Chapter 25

Cer"tain (?), a. [F. certain, fr. (assumed) LL. certanus, fr. L. certus determined, fixed, certain, orig. p. p. of cernere to perceive, decide, determine; akin to Gr. &?; to decide, separate, and to E. concern, critic, crime, riddle a sieve, rinse, v.] 1. Assured in mind; having no doubts; free from suspicions concerning.

To make her certain of the sad event. Dryden.

I myself am certain of you. Wyclif.

2. Determined; resolved; -- used with an infinitive.

However, I with thee have fixed my lot, Certain to undergo like doom. Milton.

3. Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact.

The dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. Dan. ii. 45.

4. Actually existing; sure to happen; inevitable.

Virtue that directs our ways Through certain dangers to uncertain praise. Dryden.

Death, as the Psalmist saith, is certain to all. Shak.

5. Unfailing; infallible.

I have often wished that I knew as certain a remedy for any other distemper. Mead.

6. Fixed or stated; regular; determinate.

The people go out and gather a certain rate every day. Ex. xvi. 4.

7. Not specifically named; indeterminate; indefinite; one or some; -- sometimes used independenty as a noun, and meaning certain persons.

It came to pass when he was in a certain city. Luke. v. 12.

About everything he wrote there was a certain natural grace und decorum. Macaulay.

For certain, assuredly. -- Of a certain, certainly.

Syn. -- Bound; sure; true; undeniable; unquestionable; undoubted; plain; indubitable; indisputable; incontrovertible; unhesitating; undoubting; fixed; stated.

Cer"tain, n. 1. Certainty. [Obs.] Gower.

2. A certain number or quantity. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Cer"tain, adv. Certainly. [Obs.] Milton.

Cer"tain*ly, adv. Without doubt or question; unquestionably.

Cer"tain*ness, n. Certainty.

Cer"tain*ty (?), n.; pl. Certainties (#). [OF. certainetÚ.] 1. The quality, state, or condition, of being certain.

The certainty of punishment is the truest security against crimes. Fisher Ames.

2. A fact or truth unquestionable established.

Certainties are uninteresting and sating. Landor.

3. (Law) Clearness; freedom from ambiguity; lucidity.

Of a certainty, certainly.

Cer"tes (?), adv. [F. certes, for Ó certes, fr. L. certus. See Certain.] Certainly; in truth; verily. [Archaic]

Certes it great pity was to see Him his nobility so foul deface. Spenser.

Cer*tif"i*cate (?), n. [F. certificat, fr. LL. certificatus made certain, p. p. of certificare. See tify.] 1. A written testimony to the truth of any fact; as, certificate of good behavior.

2. A written declaration legally authenticated.

Trial by certificate, a trial which the testimony of the person certifying is the only proper criterion of the point in dispute; as, when the issue is whether a person was absent in the army, this is tried by the certificate of the proper officer in writing, under his seal. Blackstone.

Cer*tif"i*cate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Certificated; p. pr. & vb. n. Certificating.] [See Certify.]

1. To verify or vouch for by certificate.

2. To furnish with a certificate; as, to certificate the captain of a vessel; a certificated teacher.

Cer`ti*fi*ca"tion (?), n.[L. certificatio: cf. F. certification.] The act of certifying.

Cer"ti*fi`er (?), n. One who certifies or assures.

Cer"ti*fy (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Certified (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Certifying.] [F. certifier, LL. certificare; L. certus certain + facere to make. See Certain, and cf. Certificate, v. t.] 1. To give cetain information to; to assure; to make certain.

We certify the king, that . . . thou shalt have no portion on this side the river. Ezra iv. 16.

2. To give certain information of; to make certain, as a fact; to verify. Hammond.

The industry of science at once certifies and greatly extends our knowledge of the vastness of the creation. I. Taylor.

3. To testify to in writing; to make a declaration concerning, in writing, under hand, or hand and seal.

The judges shall certify their opinion to the chancellor, and upon such certificate the decree is usually founded. Blackstone.

Certified check, A bank check, the validity of which is certified by the bank on which it is drawn.

Cer`ti*o*ra"ri (?), n. [So named from the emphatic word certiorari in the Latin form of the writ, which read certiorar volumus we wish to be certified.] (Law) A writ issuing out of chancery, or a superior court, to call up the records of a inferior court, or remove a cause there depending, in order that the party may have more sure and speedy justice, or that errors and irregularities may be corrected. It is obtained upon complaint of a party that he has not received justice, or can not have an impartial trial in the inferior court.

&fist; A certiorari is the correct process to remove the proceedings of a court in which cases are tried in a manner different from the course of the common law, as of county commissioners. It is also used as an auxiliary process in order to obtain a full return to some other process. Bouvier.

Cer"ti*tude (?), n. [LL. certitudo, fr. L. certus: cf. F. certitude. See Certain.] Freedom from doubt; assurance; certainty. J. H. Newman.

Cer"ule (?), a. [L. caerulus, eguiv. to caeruleus.] Blue; cerulean. [Obs.] Dyer.

Ce*ru"le*an (?), a. [L. caeruleus.] Sky-colored; blue; azure. Cowper.

Blue, blue, as if that sky let fall

A flower from its cerulean wall. Bryant.

Ce*ru"le*ous (?), a. Cerulean. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

Cer`u*lif"ic (?), a. [L. caerulus dark blue + facere to make.] Producing a blue or sky color. [R.]

||Ce*ru"men (?), n. [NL., fr. L. cera wax.] (Physiol.) The yellow, waxlike secretion from the glands of the external ear; the earwax.

Ce*ru"mi*nous (?), a. (Physiol.) Pertaining to, or secreting, cerumen; as, the ceruminous glands.

Ce"ruse (?), n. [F. cÚruse, L. cerussa.] 1. White lead, used as a pigment. See White lead, under White.

2. A cosmetic containing white lead.

To distinguish ceruse from natural bloom. Macaulay.

3. (Min.) The native carbonate of lead.

Ce"rused (?), a. Washed with a preparation of white lead; as, cerused face. Beau. & Fl.

{ Ce"ru*site (?), Ce"rus*site (?), } n. (Min.) Native lead carbonate; a mineral occurring in colorless, white, or yellowish transparent crystals, with an adamantine, also massive and compact.

Cer"van*tite (?), n. [Named from Cervantes a town in Spain.] (Min.) See under Antimony.

Cer"ve*lat (?), n. [F.] (Mus.) An ancient wind instrument, resembling the bassoon in tone.

Cer"vi*cal, a. [L. cervix, -icis, neck: cf. F. cervical.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the neck; as, the cervical vertebrŠ.

Cer"vi*cide (?), n. [L. cervus deer + caedere to kill.] The act of killing deer; deer-slaying. [R.]

Cer"vine (?), a. [L. cervinus, fr. cervus deer: cf. F. cervin.] (Zo÷l.) Of or pertaining to the deer, or to the family CervidŠ.

||Cer"vix (?), n.; pl. E. Cervixes (#), L. Cervices (#). [L.] (Anat.) The neck; also, the necklike portion of any part, as of the womb. See Illust. of Bird.

||Cer"vus (?), n. [L., a deer.] (Zo÷l.) A genus of ruminants, including the red deer and other allied species.

&fist; Formerly all species of deer were included in the genus Cervus.

Ce"ryl (?), n. [L. cera wax + -yl.] (Chem.) A radical, C27H55 supposed to exist in several compounds obtained from Chinese wax, beeswax, etc.

{ Ce*sa"re*an (?), Ce*sa"ri*an, } a. Same as CŠsarean, CŠsarian.

Ce"sar*ism (?), n. See CŠsarism.

Ces"pi*tine (?), n. [L. caespes, caespitis, a turf.] An oil obtained by distillation of peat, and containing various members of the pyridine series.

Ces"pi*ti`tious (?), a. [L. caespiticius, fr. caespes turf.] Same as Cespitious. [R.] Gough.

Ces"pi*tose` (?), a. [L. caespes turf.] (Bot.) Having the form a piece of turf, i. e., many stems from one rootstock or from many entangled rootstocks or roots. [Written also cŠspitose.]

Ces"pi*tous (?), a. [See Cespitose.] Pertaining to, consisting, of resembling, turf; turfy.

A cespitous or turfy plant has many stems from the same root, usually forming a close, thick carpet of matting. Martyn.

Cess (?), n. [For sess, conts. from Assess.] 1. A rate or tax. [Obs. or Prof. Eng. & Scot.] Spenser.

2. Bound; measure. [Obs.]

The poor jade is wrung in the withers out of all cess. Shak.

Cess, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cessed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Cessing.] To rate; to tax; to assess. Spenser.

Cess, v. i. [F. cesser. See Cease.] To cease; to neglect. [Obs.] Spenser.

Ces"sant (?) a. [L. cessans, p. pr. of cessare. See Cease.] Inactive; dormant [Obs.] W. Montagu.

Ces*sa"tion (s&ebreve;s*sā"shŭn), n. [F. cessation, L. cessatio, fr. cessare. See Cease.] A ceasing or discontinuance, as of action, whether temporary or final; a stop; as, a cessation of the war.

The temporary cessation of the papal iniquities. Motley.

The day was yearly observed for a festival by cessation from labor. Sir J. Hayward.

Cessation of arms (Mil.), an armistice, or truce, agreed to by the commanders of armies, to give time for a capitulation, or for other purposes.

Syn. -- Stop; rest; stay; pause; discontinuance; intermission; interval; respite; interruption; recess; remission.

||Ces*sa"vit (?), n. [L., he has ceased.] [O. Eng. Law] A writ given by statute to recover lands when the tenant has for two years failed to perform the conditions of his tenure.

Ces"ser (?), n. [From Cess, v. i.] (Law) a neglect of a tenant to perform services, or make payment, for two years.

Ces"si*ble (?), a. [Cf. F. cessible. See Cession.] Giving way; yielding. [Obs.] -- Ces`si*bil"i*ty (#), n. [Obs.] Sir K. Digby.

Ces"sion (?), n. [L. cessio, fr. cedere to give way: cf. F. Cession. See Cede.] 1. A yielding to physical force. [Obs.] Bacon.

2. Concession; compliance. [Obs.]

3. A yielding, or surrender, as of property or rights, to another person; the act of ceding.

A cession of the island of New Orleans. Bancroft.

4. (Eccl. Law) The giving up or vacating a benefice by accepting another without a proper dispensation.

5. (Civil Law) The voluntary surrender of a person's effects to his creditors to avoid imprisonment.

Ces"sion*a*ry (?), a. [LL. cessionarius, from cessionare to cede, fr. L. cessio: cf. F. cessionnaire. See Cession.] Having surrendered the effects; as, a cessionary bankrupt. Martin.

Cess"ment (?), n. [From Cess, v. t.] An assessment or tax. [Obs.] Johnson.

Ces"sor (?), n. [From Cess, v. i. Cf. Cesser.] (Law) One who neglects, for two years, to perform the service by which he holds lands, so that he incurs the danger of the writ of cessavit. See Cessavit. Cowell.

Ces"sor, n. [From Cess, v. t.] An assessor. [Obs.]

Cess"pipe` (s&ebreve;s"pīp`), n. A pipe for carrying off waste water, etc., from a sink or cesspool. Knight.

Cess"pool` (-p&oomac;l`), n. [See Sesspol.] A cistern in the course, or the termination, of a drain, to collect sedimentary or superfluous matter; a privy vault; any receptacle of filth. [Written also sesspool.]

Cest (s&ebreve;st), n. [L. cestus: cf. OF. ceste.] A woman's girdle; a cestus. [R.] Collins.

Ces"tode (s&ebreve;s"tōd), a. (Zo÷l.) Of or pertaining to the Cestoidea. -- n. One of the Cestoidea.

Ces"toid (s&ebreve;s"toid), a. (Zo÷l.) Of or pertaining to the Cestoidea. -- n. One of the Cestoidea.

||Ces*toid"e*a (s&ebreve;s*toid"&esl;*&adot;), n. pl. [NL., gr. Gr. kesto`s girdle + -oid.] (Zo÷l.) A class of parasitic worms (Platelminthes) of which the tapeworms are the most common examples. The body is flattened, and usually but not always long, and composed of numerous joints or segments, each of which may contain a complete set of male and female reproductive organs. They have neither mouth nor intestine. See Tapeworm. [Written also Cestoda.]

Ces*told"e*an (?), n. (Zo÷l.) One of the Cestoidea.

Ces*tra"ci*ont (?), n. [Gr. &?; a kind of fish.] (Zo÷l.) A shark of the genus Cestracion, and of related genera. The posterior teeth form a pavement of bony plates for crushing shellfish. Most of the species are extinct. The Port Jackson shark and a similar one found in California are living examples.

Ces*tra"ci*ont, a. (Zo÷l.) Pertaining to, or characteristic of, the genus Cestracion.

Ces"tus (?), n. [L. cestus girdle, Gr. &?;, lit., stitched, embroidered.] 1. (Antiq.) A girdle; particularly that of Aphrodite (or Venus) which gave the wearer the power of exciting love.

2. (Zo÷l.) A genus of Ctenophora. The typical species (Cestus Veneris) is remarkable for its brilliant iridescent colors, and its long, girdlelike form.

Ces"tus, n. [L. caestus, and cestus.] (Antiq.) A covering for the hands of boxers, made of leather bands, and often loaded with lead or iron.

{ ||Ces"tuy or ||Ces"tui (?), } pron. [Norm. F.] (Law) He; the one.

Cestuy que trust (&?;) [norm. F.], a person who has the equitable and beneficial interest in property, the legal interest in which is vested in a trustee. Wharton. -- Cestuy que use (&?;) [Norm. F.], a person for whose use land, etc., is granted to another.

Ce*su"ra (?), n. See CŠsura.

Ce*su"ral (?), a. See CŠsural.

||Ce*ta"ce*a (?), n. pl. [NL., from L. cetus whale, Gr. &?;.] (Zo÷l.) An order of marine mammals, including the whales. Like ordinary mammals they breathe by means of lungs, and bring forth living young which they suckle for some time. The anterior limbs are changed to paddles; the tail flukes are horizontal. There are two living suborders: (a) The Mysticete or whalebone whales, having no true teeth after birth, but with a series of plates of whalebone [see Baleen.] hanging down from the upper jaw on each side, thus making a strainer, through which they receive the small animals upon which they feed. (b) The Denticete, including the dolphins and sperm whale, which have teeth. Another suborder (Zeuglodontia) is extinct. The Sirenia were formerly included in the Cetacea, but are now made a separate order.

Ce*ta"cean (?), n. (Zo÷l.) One of the Cetacea.

Ce*ta"ceous (?), a. (Zo÷l.) Of or pertaining to the Cetacea.

||Ce"te (?), n. [L., pl.] (Zo÷l.) One of the Cetacea, or collectively, the Cetacea.

Ce"tene (?), n. [See Cete.] (Chem.) An oily hydrocarbon, C16H32, of the ethylene series, obtained from spermaceti.

Cet"e*rach (?), n. [F. cÚtÚrac, fr. Ar. shetrak.] (Bot.) A species of fern with fronds (Asplenium Ceterach).

Cet"e*wale (?), n. [OF. citoal, F. zedoaire. See Zedoary.] Same as Zedoary. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Ce"tic (?), a. Of or pertaining to a whale.

Ce"tin (?), n. [L. cetus whale.] (Chem.) A white, waxy substance, forming the essential part of spermaceti.

Ce`to*log"ic*al (?), a. Of or pertaining to cetology.

Ce*tol"o*gist (?), a. One versed in cetology.

Ce*tol"o*gy (?), n. [Gr. &?; whale + -logy: cf. F. cÚtologie.] The description or natural history of cetaceous animals.

Ce*trar"ic (?), a. Pertaining to, or derived from, the lichen, Iceland moss (Cetaria Islandica).

Cetraric acid. See Cetrarin.

Cet"ra*rin (?), n. [From Cetraria Islandica, the scientific name of Iceland moss.] (Chem.) A white substance extracted from the lichen, Iceland moss (Cetraria Islandica). It consists of several ingredients, among which is cetraric acid, a white, crystalline, bitter substance.

Ce"tyl (?), n. [Gr. &?; whale + -yl.] (Chem.) A radical, C16H33, not yet isolated, but supposed to exist in a series of compounds homologous with the ethyl compounds, and derived from spermaceti.

Ce*tyl"ic (?), a. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or derived from, spermaceti.

Cetylic alcohol (Chem.), a white, waxy, crystalline solid, obtained from spermaceti, and regarded as homologous with ordinary, or ethyl, alcohol; ethal; -- called also cetyl alcohol.

Cey"lan*ite (?), n. [F., fr. Ceylan Ceylon.] (Min.) A dingy blue, or grayish black, variety of spinel. It is also called pleonaste. [Written also ceylonite.]

Cey`lon*ese" (?), a. Of or pertaining to Ceylon. -- n. sing. & pl. A native or natives of Ceylon.

C. G. S. An abbreviation for Centimeter, Gram, Second. -- applied to a system of units much employed in physical science, based upon the centimeter as the unit of length, the gram as the unit of weight or mass, and the second as the unit of time.

Chab (chăb), n. (Zo÷l.) The red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes Carolinus).

{ Chab"a*site (kăb"&adot;*sīt), Cab"a*zite (kăb"&adot;*zīt), } n. [Gr. chabazi`os one of twenty species of stones mentioned in the poem Peri` li`qwn, ascribed to Orpheus.] (Min.) A mineral occuring in glassy rhombohedral crystals, varying in color from white to yellow or red. It is essentially a hydrous silicate of alumina and lime. Called also chabasie.

||Cha*blis" (sh&adot;*blē"), n. [F.] A white wine made near Chablis, a town in France.

{ ||Cha*bouk", ||Cha*buk" (?), } n. [Hind. chābuk horsewhip.] A long whip, such as is used in the East in the infliction of punishment. Balfour.

Chace (?), n. See 3d Chase, n., 3.

Chace, v. t. To pursue. See Chase v. t.

||Cha`cha*la"ca (?), n. [Native name, prob. given in imitation of its cry.] (Zo÷l.) The Texan guan (Ortalis vetula). [written also chiacalaca.]

Chack (chăk), v. i. To toss up the head frequently, as a horse to avoid the restraint of the bridle.

||Chac"ma (?), n. [Native name.] A large species of African baboon (Cynocephalus porcarius); -- called also ursine baboon. [See Illust. of Baboon.]

||Cha*conne" (?), n. [F., fr. Sp. chacona.] (Mus.) An old Spanish dance in moderate three-four measure, like the Passacaglia, which is slower. Both are used by classical composers as themes for variations.

Chad (shăd), n. See Shad. [Obs.]

||ChŠ*te"tes (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; hair.] (Zo÷l.) A genus of fossil corals, common in the lower Silurian limestones.

ChŠ*tif"er*ous (?), a. [Gr. &?; hair + -ferous.] (Zo÷l.) Bearing setŠ.

ChŠ"to*dont (?), n. [Gr. &?; hair + &?;, &?;, tooth.] (Zo÷l.) A marine fish of the family ChŠtodontidŠ. The chŠtodonts have broad, compressed bodies, and usually bright colors.

ChŠto*dont, a. Of or pertaining to the ChŠtodonts or the family ChŠtodontidŠ.

ChŠ"tog*nath (?), a. (Zo÷l.) Of or pertaining to the ChŠtognatha.

||ChŠ*tog"na*tha (?), n. pl. [NL., from Gr. &?; hair + &?; jaw.] (Zo÷l) An order of free-swimming marine worms, of which the genus Sagitta is the type. They have groups of curved spines on each side of the head.

ChŠ"to*pod (?), a. (Zo÷l.) Pertaining to the ChŠtopoda. -- n. One of the ChŠtopoda.

||ChŠ*top"o*da (?), n. pl. [NL., from Gr. &?; hair + -poda.] (Zo÷l.) A very extensive order of Annelida, characterized by the presence of lateral setŠ, or spines, on most or all of the segments. They are divided into two principal groups: OligochŠta, including the earthworms and allied forms, and PolychŠta, including most of the marine species.

ChŠ"to*tax`y (?), n. [Gr. &?; hair + &?; arrangement.] (Zo÷l.) The arrangement of bristles on an insect.

Chafe (chāf), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Chafed (chāft); p pr. & vb. n. Chafing.] [OE. chaufen to warm, OF. chaufer, F. chauffer, fr. L. calefacere, calfacere, to make warm; calere to be warm + facere to make. See Caldron.] 1. To excite heat in by friction; to rub in order to stimulate and make warm.

To rub her temples, and to chafe her skin. Spenser.

2. To excite passion or anger in; to fret; to irritate.

Her intercession chafed him. Shak.

3. To fret and wear by rubbing; as, to chafe a cable.

Two slips of parchment which she sewed round it to prevent its being chafed. Sir W. Scott.

Syn. -- To rub; fret; gall; vex; excite; inflame.

Chafe, v. i. To rub; to come together so as to wear by rubbing; to wear by friction.

Made its great boughs chafe together. Longfellow.

The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores. Shak.

2. To be worn by rubbing; as, a cable chafes.

3. To have a feeling of vexation; to be vexed; to fret; to be irritated. Spenser.

He will chafe at the doctor's marrying my daughter. Shak.

Chafe, n. 1. Heat excited by friction.

2. Injury or wear caused by friction.

3. Vexation; irritation of mind; rage.

The cardinal in a chafe sent for him to Whitehall. Camden.

Chaf"er (?), n. 1. One who chafes.

2. A vessel for heating water; -- hence, a dish or pan.

A chafer of water to cool the ends of the irons. Baker.

Chaf"er, n. [AS. ceafor; akin to D. kever, G kŰfer.] (Zo÷l.) A kind of beetle; the cockchafer. The name is also applied to other species; as, the rose chafer.

Chaf"er*y (?), n. [See Chafe, v. t.] (Iron Works) An open furnace or forge, in which blooms are heated before being wrought into bars.

{ Chafe"wax` (?), or Chaff"wax` (?), } n. (Eng. Law) Formerly a chancery officer who fitted wax for sealing writs and other documents.

Chafe"weed` (?), n. (Bot.) The cudweed (Gnaphalium), used to prevent or cure chafing.

Chaff (?), n. [AC. ceaf; akin to D. kaf, G. kaff.]

1. The glumes or husks of grains and grasses separated from the seed by threshing and winnowing, etc.

So take the corn and leave the chaff behind. Dryden.

Old birds are not caught with caff. Old Proverb.

2. Anything of a comparatively light and worthless character; the refuse part of anything.

The chaff and ruin of the times. Shak.

3. Straw or hay cut up fine for the food of cattle.

By adding chaff to his corn, the horse must take more time to eat it. In this way chaff is very useful. Ywatt.

4. Light jesting talk; banter; raillery.

5. (Bot.) The scales or bracts on the receptacle, which subtend each flower in the heads of many CompositŠ, as the sunflower. Gray.

Chaff cutter, a machine for cutting, up straw, etc., into "chaff" for the use of cattle.

Chaff, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Chaffed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Chaffing.] To use light, idle language by way of fun or ridicule; to banter.

Chaff, v. t. To make fun of; to turn into ridicule by addressing in ironical or bantering language; to quiz.

Morgan saw that his master was chaffing him. Thackeray.

A dozen honest fellows . . . chaffed each other about their sweethearts. C. Kingsley.

Chaff"er, n. One who chaffs.

Chaf"fer (?), n. [OE. chaffare, cheapfare; AS. ceßp a bargain, price + faru a journey; hence, originally, a going to barain, to market. See Cheap, and Fare.] Bargaining; merchandise. [Obs.] Holished.

Chaf"fer, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Chaffered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Chaffering.] [OE. chaffaren, fr. chaffare, chapfare, cheapfare, a bargaining. See Chaffer, n.]

1. To treat or dispute about a purchase; to bargain; to haggle or higgle; to negotiate.

To chaffer for preferments with his gold. Dryden.

2. To talk much and idly; to chatter. Trench.

Chaf"fer, v. t. 1. To buy or sell; to trade in.

He chaffered chairs in which churchmen were set. Spenser.

2. To exchange; to bandy, as words. Spenser.

Chaf"fer*er (?), n. One who chaffers; a bargainer.

Chaf"fern (?), n. [See Chafe, v. t.] A vessel for heating water. [Obs.] Johnson.

Chaf"fer*y, n. Traffic; bargaining. [Obs.] Spenser.

Chaf"finch (?), n. [Cf. Chiff- chaff.] (Zo÷l.) A bird of Europe (Fringilla cťlebs), having a variety of very sweet songs, and highly valued as a cage bird; -- called also copper finch.

Chaff"ing (?), n. The use of light, frivolous language by way of fun or ridicule; raillery; banter.

Chaff"less, a. Without chaff.

Chaff"y (?), a. 1. Abounding in, or resembling, chaff.

Chaffy grain beneath the thresher's flail. Coleridge.

2. Light or worthless as chaff.

Slight and chaffy opinion. Glanvill.

3. (Bot.) (a) Resembling chaff; composed of light dry scales. (b) Bearing or covered with dry scales, as the under surface of certain ferns, or the disk of some composite flowers.

Chaf"ing (?), n. [See Chafe, v. t.] The act of rubbing, or wearing by friction; making by rubbing.

Chafing dish, a dish or vessel for cooking on the table, or for keeping food warm, either by coals, by a lamp, or by hot water; a portable grate for coals. -- Chafing gear (Naut.), any material used to protect sails, rigging, or the like, at points where they are exposed to friction.

Cha*green" (?), n. See Shagreen.