Search the Dictionary

one of a tribe of Indians inhabiting a region of South America, north of the Amazon, and formerly most of the West India islands.

of a person or thing are so exaggerated as to appear ridiculous; a burlesque; a parody. [Formerly written caricatura.] The truest likeness of the prince of French literature will be the one that has most of the look of a caricature. I. Taylor. A grotesque caricature of virtue. Macaulay.

d fried the next day in butter or fat. They are eaten on the second Sunday before Easter, formerly called Carl Sunday. Robinson's Whitby Glossary (1875).

A former gold coin of Germany worth nearly five dollars; also, a gold coin of Sweden worth nearly five dollars.

A kind of short cannon, formerly in use, designed to throw a large projectile with small velocity, used for the purpose of breaking or smashing in, rather than piercing, the object aimed at, as the side of a ship. It has no trunnions, but is supported on its carriage by a bolt passing through a loop on its under side.…

A photographic picture of the size formerly in use for a visiting card.

A large table knife; -- so called from being formerly kept in a case.

A long outer garment formerly worn by men and women, as well as by soldiers as part of their uniform.

An instrument formerly used to punish and correct arrant scolds; -- called also a ducking stool, or trebucket. Blacktone.

of punishment consisting of nine pieces of knotted line or cord fastened to a handle; -- formerly used to flog offenders on the bare back. -- Cat's cradle, game played, esp. by children, with a string looped on the fingers so, as to resemble small cradle. The string is transferred from the fingers of one to those of…

A native of Cathay or China; a foreigner; -- formerly a term of reproach. Shak.

orge (Metal.), a kind of furnace for producing wrought iron directly from the ore. It was formerly much used, esp. in Catalonia, and is still used in some parts of the United States and elsewhere.

A process by which reaction occurs in the presence of certain agents which were formerly believed to exert an influence by mere contact. It is now believed that such reactions are attended with the formation of an intermediate compound or compounds, so that by alternate composition and decomposition the agent is appare…

he catalytic power is ill understood." Ure. Catalytic force, that form of chemical energy formerly supposed to determine catalysis.

Among theatrical performers, the last word of the preceding speaker, which reminds one that he is to speak next; cue.

timate or undecomposable conception; a predicament. The categories or predicaments -- the former a Greek word, the latter its literal translation in the Latin language -- were intended by Aristotle and his followers as an enumeration of all things capable of being named; an enumeration by the summa genera i.e., the mos…

cted light, and particularly that which is reflected from mirrors or polished bodies; --- formerly caled anacamptics.

or pertaining to the white races of mankind, of whom the people about Mount Caucasus were formerly taken as the type.

; sing Cayuga. (Ethnol.) A tribe of Indians formerly inbabiting western New-York, forming part of the confederacy called the Five Nations.

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.]…