Part 205

Chief"tain (?), n. [OE. cheftayn, chevetayn, OF. chevetain, F. capitaine, LL. capitanus, fr. L. caput head. Cf. Captain, and see chief.] A captain, leader, or commander; a chief; the head of a troop, army, or clan.

Syn. -- Chief; commander; leader; head. See Chief.

{ Chief"tain*cy (?), Chief"tain*ship, } n. The rank, dignity, or office of a chieftain.

Chier"te (?), n. [OF. chertÚ. See Charity.] Love; tender regard. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Chiev"ance (?), n. [OF. chevance property, equiv. To chevisance, fr. chevir to accomplish. See Chevisance.] An unlawful bargain; traffic in which money is exported as discount. [Obs.] Bacon.

Chieve (?), v. i. See Cheve, v. i. [Obs.]

Chiff"-chaff (&?;), n. [So called from its note.] (Zo÷l.) A species of European warbler (Sylvia hippolais); -- called also chip- chap, and pettychaps.

{ Chif`fo*nier" (?), fem. Chif`fo*niŔre" (?), } n. [F. chiffonnier, fem. chiffonniŔre, fr. chiffon rag, fr. chiffe a rag, flimsy cloth.] 1. One who gathers rags and odds and ends; a ragpicker.

2. A receptacle for rags or shreds.

3. A movable and ornamental closet or piece of furniture with shelves or drawers. G. Eliot.

||Chi"gnon (&?;), n. [F., prop. equiv. to chaţnon link, fr. chaţne chain, fr. L. catena Cf. Chain.] A knot, boss, or mass of hair, natural or artificial, worn by a woman at the back of the head.

A curl that had strayed from her chignon. H. James.

{ Chig"oe (?), Chig"re (?), } n. [Cf. F. chigue, perh. fr. Catalan chic small, Sp. chico; or of Peruvian origin.] (Zo÷l.) A species of flea (Pulex penetrans), common in the West Indies and South America, which often attacks the feet or any exposed part of the human body, and burrowing beneath the skin produces great irritation. When the female is allowed to remain and breed, troublesome sores result, which are sometimes dangerous. See Jigger. [Written also chegre, chegoe, chique, chigger, jigger.]

&fist; The name is sometimes erroneously given to certain mites or ticks having similar habits.

||Chi*ka"ra (&?;), n. [Hind.] (Zo÷l.) (a) The goat antelope (Tragops Bennettii) of India. (b) The Indian four-horned antelope (Tetraceros quadricornis).

Chil"blain` (?), n. [Chill + Blain.] A blain, sore, or inflammatory swelling, produced by exposure of the feet or hands to cold, and attended by itching, pain, and sometimes ulceration.

Chil"blain`, v. t. To produce chilblains upon.

Child (chīld), n.; pl. Children (ch&ibreve;l"dr&ebreve;n). [AS. cild, pl. cildru; cf. Goth. kil■ei womb, in-kil■ō with child.] 1. A son or a daughter; a male or female descendant, in the first degree; the immediate progeny of human parents; -- in law, legitimate offspring. Used also of animals and plants.

2. A descendant, however remote; -- used esp. in the plural; as, the children of Israel; the children of Edom.

3. One who, by character of practice, shows signs of relationship to, or of the influence of, another; one closely connected with a place, occupation, character, etc.; as, a child of God; a child of the devil; a child of disobedience; a child of toil; a child of the people.

4. A noble youth. See Childe. [Obs.] Chaucer.

5. A young person of either sex. esp. one between infancy and youth; hence, one who exhibits the characteristics of a very young person, as innocence, obedience, trustfulness, limited understanding, etc.

When I was child. I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1. Cor. xii. 11.

6. A female infant. [Obs.]

A boy or a child, I wonder? Shak.

To be with child, to be pregnant. - - Child's play, light work; a trifling contest.

Child, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Childed; p. pr. & vb. n. Childing.] To give birth; to produce young.

This queen Genissa childing died. Warner.