Part 1930

<blockquote>This wisdom began to be written in <b>ciphers</b> and characters and letters bearing the forms of creatures. <i>Sir W. Raleigh.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>A combination or interweaving of letters, as the initials of a name; a device; a monogram; <as>as, a painter's <ex>cipher</ex>, an engraver's <ex>cipher</ex>, etc.</as> The cut represents the initials <i>N. W</i>.</def>

<p><b>5.</b> <def>A private alphabet, system of characters, or other mode of writing, contrived for the safe transmission of secrets; also, a writing in such characters.</def>

<blockquote>His father . . . engaged him when he was very young to write all his letters to England in <b>cipher</b>. <i>Bp. Burnet.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>Cipher key</col>, <cd>a key to assist in reading writings in cipher.</cd></cs>

<h1>Cipher</h1> <Xpage=257>

<hw>Ci"pher</hw>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Of the nature of a cipher; of no weight or influence.</def> "Twelve <i>cipher</i> bishops."

<i>Milton.</i>

<h1>Cipher</h1> <Xpage=257>

<hw>Ci"pher</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Ciphered</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Ciphering</er>.]</wordforms> <def>To use figures in a mathematical process; to do sums in arithmetic.</def>

<blockquote>"T was certain he could write and <b>cipher</b> too. <i>Goldsmith.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Cipher</h1> <Xpage=257>

<hw>Ci"pher</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To write in occult characters.</def>

<blockquote>His notes he <b>ciphered</b> with Greek characters. <i>Hayward.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To get by ciphering; <as>as, to cipher out the answer</as>.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>To decipher.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Shak.</i>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>To designate by characters.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Shak.</i>

<h1>Cipherer</h1> <Xpage=257>

<hw>Ci"pher*er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who ciphers.</def>

<h1>Cipherhood</h1> <Xpage=257>

<hw>Ci"pher*hood</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>Nothingness.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<i>Goodwin.</i>

<h1>Cipolin</h1> <Xpage=257>

<hw>Cip"o*lin</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[It. <ets>cippollino</ets>, prop., a little onion, fr. <ets>cipolla</ets> onion (cf. E. <ets>cibol</ets>). So called because its veins consist, like onions, of different strata, one lying upon another.]</ety> <fld>(Min.)</fld> <def>A whitish marble, from Rome, containiing pale greenish zones. It consists of calcium carbonate, with zones and cloudings of talc.</def>

<h1>Cippus</h1> <Xpage=257>

<hw>Cip"pus</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt>; <plu>pl. <plw>Cippi</plw> <tt>(#)</tt>.</plu> <ety>[L., stake, post.]</ety> <def>A small, low pillar, square or round, commonly having an inscription, used by the ancients for various purposes, as for indicating the distances of places, for a landmark, for sepulchral inscriptions, etc.</def>