CALIPPIC a.
f or pertaining to Calippus, an Athenian astronomer. Calippic period, a period of seventy-six years, proposed by Calippus, as an improvement on the Metonic cycle, since the 6940 days of the Metonic cycle exceeded 19 years by about a quarter of a day, and exceeded 235 lunations by something more.
CARBOHYDRATE n.
One of a group of compounds including the sugars, starches, and gums, which contain six (or some multiple of six) carbon atoms, united with a variable number of hydrogen and oxygen atoms, but with the two latter always in proportion as to form water; as dextrose, C6H12O6.
CHESS n.
A game played on a chessboard, by two persons, with two differently colored sets of men, sixteen in each set. Each player has a king, a queen, two bishops, two knights, two castles or rooks, and eight pawns.
CHEVAL-DE-FRISE n.
A piece of timber or an iron barrel traversed with iron-pointed spikes or spears, five or six feet long, used to defend a passage, stop a breach, or impede the advance of cavalry, etc. Obstructions of chain, boom, and cheval-de-frise. W. Irving.
CHINQUAPIN n.
A branching, nut-bearing tree or shrub (Castanea pumila) of North America, from six to twenty feet high, allied to the chestnut. Also, its small, sweet, edible nat. [Written also chincapin and chinkapin.] Chinquapin oak, a small shrubby oak (Quercus prinoides) of the Atlantic States, with edible acorns. -- Western Chi…