Part 121

Cau"cus, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Caucused (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Caucusing.] To hold, or meet in, a caucus or caucuses.

Cau"dad (?), adv. [L. cauda tail + ad to.] (Zo÷l.) Backwards; toward the tail or posterior part.

||Cau"da gal*li, (&?;). [L., tail of a cock.] (Paleon.) A plume-shaped fossil, supposed to be a seaweed, characteristic of the lower Devonian rocks; as, the cauda galli grit.

Cauda galli epoch (Geol.), an epoch at the begining of the Devonian age in eastern America, so named from the characteristic gritty sandstone marked with impressions of cauda galli. See the Diagram under Geology.

Cau"dal (?), a. [L. Cauda tail. Cf. Coward.] Of the nature of, or pertaining to, a tail; having a tail-like appendage.

The male widow-bird, remarkable for his caudal plumes. Darwin.

Caudal fin (Zo÷l.), the terminal fin (or "tail") of a fish.

||Cau*da"ta (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. L. cauda tail.] (Zo÷l.) See Urodela.

{ Cau"date (?), Cau"da*ted (?). } a. [L. cauda tail.] Having a tail; having a termination like a tail.

||Cau"dex (?), n.; pl. L. Caudices (#), E. Caudexes (#). [L.] (Bot.) The stem of a tree., esp. a stem without a branch, as of a palm or a tree fern; also, the perennial rootstock of an herbaceous plant.

{ Cau"di*cle (?), ||Cau*dic"u*la (?), } n. [Dim. of L. cauda tail, appendage.] (Bot.) A slender, elastic process, to which the masses of pollen in orchidaceous plants are attached.

Cau"dle (?), n. [OF. caudel, F. chaudeau, dim. of LL calidum a sweet drink, fr. L. caidus warm. See Caldron.] A kind of warm drink for sick persons, being a mixture of wine with eggs, bread, sugar, and spices.

Cau"dle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Caudled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Caudling (?).] 1. To make into caudle.

2. Too serve as a caudle to; to refresh. [R.] Shak.

Cauf (?), n. [Perh. akin to Celtic caff, cav, cau, L. cavus hollow, or to L. caphinus, Gr. &?; basket.] A chest with holes for keeping fish alive in water. Philips.

Cau"fle, n. A gang of slaves. Same as Coffle.

Caught (k&add;t), imp. & p. p. of Catch.

{ Cauk (k&add;k), n., Cauk"er (-&etilde;r), } n. See Cawk, Calker.

Caul (k&add;l), n. [OE. calle, kelle, prob. fr. F. cale; cf. Ir. calla a veil.] 1. A covering of network for the head, worn by women; also, a net. Spenser.

2. (Anat.) The fold of membrane loaded with fat, which covers more or less of the intestines in mammals; the great omentum. See Omentum.

The caul serves for the warming of the lower belly. Ray.

3. A part of the amnion, one of the membranes enveloping the fetus, which sometimes is round the head of a child at its birth.

It is deemed lucky to be with a caul or membrane over the face. This caul is esteemed an infallible preservative against drowning . . . According to Chysostom, the midwives frequently sold it for magic uses. Grose.

I was born with a caul, which was advertised for sale, in the newspapers, at the low price of fifteen guineas. Dickens.

Cau*les"cent (?), a. [L. caulis stalk, stem: cf. F. caulescent.] (Bot.) Having a leafy stem.

Cau"li*cle (?), n. (Bot.) A short caulis or stem, esp. the rudimentary stem seen in the embryo of seed; -- otherwise called a radicle.

||Cau*lic"u*lus (k&add;*l&ibreve;k"&usl;*lŭs), n.; pl. Cauliculi (- lī). [L. cauliculus little stalk, dim. of caulis.] (Arch.) In the Corinthian capital, one of the eight stalks rising out of the lower leafage and terminating in leaves which seem to support the volutes. See Illust. of Corinthian order, under Corinthian.

Cau"li*flow`er (?), n. [F. choufleur, modified by E. Cole. L. caulis, and by E. flower; F. chou cabbage is fr. L. caulis stalk, cabbage, and fleur flower is fr. L. flos flower. See Cole, and Flower.] 1. (Bot.) An annual variety of Brassica oleracea, or cabbage, of which the cluster of young flower stalks and buds is eaten as a vegetable.