Chapter CC: IRA (1)

Ça" i*ra". [F. ça ira, ça ira, les aristocrates à la lanterne, it shall go on, it shall go on, [hang]the arictocrats to the lantern (lamp-post).]

Defn: The refrain of a famous song of the French Revolution.

CEASE Cease, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Ceased; p. pr. & vb. n. Ceasing.] Etym: [OE. cessen, cesen, F. cesser, fr. L. cessare, v. intemsive fr. cedere to withdraw. See Cede , and cf. Cessation.]

1. To come to an end; to stop; to leave off or give over; to desist; as, the noise ceased "To cease from strife." Prov. xx. 3.

2. To be wanting; to fail; to pass away. The poor shall never cease out of the land. Deut. xv. 11.

Syn. -- To intermit; desist; stop; abstain; quit; discontinue; refrain; leave off; pause; end.

CEASE Cease, v. t.

Defn: To put a stop to; to bring to an end. But he, her fears to cease Sent down the meek-eyed peace. Milton. Cease, then, this impious rage. Milton

CEASE Cease, n.

Defn: Extinction. [Obs.] Shak.

CEASELESS Cease"less, a.

Defn: Without pause or end; incessant.

CEASELESS Cease"less, adv.

Defn: Without intermission or end.

CECIDOMYIA Cec`i*do*my"i*a, n. Etym: [Nl., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of small dipterous files, including several very injurious species, as the Hessian fly. See Hessian fly.

CECITY Ce"ci*ty, n. Etym: [L. caecitas, fr. caecus blind: cf. F. cécité.]

Defn: Blindness. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

CECUTIENCY Ce*cu"tien*cy, n. Etym: [L. caecutire to be blind, fr. caecus blind.]

Defn: Partial blindness, or a tendency to blindness. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

CEDAR Ce"dar, n. Etym: [AS. ceder, fr. L. cedrus, Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: The name of several evergreen trees. The wood is remarkable for its durability and fragrant odor.

Note: The cedar of Lebanon is the Cedrus Libani; the white cedar (Cupressus thyoides) is now called Chamoecyparis sphæroidea; American red cedar is the Juniperus Virginiana; Spanish cedar, the West Indian Cedrela odorata. Many other trees with odoriferous wood are locally called cedar. Cedar bird (Zoöl.), a species of chatterer (Ampelis cedrarum), so named from its frequenting cedar trees; -- called also cherry bird, Canada robin, and American waxwing.

CEDAR Ce"dar, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to cedar.

CEDARED Ce"dared, a.

Defn: Covered, or furnished with, cedars.

CEDARN Ce"darn, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the cedar or its wood. [R.]

CEDE Cede, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ceded; p. pr. & vb. n. Ceding.] Etym: [L. cedere to withdraw, yield; akin to cadere to fall, and to E. chance; cf. F. céder.]

Defn: To yield or surrender; to give up; to resign; as, to cede a fortress, a province, or country, to another nation, by treaty. The people must cede to the government some of their natural rights. Jay.

CEDILLA Ce*dil"la, n. Etym: [Sp. cedilla, cf. F. cédille; dim. of zeta, the Gr. name of the letter z, because this letter was formerly written after the c, to give it the sound of s.]

Defn: A mark placed under the letter c [thus, ç], to show that it is to be sounded like s, as in façade.

CEDRAT Ce"drat, n. Etym: [Cf. F. cédrat. See Cedar.] (Bot.)

Defn: Properly the citron, a variety of Citrus medica, with large fruits, not acid, and having a high perfume.

CEDRENE Ce"drene, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A rich aromatic oil, C15H24, extracted from oil of red cedar, and regarded as a polymeric terpene; also any one of a class of similar substances, as the essential oils of cloves, cubebs, juniper, etc., of which cedrene proper is the type. [Written also cedren.]

CEDRINE Ce"drine, a. Etym: [L. cedrinus, Gr. Cedar.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to cedar or the cedar tree.

CEDRIRET Ce"dri*ret, n.

Defn: Same as Coerulignone.

CEDRY Ce"dry, a.

Defn: Of the nature of cedar. [R.]

CEDULE Ced"ule, n. Etym: [F. cédule, fr. L. shedula. See Shedule.]

Defn: A scroll; a writing; a schedule. [Obs.]

CEDUOUS Ced"u*ous, a. Etym: [L. caeduus, fr. caedere to cut down.]

Defn: Fit to be felled. [Obs.] Eyelyn.

CEIL Ceil, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ceiled; p. pr. & vb. n. Ceiling.] Etym: [From an older noun, fr. F. ciel heaven, canopy, fr. L. carlum heaven, vault, arch, covering; cf. Gr.

1. To overlay or cover the inner side of the roof of; to furnish with a ceiling; as, to ceil a room. The greater house he ceiled with fir tree. 2 Chron. iii. 5

2. To line or finish a surface, as of a wall, with plaster, stucco, thin boards, or the like.

CEILING Ceil"ing, n. Etym: [See Cell, v. t.]

1. (Arch.) (a) The inside lining of a room overhead; the under side of the floor above; the upper surface opposite to the floor. (b) The lining or finishing of any wall or other surface, with plaster, thin boards, etc.; also, the work when done.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: The inner planking of a vessel. Camp ceiling. See under Camp. -- Ceiling boards, Thin narrow boards used to ceil with.

CEINT Ceint, n. Etym: [See Cincture.]

Defn: A girdle. [Obs.]

CEINTURE Cein`ture", n. [F.]

Defn: A cincture, girdle, or belt; -- chiefly used in English as a dressmaking term.

CELADON Cel"a*don, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A pale sea-green color; also, porcelain or fine pottery of this tint.

CELANDINE; CALANDINE Cel"an*dine, Cal"an*dine, n. Etym: [OE. celidoine, OF. celidoine, F. chélidoine, fr. L. chelidonia (sc. herba), fr. chelidonius pertaining to the swallow, Gr. hirundo a swallow.] (Bot.)

Defn: A perennial herbaceous plant (Chelidonium majus) of the poppy family, with yellow flowers. It is used as a medicine in jandice, etc., and its acrid saffron-colored juice is used to cure warts and the itch; -- called also greater celandine and swallowwort. Lasser celandine, the pilewort (Ranunculus Ficaria).

CELATURE Cel"a*ture, n. Etym: [L. caelatura, fr. caelare to engrave in relief.]

1. The act or art of engraving or embossing.

2. That which is engraved. [Obs.] Hakewill.

CELEBRANT Cel"e*brant, n. Etym: [L. celebrans, p. pr. of celebrare. See Celebrate.]

Defn: One who performs a public religious rite; -- applied particularly to an officiating priest in the Roman Catholic Church, as distinguished from his assistants.

CELEBRATE Cel"e*brate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Celebrated; p. pr. & vb. n. Celebrating.] Etym: [L. celebratus, p. p. of celebrare to frequent, to celebrate, fr. celeber famous.]

1. To extol or honor in a solemn manner; as, to celebrate the name of the Most High.

2. To honor by solemn rites, by ceremonies of joy and respect, or by refraining from ordinary business; to observe duly; to keep; as, to celebrate a birthday. Fron even unto shall ye celebrate your Sabbath. Lev. xxiii. 32.

3. To perforn or participate in, as a sacrament or solemn rite; to solemnize; to perform with appropriate rites; as, to celebrate a marriage.

Syn. -- To commemorate; distinguish; honor. -- To Celebrate, Commemorate. We commemorate events which we desire to keep in remembrance, when we recall them by some special observace; as, to commemorate the death of our Savior. We celebrate by demonstrations of joy or solemnity or by appropriate ceremonies; as, to celebrate the birthday of our Independence. We are called upon to commemorate a revolution as surprising in its manner as happy in its consequences. Atterbury. Earth, water, air, and fire, with feeling glee, Exult to celebrate thy festival. Thomson.

CELEBRATED Cel"e*bra`ted, a.

Defn: Having celebrity; distinguished; renowned. Celebrated for the politeness of his manners. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Distinguished; famous; noted; famed; renowned; illustrious. See Distinguished.

CELEBRATION Cel`e*bra"tion, n. Etym: [L. celebratio.]

Defn: The act, process, or time of celebrating. His memory deserving a particular celebration. Clarendok. Celebration of Mass is equivalent to offering Mass Cath. Dict. To hasten the celebration of their marriage. Sir P. Sidney.

CELEBRATOR Cel"e*bra`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who celebrates; a praiser. Boyle.

CELEBRIOUS Ce*le"bri*ous, a.

Defn: Famous. [Obs.] Speed.

CELEBRITY Ce*leb"ri*ty, n.; pl. Celebriries. Etym: [L. celebritas: cf. F. célébrité.]

1. Celebration; solemnization. [Obs.] The celebrity of the marriage. Bacon.

2. The state or condition of being celebrated; fame; renown; as, the celebrity of Washington. An event of great celebrity in the history of astronomy. Whewell.

3. A person of distinction or renown; -- usually in the plural; as, he is one of the celebrities of the place.

CELERIAC Ce*le"ri*ac, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Turnip-rooted celery, a from of celery with a large globular root, which is used for food.

CELERITY Ce*ler"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. celeritas, from celer swiftm speedy: sf. F. célérité.]

Defn: Rapidity of motion; quickness; swiftness. Time, with all its celerity, moves slowly to him whose whole employment is to watch its flight. Johnson.

CELERY Cel"er*y, n. Etym: [F. céleri, cf. Prov. It. seleno, seler; fr. Gr. celery. Cf. Parsley.] (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the Parsley family (Apium graveolens), of which the blanched leafstalks are used as a salad.

CELESTIAL Ce*les"tial, a. Etym: [OF. celestial, celestied, fr. L. caelestic, fr. caelum heaved. See Cell.]

1. Belonging to the aërial regions, or visible heavens. "The twelve celestial signs." Shak.

2. Of or pertaining to the spiritual heaven; heavenly; divine. "Celestial spirits." "Celestial light," Milton. Celestial city, heaven; the heavenly Jerusalem. Bunyan. -- Celestial empire, China; -- so called from the Chinese words, tien chan, Heavenly Dynasty, as being the kingdom ruled over by the dynasty appoined by heaven. S. W. Williams.

CELESTIAL Ce*les"tial, n.

1. An inhabitant of heaven. Pope.

2. A native of China.

CELESTIALIZE Ce*les"tial*ize, v. t.

Defn: To make celestial. [R.]

CELESTIALLY Ce*les"tial*ly, adv.

Defn: In a celestial manner.

CELESTIFY Ce*les"ti*fy, v. t. Etym: [L. caelestis heavenly + -fly.]

Defn: To make like heaven. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

CELESTINE; CELESTITE Cel"es*tine, Cel"es*tite,, n. Etym: [LL. caelestinus bine.] (Min.)

Defn: Native strontium sulphate, a mineral so named from its occasional delicate blue color. It occurs crystallized, also in compact massive and fibrous forms.

CELESTINE; CELESTINIAN Cel"es*tine, Cel`es*tin"i*an, n. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: A monk of the austere branch of the Franciscan Order founded by Celestine V. in the 13th centry.

CELIAC Ce"li*ac, a. (Anat.)

Defn: See Coellac.

CELIBACY Ce*lib"a*cy, n. Etym: [See Celibate, n.]

Defn: The state of being unmarried; single life, esp. that of a bachelor, or of one bound by vows not to marry. "The celibacy of the clergy." Hallom.

CELIBATE Cel"i*bate, n. Etym: [L. aelibatus, fr. caelebs unmarried, single.]

1. Celibate state; celibacy. [Obs.] He . . . preferreth holy celibate before the estate of marrige. Jer. Taylor.

2. One who is unmarried, esp. a bachelor, or one bound by vows not to marry.

CELIBATE Cel"i*bate, a.

Defn: Unmarried; single; as, a celibate state.

CELIBATIST Ce*lib"a*tist, n.

Defn: One who lives unmarried. [R.]

CELIDOGRAPHY Cel`i*dog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. -graphy: cf. F. célidographie.]

Defn: A description of apparent spots on the disk of the sun, or on planets.

CELL Cell, n. Etym: [OF. celle, fr. L. cella; akin to celare to hide, and E. hell, helm, conceal. Cf. Hall.]

1. A very small and close apartment, as in a prison or in a monastery or convent; the hut of a hermit. The heroic confessor in his cell. Macaulay.

2. A small religious house attached to a monastery or convent. "Cells or dependent priories." Milman.

3. Any small cavity, or hollow place.

4. (Arch.) (a) The space between the ribs of a vaulted roof. (b) Same as Cella.

5. (Elec.)

Defn: A jar of vessel, or a division of a compound vessel, for holding the exciting fluid of a battery.

6. (Biol.)

Defn: One of the minute elementary structures, of which the greater part of the various tissues and organs of animals and plants are composed.

Note: All cells have their origin in the primary cell from which the organism was developed. In the lowest animal and vegetable forms, one single cell constitutes the complete individual, such being called unicelluter orgamisms. A typical cell is composed of a semifluid mass of protoplasm, more or less granular, generally containing in its center a nucleus which in turn frequently contains one or more nucleoli, the whole being surrounded by a thin membrane, the cell wall. In some cells, as in those of blood, in the amoeba, and in embryonic cells (both vegetable and animal), there is no restricting cell wall, while in some of the unicelluliar organisms the nucleus is wholly wanting. See Illust. of Bipolar. Air cell. See Air cell. -- Cell development (called also cell genesis, cell formation, and cytogenesis), the multiplication, of cells by a process of reproduction under the following common forms; segmentation or fission, gemmation or budding, karyokinesis, and endogenous multiplication. See Segmentation, Gemmation, etc. -- Cell theory. (Biol.) See Cellular theory, under Cellular.

CELL Cell, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Celled.]

Defn: To place or inclosed in a cell. "Celled under ground." [R.] Warner.

CELLA Cel"la, n. Etym: [L.] (Arch.)

Defn: The part inclosed within the walls of an ancient temple, as distinguished from the open porticoes.

CELLAR Cel"lar, n. Etym: [OE. celer, OF. celier, F. celier, fr. L. cellarium a receptacle for food, pantry, fr. cella storeroom. See Cell.]

Defn: A room or rooms under a building, and usually below the surface of the ground, where provisions and other stores are kept.

CELLARAGE Cel"lar*age, n.

1. The space or storerooms of a cellar; a cellar. Sir W. Scott. You hear this fellow in the cellarage. Shak.

2. Chare for storage in a cellar.

CELLARER Cel"lar*er, n. Etym: [LL. cellararius, equiv. to L. cellarius steward: cf. F. cellérier. See Cellar.] (Eccl.)

Defn: A steward or butler of a monastery or chapter; one who has charge of procuring and keeping the provisions.

CELLARET Cel`lar*et", n. Etym: [Dim of cellar.]

Defn: A receptacle, as in a dining room, for a few bottles of wine or liquor, made in the form of a chest or coffer, or a deep drawer in a sideboard, and usually lined with metal.

CELLARIST Cel"lar*ist, n.

Defn: Same as Cellarer.

CELLED Celled, a.

Defn: Containing a cell or cells.

CELLEPORE Cel"le*pore, n. Etym: [L. cella cell + porus, Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of delicate branching corals, made up of minute cells, belonging to the Bryozoa.

CELLIFEROUS Cel*lif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Cell + -ferous.]

Defn: Bearing or producing cells.

CELLO Cel"lo, n.; pl. E. Cellos (, It. Celli (.

Defn: A contraction for Violoncello.

CELLULAR Cel"lu*lar, a. Etym: [L. cellula a little cell: cf. F. cellulaire. See Cellule.]

Defn: Consisting of, or containing, cells; of or pertaining to a cell or cells. Cellular plants, Cellular cryptogams (Bot.), those flowerless plants which have no ducts or fiber in their tissue, as mosses, fungi, lichens, and algæ. -- Cellular theory, or Cell theory (Biol.), a theory, according to which the essential element of every tissue, either vegetable or animal, is a cell; the whole series of cells having been formed from the development of the germ cell and by differentiation converted into tissues and organs which, both in plants ans animals, are to be considered as a mass of minute cells communicating with each other. -- Cellular tissue. (a) (Anat.) See conjunctive tissue under Conjunctive. (b) (Bot.) Tissue composed entirely of parenchyma, and having no woody fiber or ducts. cellular telephone, a portable radio- telephone transmitting and receiving the radio-telephonic signals from one of a group of transmitter-receiver stations so arranged that they provide adequate signal contact for such telephones over a certain geographical area. The area within which one transmitter may service such portable telephones is called its "cell.

CELLULATED Cel"lu*la`ted, a.

Defn: Cellular. Caldwell.

CELLULE Cel"lule, n. Etym: [L. cellula a small apartment, dim. of cella: cf. F. cellule. See Cell.]

Defn: A small cell.

CELLULIFEROUS Cel`lu*lif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. cellula + -ferous.]

Defn: Bearing or producing little cells.

CELLULITIS Cel`lu*li"tis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. cellula + -itis.]

Defn: An inflammantion of the cellular or areolar tissue, esp. of that lying immediately beneath the skin.

CELLULOID Cel"lu*loid`, n. Etym: [Cellulose + -oid.]

Defn: A substance composed essentially of gun cotton and camphor, and when pure resembling ivory in texture and color, but variously colored to imitate coral, tortoise shell, amber, malachite, etc. It is used in the manufacture of jewelry and many small articles, as combs, brushes, collars, and cuffs; -- originaly called xylonite.

CELLULOSE Cel"lu*lose`, a.

Defn: Consisting of, or containing, cells.

CELLULOSE Cel"lu*lose`, n. (Chem.)

Defn: The substance which constitutes the essential part of the solid framework of plants, of ordinary wood, linen, paper, etc. It is also found to a slight extent in certain animals, as the tunicates. It is a carbohydrate, (C6H10O5)n, isomeric with starch, and is convertible into starches and sugars by the action of heat and acids. When pure, it is a white amorphous mass. See Starch, Granulose, Lignin. Unsized, well bleached linen paper is merely pure cellulose. Goodale. Starch cellulose, the delicate framework which remains when the soluble part (granulose) of starch is removed by saliva or pepsin. Goodale.

CELOTOMY Ce*lot"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr. (Med.)

Defn: The act or operation of cutting, to relieve the structure in strangulated hernia. [Frequently written kelotomy.]

CELSITURE Cel"si*ture, n. Etym: [L. celstudo, from celsus high: cf. celsitude.]

Defn: Height; altitude. [Obs.]

CELSIUS Cel"si*us, n.

Defn: The Celsius thermometer or scale, so called from Anders Celsius, a Swedish astronomer, who invented it. It is the same as the centigrade thermometer or scale.

CELT Celt, n. Etym: [L. Celtae, Gr. Celtiad one that dwells in a covert, an inhabitant of the wood, a Celt, fr. celt covert, shelter, celu to hide.]

Defn: One of an ancient race of people, who formerly inhabited a great part of Central and Western Europe, and whose descendants at the present day occupy Ireland, Wales, the Highlands of Scotland, and the northern shores of France. [Written also Kelt. The letter C was pronounced hard in Celtic languages.]

CELT Celt, n. Etym: [LL. celts a chisel.] (Archæol.)

Defn: A weapon or implement of stone or metal, found in the tumuli, or barrows, of the early Celtic nations.

CELTIBERIAN Celt`i*be"ri*an, a. Etym: [L. Celtiber, Celtibericus.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the ancient Celtiberia (a district in Spain lying between the Ebro and the Tagus) or its inhabitants the Celtiberi (Celts of the river Iberus). -- n.

Defn: An inhabitant of Celtiberia.

CELTIC Celt"ic, a. Etym: [L. Celticus, Gr. Celt.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Celts; as, Celtic people, tribes, literature, tongue. [Written also Keltic.]

CELTIC Celt"ic, n.

Defn: The language of the Celts.

Note: The remains of the old Celtic language are found in the Gaelic, the Erse or Irish the Manx, and the Welsh and its cognate dialects Cornish and Bas Breton.

CELTICISM Celt"i*cism, n.

Defn: A custom of the Celts, or an idiom of their language. Warton.

CELTICIZE Celt"i*cize`, v. t.

Defn: To render Celtic; to assimilate to the Celts.

CELTIUM Cel"ti*um, n. [NL.] (Chem.)

Defn: A supposed new element of the rare-earth group, accompanying lutecium and scandium in the gadolinite earths. Symbol, Ct (no period).

CEMBALO Cem"ba*lo, n. Etym: [It. See Cymbal.]

Defn: An old mname for the harpsichord.

CEMENT Ce*ment", n. Etym: [OF. cement, ciment, F. ciment, fr. L. caementum a rough, unhewn stone, pieces or chips of marble, from which mortar was made, contr. fr. caedimentum, fr. caedere to cut, prob. akin to scindere to cleave, and to E. shed, v. t.]

1. Any substance used for making bodies adhere to each other, as mortar, glue, etc.

2. A kind of calcined limestone, or a calcined mixture of clay and lime, for making mortar which will harden under water.

3. The powder used in cementation. See Cementation, n.., 2.

4. Bond of union; that which unites firmly, as persons in friendship, or men in society. "The cement of our love."

5. (Anat.)

Defn: The layer of bone investing the root and neck of a tooth; -- called also cementum. Hydraulic cement. See under Hydraulic.

CEMENT Ce*ment", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cemented; p. pr. & vb. n. Cementing.] Etym: [Cf. F. cimenter. See Cement, n.]

1. To unite or cause to adhere by means of a cement. Bp. Burnet.

2. To unite firmly or closely. Shak.

3. To overlay or coat with cement; as, to cement a cellar bottom.

CEMENT Ce*ment", v. i.

Defn: To become cemented or firmly united; to cohere. S. Sharp.

CEMENTAL Ce*ment"al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to cement, as of a tooth; as, cemental tubes. R. Owen.

CEMENTATION Cem`en*ta"tion, n.

1. The act or process of cementing.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: A process which consists in surrounding a solid body with the powder of other substances, and heating the whole to a degree not sufficient to cause fusion, the physical properties of the body being changed by chemical combination with powder; thus iron becomes steel by cementation with charcoal, and green glass becomes porcelain by cementation with sand.

CEMENTATORY Ce*ment"a*to*ry, a.

Defn: Having the quality of cementating or uniting firmly.

CEMENTER Ce*ment"er, n.

Defn: A person or thing that cements.

CEMENTITIOUS Cem`en*ti"tious, a. Etym: [L. caementitius pertaining to quarry stones. See Cement, n. ]

Defn: Of the nature of cement. [R.] Forsyth.

CEMENT STEEL Ce*ment" steel.

Defn: Steel produced by cementation; blister steel.

CEMETERIAL Cem`e*te"ri*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a cemetery. "Cemeterial cells." [R.] Sir T. Browne.

CEMETERY Cem"e*ter*y, n.; pl. Cemeteries (. Etym: [L. cemeterium, Gr.

Defn: A place or ground set apart for the burial of the dead; a graveyard; a churchyard; a necropolis.

CENANTHY Ce*nan"thy, n. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: The absence or suppression of the essential organs (stamens and pistil) in a flower.

CENATION Ce*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. cenatio.]

Defn: Meal-taking; dining or supping. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

CENATORY Cen"a*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. cenatorius, fr. cenare to dine, sup, fr. cena, coena, dinner, supper.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to dinner or supper. [R.] The Romans washed, were anointed, and wore a cenatory garment. Sir T. Browne.

CENOBITE Cen"o*bite, n. Etym: [L. coenobita, fr. Gr. cénobite.]

Defn: One of a religious order, dwelling in a convent, or a community, in opposition to an anchoret, or hermit, who lives in solitude. Gibbon.

CENOBITIC; CENOBITICAL Cen`o*bit"ic, Cen`o*bit"ic*al a. Etym: [Cf. F. cénobitique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a cenobite.

CENOBITISM Cen"o*bi*tism, n.

Defn: The state of being a cenobite; the belief or practice of a cenobite. Milman.

CENOGAMY Ce*nog"a*my, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: The state of a communty which permits promiseuous sexual intercourse among its members, as in certain societies practicing communism.

CENOTAPH Cen"o*taph, n. Etym: [Gr. cénotaphe.]

Defn: An empty tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person who is buried elsewhere. Dryden. A cenotaph in Westminster Abbey. Macaulay.

CENOTAPHY Cen"o*taph`y, n.

Defn: A cenotaph. [R.] Lord Cobham honored him with a cenotaphy. Macaulay.

CENOZOIC Ce`no*zo"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Geol.)

Defn: Belonging to the most recent division of geological time, including the tertiary, or Age of mammals, and the Quaternary, or Age of man. [Written also cænozoic, cainozoic, kainozoic.] See Geology.

Note: This word is used by many authors as synonymous with Tertiary, the Quaternary Age not being included.

CENSE Cense, n. Etym: [OF. cense, F. cens, L. census. See Census.]

1. A census; -- also, a public rate or tax. [Obs.] Howell. Bacon.

2. Condition; rank. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

CENSE Cense, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Censed; p. pr. & vb. n. Censing.] Etym: [Abbrev. from incense.]

Defn: To perfume with odors from burning gums and spices. The Salii sing and cense his altars round. Dryden.

CENSE Cense, v. i.

Defn: To burn or scatter incense.

CENSER Cen"ser, n. Etym: [For incenser, fr. OF. encensier, F. encensoir, fr. LL. incensarium, incensorium, fr. L. incensum incense. See Incense, and cf. Incensory.]

Defn: A vessel for perfumes; esp. one in which incense is burned.

Note: The ecclesiastical censer is usually cup-shaped, has a cover pierced with holes, and is hung by chains. The censer bearer swings it to quicken the combustion. Her thoughts are like the fume of frankincense Which from a golden censer forth doth rise. Spenser.

CENSOR Cen"sor, n. Etym: [L. censor, fr. censere to value, tax.]

1. (Antiq.)

Defn: One of two magistrates of Rome who took a register of the number and property of citizens, and who also exercised the office of inspector of morals and conduct.

2. One who is empowered to examine manuscripts before they are committed to the press, and to forbid their publication if they contain anything obnoxious; -- an official in some European countries.

3. One given to fault-finding; a censurer. Nor can the most circumspect attention, or steady rectitude, escape blame from censors who have no inclination to approve. Rambler.

4. A critic; a reviewer. Received with caution by the censors of the press. W. Irving.

CENSORIAL Cen*so"ri*al, a.

1. Belonging to a censor, or to the correction of public morals. Junius.

2. Full of censure; censorious. The censorial declamation of Juvenal. T. Warton.

CENSORIAN Cen*so"ri*an, a.

Defn: Censorial. [R.] Bacon.

CENSORIOUS Cen*so"ri*ous, a. Etym: [L. censorius pertaining to the censor. See Censor.]

1. Addicted to censure; apt to blame or condemn; severe in making remarks on others, or on their writings or manners. A dogmatical spirit inclines a man to be consorious of his neighbors. Watts.

2. Implying or expressing censure; as, censorious remarks.

Syn. -- Fault-finding; carping; caviling; captious; severe; condemnatory; hypercritical. -- Cen*so"ri*ous*ly, adv. -- Cen*so"ri*ous*ness, n.

CENSORSHIP Cen"sor*ship, n.

Defn: The office or power of a censor; as, to stand for a censorship. Holland. The press was not indeed at that moment under a general censorship. Macaulay.

CENSUAL Cen"su*al, a. Etym: [L. censualis, fr. census.]

Defn: Relating to, or containing, a census. He caused the whole realm to be described in a censual roll. Sir R. Baker.

CENSURABLE Cen"sur*a*ble, a.

Defn: Deserving of censure; blamable; culpable; reprehensible; as, a censurable person, or censurable conduct. -- Cen"sur*a*bleness, n. -- Cen"sur*a*bly, adv.

CENSURE Cen"sure, n. Etym: [L. censura fr. censere: cf. F. censure. Cf. Censor.]

1. Judgment either favorable or unfavorable; opinion. [Obs.] Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment. Shak.

2. The act of blaming or finding fault with and condemning as wrong; reprehension; blame. Both the censure and the praise were merited. Macaulay.

3. Judicial or ecclesiastical sentence or reprimand; condemnatory judgment. Excommunication or other censure of the church. Bp. Burnet.

Syn. -- Blame; reproof; condemnation; reprobation; disapproval; disapprobation; reprehension; animadversion; reprimand; reflection; dispraise; abuse.

CENSURE Cen"sure, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Censured; p. pr. & vb. n. Censuring.] Etym: [Cf. F. ensurer.]

1. To form or express a judgment in regard to; to estimate; to judge. [Obs.] "Should I say more, you might well censure me a flatterer." Beau. & Fl.

2. To find fault with and condemn as wrong; to blame; to express disapprobation of. I may be censured that nature thus gives way to loyalty. Shak.

3. To condemn or reprimand by a judicial or ecclesiastical sentence. Shak.

Syn. -- To blame; reprove; rebuke; condemn; reprehend; reprimand.

CENSURE Cen"sure, v. i.

Defn: To judge. [Obs.] Shak.

CENSURER Cen"sur*er, n.

Defn: One who censures. Sha.

CENSUS Cen"sus, n. Etym: [L. census, fr. censere. See Censor.]

1. (Bot. Antiq.)

Defn: A numbering of the people, and valuation of their estate, for the purpose of imposing taxes, etc.; -- usually made once in five years.

2. An official registration of the number of the people, the value of their estates, and other general statistics of a country.

Note: A general census of the United States was first taken in 1790, and one has been taken at the end of every ten years since.

CENT Cent, n. Etym: [F. cent hundred, L. centum. See Hundred.]

1. A hundred; as, ten per cent, the proportion of ten parts in a hundred.

2. A United States coin, the hundredth part of a dollar, formerly made of copper, now of copper, tin, and zinc.

3. An old game at cards, supposed to be like piquet; -- so called because 100 points won the game. Nares.

CENTAGE Cent"age, n.

Defn: Rate by the hundred; percentage.

CENTAL Cen"tal, n. Etym: [L. centum a hundred.]

Defn: A weight of one hundred pounds avoirdupois; -- called in many parts of the United States a Hundredweight.

CENTAL Cen"tal, n.

Defn: Relating to a hundred. Cental system, the method of buying and selling by the cental, or hundredweight.

CENTARE Cen"tare`, n. Etym: [F. centiare; centi- (L. centum) + -are.]

Defn: A measure of area, the hundredth part of an are; one square meter, or about 1

CENTAUR Cen"taur, n. Etym: [L. centaurus, Gr.

1. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: A fabulous being, represented as half man and half horse.

2. (Astron.)

Defn: A constellation in the southern heavens between Hydra and the Southern Cross.

CENTAUREA Cen`tau*re"a, n. Etym: [NL. See Centaury.] (Bot.)

Defn: A large genus of composite plants, related to the thistles and including the cornflower or bluebottle (Centaurea Cyanus) and the star thistle (C. Calcitrapa).

CENTAUROMACHY Cen`tau*rom"a*chy, n. [Gr. ; centaur + battle.] (Ancient Art)

Defn: A fight in which centaurs take part, -- a common theme for relief sculpture, as in the Parthenon metopes.

CENTAURY Cen"tau*ry, n. Etym: [L. centaureum and centauria, Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A gentianaceous plant not fully identified. The name is usually given to the Erytheræa Centaurium and the Chlora perfoliata of Europe, but is also extended to the whole genus Sabbatia, and even to the unrelated Centaurea.

CENTENARIAN Cen`te*na"ri*an, a.

Defn: Of or relating to a hundred years. -- n.

Defn: A person a hundred years old.

CENTENARY Cen"te*na*ry, a. Etym: [L. centenarius, fr. centum a hundred.]

1. Relating to, or consisting of, a hundred.

2. Occurring once in every hundred years; centennial. "Centenary solemnities." Fuller.

CENTENARY Cen"te*na*ry, n.; pl. Centenaries (.

1. The aggregate of a hundred single things; specifically, a century. "Every centenary of years." Hakewill.

2. A commemoration or celebration of an event which occurred a hudred years before.

CENTENNIAL Cen*ten"ni*al, a. Etym: [L. centum a hundred + annus year.]

1. Relating to, or associated with, the commemoration of an event that happened a hundred years before; as, a centennial ode.

2. Happening once in a hundred years; as, centennial jubilee; a centennial celebration.

3. Lasting or aged a hundred years. Thet opened through long lines Of sacred ilex and centennial pines. Longfellow.

CENTENNIAL Cen*ten"ni*al, n.

Defn: The celebration of the hundredth anniversary of any event; a centenary. [U. S.]

CENTENNIALLY Cen*ten"ni*al*ly, adv.

Defn: Once in a hundred years.

CENTENNIAL STATE Centennial State.

Defn: Colorado; -- a nickname alluding to the fact that it was admitted to the Union in the centennial year, 1876.

CENTER Cen"ter, n. Etym: [F. centre, fr. L. centrum, fr. round which a circle is described, fr.

1. A point equally distant from the extremities of a line, figure, or body, or from all parts of the circumference of a circle; the middle point or place.

2. The middle or central portion of anything.

3. A principal or important point of concentration; the nucleus around which things are gathered or to which they tend; an object of attention, action, or force; as, a center of attaction.

4. The earth. [Obs.] Shak.

5. Those members of a legislative assembly (as in France) who support the existing government. They sit in the middle of the legislative chamber, opposite the presiding officer, between the conservatives or monarchists, who sit on the right of the speaker, and the radicals or advanced republicans who occupy the seats on his left, See Right, and Left.

6. (Arch.)

Defn: A temporary structure upon which the materials of a vault or arch are supported in position util the work becomes self-supporting.

7. (Mech.) (a) One of the two conical steel pins, in a lathe, etc., upon which the work is held, and about which it revolves. (b) A conical recess, or indentation, in the end of a shaft or other work, to receive the point of a center, on which the work can turn, as in a lathe.

Note: In a lathe the live center is in the spindle of the head stock; the dead center is on the tail stock. Planer centers are stocks carrying centers, when the object to be planed must be turned on its axis. Center of an army, the body or troops ossupying the place in the line between the wings. -- Center of a curve or surface (Geom.) (a) A point such that every line drawn through the point and terminated by the curve or surface is bisected at the point. (b) The fixed point of reference in polar coördinates. See Coördinates. -- Center of curvature of a curve (Geom.), the center of that circle which has at any given point of the curve closer contact with the curve than has any other circle whatever. See Circle. -- Center of a fleet, the division or column between the van and rear, or between the weather division and the lee. -- Center of gravity (Mech.), that point of a body about which all its parts can be balanced, or which being supported, the whole body will remain at rest, though acted upon by gravity. -- Center of gyration (Mech.), that point in a rotating body at which the whole mass might be concentrated (theoretically) without altering the resistance of the intertia of the body to angular acceleration or retardaton. -- Center of inertia (Mech.), the center of gravity of a body or system of bodies. -- Center of motion, the point which remains at rest, while all the other parts of a body move round it. -- Center of oscillation, the point at which, if the whole matter of a suspended body were collected, the time of oscillation would be the same as it is in the actual form and state of the body. -- Center of percussion, that point in a body moving about a fixed axis at which it may strike an obstacle without communicating a shock to the axis. -- Center of pressure (Hydros.), that point in a surface pressed by a fluid, at which, if a force equal to the whole pressure and in the same line be applied in a contrary direction, it will balance or counteract the whole pressure of the fluid.

CENTER; CENTRE Cen"ter, Cen"tre v. i. [imp. & p. p. Centered or Centred (; p. pr. & vb. n. Centering or Centring.]

1. To be placed in a center; to be central.

2. To be collected to a point; to be concentrated; to rest on, or gather about, as a center. Where there is no visible truth wherein to center, error is as wide as men's fancies. Dr. H. More. Our hopes must center in ourselves alone. Dryden.

CENTER; CENTRE Cen"ter , Cen"tre, v. t.

1. To place or fix in the center or on a central point. Milton.

2. To collect to a point; to concentrate. Thy joys are centered all in me alome. Prior.

3. (Mech.)

Defn: To form a recess or indentation for the reception of a center.

CENTERBIT; CENTREBIT Cen"ter*bit`, Cen"tre*bit`, n.

Defn: An instrument turning on a center, for boring holes. See Bit, n., 3.

CENTERBOARD; CENTREBOARD Cen"ter*board`, Cen"tre*board,, n. (Naut.)

Defn: A movable or sliding keel formed of a broad board or slab of wood or metal which may be raised into a water-tight case amidships, when in shallow water, or may be lowered to increase the area of lateral resistance and prevent leeway when the vessel is beating to windward. It is used in vessels of all sizes along the coast of the United States

CENTERFIRE CARTRIDGE Cen"ter*fire` car"tridge.

Defn: See under Cartridge.

CENTERING Cen"ter*ing, n. (Arch.)

Defn: Same as Center, n., 6. [Written also centring.]

CENTERPIECE; CENTREPIECE Cen"ter*piece`, Cen"tre*piece`, n.

Defn: An ornament to be placed in the center, as of a table, ceiling, atc.; a central article or figure.

CENTESIMAL Cen*tes"i*mal, a. Etym: [L. centesimus the hundredth, fr. centum a hundred: cf. F. centésimal.]

Defn: Hundredth. -- n.

Defn: A hundredth part. The neglect of a few centesimals. Arbuthnot.

CENTESIMATION Cen*tes`i*ma"tion, n. Etym: [L. centesimore to take out or select every hudredth, fr. centesimus hundredth.] (Mil.)

Defn: The infliction of the death penalty upon one person in every hundred, as in cases of mutiny.

CENTESIMO Cen*tes"i*mo, n.; pl. -mi. Etym: [It. & Sp.]

Defn: A copper coin of Italy and Spain equivalent to a centime.

CENTESM Cen"tesm, n. Etym: [L. centesima.]

Defn: Hundredth.

CENTIARE Cen"ti*are`, n. Etym: [F. See Centare.]

Defn: See centare.

CENTICIPITOUS Cen`ti*cip"i*tous, a. Etym: [L. centiceps, -cipitis; centum a hunder + caput head.]

Defn: Hundred-headed.

CENTIFIDOUS Cen*tif"i*dous, a. Etym: [L. centifidus; centum + findere to split.]

Defn: Divided into a hundred parts.

CENTIFOLIOUS Cen`ti*fo"li*ous, a. Etym: [L. centifolius; centum + folium leaf.]

Defn: Having a hundred leaves.

CENTIGRADE Cen"ti*grade, a. Etym: [L. centum a hundred + gradus degree: cf. F. centigrade.]

Defn: Consisting of a hundred degrees; graduated into a hundred divisions or equal parts. Spesifically: of or pertaining the centigrade thermometer; as, 10° centigrade (or 10° C.). Centigrade thermometer, a thermometer having the zero or 0 at the point indicating the freezing state of water, and the distance between that and the point indicating the boiling state of water divided into one hundred degrees. It is called also the Celsius thermometer, from Anders Celsius, the originator of this scale.

CENTIGRAM; CENTIGRAMME Cen"ti*gram, Cen"ti*gramme, n. Etym: [F. centigramme; centi- (L. centum) + gramme. See Gram.]

Defn: The hundredth part of a gram; a weight equal to .15432 of a grain. See Gram.

CENTILITER; CENTILITRE Cen"ti*li`ter, Cen"ti*li`tre, n. Etym: [F. centilitre; centi (L. centum) + litre. See Liter.]

Defn: The hundredth part of a liter; a measure of volume or capacity equal to a little more than six tenths (0.6102) of a cubic inch, or one third (0.338) of a fluid ounce.

CENTILOQUY Cen*til"o*quy, n. Etym: [L. centum hundred + logui to speak.]

Defn: A work divided into a hundred parts. [R.] Burton.

CENTIME Cen`time", n. Etym: [F., fr. L. centesimus. See Centesimal.] (F. Coinage)

Defn: The hundredth part of a franc; a small French copper coin and money of account.

CENTIMETER; CENTIMETRE Cen"ti*me`ter, Cen"ti*me`tre, n. Etym: [F. centimètre; centi- (L. centum) + mètre. See Meter.]

Defn: The hundredth part of a meter; a measure of length equal to rather more than thirty-nine hundredths (0.3937) of an inch. See Meter.

CENTINEL Cen"ti*nel, n.

Defn: Sentinel. [Obs.] Sackville.

CENTINODY Cen*tin"o*dy, n. Etym: [L. centum a hundred + nodus knot: cf. F. centinode.] (Bot.)

Defn: A weed with a sterm of many joints (Illecebrum verticillatum); also, the Polygonum aviculare or knotgrass.

CENTIPED Cen"ti*ped, n. Etym: [L. centipeda; centum a hundred + pes, pedis, foot: cf. F. centipède.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A species of the Myriapoda; esp. the large, flattened, venomous kinds of the order Chilopoda, found in tropical climates. they are many-jointed, and have a great number of feet. [Written also centipede (

CENTISTERE Cen"ti*stere, n. Etym: [F. centistère; centi- (l. centum) + stère.]

Defn: The hundredth part of a stere, equal to .353 cubic feet.

CENTNER Cent"ner, n. Etym: [Cf. G. centner a hundred-weight, fr. L. centenarius of a hundred, fr. centum a hundred.]

1. (Metal. & Assaying)

Defn: A weight divisible first into a hundred parts, and then into smaller parts.

Note: The metallurgists use a weight divided into a hundred equal parts, each one pound; the whole they call a centner: the pound is divided into thirty-two parts, or half ounces; the half ounce into two quarters; and each of these into two drams. But the assayers use different weights. With them a centner is one dram, to which the other parts are proportioned.

2. The commercial hundredweight in several of the continental countries, varying in different places from 100 to about 112 pounds.

CENTO Cen"to, n.; pl. Centos. Etym: [L. cento a garment of several pieces sewed together, patchwork, a poem made up of various verses of another poem.]

Defn: A literary or a musical composition formed by selections from different authors disposed in a new order.

CENTONISM Cen"to*nism, n.

Defn: The composition of a cento; the act or practice of composing a cento or centos.

CENTRAL Cen"tral, a. Etym: [L. centralis, fr. centrum: cf. F. central. See Center.]

Defn: Relating to the center; situated in or near the center or middle; containing the center; of or pertaining to the parts near the center; equidistant or equally accessible from certain points. Central force (Math.), a force acting upon a body towards or away from a fixed or movable center. -- Center sun (Astron.), a name given to a hypothetical body about which Mädler supposed the solar system together with all the stars in the Milky Way, to be revolving. A point near Alcyone in the Pleiades was supposed to possess characteristics of the position of such a body.

CENTRAL; CENTRALE Cen"tral, Cen*tra"le, n. Etym: [NL. centrale, fr. L. centralis.] (Anat.)

Defn: The central, or one of the central, bones of the carpus or or tarsus. In the tarsus of man it is represented by the navicular.

CENTRALISM Cen"tral*ism, n.

1. The state or condition of being central; the combination of several parts into one whole; centralization.

2. The system by which power is centralized, as in a government.

CENTRALITY Cen*tral"i*ty, n.; pl. Centralities (.

Defn: The state of being central; tendency towards a center. Meantime there is a great centrality, a centripetence equal to the centrifugence. R. W. Emerson.

CENTRALIZATION Cen`tral*i*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. centralisation.]

Defn: The act or process of centralizing, or the state of being centralized; the act or process of combining or reducing several parts into a whole; as, the centralization of power in the general government; the centralization of commerce in a city.

CENTRALIZE Cen"tral*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Centralized; p. pr. & vb. n. Centralizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. centraliser.]

Defn: To draw or bring to a center point; to gather into or about a center; to bring into one system, or under one control. [To] centralize the power of government. Bancroft.

CENTRALLY Cen"tral*ly, adv.

Defn: In a central manner or situation.

CENTRE Cen"tre, n. & v.

Defn: See Center.

CENTRIC; CENTRICAL Cen"tric, Cen"tric*al, a.

Defn: Placed in the center or middle; central. At York or some other centrical place. Sir W. Scott. -- Cen"tric*al*ly, adv. -- Cen"tric*al*ness, n.

CENTRICITY Cen*tric"i*ty, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being centric; centricalness.

CENTRIFUGAL Cen*trif"u*gal, a. Etym: [L. centrum center + fugere to flee.]

1. Tending, or causing, to recede from the center.

2. (Bot.) (a) Expanding first at the summit, and later at the base, as a flower cluster. (b) Having the radicle turned toward the sides of the fruit, as some embryos. Centrifugal force (Mech.), a force whose direction is from a center.

Note: When a body moves in a circle with uniform velocity, a force must act on the body to keep it in the circle without change of velocity. The direction of this force is towards the center of the circle. If this force is applied by means of a string to the body, the string will be in a state of tension. To a person holding the other end of the string, this tension will appear to be directed toward the body as if the body had a tendency to move away from the center of the circle which it is describing. Hence this latter force is often called centrifugal force. The force which really acts on the body being directed towards the center of the circle is called centripetal force, and in some popular treatises the centripetal and centrifugal forces are described as opposing and balancing each other. But they are merely the different aspects of the same stress. Clerk Maxwell. Centrifugal impression (Physiol.), an impression (motor) sent from a nerve center outwards to a muscle or muscles by which motion is produced. -- Centrifugal machine, A machine for expelling water or other fluids from moist substances, or for separating liquids of different densities by centrifugal action; a whirling table. -- Centrifugal pump, a machine in which water or other fluid is lifted and discharged through a pipe by the energy imparted by a wheel or blades revolving in a fixed case. Some of the largest and most powerful pumps are of this kind.

CENTRIFUGAL Cen*trif"u*gal, n.

Defn: A centrifugal machine.

CENTRIFUGAL FILTER Cen*trif"u*gal fil"ter.

Defn: A filter, as for sugar, in which a cylinder with a porous or foraminous periphery is rapidly rotated so as to drive off liquid by centrifugal action.

CENTRIFUGENCE Cen*trif"u*gence, n.

Defn: The property or quality of being centrifugal. R. W. Emerson.

CENTRING Cen"tring, n.

Defn: See Centring.

CENTRIPETAL Cen*trip"e*tal, a. Etym: [L. centrum center + peter to more toward.]

1. Tending, or causing, to approach the center.

2. (Bot.) (a) Expanding first at the base of the inflorescence, and proceeding in order towards the summit. (b) Having the radicle turned toward the axis of the fruit, as some embryos.

3. Progressing by changes from the exterior of a thing toward its center; as, the centripetal calcification of a bone. R. Owen. Centripetal force (Mech.), a force whose direction is towards a center, as in case of a planet revolving round the sun, the center of the system, See Centrifugal force, under Centrifugal. -- Centripetal impression (Physiol.), an impression (sensory) transmitted by an afferent nerve from the exterior of the body inwards, to the central organ.

CENTRIPETENCE Cen*trip"e*tence, n.

Defn: Centripetency.

CENTRIPETENCY Cen*trip"e*ten*cy, n.

Defn: Tendency toward the center.

CENTRISCOID Cen*tris"coid, a. Etym: [NL. Centriscus (r. Gr. -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Allied to, or resembling, the genus Centriscus, of which the bellows fish is an example.

CENTROBARIC Cen`tro*bar"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (

Defn: Relating to the center of gravity, or to the process of finding it. Centrobaric method (Math.), a process invented for the purpose of measuring the area or the volume generated by the rotation of a line or surface about a fixed axis, depending upon the principle that every figure formed by the revolution of a line or surface about such an axis has for measure the product of the line or surface by the length of the path of its center of gravity; -- sometimes called theorem of Pappus, also, incorrectly, Guldinus's properties. See Barycentric calculus, under Calculus.

CENTRODE Cen"trode, n. (Kinematics)

Defn: In two figures having relative motion, one of the two curves which are the loci of the instantaneous center.

CENTROID Cen"troid, n. Etym: [L. centrum + -oid.]

Defn: The center of mass, inertia, or gravity of a body or system of bodies.

CENTROLECITHAL Cen`tro*lec"i*thal, a. Etym: [Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: Having the food yolk placed at the center of the ovum, segmentation being either regular or unequal. Balfour.

CENTROLINEAD Cen`tro*lin"e*ad, n.

Defn: An instrument for drawing lines through a point, or lines converging to a center.

CENTROLINEAL Cen`tro*lin"e*al, a. Etym: [L. centrum + linea line.]

Defn: Converging to a center; -- applied to lines drawn so as to meet in a point or center.

CENTROSOME Cen"tro*some`, n. Etym: [Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: A peculiar rounded body lying near the nucleus of a cell. It is regarded as the dynamic element by means of which the machinery of cell division is organized.

CENTROSPHERE Cen"tro*sphere, n. [Gr. centre + sphere.]

1. (Geol.)

Defn: The nucleus or central part of the earth, forming most of its mass; -- disting. from lithosphere, hydrosphere, etc.

2. (Biol.) The central mass of an aster from which the rays extend and within which the centrosome lies when present; the attraction sphere. The name has been used both as excluding and including the centrosome, and also to designate a modified mass of protoplasm about a centrosome whether aster rays are developed or not.

CENTROSTALTIC Cen`tro*stal"tic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol.)

Defn: A term applied to the action of nerve force in the spinal center. Marshall Hall.

CENTRUM Cen"trum, n.; pl. E. Centrums, L. Centra. Etym: [L., center.] (Anat.)

Defn: The body, or axis, of a vertebra. See Vertebra.

CENTRY Cen"try, n.

Defn: See Sentry. [Obs.] Gray.

CENTUMVIR Cen*tum"vir, n.; pl. Centumviri. Etym: [L., fr. centum hundred + Vir man.] (Rom. Hist.)

Defn: One of a court of about one hundred judges chosen to try civil suits. Under the empire the court was increased to 180, and met usually in four sections.

CENTUMVIRAL Cen*tum"vi*ral, a. Etym: [L. centumvitalis.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the centumviri, or to a centumvir.

CENTUMVIRATE Cen*tum"vi*rate, n. Etym: [Cf. F. centumvirat.]

Defn: The office of a centumvir, or of the centumviri.

CENTUPLE Cen"tu*ple, a. Etym: [L. centuplex; centum + plicare to fold; cf. F. centuple.]

Defn: Hundredfold.

CENTUPLE Cen"tu*ple, v. t.

Defn: To increase a hundredfold.

CENTUPLICATE Cen*tu"pli*cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Centuplicated; p. pr. & vb. n. Centuplicating.] Etym: [L. centuplicare. See Centuple, a.]

Defn: To make a hundredfold; to repeat a hundred times. [R.] Howell.

CENTURIAL Cen*tu"ri*al, a. Etym: [L. See Century.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a century; as, a centurial sermon. [R.]

CENTURIATE Cen*tu"ri*ate, a. Etym: [L. centuriatus, p. p. of centuriare to divide (men) into centuries.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or divided into, centuries or hundreds. [R.] Holland.

CENTURIATE Cen*tu"ri*ate, v. t. Etym: [See century.]

Defn: To divide into hundreds. [Obs.]

CENTURIATOR; CENTURIST Cen*tu"ri*a`tor, Cen"tu*rist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. centuriateur.]

Defn: An historian who distinguishes time by centuries, esp. one of those who wrote the "Magdeburg Centuries." See under Century. [R.]

CENTURION Cen*tu"ri*on, n. Etym: [L. centurio, fr. centuria; cf. F. centurion. See Century.] (Rom. Hist.)

Defn: A military officer who commanded a minor division of the Roman army; a captain of a century. A centurion of the hand called the Italian band. Acts x. 1.

CENTURY Cen"tu*ry, n.; pl. Centuries. Etym: [L. centuria (in senses 1 & 3), fr. centum a hundred: cf. F. centurie. See Cent.]

1. A hundred; as, a century of sonnets; an aggregate of a hundred things. [Archaic.] And on it said a century of prayers. Shak.

2. A period of a hundred years; as, this event took place over two centuries ago.

Note: Century, in the reckoning of time, although often used in a general way of any series of hundred consecutive years (as, a century of temperance work), usually signifies a division of the Christian era, consisting of a period of one hundred years ending with the hundredth year from which it is named; as, the first century (a. d. 1-100 inclusive); the seventh century (a.d. 601-700); the eighteenth century (a.d. 1701-1800). With words or phrases connecting it with some other system of chronology it is used of similar division of those eras; as, the first century of Rome (A.U.C. 1-100).

3. (Rom. Antiq.) (a) A division of the Roman people formed according to their property, for the purpose of voting for civil officers. (b) One of sixty companies into which a legion of the army was divided. It was Commanded by a centurion. Century plant (Bot.), the Agave Americana, formerly supposed to flower but once in a century; - - hence the name. See Agave. -- The Magdeburg Centuries, an ecclesiastical history of the first thirteen centuries, arranged in thirteen volumes, compiled in the 16th century by Protestant scholars at Magdeburg.

CEORL Ceorl (keôrl or cherl), n. [AS. See Churl, n.] (O. Eng. Hist.)

Defn: A freeman of the lowest class; one not a thane or of the servile classes; a churl.

CEPACEOUS Ce*pa"ceous, a. [L. cepa, caepa, onion.]

Defn: Of the nature of an onion, as in odor; alliaceous.

CEPEVOROUS Ce*pev"o*rous, a. Etym: [L. cepa an onion + varare to devour.]

Defn: Feeding upon onions. [R.] Sterling.

CEPHALAD Ceph"a*lad, adv. Etym: [Gr. ad toward.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Forwards; towards the head or anterior extremity of the body; opposed to caudad.

CEPHALALGIA; CEPHALALGY Ceph`a*lal"gi*a, Ceph"a*lal`gy, n. Etym: [L. cephalalgia, Gr. céphalalgie.] (Med.)

Defn: Pain in the head; headache.

CEPHALALGIC Ceph`a*lal"gic, a. Etym: [L. cephalalgicus, Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Relating to, or affected with, headache. -- n.

Defn: A remedy for the headache.

CEPHALANTHIUM Ceph`a*lan"thi*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Same as Anthodium.

CEPHALASPIS Ceph`a*las"pis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: A genus of fossil ganoid fishes found in the old red sandstone or Devonian formation. The head is large, and protected by a broad shield-shaped helmet prolonged behind into two lateral points.

CEPHALATA Ceph`a*la"ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A large division of Mollusca, including all except the bivalves; -- so called because the head is distinctly developed. See Illustration in Appendix.

CEPHALATE Ceph"a*late, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having a head.

CEPHALIC Ce*phal"ic, a. Etym: [L. cephalicus, Gr. céphalique.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the head. See the Note under Anterior. Cephalic index (Anat.), the ratio of the breadth of the cranium to the length, which is taken as the standard, and equal to 100; the breadth index. -- Cephalic vein, a large vein running from the back of the head alond the arm; -- so named because the ancients used to open it for disorders of the head. Dunglison.

CEPHALIC Ce*pha"lic, n.

Defn: A medicine for headache, or other disorder in the head.

CEPHALISM Ceph"a*lism, n. [Gr. head.] (Anthropol.)

Defn: Form or development of the skull; as, the races of man differ greatly in cephalism.

CEPHALITIS Ceph`a*li"tis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. -itis.] (Med.)

Defn: Same as Phrenitis.

CEPHALIZATION Ceph`a*li*za"tion, n.

Defn: Domination of the head in animal life as expressed in the physical structure; localization of important organs or parts in or near the head, in animal development. Dana.

CEPHALO; CEPHALO- Ceph"a*lo. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A combining form denoting the head, of the head, connected with the head; as, cephalosome, cephalopod.

CEPHALOCERCAL Ceph`a*lo*cer"cal, a. Etym: [Cephalo- + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Relating to the long axis of the body.

CEPHALOID Ceph"a*loid, a. Etym: [Cephalo- + -oid.]

Defn: Shaped like the head. Craing.

CEPHALOLOGY Ceph`a*lol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Cephalo- + -logy.]

Defn: The science which treats of the head.

CEPHALOMERE Ceph"a*lo*mere, n. Etym: [Cephalo- + -mere.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the somites (arthromeres) which make up the head of arthropods. Packard.

CEPHALOMETER Ceph`a*lom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Cephalo- + -meter.] (Med.)

Defn: An instrument measuring the dimensions of the head of a fetus during delivery.

CEPHALOMETRY Ceph`a*lom"e*try, n. (Anthropometry)

Defn: The measurement of the heads of living persons. -- Ceph`a*lo*met"ric (#),a.

CEPHALON Ceph"a*lon, n. (Zoöl.)