Emily Dickinson Lexicon

certificate, n. [Fr. certificat or med. L. certificatum, thing certified.] (webplay: hand).

Document; piece of paper; official record of an an event; [fig.] confirmation; proof; validation; something that shows evidence.

certify (certified, -ing), v. [Fr.; see certain.] (webplay: certain, hand, known).

1. Attest; endorse; confirm as trustworthy.
2. Prove; record; document; provide evidence.

certifying, verbal noun. [see certify, v.]

Proof; validation; evidence of worthiness.

chafe (chafing, -s), v. [ME chaufe-n < L. calefacere, to heat, make warm.] (webplay: perfume, worn).

1. Rub; stroke; knead; massage; try to make warm by touching repeatedly.
2. Irritate; fret against; move actively against; [fig] erode; carve out.
3. Scratch; push against; try to open; attempt to remove.

chaff, n. [OE ceaf, related to OHG cheva, husk, pod.] (webplay: food, matter).

Husk; hull; dray outer covering; shuck which encloses wheat kernels; light-weight bits that separate from wheat at the time of threshing; [fig.] worthless substance; trivial matter.

chagrin, n. [Fr. chagrin, rough skin; displeasure, ill-humor; gnawing trouble.]

1. Rue; regret; remorse; compunction.
2. Anxiety; disconcertion; vexation; self-conscious distress.
3. Embarrassment; social discomfort; public loss of face.

chain, n. [ME chayne < L. catena, chain.]

Manacle; cuff; shackle; restraint; implement of bondage; [fig.] restricted sphere of influence.

chair, n. [ME chaere < L. cathedra, seat.] (webplay: seat).

1. Seat; sitting piece; furniture for one person to sit down.
2. Attitude; position; posture; situation.
3. Phrase. “Rocking Chair”: seat that moves back and forth with the steady movement of the person sitting.

chalk, v. [OE cealc < L. calc-em, calx, lime.]

Draw; depict; make a picture of; [fig.] map; lay out.

challenge (-d, challenging), v. [ME kalange-n < late L. calumniari, accuse falsely.]

1. Face; confront; deal with.
2. Address; call upon; engage to compete; invite to a contest.