Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CUD'DLE, v.t. [Arm. cuddyo; W. cuziaw, to hide, to lurk, to cover or keep out of sight; Sax. cudele, the cuttle-fish. Qu. hide and cheat. See Class Gd, No. 26, 30, 31, 38.]

To retire from sight; to lie close or snug; to squat. Prior.

CUD'DY, n.

1. In ships, an apartment; a cabin under the poop, or a cook-room. It is applied to different apartments, to different kinds of ships.
2. The cole-fish.

CUD'GEL, n. [W. cogel; from côg, a mass, lump, or short piece of wood. The Scot. cud, Teut. kodde, kudse, is a different word; dg in English being generally from g, as in pledge, bridge, alledge, &c.]

A thick stick of wood, such as may be used by the hand in beating. It differs strictly from a club, which is larger at one end than the other. It is shorter than a pole, and thicker than a rod. – Dryden. Locke. To cross the cudgels, to forbear the contest; a phrase borrowed from the practice of cudgel-players, who lay one cudgel over another. – Johnson.

CUD'GEL, v.t.

1. To beat with a cudgel, or thick stick. – Swift.
2. To beat in general. – Shak.

CUD'GEL-ED, pp.

Beaten with a cudgel.

CUD'GEL-ER, n.

One who beats with a cudgel.

CUD'GEL-ING, ppr.

Beating with a cudgel.

CUD'GEL-PROOF, a.

Able to resist a cudgel; not to be hurt by beating. – Hudibras.

CUD'LE, n. [Scot. cuddie.]

A small sea fish. – Carew.

CUD'WEED, n.

A plant of the genus Gnaphalium, goldylocks or eternal flower, of many species. The flowers are remarkable for retaining their beauty for years, if gathered in dry weather. – Encyc.

CUE, n. [Fr. queue; L. cauda; It. and Sp. coda.]

1. The tail; the end of a thing; as the long curl of a wig, or a long roll of hair.
2. The last words of speech, which a player, who is to answer, catches and regards as an intimation to begin. A hint given to an actor on the stage, what or when to speak. – Johnson. Encyc.
3. A hint; an intimation; a short direction. – Swift.
4. The part which any man is to play in his turn. Were it my cue to fight. – Shak.
5. Humor; turn or temper of mind. [Vulgar.]
6. A farthing, or farthing's worth. – Beaum.
7. The straight rod, used in playing billiards.

CU-ER'PO, n. [Sp. cuerpo, L. corpus, body.]

To be in cuerpo, or to walk in cuerpo, are Spanish phrases for being without a cloke or upper garment, or without the formalities of a full dress, so that the shape of the body is exposed. – Encyc.

CUFF, n.¹ [Pers. قَفَا kafa, a blow; Ch. נקף id.; Ar. نَقَفَ nakafa, to strike; Heb. נקף, to strike off, to sever by striking, to kill. The French coup coincides with cuff in elements, but it is supposed to be contracted from It. colpo, L. colaphus. Cuff however agrees with the Gr. κοπτω.]

1. A blow with the fist; a stroke; a box. – Shak. Swift.
2. It is used of fowls that fight with their talons. – Johnson. To be at fisty-cuffs, to fight with blows of the fist.

CUFF, n.² [This word probably signifies a fold or doubling; Ar. كَافَ kaufa, to double the border and sew together; Ch. כוף, to bend; Heb. כפף; Gr. κυπτω; Low. L. cippus. Class Gb, No. 65, 68, 75.]

The fold at the end of a sleeve; the part of a sleeve turned back from the hand. – Arbuthnot.

CUFF, v.i.

To fight; to scuffle. – Dryden.

CUFF, v.t.

To strike with the fist, as a man; or with talons or wings, as a fowl. – Congreve. Dryden.

CUFF'ED, pp.

Struck with the fist.

CUFF'ING, ppr.

Striking with the fist.

CUI-BONO, a. [or n. or v.; L. Cui bono.]

For whose benefit, [cui est bono.]

CUIN'AGE, n.

The making up of tin into pigs, &c., for carriage. – Bailey. Cowel.

CUI-RASS', n. [kuweras'; Fr. cuirasse; It. corazza; Sp. coraza; Port. couraça; W. curas. Qu. from cor, the heart; or from Fr. cuir, L. corium, leather.]

A breast-plate; a piece of defensive armor, made of iron plate, well hammered, and covering the body from the neck to the girdle. – Encyc.

CUI-RASS-SIER', n. [kwerassee'r.]

A soldier armed with a cuirass, or breast-plate. – Milton.

CUISH, n. [kwis; Fr. cuisse, the thigh or leg; W. coes; Ir. cos.]

Defensive armor for the thighs. – Shak. Dryden.

CUL'DEE, n. [L. cultores Dei, worshipers of God.]

A monkish priest, remarkable for religious duties. The Culdees formerly inhabited Scotland, Ireland and Wales. – Encyc.

CU'LER-AGE, n. [Fr. cul.]

Another name of the Arse-smart.