Chapter 243

To catch at , to attempt to seize; to be egger to get or use. "[To] catch at all opportunities of subverting the state." Addison . -- To catch up with , to come up with; to overtake.

Catch <Xpage=225>

Catch , n. 1. Act of seizing; a grasp.

Sir P. Sidney.

2. That by which anything is caught or temporarily fastened; as, the catch of a gate .

3. The posture of seizing; a state of preparation to lay hold of, or of watching he opportunity to seize; as, to lie on the catch . [Archaic]

Addison.

The common and the canon law . . . lie at catch , and wait advantages one againt another. T. Fuller.

4. That which is caught or taken; profit; gain; especially, the whole quantity caught or taken at one time; as, a good catch of fish .

Hector shall have a great catch if he knock out either of your brains. Shak.

5. Something desirable to be caught, esp. a husband or wife in matrimony. [Colloq.]

Marryat.

6. pl. Passing opportunities seized; snatches.

It has been writ by catches with many intervals. Locke.

7. A slight remembrance; a trace.

We retain a catch of those pretty stories. Glanvill.

8. (Mus.) A humorous canon or round, so contrived that the singers catch up each other's words.

Catchable <Xpage=225>

Catch"a*ble (?) , a. Capable of being caught. [R.]

Catch-basin <Xpage=225>

Catch"-ba`sin (?) , n. A cistern or vault at the point where a street gutter discharges into a sewer, to oatch bulky matters which would not pass readly throught the sewer.

Knight.

Catchdrain <Xpage=225>

Catch"drain` (?) , n. A dich or drain along the side of a hill to catch the surface water; also, a ditch at the side of a canal to catch the surplus water.

Catcher <Xpage=225>

Catch"er (?) , n. 1. One who, or that which, catches.

2. (Baseball) The player who stands behind the batsman to catch the ball.

Catchfly <Xpage=225>

Catch"fly (?) , n. (Bot.) A plant with the joints of the stem, and sometimes other parts, covered with a viscid secretion to which small insects adhere. The species of Silene are examples of the catchfly.

Catching <Xpage=225>

Catch"ing a. 1. Infections; contagious.

2. Captavating; alluring.

Catching <Xpage=225>

Catch"ing , n. The act of seizing or taking hold of

Catching bargain (Law) , a bargain made with an heir expectant for the purchase of his expectancy at an inadequate price.

Bouvier.

Catch-meadow <Xpage=225>

Catch"-mead`ow (?) , n. meadow irrigated by water from a spring or rivulet on the side of hill.

Catchment <Xpage=225>

Catch"ment (?) , n. A surface of ground on which water may be caught and collected into a reservoir.

Catchpenny <Xpage=225>

Catch"pen*ny (?) , a. Made or contrived for getting small sums of money from the ignorant or unwary; as, a catchpenny book; a catchpenny show. -- n. Some worthless catchpenny thing.

Catchpoll <Xpage=225>

Catch"poll` (?) , n. [OF. chacepol , chacipol .] A bailiff's assistant.

Catchup, Catsup <Xpage=225>

Catch"up (?) , Cat"sup (?) , n. [Probably of East Indian origin, because it was originally a kind of East Indian pickles.] A table sauce made from mushrooms, tomatoes, walnuts, etc. [Written also ketchup .]

Catchwater <Xpage=225>

Catch"wa`ter (?) , n. A ditch or drain for catching water. See Catchdrain .

Catchweed <Xpage=225>

Catch"weed` (?) , n. (Bot.) See Cleavers .

Catchweight <Xpage=225>

Catch"weight` (?) , adv. (Horseracing) Without any additional weight; without being handicapped; as, to ride catchweight .

Catchword <Xpage=225>

Catch"word` (?) , n. 1. Among theatrical performers, the last word of the preceding speaker, which reminds one that he is to speak next; cue.

2. (Print.) The first word of any page of a book after the first, inserted at the right hand bottom corner of the preceding page for the assistance of the reader. It is seldom used in modern printing.

3. A word or phrase caught up and repeated for effect; as, the catchword of a political party, etc.

Catchwork <Xpage=225>

Catch"work` (?) , n. A work or artificial watercourse for throwing water on lands that lie on the slopes of hills; a catchdrain.

Cate <Xpage=225>

Cate (?) , n. Food. [Obs.] See Cates .

Catechetic, Catechetical <Xpage=225>

Cat`e*chet"ic (?) , Cat`e*chet"ic*al (?) , a. [Gr. <?/. See Catechise .] Relating to or consisting in, asking questions and receiving answers, according to the ancient manner of teaching.

Socrates introduced a catechetical method of arguing. Addison.

Catechetically <Xpage=225>

Cat`e*chet"ic*al*ly , adv. In a catechetical manner; by question and answer.

Catechetics <Xpage=225>

Cat`e*chet"ics (?) , n. The science or practice of instructing by questions and answers.

Catechin <Xpage=225>

Cat"e*chin (?) , n. (Chem.) One of the tannic acids, extracted from catechu as a white, crystaline substance; -- called also catechuic acid , and catechuin .

Catechisation <Xpage=225>

Cat`e*chi*sa"tion (?) , n. [LL. catechizatio .] The act of catechising.

Catechise <Xpage=225>

Cat"e*chise (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Catechised (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Catechising .] [L. catechizare , Gr. <?/, equiv. to <?/ to resound, sound a thing into one's ears, impress it upon one by word of mouth; <?/ + <?/ to sound, <?/ a sound.]

1. To instruct by asking questions, receiving answeres, and offering explanations and corrections, -- esp. in regard to points of religious faith.

2. To question or interrogate; to examine or try by questions; -- sometimes with a view to reproof, by eliciting from a person answers which condemn his own conduct.

Swift.

<page="227"> Page 227

Catechiser <Xpage=227>

Cat"e*chi`ser (?) , n. One who catechises.

Catechism <Xpage=227>

Cat"e*chism (?) , n. [L. catechismus , fr. Gr. See Catechise .] 1. A form of instruction by means of questions answers.

2. A book containing a summary of principles, especially of religious doctrine, reduced to the form of questions and answers.

The Jews, even till this day, have their catechisms . Hooker.

The Larger Catechism , The Shorter Catechism . See Westminster Assembly , under Assembly .

Catechismal <Xpage=227>

Cat`e*chis"mal (?) , a. Of or pertaining to a catechism, having the form of questions and answers; catechical.

Catechist <Xpage=227>

Cat"e*chist (?) , n. [L. catechista , fr. Gr.] One who instructs by question and answer, especially in religions matters.

Catechistic, Catechistical <Xpage=227>

Cat`e*chis"tic (?) , Cat`e*chis"tic*al (?) , a. Of or pertaining to a catechist or to a catechism.

Dr. H. More.

Catechize <Xpage=227>

Cat"e*chize , v. t. See Catechise .

Catechu <Xpage=227>

Cat"e*chu (?) , n. [See Cashoo .] (Chem.) A dry, brown, astringent extract, obtained by decoction and evaporation from the Acacia catechu , and several other plants growing in India. It contains a large portion of tannin or tannic acid, and is used in medicine and in the arts. It is also known by the names terra japonica , cutch , gambier , etc.

Ure. Dunglison.

Catechuic <Xpage=227>

Cat`e*chu"ic (?) , a. Of or pertaining to catechu or its derivatives. See catechin .

Catechumen <Xpage=227>

Cat"e*chu`men (?) , n. [ L. catechunenus, Gr. <?/ instructed, from <?/. See Catechise .] (Eccl.) One who is receiving rudimentary instruction in the doctrines of Christianity; a neophyte; in the primitive church, one officially recognized as a Christian, and admitted to instruction preliminary to admission to full membership in the church.

Catechumenate <Xpage=227>

Cat`e*chu"men*ate (?) , n. The state or condition of a catechumen or the time during which one is a catechumen.

Catechumenical <Xpage=227>

Cat`e*chu*men"i*cal (?) , a. Of or pertaining to catechumens; as, catechumenical instructions .

Catechumenist <Xpage=227>

Cat`e*chu"men*ist , n. A catechumen.

Bp. Morton.

Categorematic <Xpage=227>

Cat`e*gor`e*mat"ic (?) , a. [Gr. <?/ predicate. See Category .] (Logic.) Capable of being employed by itself as a term; -- said of a word.

Categorical <Xpage=227>

Cat`e*gor"ic*al (?) , a. 1. Of or pertaining to a category.

2. Not hypothetical or relative; admitting no conditions or exceptions; declarative; absolute; positive; express; as, a categorical proposition, or answer .

The scriptures by a multitude of categorical and intelligible decisions . . . distinguish between the things seen and temporal and those that are unseen and eternal.

I. Taylor.

Categorically <Xpage=227>

Cat`e*gor"ic*al*ly , adv. Absolutely; directly; expressly; positively; as, to affirm categorically .

Categoricalness <Xpage=227>

Cat`e*gor"ic*al*ness , n. The quality of being categorical, positive, or absolute.

A. Marvell.

Categorist <Xpage=227>

Cat"e*go*rist (?) , n. One who inserts in a category or list; one who classifies.

Emerson.

Categorize <Xpage=227>

Cat"e*go*rize (?) , v. t. To insert in a category or list; to class; to catalogue.

Category <Xpage=227>

Cat"e*go*ry (?) , n. ; pl. Categories (#) [L. categoria , Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ to accuse, affirm, predicate; <?/ down, against + <?/ to harrangue, assert, fr. <?/ assembly.] 1. (Logic.) One of the highest classes to which the objects of knowledge or thought can be reduced, and by which they can be arranged in a system; an ultimate or undecomposable conception; a predicament.

The categories or predicaments -- the former a Greek word, the latter its literal translation in the Latin language -- were intended by Aristotle and his followers as an enumeration of all things capable of being named; an enumeration by the summa genera i.e., the most extensive classes into which things could be distributed. J. S. Mill.

2. Class; also, state, condition, or predicament; as, we are both in the same category .

There is in modern literature a whole class of writers standing within the same category . De Quincey.

Catel <Xpage=227>

Cat"el (?) , n. [See Chattel .] Property; -- often used by Chaucer in contrast with rent , or income .

" For loss of catel may recovered be, But loss of tyme shendeth us," quod he. Chaucer.

Catelectrode <Xpage=227>

Cat`e*lec"trode (?) , n. [Pref. cata + elecrode .] (Physics) The negative electrode or pole of a voltaic battery.

Faraday.

Catelectrotonic <Xpage=227>

Cat`e*lec`tro*ton"ic (?) , a. (Physics) Relating to, or characterized by, catelectrotonus.

Catelectrotonus <Xpage=227>

Cat`e*lec*trot"o*nus (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ down + <?/ (see Electro- ) + <?/ tone.] (Physics) The condition of increased irritability of a nerve in the region of the cathode or negative electrode, on the passage of a current of electricity through it.

Catena <Xpage=227>

Ca*te"na (?) , n. ; pl. Catene (#) . [L., a chain.] A chain or series of things connected with each other.

I have . . . in no case sought to construct those caten\'91 of games, which it seems now the fashion of commentators to link together. C. J. Ellicott.

Catenary, Catenarian <Xpage=227>

Cat"e*na*ry (?) , Cat`e*na"ri*an (?) , a. [L. catenarius , fr. catena a chain. See Chain .] Relating to a chain; like a chain; as, a catenary curve .

Catenary <Xpage=227>

Cat"e*na*ry , n. ; pl. Catenaries (<?/) . (Geol.) The curve formed by a rope or chain of uniform density and perfect flexibility, hanging freely between two points of suspension, not in the same vertical line.

Catenate <Xpage=227>

Cat"e*nate (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Catenated ; p. pr. & vb. n. Catenating .] [L. catenatus , p. p. of catenare , fr. catena chain. See Chain .] To connect, in a series of links or ties; to chain.

E. Darwin.

Catenation <Xpage=227>

Cat`e*na"tion (?) , n. [L. catenatio .] Connection of links or union of parts, as in a chain; a regular or connected series. See Concatenation .

Sir T. Browne.

Catenulate <Xpage=227>

Ca*ten"u*late (?) , a. [L. catenuia , dim. of catena chain.] 1. Consisting of little links or chains.

2. (Zo\'94l.) Chainlike; -- said both or color marks and of indentations when arranged like the links of a chain, as on shells, etc.

Cater <Xpage=227>

Ca"ter (?) , n. [OE. catour purchaser, caterer, OF. acator , fr. acater , F. acheter , to buy, provide, fr. LL. accaptare ; L. ad + captare to strive, to seize, intens, of capere to take, seize. Cf. Acater , Capacious .] A provider; a purveyor; a caterer. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Cater <Xpage=227>

Ca"ter , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Catered (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Catering .] [From Cater , n. ] 1. To provide food; to buy, procure, or prepare provisions.

[He] providently caters for the sparrow. Shak.

2. By extension: To supply what is needed or desired, at theatrical or musical entertainments; -- followed by for or to .

Cater <Xpage=227>

Ca"ter , n. [F. quatre four.] The four of cards or dice.

Cater <Xpage=227>

Ca"ter , v. t. To cut diagonally. [Obs.]

Halliwell.

Cateran <Xpage=227>

Cat"e*ran (?) , n. [Gael. ceatharnach . Cf. Kern Irish foot soldier.] A Highland robber: a kind of irregular soldier. [Scot.]

Sir W. Scott.

Cater-cornered <Xpage=227>

Ca"ter-cor"nered (?) , a. [Cf. Cater to cut diagonally.] Diagonal. [Colloq.]

Cater-cousin <Xpage=227>

Ca"ter-cous`in (?) , n. A remote relation. See Quater-cousin .

Shak.

Caterer <Xpage=227>

Ca"ter*er (?) , n. One who caters.

The little fowls in the air have God for Their provider and caterer . Shelton.

Cateress <Xpage=227>

Ca"ter*ess , n. A woman who caters.

Milton.

Caterpillar <Xpage=227>

Cat"er*pil`lar (?) , n. [OE. catyrpel , corrupted fr. OF. chatepelouse , or cate pelue , fr. chate , F. chatte , she-cat, fem. of chat , L. catus + L. pilosus hairy, or F. pelu hairy, fr. L. pilus hair. See Cat , and Pile hair.] 1. (Zo\'94l.) The larval state of a butterfly or any lepidopterous insect; sometimes, but less commonly, the larval state of other insects, as the sawflies, which are also called false caterpillars. The true caterpillars have three pairs of true legs, and several pairs of abdominal fleshy legs (prolegs) armed with hooks. Some are hairy, others naked. They usually feed on leaves, fruit, and succulent vegetables, being often very destructive, Many of them are popularly called worms, as the cutworm, cankerworm, army worm, cotton worm, silkworm.

2. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Scorpiurus , with pods resembling caterpillars.

Caterpillar catcher , &or; Caterpillar eater (Zo\'94l.) , a bird belonging to the family of Shrikes, which feeds on caterpillars. The name is also given to several other birds. -- Caterpillar hunter (Zo\'94l.) , any species of beetles of the genus Callosoma and other allied genera of the family Carabid\'91 which feed habitually upon caterpillars.

Caterwaul <Xpage=227>

Cat"er*waul (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Caterwauled (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Caterwauling .] [ Cat + waul , wawl , to cry as a cat.] To cry as cats in rutting time; to make a harsh, offensive noise.

Coleridge.

Caterwaul <Xpage=227>

Cat"er*waul , n. A caterwauling.

Caterwauling <Xpage=227>

Cat"er*waul`ing , n. The cry of cats; a harsh, disagreeable noise or cry like the cry of cats.

Shak.

Catery <Xpage=227>

Ca"ter*y (?) , n. [See Cater , n. ] The place where provisions are deposited. [Obs.]

Cates <Xpage=227>

Cates (?) , n. pl. [Cf. Acates , and see Cater , n. ] Provisions; food; viands; especially, luxurious food; delicacies; dainties.

Shak.

Cates for which Apicius could not pay. Shurchill.

Choicest cates and the fiagon's best spilth. R. Browning.

Cat-eyed <Xpage=227>

Cat"-eyed` (?) , a. Having eyes like a cat; hence, able to see in the dark.

Catfall <Xpage=227>

Cat"fall` (?) , n. (Naut.) A rope used in hoisting the anchor to the cathead.

Totten.

Catfish <Xpage=227>

Cat"fish` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A name given in the United States to various species of siluroid fishes; as, the yellow cat ( Amiurus natalis ); the bind cat ( Gronias nigrilabrus ); the mud cat ( Pilodictic oilwaris ), the stone cat ( Noturus flavus ); the sea cat ( Arius felis ), etc. This name is also sometimes applied to the wolf fish . See Bullhrad .

Catgut <Xpage=227>

Cat"gut` (?) , n. [ Cat + gut .] 1. A cord of great toughness made from the intestines of animals, esp. of sheep, used for strings of musical instruments, etc.

2. A sort of linen or canvas, with wide interstices.

Catharine wheel <Xpage=227>

Cath"a*rine wheel` (?) . See catherine wheel .

Catharist <Xpage=227>

Cath"a*rist (?) , n. [LL. catharista , fr. Gr. <?/ clean, pure.] One aiming at or pretending to a greater purity of like than others about him; -- applied to persons of various sects. See Albigenses .

Cat-harpin <Xpage=227>

Cat"-harp`in (?) , n. See Cat-harping .

Cat-harping <Xpage=227>

Cat"-harp`ing n. (Naut.) One of the short ropes or iron cramps used to brace in the shrouds toward the masts so a to give freer sweep to the yards.

Catharsis <Xpage=227>