Emily Dickinson Lexicon

cause (-d), v. [med. L. causāre, work out, accomplish.] (webplay: obtain, joy, right).

Induce; make; provoke; give rise to.

cauterize, v. [Fr. < late L. cauterizare, burn or brand with a hot iron.]

Burn; sear; brand; seal with fire; close with a hot iron; [fig.] deaden; render insensible.

caution, n. [Fr. 'security, surety' < L. caution-em, taking heed, heedfulness, caution.] (webplay: care, hold, precept, prudence, prudent).

1. Carefulness; gingerness; wariness.
2. Attentiveness; care; heedfulness; regard.

cautious, adj. [see caution, n.] (webplay: danger, prudent).

1. Careful; ginger; wary; with careful attentiveness.
2. Careful; painstaking; meticulous; in a scrupulous manner; with attentiveness to detail.

cautiously, adv. [see caution, n.]

Carefully; gingerly; guardedly; warily.

cavalier, n. [Originally adopted in the form cavallero < Sp. (The actual form < Fr. cavalier < It. cavallo, horse, + -iere).]

Knight; soldier; armed horseman; [fig.] butterfly; bird; bee; insect; winged creature.

cavalry, n. [Fr. cavallerie < L. caballarius, horseman.]

Force; attack; onslaught; military unit; charge of troops on horses; [fig.] opponent; overwhelming opposition; [word play on “calvary”] crucifixion; sacrifice; expiation; redemption.

cave, n. [Fr. < L. cavum, a hollow (place).] (webplay: ear).

Hollow; recessed place; hole that opens into the earth.

cavern (-s, -'s), n. [Fr. 'cave' < L. caverna, cave, den, cavity; see cave, n.] (webplay: chasm, dark, place).

Large cave; place under the ground; deep, dark place.

cavil, n. [OFr cavill-er, mock, jest, rail < L. cavillari, practice jeering or mocking, satirize, reason captiously.]

Carping; quibbling; unnecessary objections; trivial arguments.