Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CHURL, n. [Sax. ceorl; D. kaerel; G. kerl; Dan. karl. It signifies primarily, a man, or rather a male, for it was applied to other animals, as a carl-cat, a male cat; and males are named from their strength, or the sex implies it; hence, carl-hemp denoted strong hemp. Huscarla, a house-carl, or servant; buscarla, a ship's-cart. See Spelman. Hence the name, Charles, Carolus.]

1. A rude, surly, ill-bred man. – Sidney.
2. A rustic; a countryman, or laborer. – Dryden.
3. A miser; a niggard. – Is. xxxii.

CHURL'ISH, a.

1. Rude; surly; austere; sullen; rough in temper; unfeeling; uncivil.
2. Selfish; narrow-minded; avaricious. – King.
3. [Of things.] Unpliant; unyielding; cross-grained; harsh; unmanageable; as, churlish metal. – Bacon.
4. Hard; firm; as, a churlish knot. – Shak.
5. Obstinate; as, a churlish war. – Bacon.

CHURL'ISH-LY, adv.

Rudely; roughly; in a churlish manner.

CHURL'ISH-NESS, n.

Rudeness of manners or temper, but generally the word refers to the temper or disposition of mind; sullenness; austerity; indisposition to kindness or courtesy.

CHURL'Y, a.

Rude; boisterous.

CHURME, or CHIRM, n. [Sax. cyrm, clamor; cyrman, to cry out; W. garm.]

Noise; clamor, or confused noise. [Obs.] – Bacon.

CHURN, n. [Sax. ciern, cyrin, or cerene, a churn, cernan, to churn; D. karn, karnen; Dan. kierne, kierner. Qu. Sax. cyran, to turn.]

A vessel in which cream or milk is agitated for separating the oily parts from the caseous and serous parts, to make butter.

CHURN, v.t.

1. To stir or agitate cream for making butter.
2. To shake or agitate with violence or continued motion, as in the operation of making butter.

CHURN'ED, pp.

Agitated; made into butter.

CHURN'ING, n.

1. The operation of making butter from cream by agitation; a shaking or stirring.
2. As much butter as is made at one operation.

CHURN'ING, ppr.

Agitating to make butter; shaking; stirring.

CHURN'-STAFF, n.

The staff or instrument used in churning.

CHURR'WORM, n. [Sax. cyrran, to turn, and worm.]

An insect that turns about nimbly, called also a fancricket. – Johnson. Bailey.

CHUSE, v.

See CHOOSE.

CHU'SITE, n.

A yellowish mineral found by Saussure in the cavities of porphyries in the environs of Limbourg. – Ure.

CHUTE, n. [Fr.]

A fall.

CHY-AZ'IC, a. [From the initials of carbon, hydrogen and azote.]

A term applied to the compounds of hydrocyanic acid.

CHY-LA'CEOUS, a. [See Chyle.]

Belonging to chyle; consisting of chyle.

CHYLE, n. [Gr. χυλος, juice, humor.]

In animal bodies, a white or milky fluid separated from aliments by means of digestion. It is absorbed by the lacteal vessels, by which it is conveyed into the circulation, assimilated into blood, and converted into nutriment. – Encyc. Quincy. Coxe.

CHYL-I-FAC'TION, n. [chyle and L. facio.]

The act or process by which chyle is formed from food in animal bodies. – Arbuthnot.

CHYL-I-FAC'TIVE, a.

Forming or changing into chyle; having the power to make chyle.

CHY-LIF'ER-OUS, a. [L. chylus, and fero.]

Transmitting chyle. – Cheyne.

CHY-LO-PO-ET'IC, adv. [Gr. χυλος, chyle, and ποιεω, to make.]

Chylifactive; having the power to change into chyle; making chyle. – Arbuthnot.

CHY'LOUS, a. [from chyle.]

Consisting of chyle, or partaking of it. – Arbuthnot.

CHYME, n. [Gr. χυμος, juice.]

That particular modification which food assumes after it has undergone the action of the stomach. – Cyc. Among the older authors, juice; chyle, or the finest part of the chyle contained in the lacteals and thoracic duct; any humor incrassated by concoction, whether fit or unfit for preserving and nourishing the body. – Encyc. Coxe. Bailey.