Part 733

Cu"ti*cle (kū"t&ibreve;*k'l), n. [L. cuticula, dim. of cutis skin; akin to E. hide skin of an animal.] 1. (Anat.) The scarfskin or epidermis. See Skin.

2. (Bot.) The outermost skin or pellicle of a plant, found especially in leaves and young stems.

3. A thin skin formed on the surface of a liquid.

Cu*tic"u*lar (k&usl;*t&ibreve;k"&usl;*l&etilde;r), a. Pertaining to the cuticle, or external coat of the skin; epidermal.

Cu"tin (kū"t&ibreve;n), n. [L. cutis skin, outside.] (Bot.) The substance which, added to the material of a cell wall, makes it waterproof, as in cork.

Cu`tin*i*za"tion (k?`t?n-?-z?"sh?n), n. (Bot.) The conversion of cell walls into a material which repels water, as in cork.

Cu"tin*ize (k?"t?n-?z), v. t. & i. To change into cutin.

||Cu"tis (k?"t?s), n. [L. See Cuticle.] (Anat.) See Dermis.

Cut"lass (kŭt"las), n.; pl. Cutlasses (- &ebreve;z). [F. coutelas (cf. It. coltellaccio), augm. fr. L. cultellus a small knife, dim. of culter knife. See Colter, and cf. Curtal ax.] A short, heavy, curving sword, used in the navy. See Curtal ax.

Cutlass fish, (Zo÷l.), a peculiar, long, thin, marine fish (Trichiurus lepturus) of the southern United States and West Indies; -- called also saber fish, silver eel, and, improperly, swordfish.

Cut"ler (kŭt"l&etilde;r), n. [OE. coteler, F. coutelier, LL. cultellarius, fr. L. cultellus. See Cutlass.] One who makes or deals in cutlery, or knives and other cutting instruments.

Cut"ler*y (kŭt"l&etilde;r*&ybreve;), n. 1. The business of a cutler.

2. Edged or cutting instruments, collectively.

Cut"let (kŭt"l&ebreve;t), n. [F. c˘telette, prop., little rib, dim. of c˘te rib, fr. L. costa. See Coast.] A piece of meat, especially of veal or mutton, cut for broiling.

Cut"ling (kŭt"l&ibreve;ng), n., [Cf. Cuttle a knife.] The art of making edged tools or cutlery. [Obs.] Milton.

Cut"-off` (kŭt"&obreve;f`; 115), n. 1. That which cuts off or shortens, as a nearer passage or road.

2. (Mach.) (a) The valve gearing or mechanism by which steam is cut off from entering the cylinder of a steam engine after a definite point in a stroke, so as to allow the remainder of the stroke to be made by the expansive force of the steam already let in. See Expansion gear, under Expansion. (b) Any device for stopping or changing a current, as of grain or water in a spout.

Cu"tose (kū"tōs), n. [L. cutis skin.] (Chem.) A variety of cellulose, occuring as a fine transparent membrane covering the aerial organs of plants, and forming an essential ingredient of cork; by oxidation it passes to suberic acid.

Cut"-out` (kŭt"out`), n. (a) (Telegraphy) A species of switch for changing the current from one circuit to another, or for shortening a circuit. (b) (Elec.) A device for breaking or separating a portion of circuit.

Cut"purse` (kŭt"pűrs`), n. One who cuts purses for the sake of stealing them or their contents (an act common when men wore purses fastened by a string to their girdles); one who steals from the person; a pickpocket

To have an open ear, a quick eye, and a nimble hand, is necessary for a cutpurse. Shak.

Cut"ter (k?t"t?r), n. 1. One who cuts; as, a stone cutter; a die cutter; esp., one who cuts out garments.

2. That which cuts; a machine or part of a machine, or a tool or instrument used for cutting, as that part of a mower which severs the stalk, or as a paper cutter.

3. A fore tooth; an incisor. Ray.

4. (Naut.) (a) A boat used by ships of war. (b) A fast sailing vessel with one mast, rigged in most essentials like a sloop. A cutter is narrower end deeper than a sloop of the same length, and depends for stability on a deep keel, often heavily weighted with lead. (c) A small armed vessel, usually a steamer, in the revenue marine service; -- also called revenue cutter.

5. A small, light one-horse sleigh.

6. An officer in the exchequer who notes by cutting on the tallies the sums paid.

7. A ruffian; a bravo; a destroyer. [Obs.]