Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CEIL, v.t. [Sp. cielo, heaven, a roof or ceiling; It. cielo; Fr. ciel, heaven, a canopy, a tester; L. cælum. Qu. Gr. κοιλος. This word indicates its original application to vaulted buildings, without divisions into stories; such as many of the public edifices in Europe, but which are rarely seen in America.]

To overlay or cover the inner roof of a building; or to cover the top or roof of a room. And the greater house he ceiled with fir-tree. – 2 Chron. iii.

CEIL'ED, pp.

Overlaid with timber, or with plastering.

CEIL'ING, n.

1. The covering which overlays the inner roof of a building, or the timbers which form the top of a room. This covering may be of boards, or of lath, and plastering. Hence ceiling is used for the upper part of a room.
2. In ship building, the inside planks of a ship.

CEIL'ING, ppr.

Covering the top of a room or building.

CEIL'ING-ED, a.

Furnished with a ceiling. – Wordsworth.

CEL'AN-DINE, n. [D. celedonie; It. celidonia; L. chelidonia; Gr. χελιδονιον, from χελιδων, a swallow.]

A plant, swallow-wort, horned or prickly poppy, growing on old walls, among rubbish, and in waste places. The lesser celandine is called pile-wort, a species of Ranunculus. The name is also given to the Bocconia, a plant of the West Indies, called the greater tree-celandine. The true orthography would he Chelidine. – Coxe. Fam. of Plants.

CE'LA-TURE, n. [L. cælatura, from cælo, to engrave or emboss.]

1. The act or art of engraving or embossing.
2. That which is engraved. – Hakewill.

CEL'E-BRATE, v.t. [Ir. ceileabradh; Fr. celebrer; Sp. and Port. celebrar; It. celebrare; L. celebro, from celeber, famous. The Russ. has slavlyu. Qu. the root of Gr. κλειω.]

1. To praise; to extol to commend; to give praise to; to make famous; as, to celebrate the name of the Most High. The grave cannot celebrate thee. Is. xxxviii.
2. To distinguish by solemn rites; to keep holy. From even to even shall ye celebrate your sabbath. – Lev. xxiii.
3. To honor or distinguish by ceremonies and marks of joy and respect; as, to celebrate the birth-day of Washington; to celebrate a marriage.
4. To mention in a solemn manner, whether of joy or sorrow. – Johnson.

CEL'E-BRA-TED, pp.

Praised; extolled; honored.

CEL'E-BRA-TING, ppr.

Praising; honoring.

CEL-E-BRA'TION, n.

1. Solemn performance; a distinguishing by solemn rites; as, the celebration of a marriage, or of a religious festival.
2. A distinguishing by ceremonies, or by marks of joy or respect; as the celebration of a birth-day, or other anniversary.
3. Praise; renown; honor or distinction bestowed, whether by songs, eulogies, or rites and ceremonies. – Clarendon.

CEL'E-BRA-TOR, n.

One who celebrates. – Boyle.

CE-LE'BRI-OUS, a.

Famous; renowned. [Little used.] – Grew.

CE-LE'BRI-OUS-LY, adv.

With praise or renown. [Little used.]

CE-LE'BRI-OUS-NESS, n.

Fame; renown. [Little used.]

CE-LEB'RI-TY, n. [L. celebritas.]

1. Fame; renown; the distinction or honor publicly bestowed on a nation or person, on character or exploits; the distinction bestowed on whatever is great or remarkable, and manifested by praises or eulogies; as, the celebrity of the duke of Wellington; the celebrity of Homer, or of the Iliad. England acquired celebrity from the triumphs of Marlborough. – T. Dawes.
2. Public and splendid transaction; as, the celebrity of a marriage. In this sense, as used by Bacon, we now use celebration.

CEL'E-RI, n.

See CELERY.

CE-LE'RI-AC, n.

A variety of celery, called also the turnep-rooted celery. [See Celery.]

CE-LER'I-TY, n. [L. celeritas; Fr. celerité; Sp. celeridad; It. celerità, from L. celer, swift; Oriental קל, swift, light; Gr. κελλω.]

1. Rapidity in motion; swiftness; speed; applied most generally to bodies moving on or near the earth; as, the celerity of a horse or of a fowl. We speak of the velocity of sound or of light, or of a planet in its orbit. This distinction however is not general, nor can the different uses of the two words be precisely defined. We apply celerity rather than velocity to thought; but there seems to be no reason, except usage, why the two words should not be synonymous.
2. An affection of motion by which a movable body runs through a given space in a given time. – Encyc.

CEL'E-RY, n. [Fr. celeri; D. seldery; G. selleri; Gr. σελινον.]

A plant, a species of Apium, cultivated for the table.

CE-LES'TIAL, a. [L. cœlestis, from cœlum, cælum, heaven.]

1. Heavenly; belonging or relating to heaven; dwelling in heaven; as, celestial spirits; celestial joys. Hence the word conveys the idea of superior excellence, delight, purity, &c. – Dryden.
2. Belonging to the upper regions, or visible heaven; as, celestial signs; the celestial globe.
3. Descending from heaven; as, a suit of celestial armor. – Pope.

CE-LES'TIAL, n.

An inhabitant of heaven. – Pope.

CE-LES'TIAL-IZE, v.t.

To make celestial.

CE-LES'TIAL-IZ-ED, pp.

Made celestial. – Qu. Rev.

CE-LES'TIAL-LY, adv.

In a heavenly or transporting manner.