Part 215

Chis"ley (ch&ibreve;z"l&ybreve;), a. [AS. ceosel gravel or sand. Cf. Chessom.] Having a large admixture of small pebbles or gravel; -- said of a soil. Gardner.

Chit (ch&ibreve;t), n. [Cf. AS. cī­ shoot, sprig, from the same root as cīnan to yawn. See Chink a cleft.] 1. The embryo or the growing bud of a plant; a shoot; a sprout; as, the chits of Indian corn or of potatoes.

2. A child or babe; as, a forward chit; also, a young, small, or insignificant person or animal.

A little chit of a woman. Thackeray.

3. An excrescence on the body, as a wart. [Obs.]

4. A small tool used in cleaving laths. Knight.

Chit, v. i. To shoot out; to sprout.

I have known barley chit in seven hours after it had been thrown forth. Mortimer.

Chit, 3d sing. of Chide. Chideth. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Chit"chat (?), n. [From Chat, by way of reduplication.] Familiar or trifling talk; prattle.

Chi"tin (?), n. [See Chiton.] (Chem.) A white amorphous horny substance forming the harder part of the outer integument of insects, crustacea, and various other invertebrates; entomolin.

Chi`ti*ni*za"tion (?), n. The process of becoming chitinous.

Chi"ti*nous (?), a. Having the nature of chitin; consisting of, or containing, chitin.

||Chi"ton (?), n. [Gr. &?; a chiton (in sense 1).] 1. An under garment among the ancient Greeks, nearly representing the modern shirt.

2. (Zo÷l.) One of a group of gastropod mollusks, with a shell composed of eight movable dorsal plates. See Polyplacophora.

Chit"ter (?), v. i. [Cf. Chatter.] 1. To chirp in a tremulous manner, as a bird. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. To shiver or chatter with cold. [Scot.] Burns.

Chit"ter*ling (?), n. The frill to the breast of a shirt, which when ironed out resembled the small entrails. See Chitterlings. [Obs.] Gascoigne.

Chit"ter*lings (?), n. pl. [Cf. AS. cwi■ womb, Icel. kvi­, Goth. qi■us, belly, womb, stomach, G. kutteln chitterlings.] (Cookery) The smaller intestines of swine, etc., fried for food.

||Chit"tra (?), n. [Native Indian name.] (Zo÷l.) The axis deer of India.

Chit"ty (?), a. 1. Full of chits or sprouts.

2. Childish; like a babe. [Obs.]

Chiv"a*chie` (?), n. [OF. chevauchie, chevauchÚe; of the same origin as E. cavalcade.] A cavalry raid; hence, a military expedition. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Chiv"al*ric (?), a. [See Chivalry.] Relating to chivalry; knightly; chivalrous.

Chiv"al*rous (?), a. [OF. chevalerus, chevalereus, fr. chevalier. See Chivalry.] Pertaining to chivalry or knight-errantry; warlike; heroic; gallant; high-spirited; high-minded; magnanimous.

In brave pursuit of chivalrous emprise. Spenser.

Chiv"al*rous*ly, adv. In a chivalrous manner; gallantly; magnanimously.

Chiv"al*ry (?), n. [F. chevalerie, fr. chevalier knight, OF., horseman. See Chevalier, and cf. Cavalry.] 1. A body or order of cavaliers or knights serving on horseback; illustrious warriors, collectively; cavalry. "His Memphian chivalry." Milton.