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Part 1539

The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary · Project Gutenberg — chapter 1539 of 12779 · ~473 words · public domain

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<h1>Caimacam</h1> <Xpage=202>

<hw>Cai`ma*cam"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Turk.]</ety> <def>The governor of a sanjak or district in Turkey.</def>

<h1>Caiman</h1> <Xpage=202>

<hw>Cai"man</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>See <er>Cayman</er>.</def>

<h1>Cainozoic</h1> <Xpage=202>

<hw>Cai`no*zo"ic</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>(Geol.) See <er>Cenozic</er>.</def>

<h1>Ca\'8bque</h1> <Xpage=202>

<hw>Ca*\'8bque"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F., fr. Turk. <ets>q\'be\'c6q</ets> boat.]</ety> <fld>(Naut..)</fld> <def>A light skiff or rowboat used on the Bosporus; also, a Levantine vessel of larger size.</def>

<h1>\'80aira</h1> <Xpage=202>

<hw>\'80a"i*ra"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>. <ety>[F. <ets>\'87a ira, \'87a ira, les aristocrates \'85 la lanterne</ets>, it shall go on, it shall go on, the arictocrats to the lantern (lamp-post).]</ety> <def> The refrain of a famous song of the French Revolution.</def>

<h1>Caird</h1> <Xpage=202>

<hw>Caird</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Ir. <ets>ceard</ets> a tinker.]</ety> <def>A traveling tinker; also a tramp or sturdy beggar.</def> <mark>[Prov. Eng.]</mark>

<h1>Cairn</h1> <Xpage=202>

<hw>Cairn</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Gael. <ets>carn</ets>, gen. <ets>cairn</ets>, a heap: cf. Ir. & W. <ets>carn</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A rounded or conical heap of stones erected by early inhabitants of the British Isles, apparently as a sepulchral monument.</def>

<blockquote>Now here let us place the gray stone of her <b>cairn</b>. <i>Campbell.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A pile of stones heaped up as a landmark, or to arrest attention, as in surveying, or in leaving traces of an exploring party, etc.</def>

<i>C. Kingsley. Kane.</i>

<h1>Cairngormstone</h1> <Xpage=202>

<hw>Cairn*gorm"stone`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>. <ety>[Gael. <ets>carn</ets> a cairn + <ets>gorm</ets> azure.]</ety> <fld>(Min.)</fld> <def>A yellow or smoky brown variety of rock crystal, or crystallized quartz, found esp, in the mountain of Cairngorm, in Scotland.</def>

<h1>Caisson</h1> <Xpage=202>

<hw>Cais"son</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F., fr. <ets>caisse</ets>, case, chest. See 1st <er>Case</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <fld>(Mil.)</fld> <sd>(a)</sd> <def>A chest to hold ammunition.</def> <sd>(b)</sd> <def>A four-wheeled carriage for conveying ammunition, consisting of two parts, a body and a limber. In light field batteries there is one caisson to each piece, having two ammunition boxes on the body, and one on the limber.</def> <i>Farrow</i>. <sd>(c)</sd> <def>A chest filled with explosive materials, to be laid in the way of an enemy and exploded on his appoach.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <sd>(a)</sd> <def>A water-tight box, of timber or iron within which work is carried on in building foundations or structures below the water level.</def> <sd>(b)</sd> <def>A hollow floating box, usually of iron, which serves to close the entrances of docks and basins.</def> <sd>(c)</sd> <def>A structure, usually with an air chamber, placed beneath a vessel to lift or float it.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Arch.)</fld> <def>A sunk panel of ceilings or soffits.</def>

<cs><col>Pneumatic caisson</col> <fld>(Engin.)</fld>, <cd>a caisson, closed at the top but open at the bottom, and resting upon the ground under water. The pressure of air forced into the caisson keeps the water out. Men and materials are admitted to the interior through an air lock. See <er>Lock</er>.</cd></cs>

<h1>Caitiff</h1> <Xpage=202>

<hw>Cai"tiff</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[OE. <ets>caitif</ets>, <ets>cheitif</ets>, captive, miserable, OF. <ets>caitif</ets>, <ets>chaitif</ets>, captive, mean, wretched, F. <ets>ch\'82tif</ets>, fr. L. <ets>captivus</ets> captive, fr. <ets>capere</ets> to take, akin to E. <ets>heave</ets>. See <er>Heave</er>, and cf. <er>Captive</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Captive; wretched; unfortunate.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Chaucer.</i>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Base; wicked and mean; cowardly; despicable.</def>

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