculously cheap.--ON THE CHEAP, cheap or
cheaply.--TO BE CHEAP OF ANYTHING (_Scot._), to get off with less than one
deserved or expected, as of punishment. [Orig. _good cheap_, i.e. a good
bargain; A.S. _ceap_, price, a bargain; A.S. _céapian_, Ice. _kaupa_, Ger.
_kaufen_, to buy; Scot. _coup_--all borrowed from L. _caupo_, a huckster.]
CHEAT, ch[=e]t, _v.t._ to deceive, defraud, impose upon.--_v.i._ to
practise deceit.--_n._ a fraud: one who cheats.--_ns._ CHEAT'ER, one who
cheats: (_Shak._) an officer who collected the fines to be paid into the
Exchequer; CHEAT'ERY (_coll._), cheating.--PUT A CHEAT UPON, to
deceive.--TAME CHEATER, a decoy. [M. E. _cheten_, a form of _escheten_, to
escheat.]
CHECK, chek, _v.t._ to bring to a stand: to restrain or hinder: to rebuke:
to control an account, &c., by comparison with certified data, vouchers,
&c.: to place in check at chess: to mark with a pattern of crossing
lines.--_n._ a term in chess when one party obliges the other either to
move or guard his king: anything that checks: a sudden stop, repulse, or
rebuff: (_B._, _Shak._) a rebuke: a mark put against items in a list: an
order for money (usually written CHEQUE): any counter-register used as
security, a counterfoil: a token, of printed paper or metal, given to a
railroad passenger to make secure the after-identification of his luggage,
to a person leaving his seat in a theatre with the intention of returning,
&c.: (_U.S._) a counter used in games at cards--hence 'to pass in one's
checks' = to die: a pattern of cross lines forming small squares, as in a
chessboard: any fabric woven with such a pattern.--_adj._ (_her._) divided
into small squares by transverse, perpendicular, and horizontal
lines.--_ns._ CHECK'-CLERK, a clerk who checks accounts, &c.; CHECK'ER, one
who hinders or rebukes; CHECK'ER-BOARD, a board on which checkers or
draughts is played; CHECK'-KEY, a latch-key; CHECK'MATE, in chess, a check
given to the adversary's king when in a position in which it can neither be
protected nor moved out of check, so that the game is finished: a complete
check: defeat: overthrow.--_v.t._ in chess, to make a movement which ends
the game: to defeat.--_ns._ CHECK'-REIN, a coupling rein, a strap hindering
the horse from lowering its head; CHECK'-STRING, a string by which the
occupant of a carriage may attract the driver's notice; CHECK'-TAK'ER, the
collector of admission tickets at a theatre, railway-train, &c.;
CHECK'-WEIGH'ER, one who on the part of the men checks the weight of coal
sent up to the pit-mouth. [O. Fr. _eschec_, _eschac_ (Low L. _scaccus_,
_sc[=a]chus_, It. _scacco_, Sp. _jaque_, Ger. _scach_), through Ar. from
Pers. _sh[=a]h_, king--CHECKMATE being O. Fr. _eschec mat_--Ar. _sh[=a]h
m[=a]t(a)_, 'the king is dead,' i.e. can make no further move.]
CHECKER. See CHEQUER.
CHECKER-BERRY, chek'[.e]r-beri, _n._ an American name for the winter-green
(q.v.).
CHECKERS, chek'[.e]rz, _n.pl._ the game of draughts.
CHECKLATON, chek'la-ton, _n._ (_Spens._) a cloth of gold or other rich
material.--Also CIC'LATOUN. [O. Fr. _ciclaton_, from Ar., prob. from the
same root as _scarlet_.]
CHEDDAR, ched'ar, _n._ an excellent kind of cheese first made in
Somersetshire. [From the village of _Cheddar_ in Somersetshire.]
CHEEK, ch[=e]k, _n._ the side of the face below the eye, the fleshy lateral
wall of the mouth: effrontery, impudence, as in 'to have the cheek' to do
anything, 'to give cheek:' one of the side-posts of a door or window: the
cheek-strap of a horse's bridle, the ring at the end of the bit: anything
arranged in internal pairs.--_v.t._ to address insolently.--_ns._
CHEEK'BONE, the bone of the cheek; CHEEK'-POUCH, a dilatation of the skin
of the cheek, forming a bag outside the teeth, as in monkeys, &c.;
CHEEK'-TOOTH, a molar tooth.--_adj._ CHEEK'Y, insolent, saucy.--CHEEK BY
JOWL, side by side.--TO ONE'S OWN CHEEK, for one's own private use. [A.S.
_céce_, _céace_, the cheek, jaw; cf. Dut. _kaak_.]
CHEEP, ch[=e]p, _v.i._ to chirp, as a young bird.--_n._ any similar sound.
[From the sound, like CHIRP.]
CHEER, ch[=e]r, _n._ disposition, frame of mind (with _good_, &c.): joy: a
shout of approval or welcome: kind treatment: entertainment: fare,
food.--_v.t._ to comfort: to encourage: to applaud: to inspirit--'to cheer
up.'--_v.i._ in such phrases as 'How cheer'st thou?'--_refl._ as in 'Cheer
thee.'--_n._ CHEER'ER, one who, or that which, cheers.--_adj._ CHEER'FUL,
of good spirits: joyful: lively.--_advs._ CHEER'FULLY, CHEER'ILY.--_ns._
CHEER'FULNESS; CHEER'INESS; CHEER'ISHNESS (_Milton_), cheerfulness.--_adj._
CHEER'LESS, without comfort: gloomy.--_n._ CHEER'LESSNESS.--_adj._
CHEER'LY, cheerful.--_adv._ in a cheery manner: heartily.--_adj._ CHEER'Y,
cheerful: promoting cheerfulness. [O. Fr. _chiere_, the countenance--Low L.
_cara_, the face.]
CHEESE, ch[=e]z, _n._ a wholesome article of food, made into a round form,
from the curd of milk coagulated by rennet, separated from the whey, and
pressed into a hard mass.--_ns._ CHEESE'-CAKE, a cake made of soft curds,
sugar, and butter, or whipped egg and sugar; CHEESE'-HOP'PER, the larva of
a small fly, remarkable for its leaping power, found in cheese;
CHEESE'-MITE, a very small insect which breeds in cheese; CHEESE'-MONG'ER,
a dealer in cheese; CHEESE'-PAR'ING (_Shak._), paring, or rind, of
cheese.--_adj._ mean and parsimonious.--_ns._ CHEESE'-PRESS, a machine in
which curds for cheese are pressed; CHEESE'-RENN'ET, the plant Ladies'
bed-straw, so called because used as rennet in curdling milk; CHEESE'-VAT,
a vat or wooden case in which curds are pressed; CHEES'INESS.--_adj._
CHEES'Y, having the nature of cheese.--CHEESE IT (_slang_), stop, have
done, run off.--GREEN CHEESE, cheese not yet dried.--TO MAKE CHEESES, to
whirl round and then sink down suddenly so as to make the petticoats stand
out like a cheese. [A.S. _cése_, _cýse_, curdled milk (Ger. _käse_)--L.
_caseus_.]
CHEESE, ch[=e]z, _n._ (_slang_) the correct thing, of excellent quality,
[Colonel Yule explains it as Pers. and Hind. _ch[=i]z_, thing, the
expression having formerly been common among young Anglo-Indians, e.g.
'These cheroots are the real _ch[=i]z_,' i.e. the real thing.]
CHEETAH, ch[=e]'tah, _n._ an Eastern animal like the leopard, used in
hunting. [Hind, _ch[=i]t[=a]_--Sans. _chitraka_, _chitrak[=a]ya_, having a
speckled body.]
CHEF, shef, _n._ a master-cook; a reliquary in the shape of a head.--_adj._
chief, as in CHEF D'OEUVRE, masterpiece, [Fr. See CHIEF.]
CHEIROMANCY, k[=i]'ro-man-si, _n._ the art of telling fortunes by the
lineaments of the hand--also CHEIROS'OPHY.--_adj._ CHEIROSOPH'ICAL.--_n._
CHEIROS'OPHIST, [Gr. _cheir_, the hand, _manteia_, prophecy.]
CHEIROPTERA, k[=i]-rop't[.e]r-a, _n.pl._ the order of Bats.--_adj._
CHEIROP'TEROUS. [Gr. _cheir_, the hand, _pteron_, a wing.]
CHEIROTHERIUM, k[=i]-ro-th[=e]r'i-um, _n._ the name originally given to the
Labyrinthodont, from its peculiar hand-like impressions in the Triassic
rocks.--_adj._ CHEIROTH[=E]'RIAN. [Gr. _cheir_, hand, _th[=e]rion_, beast.]
CHELA, k[=e]'la, _n._ the prehensile claw of a crab or scorpion.--_adj._
CH[=E]'LATE.--_n._ CH[=E]'LIFER, the book-scorpion.--_adjs._ CHELIF'EROUS;
CH[=E]'LIFORM. [L.,--Gr. _ch[=e]l[=e]_.]
CHELA, ch[=e]'la, _n._ a novice in esoteric Buddhism.--_n._ CH[=E]'LASHIP.
[Hind. _ch[=e]l[=a]_, servant.]
CHELICERA, k[=e]l-is'er-a, _n._ a technical term, usually restricted to the
biting organs which form the first pair of appendages in spiders,
scorpions, and other Arachnida:--_pl._ CHELIC'ERÆ (-r[=e]). [Gr.
_ch[=e]l[=e]_, a crab's claw, _keras_, horn.]
CHELONIA, ke-l[=o]'ni-a, _n._ an order of vertebrate animals including the
tortoise and turtle.--_adj._ and _n._ CHEL[=O]'NIAN. [Gr. _chel[=o]n[=e]_,
a tortoise.]
CHEMISE, she-m[=e]z', _n._ a woman's shirt or sark, a smock or shift.--_n._
CHEMISETTE', a kind of bodice worn by women, the lace or muslin which fills
up the open front of a woman's dress. [Fr. _chemise_--Low L. _camisia_, a
nightgown, surplice.]
CHEMISTRY, kem'is-tri, formerly CHYM'ISTRY, _n._ the science which treats
of the properties of substances both elementary and compound, and of the
laws of their combination and action one upon another.--_adjs._ CHEM'IC,
-AL (CHEM'ICO-, in many compound words), CHEMIAT'RIC (a Paracelsian term,
Gr. _ch[=e]meia_, chemistry, _iatreia_, medical treatment).--_adv._
CHEM'ICALLY.--_n.pl._ CHEM'ICALS, substances which form the subject of
chemical effects.--_ns._ CHEM'ISM, chemical action; CHEM'IST, one skilled
in chemistry, specially a druggist or apothecary.--CHEMICAL AFFINITY, the
name given to the tendency to combine with one another which is exhibited
by many substances, or to the force by which the substances constituting a
compound are held together; CHEMICAL NOTATION, a method of expressing the
composition of chemical substances and representing chemical changes, by
certain known symbols and formulæ; CHEMICAL WORKS, manufactories where
chemical processes are carried on for trade, as _alkali works_, &c. [From
ALCHEMY (q.v.).]
CHEMITYPE, kemi'-t[=i]p, _n._ the chemical process for obtaining casts in
relief from an engraving.--_n._ CHEM'ITYPY.
CHEMOSH, k[=e]'mosh, _n._ the national god of Moab: any false god.
CHENILLE, she-n[=e]l', _n._ a thick, velvety-looking cord of silk or wool
(and so resembling a caterpillar), used in ornamental sewing and
manufactured trimmings. [Fr. _chenille_, a caterpillar--L. _canicula_, a
hairy little dog, _canis_, a dog.]
CHEQUE, CHECK, chek, _n._ a money order on a banker payable at
demand.--_ns._ CHEQUE'-BOOK, a book containing cheque forms given by a bank
to its customers; CHEQ'UER, CHECK'ER, a chess-board: alternation of
colours, as on a chess-board: (_pl._) draughts: chess-men.--_v.t._ to mark
in squares of different colours: to variegate: interrupt.--_adjs._
CHEQ'UERED, CHECK'ERED, variegated, like a chess-board: varying in
character.--_ns._ CHEQ'UER-WORK, any pattern having alternating squares of
different colours; BLANK'-CHEQUE, a cheque signed by the owner, but without
having the amount to be drawn indicated; CROSS'-CHEQUE, an ordinary cheque
with two transverse lines drawn across it, which have the effect of making
it payable only through a banker. [See CHECK.]
CHERIMOYER, cher-i-moi'er, _n._ a Peruvian fruit resembling the
custard-apple.--Also CHIRIMOY'A.
CHERISH, cher'ish, _v.t._ to protect and treat with affection: to nurture,
nurse: to entertain in the mind.--_n._ CHER'ISHMENT. [Fr. _chérir_,
_chérissant_--_cher_, dear--L. _carus_.]
CHEROOT, she-r[=oo]t', _n._ a cigar not pointed at either end. [Fr.
_cheroute_, representing the Tamil name _shuruttu_, a roll (Colonel Yule).]
CHEROOT. See SHAYA-ROOT.
CHERRY, cher'i, _n._ a small bright-red stone-fruit: the tree that bears
it.--_adj._ like a cherry in colour: ruddy.--_ns._ CHERR'Y-BRAND'Y, a
pleasant liqueur made by steeping Morello cherries in brandy;
CHERR'Y-LAU'REL, the common English name for the _Cerasus Lauro-Cerasus_ of
Asia Minor; CHERR'Y-PEPP'ER, a West Indian species of _Capsicum_;
CHERR'Y-PIE, a pie made of cherries; the common heliotrope; CHERR'Y-PIT, a
game which consists in throwing cherry-stones into a small hole;
CHERR'Y-STONE, the hard seed of the cherry. [A.S. _ciris_--L.
_cerasus_--Gr. _kerasos_, a cherry-tree, said to be so named from
_Cerasus_, a town in Pontus, from which the cherry was brought.]
CHERRY, cher'i, _v.t._ (_Spens._) to cheer.
CHERSONESE, ker'so-n[=e]z, _n._ a peninsula, [Gr.
_cher-son[=e]sos_--_chersos_, land, dry land, _n[=e]sos_, an island.]
CHERT, ch[.e]rt, _n._ a kind of quartz or flint: hornstone.--_adj._
CHERT'Y, like or containing chert. [Prob. Celt.; Ir. _ceart_, a pebble.]
CHERUB, cher'ub, _n._ a winged creature with human face, represented as
associated with Jehovah, esp. drawing his chariot-throne: a celestial
spirit: a beautiful child:--_pl._ CHER'UBS, CHER'UBIM, CHER'UBIMS.--_adjs._
CHERU'BIC, -AL, CHERUBIM'IC, angelic.--_adv._ CHERU'BICALLY.--_n._
CHER'UBIN (_Shak._), a cherub. [Heb. _k'r[=u]b_, pl. _k'r[=u]b[=i]m_.]
CHERUP, cher'up, _v.t._ to urge on by chirruping.
CHERVIL, ch[.e]r'vil, _n._ an umbelliferous plant, cultivated as a
pot-herb, and used in soups and for a garnish, &c., in the same manner as
parsley. In Scotland the plant is commonly called _Myrrh_. [A.S. _cerfille_
(Ger. _kerbel_)--L. _cærefolium_--Gr. _chairephyllon_.]