Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CA-LYC'I-NAL, or CAL'Y-CINE, a.

Pertaining to a calyx; situated on a calyx. – Martyn.

CAL'Y-CLE, n. [L. calyculus. See Calyx.]

In botany, a row of small leaflets, at the base of the calyx, on the outside. The calycle of the seed is the outer proper covering or crown of the seed adhering to it, to facilitate its dispersion. – Martyn.

CA-LYC'U-LATE, or CAL'Y-CLED, a.

Having a calycle at the base on the outside; used of the calyx.

CA-LYP'TER, n. [Gr. καλυπτηρ, a cover.]

The calyx of mosses, according to Linnæus; but not properly a calyx. It is a kind of vail, or cowl, which covers or is suspended over the tops of the stamens, like an extinguisher. – Milne. The calyptra of mosses is an appendage of the capsule or female flower. It at first closely invests the capsule, and its summit is the stigma. As the capsule approaches maturity, the calyptra is detached below, and appended to the stigma like a hood. – Cyc. Smith.

CA-LYP'TRI-FORM, a.

Having the form of a calyptra.

CA'LYX, n. [plur. calyxes. L. calyx; Gr. καλυξ, a flower not opened, a husk or shell. It has been confounded with κυλιξ, calix, a cup.]

1. The outer covering of a flower, being the termination of the cortical epidermis or outer bark of the plant, which, in most plants, incloses and supports the bottom of the corol. In Linnæus's system, it comprehends the perianth, the involucrum, the ament, the spath, the glume, the calyptra, and the volva. But in general it signifies the perianth, and the leaves are generally green. – Milne. Martyn. Encyc. The opinion of Linnæus that the calyx is the continuation of the epidermis is now considered erroneous. – Ed. Encyc. Smith.
2. An envelop consisting of one whorl of leaves. – Lindley.

CAL-ZOONS', n. [Sp. calzones.]

Drawers. [Not English.] – Herbert.

CAMB', or CAMB'IUM, n.

In botany, a viscid secretion, which, in the spring, separates the alburnum of a plant from the fiber, or inner bark. – Lindley.

CAM'BER, n. [Fr. cambrer, to arch, to vault, to bend, from L. camera, a vault, a chamber.]

Among builders, camber, or camber-beam is a piece of timber cut archwise, or with an obtuse angle in the middle, used in platforms, where long and strong beams are required. As a verb, this word signifies to bend, but I know not that it is used. A cambered-deck is one which is higher in the middle, or arched, but drooping or declining toward the stem and stern; also, when it is irregular.

CAM'BER-ING, ppr. [or a.]

Bending; arched; as, a deck lies cambering.

CAMB'IST, n. [It. cambista, from cambio, exchange; Sp. id.]

A banker; one who deals in notes and bills of exchange. – Christ. Obs.

CAM-BOOSE', n. [D. kombuis.]

A ship's cook-room or kitchen.

CAM'BREL, n.

A crooked piece of wood, or iron, to hang meat on. [See Gambrel.]

CAM'BRIC, n.

A species of fine white linen, made of flax, said to be named from Cambray in Flanders, where it was first manufactured.

CAME, n.

A slender rod of cast lead, of which glaziers make their turned lead. – Encyc.

CAME, v. [pret. of Come, which see.]

CAM'EL, n. [L. camelus; Gr. καμηλος; D. and Dan. kameel; G. kamel; Heb. Syr. and Eth. גמל, gamal; Ch. גמלא; Ar. جَمْلٌ. The Arabic verb, to which this word belongs, signifies to be beautiful or elegant, to please, or to behave with kindness and humanity. In Sax. gamele, or gamol, is a camel, and an old man; gamol-feax, one that has long hair; gamol-ferth, a man of great mind. In W. the word is cammarc, a crooked horse.]

1. A large quadruped used in Asia and Africa for carrying burdens, and for riders. As a genus, the camel belongs to the order of Pecora. The characteristics are: it has no horns; it has six fore teeth in the under jaw; the canine teeth are wide set, three in the upper and two in the lower jaw; and there is a fissure in the upper lip. The dromedary or Arabian camel has one bunch on the back, four callous protuberances on the fore legs, and two on the hind legs. The Bactrian camel has two bunches on the back. The Llama of South America is a smaller animal with a smooth back, small head, fine black eyes, and very long neck. The Pacos or sheep of Chili has no bunch. Camels constitute the riches of an Arabian, without which he could neither subsist, carry on trade, nor travel over sandy deserts. Their milk is his common food. By the camel's power of sustaining abstinence from drink, for many days, and of subsisting on a few coarse shrubs, he is peculiarly fitted for the parched and barren lands of Asia and Africa.
2. In Holland, Camel, [or Kameel, as Coxe writes it,] is a machine for lifting ships, and bearing them over the Pampus, at the mouth of the river Y, or over other bars. It is also used in other places, and particularly at the dock in Petersburg, to bear vessels over a bar to Cronstadt. – Coxe. Encyc.

CAM'EL-BACK-ED, a.

Having a back like a camel. – Fuller.

CA-ME'LE-ON-MIN-ER-AL, n. [See Chameleon.]

A compound of pure potash and black oxyd of manganese, fused together, whose solution in water, at first green, passes spontaneously through the whole series of colored rays to the red; and by the addition of potash, it returns to its original green. – Ure.

CAM-EL'O-PARD, n. [camelus and pardalis.]

The giraff, a species constituting the genus Camelopardalis. This animal has two straight horns, without branches, six inches long, covered with hair, truncated at the end and tufted. On this forehead is a tubercle, two inches high, resembling another horn. The fore legs are not much longer than the hind ones, but the shoulders are of such a vast length, as to render the fore part of the animal much higher than the hind part. The head is like that of a stag; the neck is slender and elegant, furnished with a short mane. The color of the whole animal is a dirty white, marked with large broad rusty spots. This animal is found in the central and eastern parts of Africa. It is timid and not fleet. – Encyc.

CAM'EO, or CA-MA'IEU, n. [or CA-MAY'EU. It. cammeo; Fr. camayeu; Sp. and Port. camafeo.]

A peculiar sort of onyx; also, a stone on which are found various figures and representations of landscapes, a kind of lusus naturæ, exhibiting pictures without painting. The word is said to be the Oriental camehuia, a name given to the onyx, when they find, in preparing it, another color; as who should say, another color. The word is applied by others to those precious stones, onyxes, carnelians and agates, on which lapidaries employ their art, to aid nature and perfect the figures. The word is also applied to any gem on which figures may be engraved. The word signifies also a painting in which there is only one color, and where the lights and shades are of gold wrought on a golden or azure ground. When the ground is yellow, the French call it cirage; when gray, grisaille. This work is chiefly used to represent basso-relievos. These pieces answer to the μονοχρωματα of the Greeks. – Encyc. Chambers. Lunier.

CAM'E-RADE, n. [L. camera, a chamber.]

One who lodges or resides in the same apartment; now Comrade, which see.

CAM-E-RA-LIS'TIC, a. [Infra.]

Pertaining to finance and public revenue.

CAM-ER-AL-IST'ICS, n.² [From the German; L. camera.]

The science of finance.

CAM-E-RA-LIS'TICS, n.² [G. cameralist, a financier. In Sp. camarista, is a minister of state; camarilla, a small room. The word seems to be from L. camera, a chamber.]

The science of finance or public revenue, comprehending the means of raising and disposing of it. – Grimke.