All languages English Tiếng Việt
This is a device for moving a heavy load over soft ground where wheels will sink. Round the wheels passes an endless band of linked plates which so forms a track along which the vehicle pro- gresses. The device is much used for agricul- tural vehicles and for tanks and other military vehicles.
Going out in the night in search of intrigues, like a cat in the gutters.
Applied derisively to inharmonious singing; also love-making, from the noise of cats similarly engaged.
A queer, or singular affair; anything poor, or very bad. From the Lingua Franca, and Italian, CATTIVO, bad. Variously spelled by the lower orders.—See KERTEVER.
A wheel-window, sometimes called a rose-window, with radiating divisions.
Old-fashioned. An old cathedral-bedstead, chair, &c.
The inventor of St. Catherine's Wheel, a diabolical machine consisting of four wheels turning different ways, and each wheel armed with saws, knives, and teeth, was killed by his own machine; for when St. Catherine was bound on the wheel, she fell off, and the machine flew to pieces. One of the pieces struck the inventor, and other pieces struck several of the men employed to work it, all of whom were killed. (Meta- phrastes.
The entire body of Christians considered as a whole, as distin- guished from the Churches and sects into which it has divided. At the Reformation the Western Church was called by the Reformers the Roman Catholic Church, and the Estab- lished Church of England was called the "Protestant Church," or the "Reformed National Church." Many members of the Anglican Church still consider and call themselves Catholics.
Those Epistles in the New Testament not addressed to any particular church or individual; the general epistles, viz. those of James, Peter, and Jude, and the first of John; 2 John is addressed to a "lady," and 3 John to Gaius, and these are usually included.
A document which English Roman Catholics were obliged to sign on taking their seats as Member of Parliament. It was abolished, and a single oath prescribed to all members by the 29, 30 Victoria, c. 19 (1866).
A brothel.
Lucius Ser- gius Catilina, 64 B.C., conspired with a large number of dissolute young nobles to plunder the Roman treasury, extirpate the senate, and fire the capitol. Cicero, who was consul, got full information of the plot, and delivered his first Oration against Catiline November 8th, 63, whereupon Catiline quitted Rome. Next day Cicero delivered his second Oration, and several of the conspirators were arrested.
An early form of automatic weapon invented in the U.S.A. in 1867. It had a large number of barrels, the projectiles in which could be discharged in rapid succession. It preceded all types of weapons constructed on the principle of discharging numerous pro- jectiles rapidly through the same barrel, as a machine gun.
A scheme enter- tained by Arthur Thistlewood (1770-1820) and other conspirators to overthrow the Govern- ment by assassinating the Cabinet Ministers (February 1820). So called from Cato Street (now Horace Street), Edgware Road, where their meetings were held.
It is said to rain cats and dogs when a shower is exceptionally heavy. Probably in ridicule of the remarkable showers which used to find their way into the papers during the "silly season."
It is probable that the custom of tormenting cats by the ignorant arose from their supposed connexion with witches.
Sad cattle: whores or gypsies. Black cattle, bugs. CANT.
A term of contempt applied to the mob, or to a lot of lazy, helpless servants.
An audition where many people are seen briefly
A catapult.
A coarse term for the lungs—the "lights" or lungs of animals being usually sold to feed cats.
A dupe or tool. From the old story of the monkey who used the cat’s-paw to remove his roast chestnuts from the fire. A sea term, meaning light and occasional breezes occurring in calm weather.
A private meeting held for the purpose of concerting measures, agreeing upon candidates for office before an election, &c. This is an American term, and a corruption of CAULKER’S MEETING, being derived from an association of the shipping interest at Boston, previous to the War of Independence, who were very active in getting up opposition to England.—See Pickering’s Vocabulary.
A chaotic or disorganized competition
A narrow pass in the mountains near Capua, now called the
Lacking something, especially money, when needed
Completely absorbed or engaged in something
Caught off guard or unprepared
A large white wig, such as is commonly worn by the dignified clergy, and was formerly by physicians. Also the private parts of a woman; the reason for which appellation is given in the following story: A woman, who was giving evidence in a cause wherein it was necessary to express those parts, made use of the term cauliflower; for which the judge on the bench, a peevish old fellow, reproved her, saying she might as well call it artichoke.
To take a surreptitious nap; sleep generally, from the ordinary meaning of the term; stopping leaks, repairing damages, so as to come out as good as new.—Sea term.
A dram. The term "caulker" is usually applied to a stiff glass of grog—preferably brandy—finishing the potations of the evening. See WHITEWASH.
The cause which owes its existence to the causa causans; the secondary cause.
Create excitement or controversy
A relationship where one event leads to another
Common English phrase; full definition pending editorial review.
Anything out of the common way. "He’s a CAUTION," is said of an obdurate or argumentative man. The phrase is also used in many ways in reference to places and things.
A sum deposited before entering college, or an Inn of Court, etc., by way of security for good behaviour.
A story that warns about the consequences of certain actions
The four cautions: I. Beware of a woman before.--II. Beware of a horse behind.--III. Beware of a cart side-ways.--IV. Beware of a priest every way.
Pepys (April 23rd, 1660) mentions it under the title of The Blacksmith, by which it was sometimes known.
A vulgar phrase equivalent to "horsing." The Italian CAVALLINO, signifies a rake or debauchee.—Lingua Franca, CAVOLTA. From this comes the Americanism "cavorting," running or riding round in a heedless or purposeless manner.
Or CAVE IN, to submit, shut up.—American. Metaphor taken from the sinking of an abandoned mining shaft.
Lat., "let the purchaser beware"; i.e. the buyer must keep his eyes open, for the bargain he agrees to is binding.
Something wasted on someone who doesn't appreciate it
An old weather-beaten wig.
A dinner off fish. William Cecil, Lord Burghley, chief minister to Queen Elizabeth for nearly forty years, introduced a Bill to enjoin the eating of fish on certain days in order to restore the fish trade.
To withdraw or surrender, often due to being outmatched or overwhelmed.
That is a self-evident fact; well understood or indisputable.
Heaven is so called by John Bunyan in his Pilgrim 's Progress.
a portable telephone
A cellmate.
Alleged curse said to afflict a sports team
(Gael, comh ranach, crying together.) Pennant says it was called by the Irish hululoo.
a key or central position
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
The Aryan family of lan- guages includes Sanskrit, Zend, Latin, Greek, Celtic, Persian and Hindu, with all the Euro- pean, except Basque, Turkish, Hungarian, and
In politics, the party occupying a place between two extremes: the left centre is the more radical wing, and the right centre the more conservative. In the French Revolution the Centre of the Legislative Assembly included the friends of order.
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Her mother boasted Angary 35 Angelas that the beauty of Andromeda surpassed that of the Nereids; so the Nereids induced Neptune to send a sea-monster to the country, and an oracle declared that Andromeda must be given
This and the two following are old Anglo-French legal terms (cestui — he or him). The person for whose life any lands or hereditaments may be held.