Part 1857

<hw>Child"birth</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The act of bringing forth a child; travail; labor.</def>

<i>Jer. Taylor.</i>

<h1>Childcrowing</h1> <Xpage=247>

<hw>Child"crow`ing</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Med.)</fld> <def>The crowing noise made by children affected with spasm of the laryngeal muscles; false croup.</def>

<h1>Childe</h1> <Xpage=247>

<hw>Childe</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>A cognomen formerly prefixed to his name by the oldest son, until he succeeded to his ancestral titles, or was knighted; <as>as, <ex>Childe</ex> Roland</as>.</def>

<h1>Childed</h1> <Xpage=247>

<hw>Child"ed</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Furnished with a child.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<h1>Childermas day</h1> <Xpage=247>

<hw>Chil"dermas day`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>. <ety>[AS. <ets>cildam\'91sse-d\'91g</ets>; <ets>cild</ets> child +<ets>d\'91g</ets> day.]</ety> <fld>(Eccl.)</fld> <def>A day (December 28) observed by mass or festival in commemoration of the children slain by Herod at Bethlehem; -- called also <altname>Holy Innocent's Day</altname>.</def>

<hr> <page="248"> Page 248<p>

<h1>Childhood</h1> <Xpage=248>

<hw>Child"hood</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[AS. <ets>cildh\'bed</ets>; <ets>cild</ets> child + <ets>-h\'bed</ets>. See <er>Child</er>, and <er>hood</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>The state of being a child; the time in which persons are children; the condition or time from infancy to puberty.</def>

<blockquote>I have walked before you from my <b>childhood</b>. <i>1. Sam. xii. 2.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Children, taken collectively.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<blockquote>The well-governed <b>childhood</b> of this realm. <i>Sir. W. Scott.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>The commencement; the first period.</def>

<blockquote>The <b>childhood</b> of our joy. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>Second childhood</col>, <cd>the state of being feeble and incapable from old age.</cd></cs>

<h1>Childing</h1> <Xpage=248>

<hw>Child"ing</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[See <er>Child</er>, <tt>v. i.</tt>]</ety> <def>Bearing Children; <mark>(Fig.)</mark> productive; fruitful.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<i>Shak.</i>

<h1>Childish</h1> <Xpage=248>

<hw>Child"ish</hw>, <tt>a.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Of, pertaining to, befitting, or resembling, a child.</def> "<i>Childish</i> innocence."

<i>Macaulay.</i>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Peurile; trifling; weak.</def>

<blockquote>Methinks that simplicity in her countenance is rather <b>childish</b> than innocent. <i>Addison.</i></blockquote>

<note>&hand; <i>Childish</i>, as applied tc persons who are grown up, is in a disparaging sense; as, a <i>childish</i> temper.</note>