Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CAUSE'LESS-NESS, n. [cauz'lessness.]

The state of being causeless. – Hammond.

CAUS'ER, n.

He that causes; the agent by which an effect is produced. – Johnson. Sidney.

CAUS'EY, n. [cauz'y, corruptly Causeway. Norm. calsay; Fr. chaussée, for chaulsée, a bank, or raised way; Arm. chauçzer, the bank or mole of a pond. The Spanish has calzada, a causey, or way paved and raised; Port. calçada, a pavement, and stones used in paving. Both these words are evidently from the same root as Sp. calzas, Port. calçado, Sp. calzado, hose, loose breeches, trowsers, shoes, Fr. chausse, and the French word is evidently the same with the loss of l. The sense is probably taken from putting on, covering, Port. calçar, to put on shoes or stockings, to pave, Sp. calzar, id., L. calceo, calceus.]

A way raised above the natural level of the ground, by stones, earth, timber, fascines, &c., serving as a dry passage over wet or marshy ground, or as a mole to confine water to a pond or restrain it from overflowing lower ground. Most generally it is a way raised in a common road.

CAU'SEY-ED, a.

Having a causey or raised way. – Dwight.

CAU-SID'IC-AL, a. [L. causidicus, causa and dico.]

Pertaining to an advocate, or to the maintenance and defense of suits.

CAUS'ING, ppr.

Producing; effecting; bringing into being.

CAUS'TIC, or CAUS'TIC-AL, a. [Gr. καυστικος, from καιω, καυσω, to burn.]

Burning; corroding; destroying the texture of animal flesh.

CAUS'TIC, n.

In medicine, any substance which applied to living animals, acts like fire, in corroding the part and dissolving its texture; an escharotic. [See Causticity.] – Coxe. Encyc. Lunar caustic, a preparation of crystals of silver, obtained by solution in nitric acid, and afterwards fused in a crucible. It is a nitrate of silver. – Nicholson. Caustic curve, in geometry, a curve formed by a coincidence of rays of light reflected from another curve. – Encyc.

CAUS-TIC'I-TY, n.

The quality of acting like fire on animal matter, or the quality of combining with the principles of organized substances, and destroying their texture. This quality belongs to concentrated acids, pure alkalis, and some metallic salts. – Nicholson.

CAUS'TIC-NESS, n.

The quality of being caustic. – Scott.

CAU'TEL, n. [L. cautela, from caveo, to take care.]

Caution. [Not used.] – Shak.

CAU'TEL-OUS, a. [Fr. cauteleux, from L. cautela.]

1. Cautious; wary; provident. – Wotton.
2. Cunning; treacherous; wily. – Spenser.

CAU'TEL-OUS-LY, adv.

1. Cunningly; slily; treacherously. – Bacon.
2. Cautiously; warily. – Brown.

CAU'TEL-OUS-NESS, n.

Cautiousness.

CAU'TER, n.

A searing hot iron. – Minshew.

CAU'TER-ISM, n.

The application of cautery. – Ferrand.

CAU-TER-I-ZA'TION, n. [See Cauterize.]

In surgery, the act of burning or scaring some morbid part, by the application of fire. This is done by burning tow, cotton, moxa, Spanish wax, pyramidical pieces of linen, &c., or more generally by a hot iron. – Encyc.

CAU'TER-IZE, v.t. [Fr. cauteriser; Sp. and Port. cauterizar; It. cauterizzare; Gr. καυτηριαζω, from καυτηρ, a burning or branding iron, from καιω, to burn.]

To burn or sear with fire or a hot iron, as morbid flesh.

CAU'TER-IZ-ED, pp.

Burnt or seared with a hot iron.

CAU'TER-IZ-ING, n.

The act of burning, as with a hot iron.

CAU'TER-IZ-ING, ppr.

Burning, as with a hot iron.

CAU'TER-Y, n. [Gr. καυτεριον; L. cauterium. See Cauterize.]

A burning or searing, as of morbid flesh, by a hot iron or by caustic medicines that burn, corrode or destroy any solid part of an animal body. The burning by a hot iron is called actual cautery; that by caustic medicines, potential cautery.

CAU'TION, n. [L. cautio; Fr. caution; Sp. caucion; from L. caveo, to take care. See Class Gb, No. 3, 52, 53, 83. The sense of caveo is probably to retire, or to stop, check or hold.]

1. Provident care; prudence in regard to danger; wariness, consisting in a careful attention to the probable effects of a measure, and a judicious course of conduct to avoid evils and the arts of designing men. Caution is the armor to defend us against imposition and the attacks of evil.
2. Security for, nearly the sense of the French caution, bail. The parliament would give his majesty sufficient caution that the war should be prosecuted. – Clarendon.
3. Provision or security against; measures taken for security; as, the rules and cautions of government.
4. Precept; advice; injunction; warning; exhortation, intended as security or guard against evil.

CAU'TION, v.t.

To give notice of danger; to warn; to exhort to take heed. You cautioned me against their charms. – Swift.

CAU'TION-A-RY, a.

1. Containing caution, or warning to avoid danger; as, cautionary advice.
2. Given as a pledge or in security; as, a cautionary town.