Part 708

Cul"ver*house` (-hous`), n. A dovecote.

Cul"ver*in (k?l"v?r-?n), n.[F. coulevrine, prop. fem. of couleuvrin like a serpent, fr. couleuvre adder, fr. L. coluber, colubra.] A long cannon of the 16th century, usually an 18-pounder with serpent-shaped handles.

Trump, and drum, and roaring culverin. Macaulay.

Cul"ver*key` (-k?`), n. 1. A bunch of the keys or samaras of the ash tree. Wright.

2. An English meadow plant, perhaps the columbine or the bluebell squill (Scilla nutans). [Obs.]

A girl cropping culverkeys and cowslips to make garlands. Walton.

Cul"vert (k?l"v?rt), n. [Prob. from OF. coulouere, F. couloir, channel, gutter, gallery, fr. couler to flow. See Cullis.] A transverse drain or waterway of masonry under a road, railroad, canal, etc.; a small bridge.

Cul"ver*tail` (k?l"v?r-t?l`), n. (Carp.) Dovetail.

Cul"ver*tailed` (-t?ld`), a. United or fastened by a dovetailed joint.

||Cu*ma"ce*a (k?-m?"sh?-? or -s?-?), n. pl. [NL.] (Zo÷l.) An order of marine Crustacea, mostly of small size.

Cum"bent (k?m"bent), a. [Cf. Recumbent, Covey.] Lying down; recumbent. J. Dyer.

Cum"ber (k?m"b?r), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cumbered (-b?rd); p. pr. & vb. n. Cumbering.] [OE. combren, cumbren,OF. combrer to hinder, from LL. cumbrus a heap, fr. L. cumulus; cf. Skr. &?;&?; to increase, grow strong. Cf. Cumulate.] To rest upon as a troublesome or useless weight or load; to be burdensome or oppressive to; to hinder or embarrass in attaining an object, to obstruct or occupy uselessly; to embarrass; to trouble.

Why asks he what avails him not in fight, And would but cumber and retard his flight? Dryden.

Martha was cumbered about much serving. Luke x. 40.

Cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? Luke xiii. 7.

The multiplying variety of arguments, especially frivolous ones, . . . but cumbers the memory. Locke.

Cum"ber (k?m"b?r), n. [Cf. encombre hindrance, impediment. See Cuber,v.] Trouble; embarrassment; distress. [Obs.] [Written also comber.]

A place of much distraction and cumber. Sir H. Wotton.

Sage counsel in cumber. Sir W. Scott.

Cum"ber*some (k&?;m"b&?;r-s&?;m), a. 1. Burdensome or hindering, as a weight or drag; embarrassing; vexatious; cumbrous.

To perform a cumbersome obedience. Sir. P. Sidney.

2. Not easily managed; as, a cumbersome contrivance or machine.

He holds them in utter contempt, as lumbering, cumbersome, circuitous. I. Taylor.

-- Cum"ber*some*ly, adv. -- Cum"ber*some*ness,n.

Cum"brance (k?m"brans), n. Encumbrance. [Obs.]

Extol not riches then, the toil of fools, The wise man's cumbrance, if not snare. Milton.

Cum"bri*an (k?m"br?-a]/>n), a. Pertaining to Cumberland, England, or to a system of rocks found there.

Cumbrian system (Geol.), the slate or graywacke system of rocks, now included in the Cambrian or Silurian system; -- so called because most prominent at Cumberland.