Part 120

Ca*top"tron (k&adot;*t&obreve;p"tr&obreve;n), n. [Obs.] See Catopter.

Cat`pipe" (kăt"pīp`), n. See Catcall.

Cat"-rigged` (?), a. Rigged like a catboat.

Cat"-salt` (?), n. A sort of salt, finely granulated, formed out of the bittern or leach brine.

Cat's"-eye` (kăts"ī`), n. (Min.) A variety of quartz or chalcedony, exhibiting opalescent reflections from within, like the eye of a cat. The name is given to other gems affording like effects, esp. the chrysoberyl.

Cat's`-foot (?), n. (Bot.) A plant (Nepeta Glechoma) of the same genus with catnip; ground ivy.

Cat"-sil`ver (?), n. Mica. [Archaic]

Cats"kill pe`ri*od (?). (Geol.) The closing subdivision of the Devonian age in America. The rocks of this period are well developed in the Catskill mountains, and extend south and west under the Carboniferous formation. See the Diagram under Geology.

Cat"so (?), n.; pl. Catsos (#). [It. cazzo.] A base fellow; a rogue; a cheat. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Cat's"-paw` (?), n. 1. (Naut.) (a) A light transitory air which ruffles the surface of the water during a calm, or the ripples made by such a puff of air. (b) A particular hitch or turn in the bight of a rope, into which a tackle may be hooked.

2. A dupe; a tool; one who, or that which, is used by another as an instrument to a accomplish his purposes.

&fist; In this sense the term refers to the fable of the monkey using the cat's paw to draw the roasting chestnuts out of the fire.

Cat's"-tail (?), n. See Timothy, Cat-tail, Cirrus.

Cat"stick` (?), n. A stick or club employed in the game of ball called cat or tipcat. Massinger.

Cat"stitch (?), v. t. (Needlework) To fold and sew down the edge of with a coarse zigzag stitch.

Cat"sup (?), n. Same as Catchup, and Ketchup.

Cat"-tail (?), n. (Bot.) A tall rush or flag (Typha latifolia) growing in marshes, with long, flat leaves, and having its flowers in a close cylindrical spike at the top of the stem. The leaves are frequently used for seating chairs, making mats, etc. See Catkin.

&fist; The lesser cat-tail is Typha angustifolia.

Cat"tish (kăt"t&ibreve;sh), a. Catlike; feline Drummond.

Cat"tle (kăt"t'l), n. pl. [OE. calet, chatel, goods, property, OF. catel, chatel, LL. captale, capitale, goods, property, esp. cattle, fr. L. capitals relating to the head, chief; because in early ages beasts constituted the chief part of a man's property. See Capital, and cf. Chattel.] Quadrupeds of the Bovine family; sometimes, also, including all domestic quadrupeds, as sheep, goats, horses, mules, asses, and swine.

Belted cattle, Black cattle. See under Belted, Black. -- Cattle guard, a trench under a railroad track and alongside a crossing (as of a public highway). It is intended to prevent cattle from getting upon the track. -- cattle louse (Zo÷l.), any species of louse infecting cattle. There are several species. The HŠmatatopinus eurysternus and H. vituli are common species which suck blood; Trichodectes scalaris eats the hair. -- Cattle plague, the rinderpest; called also Russian cattle plague. -- Cattle range, or Cattle run, an open space through which cattle may run or range. [U. S.] Bartlett. -- Cattle show, an exhibition of domestic animals with prizes for the encouragement of stock breeding; -- usually accompanied with the exhibition of other agricultural and domestic products and of implements.

Cat"ty (?), n. [Malay katī. See Caddy.] An East Indian Weight of 1⅓ pounds.

Cau*ca"sian (?), a. 1. Of or pertaining to the Caucasus, a mountainous region between the Black and Caspian seas.

2. Of or pertaining to the white races of mankind, of whom the people about Mount Caucasus were formerly taken as the type.

Cau*ca"sian, n. 1. A native or inhabitant of the Caucasus, esp. a Circassian or Georgian.

2. A member of any of the white races of mankind.

Cau"cus (?), n. [Etymology uncertain. Mr. J. H. Trumbull finds the origin of caucus in the N. A. Indian word cawcawwassough or ca˙ cau-as'u one who urges or pushes on, a promoter. See citation for an early use of the word caucus.] A meeting, especially a preliminary meeting, of persons belonging to a party, to nominate candidates for public office, or to select delegates to a nominating convention, or to confer regarding measures of party policy; a political primary meeting.

This day learned that the caucus club meets, at certain times, in the garret of Tom Dawes, the adjutant of the Boston regiment. John Adams's Diary [Feb. , 1763].