Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CHOR-E-PIS'CO-PAL, a. [Gr. χωρος, place, and επισκοπος, bishop.]

Pertaining to the power of a suffragan or local bishop. – Fell.

CHO-RE'US, n. [Gr. χορειος.]

In ancient poetry, a foot of two syllables, the first long and the second short; the trochee.

CHOR'I-AMB, or CHOR-I-AM'BUS, n. [Gr. χορειος, a trochee, and ιαμβος, iambus.]

In ancient poetry, a foot consisting of four syllables, of which the first and last are long, and the others short; that is, a choreus or trochee and an iambus united; as, nobilitas, anxietas. – Encyc.

CHOR-I-AM'BIC, a.

Pertaining to a choriamb. – Mason.

CHOR-I-AM'BIC, n.

A choriamb.

CHOR'I-ON, n. [Gr. χοριον or χωριον; the latter seems to be allied to χωρεω, to hold, or contain.]

In anatomy, the exterior membrane which invests the fetus in utero.

CHO'RIST, n. [Fr. choriste.]

A singing man in a choir.

CHOR'IST-ER, n. [from chorus, choir.]

1. Literally, a singer; one of a choir; a singer in a concert. – Dryden.
2. One who leads a choir in church music. This is the sense in the United States.

CHO-ROG'RA-PHER, n. [See Chorography.]

A person who describes a particular region or country; or one who forms a map or maps of particular regions or countries. – Encyc.

CHO'RO-GRAPH'IC-AL, a.

Pertaining to chorography; descriptive of particular regions or countries; laying down or marking the bounds of particular countries. – Encyc.

CHO'RO-GRAPH'IC-AL-LY, adv.

In a chorographical manner; in a manner descriptive of particular regions.

CHO-ROG'RA-PHY, n. [Gr. χωρος, a place or region, and γραφω, to describe.]

The art or practice of making a map of a particular region, country, or province; or of marking its limits, bounds or position. Chorography differs from geography, as the description of a particular country differs from that of the whole earth; and from topography, as the description of a country differs from that of a town, city or district. – Encyc.

CHO'ROID, n. [Gr. χοριον, a particular membrane, and ειδος, likeness.]

In anatomy, a term applied to several parts of the body that resemble the chorion; as the inner membrane investing the brain, or the pia mater; the second coat of the eye; the fold of the carotid artery in the brain, in which is the pineal gland. – Coxe. Encyc.

CHO'RUS, n. [L. chorus; Gr. χορος; Sax. chor; Fr. chœur; D. choor or koor; Sp. and It. coro; Ir. cora; W. côr. In Welsh, the word signifies a round or circle, a choir. If the primary sense is a circle, or a company, the word may be referred to the Ar. كَارَ kaura, to go round, to collect, to bind; or to كَرَّ karra, to return, to repeat. Class Gr, No. 32, 34. If the radical sense is to sing or shout, it may be allied to Gr. χαιρω. The former is most probable.]

1. A number of singers; a company of persons singing in concert. – Dryden. Pope. Addison.
2. The persons who are supposed to behold what passes in the acts of a tragedy, and sing their sentiments between the acts. – Shak. Johnson.
3. The song between the acts of a tragedy. – Johnson.
4. Verses of a song in which the company join the singer; or the union of a company with a singer, in repeating certain couplets or verses, at certain periods in a song. – Johnson. Encyc.
5. A musical composition of two or more parts.
6. Among the Greeks, a chorus consisted of a number of singers and dancers.

CHOSE, n. [Fr. chose; Sp. cosa, suit, cause, thing; It. cosa; Port. cousa; L. causa. See Cause. The primary sense is, action, urging, prosecution. See Thing and Cause.]

In law, property in action; a right to possession; or that which may be demanded and recovered by suit or action at law. Thus, money due on a bond or note is a chose in action; a recompense for damage done is a chose in action; the former proceeding from an express, the latter from an implied contract. A contract executed is a chose in possession; a contract executory conveys only a chose in action. A chose local is annexed to a place, as a mill or the like; a chose transitory is a thing which is movable. – Blackstone. Encyc.

CHOSE, v. [s as z. pret. and pp. of Choose.]

CHOS'EN, pp. [cho'zn.]

1. Selected from a number; picked out; taken in preference; elected; predestinated; designated to office.
2. adj. Select; distinguished by preference; eminent. His chosen captains are drowned in the sea. Ex. xv. Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood. 1 Pet ii.

CHOUGH, n. [chuff. Fr. choucas; Ir. cag; Sax. ceo or ceogh. This word may be the same as jack, in jackdaw. It appears to be a Cornish word.]

The Cornish chough is a fowl of the genus Corvus, nearly of the size of the crow, and mischievous, like the magpie. It is black, except the bill, legs and feet, which are red. It is a native of the west of England. – Dict. of Nat. Hist. Chough is also applied to the jackdaw. – Cyc.

CHOULE, n.

See JOWL.

CHOUSE, n.

1. One who is easily cheated; a tool; a simpleton.
2. A trick; sham; imposition. – Johnson.

CHOUSE, v.t. [This word may be from the root of cozen, Arm. couçzein, or concheza. Ar. خَاسَ gausa, to deceive or defraud; Eth. ሐሰወ chasawa, to lie, deceive or cheat.]

To cheat, trick, defraud; followed by of, in Hudibras; but in America, by out of; as, to chouse one out of his money. [It is now vulgar.] – Dryden. Swift.

CHOUS'ED, pp.

Cheated; defrauded; imposed on.

CHOUS'ING, ppr.

Cheating; imposing on.

CHOW'DER, n.

In New England, a dish of fish boiled with biscuit, &c. In Spanish, chode is a paste made of milk, eggs, sugar and flour. In the west of England, chowder-beer is a liquor made by boiling black spruce in water and mixing with it melasses.

CHOW'DER, v.t.

To make a chowder.