CACHET, kash'[=a], _n._ a seal, any distinctive stamp.--LETTRE DE CACHET, a letter under the private seal of the king of France under the old regime, by which the royal pleasure was made known to individuals, and the administration of justice often interfered with. [Fr.]
CACHEXY, ka-kek'si, _n._ a bad state of body: a depraved habit of mind.--_adjs._ CACHEC'TIC, -AL. [L.--Gr. _kachexia_--_kakos_, bad, _hexis_, condition.]
CACHINNATION, kak-in-[=a]'shun, _n._ loud laughter.--_adj._ CACHIN'NATORY.
[L. _cachinnation-em_, _cachinn[=a]re_, to laugh loudly--from the sound.]
CACHOLONG, kash'o-long, _n._ a variety of quartz or of opal, generally of a milky colour. [Fr.]
CACHOLOT. Same as CACHALOT.
CACHOU, kash'[=oo], _n._ a sweetmeat, made in the form of a pill, of extract of liquorice, cashew-nut, or the like, used by some smokers in the hope to sweeten their breath. [Fr.]
CACHUCHA, kach'[=oo]ch-a, _n._ a lively Spanish dance. [Sp.]
CACIQUE, ka-s[=e]k', _n._ a native chief among the West Indian aborigines.
[Haytian.]
CACKLE, kak'l, _n._ the sound made by a hen or goose.--_v.i._ to make such a sound.--_ns._ CACK'LER, a fowl that cackles: a talkative, gossiping person; CACK'LING, noise of a goose or hen. [M. E. _cakelen_; cog. with Dut. _hakelen_.]
CACODEMON, kak-o-d[=e]'mon, _n._ an evil spirit: (_Shak._) a nightmare.
[Gr. _kakos_, bad, and DEMON.]
CACODYL, kak'o-dil, _n._ a colourless stinking liquid, composed of arsenic, carbon, and hydrogen. [Gr. _kak[=o]d[=e]s_, ill-smelling.]
CACOETHES, kak-o-[=e]'th[=e]z, _n._ an obstinate habit or disposition. [Gr.
_kakos_, bad, _[=e]thos_, habit.]
CACOGASTRIC, kak-[=o]-gas'trik, _adj._ pertaining to a disordered stomach, dyspeptic. [Gr. _kakos_, bad, _gast[=e]r_, the stomach.]
CACOGRAPHY, kak-og'ra-fi, _n._ bad writing or spelling.--_adj._ CACOGRAPH'IC [Gr. _kakos_, bad, and _graphia_, writing.]
CACOLET, kak'o-l[=a], _n._ a military mule-litter for sick and wounded.
[Fr.; prob. Basque.]
CACOLOGY, ka-kol'o-ji, _n._ bad grammar or pronunciation. [Gr. _kakos_, bad, _logos_, speech.]
CACOON, ka-k[=oo]n', _n._ a large seed of a tropical climber of the bean family, used for making scent-bottles, snuff boxes, purses, &c.: a purgative and emetic seed of a tropical American climber of the gourd family.
CACOPHONY, ka-kof'[=o]-ni, _n._ a disagreeable sound: discord of sounds.--_adjs._ CACOPH'ONOUS, CACOPHON'IC, -AL, CACOPH[=O]'NIOUS, harsh-sounding. [Gr. _kakos_, bad, _ph[=o]n[=e]_, sound.]
CACTUS, kak'tus, _n._ an American plant, generally with prickles instead of leaves.--_adj._ CACT[=A]'CEOUS, pertaining to or like the cactus. [Gr., a prickly plant found in Sicily.]
CAD, kad, _n._ a low, mean, or vulgar fellow: a bus driver or conductor, a tavern-yard loafer.--_adj._ CAD'DISH. [Short for CADET.]
CADASTRAL, ka-das'tral, _adj._ pertaining to a CADASTRE or public register of the lands of a country for fiscal purposes: applied also to a survey on a large scale, like our Ordnance Survey on the scale of 25 inches to the mile. [Fr.--Low L. _capitastrum_, register for a poll-tax--L. _caput_, the head.]
CADAVEROUS, ka-dav'[.e]-rus, _adj._ looking like a dead body: sickly-looking.--_n._ CAD[=A]V'ER (_surg._ and _anat._), a corpse.--_adj._ CADAV'ERIC.--_n._ CADAV'EROUSNESS. [L. _cadaver_, a dead body--_cad-[)e]re_, to fall dead.]
CADDICE, CADDIS, kad'dis, _n._ the larva of the May-fly and other species of Phryganea, which lives in water in a sheath formed of fragments of wood, stone, shell, leaves, &c., open at both ends--caddis-worms form excellent bait for trout.--_n._ CAD'DIS-FLY.
CADDIE, kad'i, _n._ a lad who attends a golfer at play, carrying his clubs: in 18th century a messenger or errand porter in Edinburgh. [See CADET.]
CADDIS, kad'dis, _n._ (_Shak._) worsted ribbon. [O. Fr. _cadaz_, _cadas_.]
CADDY, kad'i, _n._ a small box for holding tea. [Malay _kati_, the weight of the small packets in which tea is made up.]
CADE, k[=a]d, _n._ a barrel or cask. [Fr.--L. _cadus_, a cask.]
CADE, k[=a]d, _n._ and _adj._ a lamb or colt brought up by hand, a pet lamb. [Ety. unknown.]
CADEAU, kad'o, _n._ a present. [Fr.]
CADENAS, kad'e-nas, _n._ in medieval times, a locked casket containing a great man's table requisites, knife, fork, spoon, &c., often in the form of a ship. [O. Fr.,--L. _catena_, a chain.]
CADENCE, k[=a]'dens, _n._ the fall of the voice at the end of a sentence: tone, sound, modulation.--_adj._ C[=A]'DENCED, rhythmical.--_n._ C[=A]'DENCY, regularity of movement: (_her._) the relative status of younger sons.--_adj._ C[=A]'DENT (_Shak._), falling.--_n._ CADEN'ZA, a flourish given by a solo voice or instrument at the close of a movement.
[Fr.--L. _cad-[)e]re_, to fall.]
CADET, ka-det', _n._ the younger or youngest son: a member of the younger branch of a family: in the army, one who serves as a private to become an officer: a student in a military school.--_n._ CADET'SHIP.--CADET CORPS, parties of boys undergoing military training. [Fr. _cadet_, formerly _capdet_--Low L. _capitettum_, dim. of _caput_, the head.]
CADGE, kaj, _v.i._ to beg or go about begging.--_n._ CADG'ER, a carrier who collects country produce, a hawker: a fellow who picks up his living about the streets. [Prob. conn. with CATCH.]
CADGY, kaj'i, _adj._ (_prov._) frolicsome: wanton. [Cf. Dan. _kaad_, wanton, Ice. _katr_, merry.]
CADI, k[=a]'di, _n._ a judge in Mohammedan countries. [Ar. _q[=a]d[=i]_, a judge.]
CADMEAN, kad-m[=e]'an, _adj._ relating to _Cadmus_, who introduced the original Greek alphabet.
CADMIA, kad'mi-a, _n._ oxide of zinc, containing from 10 to 20 per cent. of cadmium. [Gr. _kadmia_, _kadmeia_ (_ge_), Cadmean (earth), calamine.]
CADMIUM, kad'mi-um, _n._ a white metal occurring in zinc ores. [See CADMIA.]
CADRANS, kad'rans, _n._ a wooden instrument by which a gem is adjusted while being cut. [Fr. _cadran_, a quadrant.]
CADRE, kad'r, _n._ a nucleus, framework, esp. the permanent skeleton of a regiment or corps, the commissioned and non-commissioned officers, &c., around whom the rank and file may be quickly grouped. [Fr.]
[Illustration]
CADUCEUS, ka-d[=u]'se-us, _n._ (_myth._) the rod carried by Mercury, the messenger of the gods--a wand surmounted with two wings and entwined by two serpents.--_adj._ CAD[=U]'CEAN. [L., akin to Gr. _k[=e]rukeion_, a herald's wand--_k[=e]rux_, a herald.]
CADUCIBRANCHIATE, ka-d[=u]i-si-brang'ki-[=a]t, _adj._ losing the gills on attaining maturity, as all the salamanders.--_n.pl._ CADUCIBRANCHI[=A]'TA.
[L. _caducus_, caducous, _branchiae_, gills.]
CADUCOUS, ka-d[=u]'kus, _adj._ falling early, as leaves or flowers.--_n._ CAD[=U]'CITY, transitoriness, senility. [L. _caducus_--_cad-[)e]re_, to fall.]
CaeCUM, s[=e]'kum, _n._ a blind sac: a sac or bag having only one opening, connected with the intestine of an animal.--_adj._ Cae'CAL. [L.--_caecus_, blind.]
CAEN-STONE, k[=a]'en-st[=o]n, _n._ a cream-coloured limestone brought from _Caen_ in France.