WORDCRAFT DICTIONARY, C-F
Note:
clickable items link to Wordcraft Archives, which may have further notes
cabotage 1. navigation in coastal waters 2. a country's
exclusive right to operate air traffic within its territory
cacademics (coinage; not recognized as a
word) members of academia focused on minutia or bafflegab
cachinnate to laugh loudly and
immoderately (noun: cachinnation)
cacocallia the state of being ugly but
sexy
cacoepy
incorrect pronunciation (The antonym is orthoepy correct pronunciation
of words)
cacography 1. bad
handwriting (opposite of orthography) 2. bad spelling (opposite of calligraphy)
[Greek kakos bad + graphos writing]
caconym an erroneous name; a misnomer
cacophonous having a harsh, unpleasant
sound; discordant
cadre a
nucleus of trained personnel around which a larger organization can be built.
Typically used for a military or political group
caduceus (pl. caducei)
a herald's
wand, often with serpents twined around it (used as a symbol of the medical
profession)
caesar cipher a
cipher in which each letter is replaced by the one a fixed number of positions
farther in the alphabet. (For example, one where A, B, C, D, etc. are
respectively changed to J, K, L, M, etc.)
caesarism
govenment by imperial authority, recognizing no other law as a check upn the
rulers will; political absolutism; dictatorship
caesious pale
blue with a hint of gray. Note: the dictionaries conflict on this
word: definitions give a kind of blue (with gray or green), a kind of gray
(with blue or green), and a kind of green (with gray or blue)
caitiff
despicably cowardly (noun: such a person; a wretch)
cake-hole British slang: a person's
mouth ("shut your cake-hole" = "shut up")
calaboose a jail
calamus the lowest part of shaft of a
feather, bare of any 'side branches', also known as the quill
calcycle a small cup-shaped structure (as a taste bud)
caldera a crater formed by volcanic explosion or by collapse of a
volcanic cone.
calenture (in old writings): a distemper peculiar
to sailors in hot climates, wherein they imagine the sea to be green fields,
and will throw themselves into it
Caliban eponym: a man of degraded bestial nature
callboy one who calls actors when it is time for them to go on stage
calliope eponym: a musical
instrument of steam whistles
calliopean eponym:
piercingly loud: a calliopean voice
callipygous or callipygian having shapely buttocks
callow [in an
adult role but] lacking full adult experience or sophistication [Wordcrafter
note: the bracket words are not in the dictionary definition. I believe the
dictionaries err in this; some readers disagree with me.]
calque a loan translation; a term
borrowed from another langauge with a translation of its parts (e.g.,
caltrop a simple but
effective weapon against cavalry horses or pneumatic-tires cars. small and shaped like a child's jacks toy
but with four points instead of six so that, however tossed, one sharp point
will be straight up.
calumniate to make
maliciously false statements about (noun: calumny malicious
falsehood made to injure another's reputation)
camarilla a group of
confidential, often scheming advisers; a cabal
camp bed Brit. a cot
campanology the art of
ringing bells; campanologist
canary
trap a certain method, when an office has a
leak, to find out who is the leaker (coined by Tom Clancy)
canine like a dog
canities whiteness of the hair
canny
shrewd. (The dictionary gives a second meaning: "cautious; esp.
'cautious in spending money,'" which is unfamiliar to me.)
canoodle to
kiss and cuddle amorously (also, to win over by cajoling or flattering;
wheedle)
canopic toponym: relating to an ancient Egyptian
jar, etc. used to hold the viscera of an embalmed body
canopy
originally, a screen against gnats or mosquitoes. from Greek konops =
"mosquito, gnat" and konopeion = "couch with mosquito
curtains".
cantalope (etymology) toponym: after the Pope's summer residence
in Cantalupo
canthus each of the corners where the
top and bottom eyelids meet
cantle
a segment cut off or out of something; a part, piece or fragment. (also, the
back part of a saddle)
cantonment temporary living
quarters specially built for soldiers
cap-a-pie at all points [literally, 'head to
foot]
caparison richly ornamented clothing; finery. verb:
to outfit in such trappings or clothing
capercaillie a wood grouse of northern
capitation a tax levied on the basis of a
fixed amount per person; also, a payment or fee
of a fixed amount per person [Note: can be either a charge to a person,
or a payment made to or for him.]
capitulary an ecclesiastical or civil ordinance, esp. those of
Charlemagne
cappuccino etymology: coffee with milk; white coffee, esp.
as served in espresso coffee-bars, topped with white foam
caprine like a goat
capriole a
playful leap or jump; a caper
captcha a computer-generated test to distinguish human users from
automated programs ("bots')
[Acronym for Completely Automated Public Turing Test
to Tell Computers and Humans Apart]
captiousΉ,² 1. fault-finding; quarrelsome eagerness to object 2.
calculated to entrap through subtle argument
carapace the
thick shell that covers the back of the turtle, the crab, and other animals. also,
metephorically: something likened to a shell that serves to protect or
isolate from external influence.
cardigan eponym: a knitted sweater or jacket that
opens with buttons, etc. all the way down the front [a "Mr. Rogers" sweater]
cardigan eponym: a type of
sweater or jacket
carked it Australian slang: died
(e.g. the car carked it half way to the beach)
caron the inverted caret above consonant, as in čň. also
called a hαček
carpetbagger one
who comes as an outsider and presumptuously seeks power
carry-in regional: a potluck meal
cartel an
association of sellers formed to control prices and restrict competition
cartogram a map showing statistical information graphically; e.g.,
countries are deliberately distorted so that the area of each is proportionate
to its population
cartographer a mapmaker
cartophily the collection of
trade cards (sometimes defined as "the collection of cigarette
cards," which is the largest single category)
cartouche 1. a drawn frame around of an
engraving, etc.; (esp. one in Egyptian hieroglyphics, inclosing royal or
divine names or titles 2. a heavy paper cartridge case
carval-built (of a wooden ship) built with non-overlapping planks
[contrast clinker-built]
caryatid a figure of a woman used as a
supporting column (the much rarer male-figure so used is a telamon or atlas
[pl. telamones; atlantes])
Casanova eponym: a promiscuous
man; or a man amorously and gallantly attentive to women
Cassandra eponym:
one whose warnings of doom, though accurate, fall on deaf ears
castaneous
chestnut-colored (the chestnut tree is genus Castanea)
casus belli an act or
situation provoking or justifying war
catabasis; katabasis a military
retreat
catabolism the metabolic process of
breaking down tissues in the body (contrast anabolism)
catachresis incorrect use of a word (either by
error or deliberately)
catadromous migrating 'down',
from fresh water to the sea, to spawn (e.g., most eels) contrast anadromous
catamenia menstrual flow
catamite a boy kept by a pederast
catamount a large wild cat of
cataphora
cataphora linguistics: using a
pronoun, etc., to refer forward, as the him in Near him, John saw a snake.
(contrast anaphora)
catatonia an abnormal condition
characterized by stupor and bay rigidity or extreme flexibility of the limbs
catawampus askew
cat-bird seat a
position of power or prominence. Used in the phrase "in the catbird
seat".
catchpole;
catchpoll a sheriff's officer, especially one who arrests debtors [also
figurative]
cathedral (etymology) 1587,
"church of a bishop," from phrase cathedral church (1297),
translating L.L. ecclesia cathedralis "church of a bishop's
seat," from Gk. kathedra "seat, bench," from kata
"down" + hedra "a seat."
catherine wheel eponym:
a firework that forms a rotating, flaming wheel (a/k/a 'pinwheel')
catspaw a
person used by another as a dupe or tool (also, a light breeze that
ruffles small areas of a water surface)
caudal
pertaining to a tail (Latin cauda, tail)
cause cιlθbre an issue arousing
widespread controversy
causerie
informal discussion or chat, esp. of an intellectual nature (also, a
chatty piece of writing)
causeur an
easy talker, frequently witty, plesant to hear
causeuse
formerly meant a female version of causeur; now means a small cofa cozy
for two people to have a long chat
cava Spanish and Italian for cave;often
used for a wine cellar
caveat emptor the principle that
the buyer is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods
before purchase
cavil (trans. or intrans.) to quibble, detect
flaws in, raise trivial objections
cay a small, low island of coral or sand
celebreality the real life of a celebrity; a TV show format of
celebrities in real-life situations
celibate unmarried. (Only in the 20th
century did the word develop the additional meaning "abstaining from
sexual intercourse.")
censer a
vessel in which incense is burned, esp. during
religious services. related to incense. Not related to one who censors
literature or who subjects misconduct to censure.
cerulean
(also here) pure, strong blue, the color of the cloudless sky
[Source here
says "sky-blue", but that definition rather begs the question, for a
sky can range from light pale blue to rich strong blue. Which do we mean? There
seems to be some confusion. Thus, One-look's "quick definition" is:
"cerulean: noun: a light shade of blue; adjective: of a deep
somewhat purplish blue color similar to that of a clear October sky".)
cervine
pertaining to deer (see cervisial)
cervisial pertaining to beer (see cervine)
cervix (etymology) from Latin for
"the neck"
cesta a scoop-shaped
wicker basket, worn over the hand, used in the game of jai alai to catch and
throw the ball fronton a
building where pelota (jai alai) is played
cetacean pertaining to whales
ceteris paribus other things being
equal; if all other relevant factors remain unaltered
ceviche
a Peruvian dish of raw fish marinated in lemon juice with onions, chilis and
seasonings, served especially as an appetizer
chacham
Yiddish: a wise man, a savant; usually used sardonically (chachma =
wisdom)
chachka see tsatske
chaconne see passacaglia
Chadband an oily, religious/moralistic hypocrite
chairwarmer 1. an interim officeholder "keeping the chair
warm" until the proper successor takes office; 2. one who, with
only office experience (in his chair), meddles in practical matters 3.
one who lounges long in a hotel lobby, etc.
chakra a
cycle, a wheel; also, any of several points of physical or spiritual
energy in the human body according to yoga philosophy
chakram flat
steel ring with a sharpened outer edge used as a thrown weapon (thrown like a
frisbee)
chalcedony (silent h; accent on 2nd
syllable) quartz in the form of microcrystals, such as agate
champerty an outsider asisting a
litigant in return for a portion of the proceeds
chandler (orig.) a
candle-maker or candle-seller; also, a retailer of specified goods or
lines [typ. nautical]; also (chiefly Brit.), a small shopkeeper selling
provisions, groceries, etc.
chandler chiefly Brit; usu. contemptuous?: 1. a small
shopkeeper selling provisions, groceries, etc. 2. a retailer of
specified goods or lines [typ. nautical], as, a ship chandler 3.
a candle-maker or candle-seller
chandlery a chanler's shop
chanticleer eponym: a rooster
charley horse a
muscle cramp, esp. in the upper leg, from a muscular strain or a blow
chartreuse a pale yellowish apple-green color
chary very
cautious, wary; also, not giving/expending freely
chattering classes articulate and educated people considered as a social group
given to the expression of liberal opinions about society and culture
Chautauqua toponym: an annual summer educational
meeting providing public lectures, concerts, and dramas, usually in an outdoor
setting.
chauvinism eponym:
fanatical, exaggerated patriotism
cheap shot an unfair or unsporting
verbal attack that takes unfair advantage of a known weakness of the target.
(from
check
familiar meaning (to restrain, or to inspect for quality) evolved from the
meaning in the game of chess (a threatened immediate capture of the opponent's
king)
checkmate noun:
utter defeat. verb: to defeat completely (from game of chess: a check
(see above) in which capture cannot be averted)
cherry pick to
unfairly select only the desired items
chesterfield eponym: a type of
sofa, large with upholstered arms
cheval mirror standalone mirrors
in a frame, that can be tilted easily
cheval-de-frise (pl. chevaux de ~) 1. an obstacle of jagged
glass, spikes, etc. set into the top of a wall 2. orig. military:
a defensive line of spikes, etc., to block advance of the enemy (e.g., cavalry)
chevalet the
bridge of a stringed instrument
chevalier
d'industrie one who lives by his wits, specially by swindling [lit.
"knight of industry"]
chiaroscuro the interplay of
light and shade in drawing and painting; a work stressing that interplay fig. the
like interplay of contrasting characters, moods, etc.
chiasmus (ky-AZ-mus) a rhetorical
inversion of the second of two parallel structures: Never let a fool kiss
you or a kiss fool you
chicane 1.
chicanery 2. bridge (game): a holding of no trumps 3. motor
traffic or racing: a sharp double bend [or other obstacle made to slow
traffic?]
chichevache
mythical monster: an enormous cow that feeds on patient wives and virtuous
women (compare bicorne)
Chicken Little eponym: one who constantly warns that a
calamity is imminent
chili chili con carne;
that is, a Mexican stew of minced beef flavored with chili peppers
chili dog a hot dog topped
with a serving of chili con carne. 1948
chiliasm doctrine that Christ will reign on
earth for a thousand years
chimerical
eponym: 1. fantastic; wildly or vainly conceived; also,
given to unrealistic fantasies; fanciful 2. in genetic research, an
offspring combining two different species (contrast clone, a copy of a
single individual). chimera: a fanciful mental illusion or
fabrication
chinchona eponym: the tree bark
that yields quinine
Chinese wall strict
confidentiality rules within a securities firm, barring disclosure of certain
information between departments
chip
buttie Brit: a chip sandwich
(what USns would call french fries, placed between two slices of bread)
chirography handwriting;
penmanship (A previous word-of-the-day; see here.)
chirr a
trilling vibrant sound, such as that made by crickets, grasshoppers, or cicadas
(verb to make that sound)
chitin (silent h) the
substance forming the exoskeleton of insects, etc.
chockie Australian slang: chocolate
choleric easily moved to anger
chook Australian slang: chicken
choplogic complicated, often illogical or spurious argumentation
choropleth a map using shading or color to show a trait; e.g.,
colors indicate altitude; or darker shading indicates more-dense population
chott;
shott a shallow brackish lake or marsh, usually
dry in the summer and covered with salt
chouse 1.
a cheat; a swindler (verb: to dupe, cheat, trick or swindle) 2. to disturb or harry (cattle)
chrestomathy a
collection of literary passages selected to show a subject matter in breadth
chrysanthemum
shell a spherical burst firework, in which the stars
leave a visible trail
chthonic of the
underworld; of the earth; dwelling in or under the earth
chuck term
of endearment (literally 'a chicken')
chucking-out time slang:
closing time at a pub
chukka each of the
periods into which a game of polo is divided [Sanskrit, 'circle' or 'wheel' [also; a kind of high shoe, resembling a
polo boot]
churrigueresque eponym: baroque
architectural style characterized by elaborate surface decoration
chutzpah utter nerve; effrontery
cicatrix a scar
cicerone eponym: a guide who
conducts sightseers
cicisbeo the
young male lover/escort/admirer of a married woman. (counterpart of mistress)
The definition is imprecise; the term covers a wide range of male admires, from
hangers-on to full-fledged lovers. (Definition taken from Depraved English by
Novobatzky and Shea (1999). The major dictionaries tend to be coy; e.g., Web.
Rev. defines cicisbeo as "a professed admirer of a married woman".)
cimmerian eponym:
very dark or gloomy
cinchona [eponym]
the tree whose bark yields quinine
cinderella eponym: one suddenly
lifted from obscurity to honor or significance
cingulomania a
strong desire to hold a person in your arms
cipher a
method of transforming the letters of a text to conceal its meaning, either by
transposing the letters or substituting (contrast code)
circadian
occurring regularly at 24-hour intervals (but applies only to biological
processes; one would not speak of "the circadian motion of the sun")
(compare diurnal, quotidian)
circean eponym:
pleasing, but noxious; as, a Circean draught (after the enchantress
Circe of Homer's Odyssey, who first charmed her victims and then changed
them to the forms of beasts)
circular
argument 1. using a premise to prove a conclusion that in
turn is used to prove the premise 2. an argument that 'goes around in
circles', making no progress 3. process: a 'self-reinforcing'
process, where progress in one area both requires and stimulates progress in
another
circumlocution 1. use of many words where fewer would do 2.
evasion, in speech or writing 3. a roundabout expression
circumvallate to surround with, or as with, a
rampart
cirque a steep-walled amphitheatre-like
valley or hollow esp. the head of the glacier or stream. Also called a cwm
(
cisatlantic on
this side of the atlantic (the mate of transatlantic)
clamber to climb awkwardly
and laboriously
clapperdugeon a beggar born; a
whining beggar
claque 1. a group
of people hired to applaud or heckle a performer; a "rent-a-crowd" 2.
a group of sycophantic followers (esp. in politics)
clart to daub, smear, or spread, as with mud, etc.
claymore mine an
anti-personnel land mine that discharges blast fragments in a predetermined
direction, set towards the enemy
clement 1.
of persons or behavior: tending to be lenient or merciful. 2. of
weather: mild
clepsydra a clock that marks
time by the flow of water through a small opening (sometimes called a water
glass)
clerihew eponym: a witty verse,
of two rhyming couplets, on a person named in one of the rhymes
clerisy the well-educated
elite class; the intelligentsia
clichι (etymology) from the sound of a
die striking a printing plate
climactic adjective form of 'climax'
clinker brick fused together by fire
clinker-built (of a wooden ship) with outer planks overlapping each
other [contrast carval-built]
cliometrics eponym:
the study of history using economic models and advanced mathematical methods of
data processing and analysis
clochard a tramp; a vagrant
cloche [from the
French for 'bell'] either of two bell-shaped covers:
1. woman's hat, close-fitting and bell-shaped
2. a cover, usually bell-shaped, to protect plants from frost
clock the downy flower-head of a dandelion, etc. that has gone to
seed [From the child's play of blowing away the feathered seeds to find 'what
o'clock it is'.]
clodpated stupid; dull; doltish
cloisters (etymology) from the same
Latin root as claustrophobic
cloud-cuckoo-land
someone is said to live in cloud-cuckoo-land when they seem optimistically out
of touch with reality
clowder a group or cluster
of cats
cluricaune akin to a leprechaun, but much
worse. Leprechauns make shoes. A cluricaunes drinks and thus endangers the
stock of any pub he inhabits. "A cluricaune is a walking thirst."
Spider Robinson
clyster 1. a suppository or an edema 2. obsolete:
a contemptuous name for a medical practitioner
cockaigne in peasant legand of middle ages: an imaginary country
of abundent food and of idle luxury. fig: a place of overflowing
abundance. [apparently from older words for cook and cake]
cockatrice a
serpent, hatched from a cock's egg, having the power to kill by its glance.
cockerel a young domestic
cock
cockshy the
throw in a throwing contest, or the target aimed at
code a
system to transform a message by prearranged subtitutions for words or phrases
(contrast cipher, where substitution is for individual letters)
codex (pl.
codices) a manuscript (handwritten) volume, esp. of a classic
work or of the Scriptures ('manuscript' in this sense means
"handwritten")
codswallop eponym: nonsense (Brit.
slang)
coffered panel a decorative sunken
panel in a ceiling, etc
cognitive
dissonance the mental discomfort of simultaneously holding incompatible
attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, etc.
cognomen 1.
the family name of an of ancient
