CUFIC, k[=u]f'ik, _adj._ of or pertaining to Cufa, esp. applied to the kind
of writing of the scholars of _Cufa_ in Asiatic Turkey, seat of the most
expert copyists of the Koran.
CUIRASS, kwi-ras', or k[=u]-, _n._ a defensive covering for the breast and
back, of leather or iron fastened with straps and buckles, &c.--_v.t._ to
furnish with such.--_n._ CUIRASSIER', a horse-soldier armed with such. [Fr.
_cuirasse_--_cuir_, leather--L. _corium_, skin leather.]
CUIR-BOUILLI, kw[=e]r-b[=oo]'lyi, _n._ leather softened by boiling, then
dried, retaining the impressions made on it.--Also CUIR-BOUILLY.
CUISINE, kwe-z[=e]n', _n._ a kitchen or cooking department: cookery.--_n._
CUISIN'IER, a cook. [Fr. (It. _cucina_)--L. _coquina_--_coqu[)e]re_, to
cook.]
CUISSE, kwis, CUISH, kwish, _n._ armour for the thighs, consisting of iron
plates laid horizontally over each other and riveted together. [Fr.
_cuisse_ (It. _coscia_, the thigh)--L. _coxa_, the hip.]
CUITER, küt'[.e]r, _v.t._ (_Scot._) to fondle, pamper.
CUITTLE, küt'l, _v.t._ to curry: (_Scot._) to cajole.
CULCH, kulch, _n._ (_prov._) rubbish.
CULDEE, kul'd[=e], _n._ one of a fraternity of monks living in Scotland in
the 8th century in groups of cells. [Acc. to Reeves and Skene, the old Ir.
_céle dé_, 'servants of God,' or 'companions of God'--Latinised by Boece
into _Culdei_, as if _cultores Dei_.]
CUL-DE-FOUR, k[=oo]-de-foor, _n._ (_archit._) a sort of low spherical
vault, oven-like.--_ns._ CUL-DE-LAMPE, an ornamental design used in filling
up blank spaces in a book; CUL-DE-SAC, a street, &c., closed at one end: a
blind alley. [Fr. _cul_, bottom--L. _culus_; Fr. _four_, furnace, _lampe_,
lamp, _sac_, sack.]
CULET, k[=u]'let, _n._ the small flat surface at the back or bottom of a
brilliant: the part of armour protecting the body behind, from the waist
downwards--also CULETTE. [O. Fr., _cul_--L. _culus_, the rump.]
CULEX, k[=u]'leks, _n._ the typical genus of _Culicidæ_ or gnats--_adj._
CULIC'IFORM, gnat-like. [L.]
CULINARY, k[=u]'lin-ar-i, _adj._ pertaining to the kitchen or to cookery:
used in the kitchen. [L. _culinarius_--_culina_, a kitchen.]
CULL, kul, _v.t._ to select, pick out.--_ns._ CULL'ER; CULL'ING. [Fr.
_cueillir_, to gather--L. _collig[)e]re_--_col_, together, _leg[)e]re_, to
gather. Doublet of COLLECT.]
CULLENDER. See COLANDER.
CULLET, kul'et, _n._ refuse glass.
CULLION, kul'yun, _n._ a wretch: a cowardly fellow.--_adj._ CULL'IONLY
(_Shak._), mean, base. [Fr. _couillon_, a poltroon (It. _coglione_)--L.
_coleus_, a leather bag.]
CULLIS, kul'is, _n._ a gutter in a roof: a groove, as for a side-scene in a
theatre. [Fr. _coulisse_.]
CULLY, kul'i, _n._ a mean dupe.--_v.t._ to deceive meanly:--_pa.p._
cull'ied.--_ns._ CULL, a dupe; CULL'YISM, state of being a cully. [Prob. a
contr. of CULLION.]
CULM, kulm, _n._ the stalk or stem of corn or of grasses.--_v.i._ to form a
culm.--_adj._ CULMIF'EROUS, having a culm. [L. _culmus_, a stalk.]
CULM, kulm, _n._ coal-dust: name given in some parts of England to
anthracite or stone-coal.--_adj._ CULMIF'EROUS, producing culm. [See COOM.]
CULMEN, kul'men, _n._ highest point: the median length-wise ridge of a
bird's upper mandible. [L.]
CULMINATE, kul'min-[=a]t, _v.i._ (_astron._) to be vertical or at the
highest point of altitude: to reach the highest point (with _in_).--_adj._
CUL'MINANT, at its highest point.--_n._ CULMIN[=A]'TION, act of
culminating: the top: (_astron._) transit of a body across the meridian or
highest point for the day. [Low L. _culmin[=a]re_, from L. _culmen_,
properly _columen_, a summit.]
CULOTTIC, kul-ot'ic, _adj._ wearing trousers: (_Carlyle_) respectable. [Fr.
_culotte_, breeches.]
CULPABLE, kul'pa-bl, _adj._ faulty: criminal.--_ns._ CULPABIL'ITY,
CUL'PABLENESS, liability to blame.--_adv._ CUL'PABLY.--_adj._ CUL'PATORY,
expressive of blame. [O. Fr. _coupable_--L. _culpabilis_--_culpa_, a
fault.]
CULPRIT, kul'prit, _n._ one in fault: a criminal: (_Eng. law_) a prisoner
accused but not yet tried. [From the fusion in legal phraseology of _cul._
(_culpable_, _culpabilis_), and _prit_, _prist_ (O. Fr. _prest_), ready.
Not _culpate_--law L. _culpatus_, a person accused.]
CULT, kult, _n._ a system of religious belief, worship.--Also CULT'US. [L.
_cultus_--_col[)e]re_, to worship.]
CULTER, kul't[.e]r, _n._ obsolete form of COULTER.--_adjs._ CULTIROS'TRAL,
CULTUROS'TRAL; CUL'TRATE, -D, shaped like a pruning-knife; CUL'TRIFORM, in
the form of a pruning-knife: sharp-edged.
CULTISM, kult'ism, _n._ a style of writing after the manner of Luis de
Góngora y Argote (1561-1627), a Spanish lyric poet--_estilo culto_, being
florid, pedantic, often obscure.--_ns._ CULT'IST, CULT'ORIST. [Sp. _culte_,
elegant--L. _cultus_.]
CULTIVATE, kul'ti-v[=a]t, _v.i._ to till or produce by tillage: to prepare
for crops: to devote attention to: to civilise or refine.--_adjs._
CUL'TIVABLE, CULTIVAT'ABLE, capable of being cultivated.--_ns._
CULTIV[=A]'TION, the art or practice of cultivating: civilisation:
refinement; CUL'TIVATOR.--CULTIVATE A PERSON'S FRIENDSHIP, to endeavour to
get his good-will. [Low L. _cultiv[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--L. _col[)e]re_, to
till, to worship.]
CULTURE, kul't[=u]r, _n._ cultivation: the state of being cultivated:
refinement the result of cultivation.--_v.t._ to cultivate: to
improve.--_adjs._ CUL'TURABLE; CUL'TURAL.--_p.adj._ CUL'TURED, cultivated:
well educated: refined.--_adj._ CUL'TURELESS. [L.
_cult[=u]ra_--_col[)e]re_.]
CULTUS. See CULT.
CULVER, kul'v[.e]r, _n._ a dove: a pigeon.--_n._ CUL'VER-KEY, an herb,
probably the columbine, having key-shaped flowerets.--_adj._ CUL'VERTAILED,
dovetailed. [A.S. _culfre_, prob. from L. _columba_.]
CULVERIN, kul'v[.e]r-in, _n._ one of the earlier forms of cannon of great
length, generally an 18-pounder, weighing 50 cwt.--_ns._ CUL'VERINEER;
DEM'I-CUL'VERIN, a 9-pounder, weighing 30 cwt. [Fr. _coulevrine_, from
_couleuvre_, a serpent.]
CULVER'S PHYSIC, ROOT, _n._ popular name of a kind of speedwell, the
rhizome of _Veronica virginica_, used medicinally. [Prob. from one Dr
_Culver_.]
CULVERT, kul'v[.e]rt, _n._ an arched channel of masonry for carrying water
beneath a road, railway, &c. [Perh. from Fr. _couler_, to flow--L.
_col[=a]re_.]
CULVERTAGE, kul'ver-t[=a]j, _n._ degradation of a vassal to the position of
a serf. [O. Fr. _culvert_, a serf.]
CUMBENT, kum'bent, _adj._ lying down; reclining. [L. _cumbens_, _-entis_,
pr.p. of _cumb[)e]re_, to lie down.]
CUMBER, kum'b[.e]r, _v.t._ to trouble or hinder with something useless: to
retard, trouble.--_n._ encumbrance: cumbering.--_adj._ CUM'BERED, hampered:
obstructed.--_ns._ CUM'BERER; CUM'BER-GROUND, a useless thing, from Luke,
xiii. 7.--_adj._ CUM'BERLESS, unencumbered.--_ns._ CUM'BERMENT, CUM'BRANCE,
encumbrance.--_adjs._ CUM'BERSOME, unwieldy: heavy; CUM'BROUS, hindering:
obstructing: heavy.--_adv._ CUM'BROUSLY.--_n._ CUM'BROUSNESS. [O. Fr.
_combrer_, to hinder--Low L. _cumbrus_, a heap; corr. of L. _cumulus_, a
heap.]
CUMBRIAN, kum'bri-an, _adj._ (_geol._) of or pertaining to a system of
slaty rocks best developed in Cumberland and Westmorland, now merged in the
Cambrian or Silurian system.
CUMIN, CUMMIN, kum'in, _n._ an umbelliferous plant, common in Egypt, and
cultivated in southern Europe and India--its seeds, resembling the caraway,
valuable as carminatives. [L. _cuminum_--Gr. _kyminon_, cog. with Heb.
_kammôn_.]
CUMMER, kum'[.e]r, KIMMER, kim'[.e]r, _n._ a gossip: a woman: (_Scot._) a
girl. [Fr. _commère_--L. _con_, with, _mater_, mother.]
CUMMERBUND, kum'[.e]r-bund, _n._ a waist-belt, a sash. [Anglo-Ind.--Pers.
_kamarband_, a loin-band.]