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Familiar or trifling talk; prattle.

d of oak leaves and acorns, bestowed on a soldier who had saved the life of a citizen in battle.

e, or a succesion of such noises, as by striking an object, or by collision of parts; to rattle; to click. We heard Mr.Hodson's whip clacking on the ahoulders of the poor little wretches. Thackeray.

, whose note is clear and shrill. He sounds his imperial clarion along the whole line of battle. E. Everett.

To talk fast and noisily; to rattle with the tongue. I see thou dost but clatter. Spenser.

Frivolous or nonsensical talk; prattle; chattering. [Scot. & North of Eng.] Emmy found herself entirely at a loss in the midst of their clavers. Thackeray.

Wattles, or hurdles, made with stakes interwoven with osiers, to cover lodgments. [Obs.]

A disease in the feet of cattle; laminitis. Crabb.

gel. But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs; Rome and her rats are at the point of battle. Shak.

Shade or variety of character; kind; species. Boys and women are for the most part cattle of this color. Shak.

citude; anxiety. O Marcia, let me hope thy kind concerns And gentle wishes follow me to beattle. {\*\bkmkstart last}\error \*\bkmkend last}Addison.

To talk familiarly together; to chat; to prattle. I shall not ask Jean Jaques Rousseau If birds confabulate or no. Cowper.

A strife for the mastery; hostile contest; battle; struggle; fighting.

(Eng. Hist.). William the Norman (1027-1067) who invaded England, defeated Harold in the battle of Hastings, and was crowned king, in 1066.

od. Shak. The Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle. Deut. ii. 9. In ambitious strength I did Contend against thy valor. Shak.

nse, etc.; competition; emulation; strife in arms; conflict; combat; encounter. The late battle had, in effect, been a contest between one usurper and another. Hallam. It was fully expected that the contest there would be long and fierce. Macaulay.

I love to cope him in these sullen fits. Shak. They say he yesterday coped Hector in the battle, and struck him down. Shak.

A poisonous American serpent (Ancistrodon conotortrix), closely allied to the rattlesnake, but without rattles; -- called also copper-belly, and red viper.

A machine for cutting up stalks of corn for food of cattle.

ons, by emigrants in the vicinity of hostile Indians, as a place of security for horses, cattle, etc.