Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CHIRP'ING, n.

The noise of certain small birds and insects.

CHIRP'ING, ppr.

Making the noise of certain small birds.

CHIRP'ING-LY, adv.

In a chirping manner.

CHI-RUR'GEON, n. [Gr. χειρουργος, one who operates with the hand, χειρ, the hand, and εργος, work; L. chirurgus; Fr. chirurgien; Sp. cirujano; Port. surgiam, or cirurgiam; It. chirurgo; Arm. surgyan.]

A surgeon; one whose profession is to heal diseases by manual operations, instruments or external applications. [This ill-sounding word is obsolete, and it now appears in the form of surgeon – which see.]

CHI-RUR'GE-RY, n. [Gr. χειρουργια. See Chirurgeon.]

That part of the medical art which consists in healing diseases and wounds by instruments and external applications; now written surgery.

CHI-RUR'GIC, or CHI-RUR'GIC-AL, a.

1. Pertaining to surgery, or to the art of healing diseases and wounds by manual operations, instruments or external applications.
2. Having qualities useful in external applications, for healing diseases or injuries. It is now written surgical.

CHIS'EL, n. [s as z. Fr. ciseau, a chisel; ciseler, to engrave; Arm. gisell; Sp. cincel; Heb. גוז, Ch. גוס, or גזא, or Ar. حَزَّ chazza, to cut, hew, carve. See Class Gs.]

An instrument of iron or steel, used in carpentry, joinery, cabinet work, masonry, sculpture, &c., either for paring, hewing or gouging. Chisels are of different sizes and shapes, fitted for particular uses.

CHIS'EL, v.t.

To cut, pare, gouge, or engrave with a chisel.

CHIS'ELED, pp.

Cut or engraved with a chisel.

CHIS'EL-ING, ppr.

Cutting with a chisel.

CHIS'LEU, n. [Heb. כסלו, from the Ar. كَسِلَ kasila, to be torpid or cold.]

The ninth month of the Jewish year, answering to a part of November and a part of December, in the modern division of the year.

CHIT, n. [Sax. cith, a shoot or twig, from thrusting out.]

1. A shoot or sprout; the first shooting or germination of a seed or plant. Hence,
2. A child or babe, in familiar language.
3. A freckle; that is, a push.

CHIT, v.i.

To sprout; to shoot, as a seed or plant.

CHIT'-CHAT, n. [See Chat, Chatter.]

Prattle; familiar or trifling talk.

CHIT'TER-LING, n.

The frill to the breast of a shirt. – Gascoigne.

CHIT'TER-LINGS, n. [plur. G. kuttel, probably from the root of gut.]

The guts or bowels; sausages. – Johnson. Bailey.

CHIT'TY, a.

1. Childish; like a babe. – Johnson.
2. Full of chits or warts.

CHIV'AL-RIC, a.

Partaking of the character of chivalry.

CHIV'AL-ROUS, a. [See Chivalry.]

Pertaining to chivalry, or knight errantry; warlike; bold; gallant. – Spenser.

CHIV'AL-ROUS-LY, adv.

In a chivalrous manner; boldly; gallantly. – Benjamin.

CHIV'AL-RY, n. [Fr. chevalerie, from chevalier, a knight or horseman, from cheval, a horse; Sp. caballeria; It. cavalleria. See Cavalry.]

1. Knighthood; a military dignity, founded on the service of soldiers on horseback, called knights; a service formerly deemed more honorable than service in infantry. – Bacon.
2. The qualifications of a knight, as valor and dexterity in arms. – Shak.
3. The system of knighthood; the privileges, characteristics or manners of knights; the practice of knight-errantry, or the heroic defense of life and honor. – Dryden.
4. An adventure or exploit, as of a knight. – Sidney.
5. The body or order of knights. – Shak.
6. In English law, a tenure of lands by knight's service; that is, by the condition of performing service on horseback, or of performing some noble or military service to his lord. This was general or special; general, when the tenant held per servitium militare, without specification of the particular service; special, when the particular service was designated. When the tenant held only of the king, the tenure was regal; when he held of a common person, it was called common. This service was also grand sergeantry, as when the tenant was bound to perform service to the king in his own person; and petit sergeantry, when he was bound to yield to the king annually some small thing, as a sword or dagger. Chivalry that might be held of a common person, was called escuage, scutagium, or shield service. – Blackstone. Court of Chivalry, a court formerly held before the Lord High Constable and Earl Marshal of England, having cognizance of contracts and other matters relating to deeds of arms and war. It had jurisdiction both of civil and criminal causes, but no power to enforce its decisions by fine or imprisonment, not being a court of record. It is now nearly extinct. Blackstone.

CHIVE, n.

See Cive.

CHIVES, n. [plur.]

In botany, slender threads or filaments in the blossoms of plants. [See Stamen.]

CHLAM'Y-PHORE, n. [Gr. χλαμυς and φερω.]

A small armadillo, covered by a coat of mail, like a cloke.

CHLA-MYPH'O-RUS, n. [Gr. χλαμυς, a cloke, and φερω, to bear.]

A small quadruped found in Chili, and related to the armadillo. – Harlan.