Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CAT'ER-WAUL, v.i. [Probably from cat and wawl, It. guaiolare, Eng. wail.]

To cry or wawl, as cats in rutting time; to make a harsh offensive noise.

CAT'ER-WAUL-ING, n.

The cry of cats; a harsh disagreeable noise or cry.

CA'TER-Y, n.

The place where provisions are deposited.

CATES, n.

Delicious food or viands; dainties.

CAT'-EY-ED, a.

Having eyes like a cat. – Dryden.

CAT'-FALL, n.

In ships, a rope used in weighing anchor.

CAT'-FISH, n.

A species of the Squalus, or shark. The cat-fish of the North American rivers is a species of Cottus, or bull-head.

CAT'GUT, n.

1. The intestines of sheep dried and twisted, used for strings of violins and other instruments.
2. A sort of linen or canvas, with wide interstices.

CATH'A-RIST, n. [Gr. καθαρος, pure.]

One who pretends to more purity than others possess.

CAT'-HARP-INGS, n.

Ropes serving to brace in the shrouds of the lower masts behind their respective yards, to tighten the shrouds and give more room to draw in the yards, when the ship is close hauled. – Mar. Dict.

CA-THAR'SIS, n. [Gr. Infra.]

Purgation; alvine discharges; evacuation.

CA-THAR'TIC, or CA-THAR'TIC-AL, a. [Gr. καθαρτικος, from καθαρευω, καθαιρω, to purge, καθαρος, clean, κατα, and αιρω, to remove.]

Purging; cleansing the bowels; promoting evacuations by stool; purgative.

CA-THAR'TIC, n.

A medicine that promotes alvine discharges, and thus cleanses the stomach and bowels; a purge; a purgative.

CA-THAR'TIC-AL-LY, adv.

In the manner of a cathartic.

CA-THAR'TIC-AL-NESS, n.

The quality of promoting discharges from the bowels.

CA-THAR'TI-NA, or CA-THAR'TINE, n.

A doubtful alkaloid obtained from senna, a name applied to several species of cassia.

CAT'-HEAD, n.

A strong beam projecting horizontally over a ship's bows, carrying two or three sheaves, about which a rope called the cat-fall passes, and communicates with the cat-block. – Mar. Dict.

CATH'E-DRA, n. [Gr.]

A chair; appropriately, the chair or seat of a person in authority, as a chief or lecturer.

CA-THE'DRAL, a.

1. Pertaining to the church which is the bishop's seat, or head church of a diocese; containing the see of a bishop; as, a cathedral church; cathedral service.
2. Resembling the aisles of a cathedral; as, cathedral walks. – Pope.

CA-THE'DRAL, n. [L. cathedra; Gr. καθεδρα, a chair or seat, from κατα and ἑδρα, a seat.]

The see or seat of a bishop; the principal church in a diocese.

CATH'E-DRA-TED, a.

Relating to the authority of the chair or office of a teacher. – Whitlock.

CATH'E-RINE-PEAR, n.

A sort of small pear.

CATH'E-TER, n. [Gr. καθετηρ, from καθιημι, to thrust in; κατα and ἱημι, to send.]

In surgery, a tubular instrument, usually made of silver, to be introduced into the bladder, to draw off the urine when the natural discharge is suppressed; also, a sound to search for the stone, or a bougie made of silver or elastic gum. – Encyc. Coxe.

CATH'E-TUS, n. [Gr. καθετος. See Catheter.]

In geometry, a line or radius, falling perpendicularly on another line or surface; as, the two sides of a right-angled triangle. – Encyc. Cathetus of incidence, in catoptrics, is a right line drawn from a point of the object, perpendicular to the reflecting line. Cathetus of reflection, or of the eye, right line drawn from the eye, perpendicular to the reflecting plane. Cathetus obliquation, a right line drawn perpendicular to the speculum, in the point of incidence or reflection. In architecture, cathetus is a perpendicular line, supposed to pass through the middle of a cylindrical body. Also, the center of the Ionic volute. – Encyc.

CAT'-HOLES, n.

In ships, two small holes astern, above the gun-room ports.