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signify down, downward, under, against, contrary or opposed to, wholly, completely; as in cataclysm, catarrh. It sometimes drops the final vowel, as in catoptric; and is sometimes changed to cath, as in cathartic, catholic.

One who opposes baptism, especially of infants. [Obs.] Featley.

A vault under altar of a Greek church.

Aee under Force.

Relating to, or having the properties of, a caustic curve formed by reflection. See Caustic, a. Nichol.

A figure by which one word is wrongly put for another, or by which a word is wrested from its true signification; as, "To take arms against a sea of troubles. " Shak. "Her voice was but the shadow of a sound." Young.

Belonging to, or in the manner of, a catachresis; wrested from its natural sense or form; forced; far-fatched. -- Cat`a*chres"tic*al*ly, adv. [A] catachrestical and improper way of speaking. Jer. Taylor.

A breaking asunder; disruption.

Any violent catastrophe, involving sudden and extensive changes of the earth's surface.

Of or pertaining to a cataclysm.

One who believes that the most important geological phenomena have been produced by cataclysms.

A cave, grotto, or subterraneous place of large extent used for the burial of the dead; -- commonly in the plural.

That part of acoustics which treats of reflected sounds or echoes See Acoustics. Hutton.

Designating, pertaining to, or characterized by, that form of pulse tracing, or sphygmogram, in which the descending portion of the curve is marked by secondary elevations due to two or more expansions of the artery in the same beat. -- Ca*tac"rotism (#), n.

Quality or state of being catacrotic. -- Cat`a*di*crot"ic (#), a.

taining to, produced by, or involving, both the reflection and refraction of light; as, a catadioptric light. Hutton.

The science which treats of catadioptric phenomena, or of the used of catadioptric instruments.

A race course.

Having the lowest inferior segment of a pinna nearer the rachis than the lowest superior one; -- said of a mode of branching in ferns, and opposed to anadromous.

See Catafalque.