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The power of singing; a musical voice; -- so called, probably, from the connection of the voice with the lungs, which lie within the breast. [Obs.] By my troth, the fool has an excellent breast. Shak. Breast drill, a portable drilling machine, provided with a breastplate, for forcing the drill against the work. -- Bre…

imp. & p. p. of Breed. Bred out, degenerated. "The strain of man's bred out into baboon and monkey." Shak. -- Bred to arms. See under Arms. -- Well bred. (a) Of a good family; having a good pedigree. "A gentleman well bred and of good name." Shak. [Obs., except as applied to domestic animals.] (b) Well brought up, as…

. The Assyrians appear to have made much less use of bricks baked in the furnace than the Babylonians. Layard.

A variety of dog, of remarkable ferocity, courage, and tenacity of grip; -- so named, probably, from being formerly employed in baiting bulls.

nstitution and by-laws for the government of their members. In this sense the word has probably been influenced by by, meaning secondary or aside.

rom the Phoenicians. The English name of C is from the Latin name ce, and was derived, probably, through the French. Etymologically C is related to g, h, k, q, s (and other sibilant sounds). Examples of these relations are in L. acutus, E. acute, ague; E. acrid, eagar; L. cornu, E. horn; E. cat, kitten; E. coy, quiet;…

etters. Cadmean victory, a victory that damages the victors as much as the vanquished; probably referring to the battle in which the soldiers who sprang from the dragon's teeth sown by Cadmus slew each other.

aracterized by neuralgic pains and paralytic symptoms. It is variously explained, most probably as due to congestion of internal organs with subsequent stasis of the blood.

removal of the pulp, is used for cups, bottles, etc. The African calabash tree is the baobab.

mechanical performance of mathematical operations, for the most part invented by Charles Babbage and G. and E. Scheutz. It computes logarithmic and other mathematical tables of a high degree of intricacy, imprinting the results on a leaden plate, from which a stereotype plate is then directly made.

cal logic that treats of all operations that satisfy given conditions. -- Calculus of probabilities, the science that treats of the computation of the probabilities of events, or the application of numbers to chance. -- Calculus of variations, a branch of mathematics in which the laws of dependence which bind the var…

; sing. Calmuck. A branch of the Mongolian race inbabiting parts of the Russian and Chinese empires; also (sing.), the language of the Calmucks. [Written also Kalmucks.]

The root of a plant (Jateorrhiza Calumba, and probably Cocculus palmatus), indigenous in Mozambique. It has an unpleasantly bitter taste, and is used as a tonic and antiseptic. [Written also colombo, columbo, and calombo.] American calumba, the Frasera Carolinensis, also called American gentian. Its root has been used…

A Native or inbabitant of the land of Canaan, esp. a member of any of the tribes who inhabited Canaan at the time of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.

to canvass the votes cast at an election; to canvass a district with reference to its probable vote. I have made careful search on all hands, and canvassed the matter with all possible diligence. Woodward.

ng, like a wen, on the point of the elbow (or the heel of the hock) of a horse, caused probably by bruises in lying dowm.

ne red (Chem.), a coloring matter obtained from carmine as a purple-red substance, and probably allied to the phthaleïns.

A native or inbabitant of Catalonia; also, the language of Catalonia. Catalan furnace, Catalan forge (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 careful attention to the probable effects of an act, in order that failure or harm may be avoided; prudence in regard to danger; provident care; wariness.

Attentive to examine probable effects and consequences of acts with a view to avoid danger or misfortune; prudent; circumspect; wary; watchful; as, a cautious general. Cautious feeling for another's pain. Byron. Be swift to hear; but cautious of your tongue. Watts.