Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CAR, n. [W. car; Ir. carr, carra, or cairt; Arm. qarr; D. and G. karre; Sw. kärra; Dan. karre; Sp. It. and Port. carro; L. carrus, or currus; Fr. char, whence chariot; Sax. cræt, a cart. The sense is probably taken from running on wheels. See Current.]

1. A small vehicle moved on wheels, usually drawn by one horse. – Johnson.
2. In poetical language, any vehicle of dignity or splendor; a chariot of war, or of triumph. – Milton. Prior.
3. The constellation called Charles's wain or the Bear. – Dryden.
4. A carriage for running on rails, in a railroad.

CAR'A-BINE, or CAR'BINE, n. [Fr. carabine; Sp. carabina; It. id.]

A short gun or fire-arm, carrying a ball of 24 to the pound, borne by light horsemen, and hanging by a belt over the left shoulder. The barrel is two feet and a half long, and sometimes furrowed.

CAR-A-BIN-EER', n.

A man who carries a carabine; one who carries a longer carabine than others, which is sometimes used on foot. – Encyc.

CAR'AC, n. [Port. carraca; Fr. caraque; Sp. carraca; allied to It. carico, a burden, cargo.]

A large ship of burden; a Portuguese Indiaman.

CAR'A-COL, n. [Fr. caracole, a wheeling about; Sp. caracol, a small cone, a winding staircase, a snail; It. caracollo, a wheeling.]

1. In the manege, a semi-round, or half turn which a horseman makes, either to the right or left. In the army, the cavalry make a caracol after each discharge, in order to pass to the rear of the squadron. – Encyc.
2. In architecture, a staircase in a helix or spiral form. – Encyc.

CAR'A-COL, v.i.

To move in a caracol; to wheel.

CAR'A-COL-ING, ppr.

Moving in a caracol.

CAR'A-COL-Y, n.

A mixture of gold, silver and copper, of which are made rings, pendants and other toys for the savages.

CAR'AT, n. [It. carato; Fr. carat; D. karaat; G. karat; Gr. κερατιον, a little horn, a pod, and the berry of a pod, used for a weight of four grains. From the Greeks it is said the Arabians borrowed their قرط karat, a weight used in Mecca, equal to the twenty-fourth of a denarius, or denier. See Castel, Col. 3448, and Ludolf, 199.]

1. The weight of four grains, used by goldsmiths and jewelers in weighing precious stones and pearls. – Encyc.
2. The weight that expresses the fineness of gold. The whole mass of gold is divided into 24 equal parts, and as many 24th parts as it contains of pure gold, it is called gold of so many carats. Thus gold of twenty-two parts of pure metal, is gold of twenty-two carats. The carat in Great Britain is divided into four grains; among the Germans into twelve parts; and among the French into thirty-two. – Encyc.
3. The value of any thing. [Obs.] – B. Jonson.

CAR'A-VAN, n. [Ar. قَيْرَوَانٌ kairawan, from قَرَا karau, to stretch along, to follow, to proceed from place to place. Sp. caravana; Fr. caravane. Pers. as Ar.]

A company of travelers, pilgrims or merchants, marching or proceeding in a body over the deserts of Arabia, or other region infested with robbers.

CAR-A-VAN'SA-RY, n.

A place appointed for receiving and loading caravans; a kind of inn, where the caravans rest at night, being a large square building, with a spacious court in the middle. – Encyc.

CAR'A-VEL, or CAR'VEL, n. [Sp. caravela; It. caravello; Fr. caravelle.]

1. A small vessel on the coast of France, used in the herring fishery. These vessels are usually from 25 to 30 tons burden.
2. A light, round, old-fashioned ship. – Johnson.

CAR'A-WAY, n. [Gr. καρος, καρον; L. caros, careum; Fr. carvi; Sp. alcaravea or alcarahueya; D. kerwe; Ar. كَرَوِيَا karawaia.]

A plant of the genus Carum; a biennial plant, with a taper root like a parsnep, which, when young, is good eating. The seeds have an aromatic smell and a warm pungent taste. They are used in cakes, incrusted with sugar, and distilled with spirituous liquors. – Encyc.

CAR'BON, n. [L. carbo, a coal; Sp. carbon; It. carbone; Fr. charbon. Qu. Gr. καρφω, to dry, or the root of char, Russ. charyu, to burn.]

Pure charcoal; a simple body, black, brittle, light and inodorous. It is usually the remains of some vegetable body, from which all its volatile matter has been expelled by heat. When crystalized, it forms the diamond; and by means of a galvanic apparatus, it is found to be capable of fusion. Carbon constitutes the principal element of vegetables. – Prout.

CAR-BON-A'CEOUS, a.

Pertaining to charcoal. [See Carbonic.]

CAR-BON-ADE', n. [From carbo, supra.]

In cookery, flesh, fowl, or the like, cut across, seasoned and broiled on coals. – Shak.

CAR-BON-ADE', v.t.

To cut or hack. – Shak.

CAR-BON-AD'ED, pp.

Cut for broiling or frying.

CAR-BON-AD'ING, ppr.

Cutting for broiling or frying.

CAR'BON-ATE, n.

In chimistry, a compound formed by the union of carbonic acid with a base; as, the carbonate of lime, carbonate of copper.

CAR'BON-A-TED, a.

Combined with carbonic acid.

CAR-BON'IC, a.

Pertaining to carbon, or obtained from it. The carbonic acid is a saturated combination of carbon and oxygen. It has been called fixed air, aerial acid, mephitic gas, and cretaceous acid, or acid of chalk. It is found, in some places, in a state of gas; it exists in the atmosphere, and is disengaged from fermenting liquors, and from decomposing vegetable and animal substances. It is heavier than common air, and subsides into low places, vaults and wells. – Hooper.

CAR-BON-IF'E-ROUS, a. [carbo and fero, to bear.]

Producing carbon, or coal. – Kirwan, Geol.

CAR-BON-I-ZA'TION, n.

The act or process of carbonizing.

CAR'BON-IZE, v.t.

To convert into carbon by combustion or the action of fire; to expel from wood or other substance, all volatile matter.