Chapter 54

7. A distinguishing badge, as a flag or similar symbol (usually in the plural); as, the colors or color of a ship or regiment; the colors of a race horse (that is, of the cap and jacket worn by the jockey).

In the United States each regiment of infantry and artillery has two colors, one national and one regimental. Farrow.

8. (Law) An apparent right; as where the defendant in trespass gave to the plaintiff an appearance of title, by stating his title specially, thus removing the cause from the jury to the court. Blackstone.

&fist; Color is express when it is averred in the pleading, and implied when it is implied in the pleading.

Body color. See under Body. -- Color blindness, total or partial inability to distinguish or recognize colors. See Daltonism. -- Complementary color, one of two colors so related to each other that when blended together they produce white light; -- so called because each color makes up to the other what it lacks to make it white. Artificial or pigment colors, when mixed, produce effects differing from those of the primary colors, in consequence of partial absorption. -- Of color (as persons, races, etc.), not of the white race; -- commonly meaning, esp. in the United States, of negro blood, pure or mixed. -- Primary colors, those developed from the solar beam by the prism, viz., red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, which are reduced by some authors to three, -- red, green, and violet-blue. These three are sometimes called fundamental colors. -- Subjective or Accidental color, a false or spurious color seen in some instances, owing to the persistence of the luminous impression upon the retina, and a gradual change of its character, as where a wheel perfectly white, and with a circumference regularly subdivided, is made to revolve rapidly over a dark object, the teeth of the wheel appear to the eye of different shades of color varying with the rapidity of rotation. See Accidental colors, under Accidental.

Col"or (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Colored (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Coloring.] [F. colorer.] 1. To change or alter the hue or tint of, by dyeing, staining, painting, etc.; to dye; to tinge; to paint; to stain.

The rays, to speak properly, are not colored; in them there is nothing else than a certain power and disposition to stir up a sensation of this or that color. Sir I. Newton.

2. To change or alter, as if by dyeing or painting; to give a false appearance to; usually, to give a specious appearance to; to cause to appear attractive; to make plausible; to palliate or excuse; as, the facts were colored by his prejudices.

He colors the falsehood of Ăneas by an express command from Jupiter to forsake the queen. Dryden.

3. To hide. [Obs.]

That by his fellowship he color might Both his estate and love from skill of any wight. Spenser.

Col"or, v. i. To acquire color; to turn red, especially in the face; to blush.

Col"or*a*ble (?), a. Specious; plausible; having an appearance of right or justice. "Colorable pretense for infidelity." Bp. Stillingfleet.

-- Col"or*a*ble*ness, n. -- Col"or*a*bly, adv.

Colorable and subtle crimes, that seldom are taken within the walk of human justice. Hooker.

Col`o*ra"do bee"tle (?). (Zo÷l.) A yellowish beetle (Doryphora decemlineata), with ten longitudinal, black, dorsal stripes. It has migrated eastwards from its original habitat in Colorado, and is very destructive to the potato plant; -- called also potato beetle and potato bug. See Potato beetle.

Col`o*ra"do group (?). (Geol.) A subdivision of the cretaceous formation of western North America, especially developed in Colorado and the upper Missouri region.

Col`o*ra"do*ite (?), n. (Min.) Mercury telluride, an iron-black metallic mineral, found in Colorado.

Col"or*ate (?), a. [L. coloratus, p. p. of colorare to color.] Colored. [Obs.] Ray.

Col`or*a"tion (?), n. The act or art of coloring; the state of being colored. Bacon.

The females . . . resemble each other in their general type of coloration. Darwin.

Col"or*a*ture (?; 135), n. [Cf. G. coloratur, fr. LL. coloratura.] (Mus.) Vocal music colored, as it were, by florid ornaments, runs, or rapid passages.

Col"or-blind (?), a. Affected with color blindness. See Color blindness, under Color, n.

Col"ored (?), a. 1. Having color; tinged; dyed; painted; stained.

The lime rod, colored as the glede. Chaucer.

The colored rainbow arched wide. Spenser.

2. Specious; plausible; adorned so as to appear well; as, a highly colored description. Sir G. C. Lewis.

His colored crime with craft to cloke. Spenser.

3. Of some other color than black or white.

4. (Ethnol.) Of some other color than white; specifically applied to negroes or persons having negro blood; as, a colored man; the colored people.

5. (Bot.) Of some other color than green.

Colored, meaning, as applied to foliage, of some other color than green. Gray.

&fist; In botany, green is not regarded as a color, but white is. Wood.

Col`or*if"ic (?; 277), a. [L. color color + facere to make: cf. F. colorifique.] Capable of communicating color or tint to other bodies.

Col`or*im"e*ter (?), n. [Color + -meter: cf. F. colorimŔtre.] An instrument for measuring the depth of the color of anything, especially of a liquid, by comparison with a standard liquid.

Col"or*ing (?), n. 1. The act of applying color to; also, that which produces color.

2. Change of appearance as by addition of color; appearance; show; disguise; misrepresentation.

Tell the whole story without coloring or gloss. Compton Reade.

Dead coloring. See under Dead.

Col"or*ist (?), n. [Cf. F. coloriste.] One who colors; an artist who excels in the use of colors; one to whom coloring is of prime importance.

Titian, Paul Veronese, Van Dyck, and the rest of the good colorists. Dryden.

Col"or*less, a. 1. Without color; not distinguished by any hue; transparent; as, colorless water.

2. Free from any manifestation of partial or peculiar sentiment or feeling; not disclosing likes, dislikes, prejudice, etc.; as, colorless music; a colorless style; definitions should be colorless.

Col"or*man (?), n.; pl. Colormen (#). A vender of paints, etc. Simmonds.

Col"or ser"geant. See under Sergeant.

Co*los"sal (?), a. [Cf. F. colossal, L. colosseus. See Colossus.] 1. Of enormous size; gigantic; huge; as, a colossal statue. "A colossal stride." Motley.

2. (Sculpture & Painting) Of a size larger than heroic. See Heroic.

Col`os*se"an (?), a. Colossal. [R.]

Col`os*se"um (?), n. [Neut., fr. L. colosseus gigantic. See Coliseum.] The amphitheater of Vespasian in Rome. [Also written Coliseum.]

Co*los"sus (?), n.; pl. L. Colossi (#), E. Colossuses (#). [L., fr. Gr. &?;.] 1. A statue of gigantic size. The name was especially applied to certain famous statues in antiquity, as the Colossus of Nero in Rome, the Colossus of Apollo at Rhodes.

He doth bestride the narrow world Like a colossus. Shak.

&fist; There is no authority for the statement that the legs of the Colossus at Rhodes extended over the mouth of the harbor. Dr. Wm. Smith.

2. Any man or beast of gigantic size.

||Co*los"trum (?), n. [L., biestings.] (Med.) (a) The first milk secreted after delivery; biestings. (b) A mixture of turpentine and the yolk of an egg, formerly used as an emulsion.

Co*lot"o*my (?), n. [Gr. &?; colon + &?; cutting.] (Surg.) An operation for opening the colon

Col"our (?), n. See Color.

Colp (?), n. See Collop.

Col"por`tage (?), n. [F.] The distribution of religious books, tracts, etc., by colporteurs.

Col"por`ter (?), n. Same as Colporteur.

Col"por`teur (?; 277), n. [F. colporteur one who carries on his neck, fr. colporter to carry on one's neck; col (L. collum) neck + porter (L. portare) to carry.] A hawker; specifically, one who travels about selling and distributing religious tracts and books.

Col"staff` (?), n. [F. col neck + E. staff. Cf. Coll.] A staff by means of which a burden is borne by two persons on their shoulders.

Colt (?; 110), n. [OE. colt a young horse, ass, or camel, AS. colt; cf. dial. Sw. kullt a boy, lad.] 1. The young of the equine genus or horse kind of animals; -- sometimes distinctively applied to the male, filly being the female. Cf. Foal.

&fist; In sporting circles it is usual to reckon the age of colts from some arbitrary date, as from January 1, or May 1, next preceding the birth of the animal.

2. A young, foolish fellow. Shak.

3. A short knotted rope formerly used as an instrument of punishment in the navy. Ham. Nav. Encyc.

Colt's tooth, an imperfect or superfluous tooth in young horses. -- To cast one's colt's tooth, to cease from youthful wantonness. "Your colt's tooth is not cast yet." Shak. -- To have a colt's tooth, to be wanton. Chaucer.

Colt (?; 110), v. i. To frisk or frolic like a colt; to act licentiously or wantonly. [Obs.]

They shook off their bridles and began to colt. Spenser.

Colt, v. t. 1. To horse; to get with young. Shak.

2. To befool. [Obs.] Shak.

Col"ter (?), n. [AS. culter, fr. L. culter plowshare, knife. Cf. Cutlass.] A knife or cutter, attached to the beam of a plow to cut the sward, in advance of the plowshare and moldboard. [Written also coulter.]

Colt"ish (?), a. Like a colt; wanton; frisky.

He was all coltish, full of ragery. Chaucer.

-- Colt"ish*ly, adv. -- Colt"ish*ness, n.

Colts"foot` (?), n. (Bot.) A perennial herb (Tussilago Farfara), whose leaves and rootstock are sometimes employed in medicine.

Butterbur coltsfoot (Bot.), a European plant (Petasites vulgaris).

Colt's" tooth` (?). See under Colt.

||Col"u*ber (?), n. [L., a serpent.] (Zo÷l.) A genus of harmless serpents.

&fist; LinnŠus placed in this genus all serpents, whether venomous or not, whose scales beneath the tail are arranged in pairs; but by modern writers it is greatly restricted.

Col"u*brine (?), a. [L. colubrinus.] 1. (Zo÷l.) like or related to snakes of the genus Coluber.

2. Like a snake; cunning; crafty. Johnson.

||Co*lu"go (?), n. [Prob. an aboriginal name.] (Zo÷l.) A peculiar East Indian mammal (Galleopithecus volans), having along the sides, connecting the fore and hind limbs, a parachutelike membrane, by means of which it is able to make long leaps, like the flying squirrel; -- called also flying lemur.

Co*lum"ba (?), n. (Med.) See Calumba.

||Co*lum"bŠ (?), n. pl.; [L. columba pigeon.] (Zo÷l.) An order of birds, including the pigeons.

||Col`um*ba"ri*um (?), n.; pl. L. Columbaria (#) [L. See Columbary.] (Rom. Antiq.) (a) A dovecote or pigeon house. (b) A sepulchral chamber with niches for holding cinerary urns.

Col"um*ba*ry (?), n.; pl. Columbaries (#). [L. columbarium, fr. columba a dove.] A dovecote; a pigeon house. Sir T. Browne.

Co*lum"bate (?), n. [Cf. F. colombate. See Columbium.] (Chem.) A salt of columbic acid; a niobate. See Columbium.

Co*lum"batz fly` (?). [From Kolumbatz, a mountain in Germany.] (Zo÷l.) See Buffalo fly, under Buffalo.

||Col`um*bel"la (?), n. [NL., dim. of L. columba a dove. So called from a fancied resemblance in color and form, of some species.] (Zo÷l.) A genus of univalve shells, abundant in tropical seas. Some species, as Columbella mercatoria, were formerly used as shell money.

Co*lum"bi*a (?), n. America; the United States; -- a poetical appellation given in honor of Columbus, the discoverer. Dr. T. Dwight.

Co*lum"bi*ad (?), n. [From Columbia the United States.] (Mil.) A form of seacoast cannon; a long, chambered gun designed for throwing shot or shells with heavy charges of powder, at high angles of elevation.

&fist; Since the War of 1812 the Columbiad has been much modified, especially by General Rodman, and the improved form now used in seacoast defense is often called the Rodman gun.

Co*lum"bi*an (?), a. [From Columbia.] Of or pertaining to the United States, or to America.

Co*lum"bic (?), a. [From Columbium.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or containing, columbium or niobium; niobic.

Columbic acid (Chem.), a weak acid derived from columbic or niobic oxide, Nb2O5; -- called also niobic acid.

Co*lum"bic, a. [From Columbo.] Pertaining to, or derived from, the columbo root.

Columbic acid (Chem.), an organic acid extracted from the columbo root as a bitter, yellow, amorphous substance.

Co*lum"bi*er (?), n. See Colombier.

Col"um*bif"er*ous (?), a. [Columbium + -ferous.] Producing or containing columbium.

Co*lum"bin (?), n. (Chem.) A white, crystalline, bitter substance. See Calumbin.

Col"um*bine (?), a. [L. columbinus, fr. columba dove.] Of or pertaining to a dove; dovelike; dove-colored. "Columbine innocency." Bacon.

Col"um*bine, n. [LL. columbina, L. columbinus dovelike, fr. columba dove: cf. F. colombine. Perh. so called from the beaklike spurs of its flowers.] 1. (Bot.) A plant of several species of the genus Aquilegia; as, A. vulgaris, or the common garden columbine; A. Canadensis, the wild red columbine of North America.

2. The mistress or sweetheart of Harlequin in pantomimes. Brewer.

Co*lum"bite (?), n. [Cf. F. colombite. See Columbium.] (Min.) A mineral of a black color, submetallic luster, and high specific specific gravity. It is a niobate (or columbate) of iron and manganese, containing tantalate of iron; -- first found in New England.

Co*lum"bi*um (?), n. [NL., fr. Columbia America.] (Chem.) A rare element of the vanadium group, first found in a variety of the mineral columbite occurring in Connecticut, probably at Haddam. Atomic weight 94.2. Symbol Cb or Nb. Now more commonly called niobium.

Co*lum"bo (?), n. (Med.) See Calumba.

Col`u*mel"la (?), n. [L., dim. of columen column. See Column.] 1. (Bot.) (a) An axis to which a carpel of a compound pistil may be attached, as in the case of the geranium; or which is left when a pod opens. (b)A columnlike axis in the capsules of mosses.

2. (Anat.) A term applied to various columnlike parts; as, the columella, or epipterygoid bone, in the skull of many lizards; the columella of the ear, the bony or cartilaginous rod connecting the tympanic membrane with the internal ear.

3. (Zo÷l.) (a) The upright pillar in the axis of most univalve shells. (b) The central pillar or axis of the calicles of certain corals.

Col`u*mel"li*form (?), a. [Columella + -form.] Shaped like a little column, or columella.

Col"umn (?), n. [L. columna, fr. columen, culmen, fr. cellere (used only in comp.), akin to E. excel, and prob. to holm. See Holm, and cf. Colonel.] 1. (Arch.) A kind of pillar; a cylindrical or polygonal support for a roof, ceiling, statue, etc., somewhat ornamented, and usually composed of base, shaft, and capital. See Order.

2. Anything resembling, in form or position, a column in architecture; an upright body or mass; a shaft or obelisk; as, a column of air, of water, of mercury, etc.; the Column Vend˘me; the spinal column.

3. (Mil.) (a) A body of troops formed in ranks, one behind the other; -- contradistinguished from line. Compare Ploy, and Deploy. (b) A small army.

4. (Naut.) A number of ships so arranged as to follow one another in single or double file or in squadrons; -- in distinction from "line", where they are side by side.

5. (Print.) A perpendicular set of lines, not extending across the page, and separated from other matter by a rule or blank space; as, a column in a newspaper.

6. (Arith.) A perpendicular line of figures.

7. (Bot.) The body formed by the union of the stamens in the Mallow family, or of the stamens and pistil in the orchids.

Attached column. See under Attach, v. t. -- Clustered column. See under Cluster, v. t. -- Column rule, a thin strip of brass separating columns of type in the form, and making a line between them in printing.

Co*lum"*nar (?), a. [L. columnaris, fr. columna.] Formed in columns; having the form of a column or columns; like the shaft of a column.

Columnar epithelium (Anat.), epithelium in which the cells are prismatic in form, and set upright on the surface they cover. -- Columnar structure (Geol.), a structure consisting of more or less regular columns, usually six-sided, but sometimes with eight or more sides. The columns are often fractured transversely, with a cup joint, showing a concave surface above. This structure is characteristic of certain igneous rocks, as basalt, and is due to contraction in cooling.

Col`um*nar"i*ty (?), n. The state or quality of being columnar.

Co*lum"na*ted (?), a. Having columns; as, columnated temples.

Col"umned (?), a. Having columns.

Troas and Ilion's columned citadel. Tennyson.

Co*lum`ni*a"tion (?), n. The employment or arrangement of columns in a structure. Gwilt.

Co*lure" (?), n.; pl. Colures (#). [F. colure, L. coluri, pl., fr. Gr. ko`loyros dock-tailed, a"i ko`loyroi (sc. grammai` lines) the colures; fr. ko`los docked, stunted + o'yra` tail. So named because a part is always beneath the horizon.] (Astron. & Geog.) One of two great circles intersecting at right angles in the poles of the equator. One of them passes through the equinoctial points, and hence is denominated the equinoctial colure; the other intersects the equator at the distance of 90░ from the former, and is called the solstitial colure.

Thrice the equinoctial line He circled; four times crossed the car of night From pole to pole, traversing each colure. Milton.

Co"ly (?), n.; pl. Colies (#). [NL. colius, prob. fr. Gr. &?; a kind of woodpecker.] Any bird of the genus Colius and allied genera. They inhabit Africa.

Col"za (?), n. [F., fr. D. koolzaad, prop., cabbage seed; kool (akin to E. cole) + zaad, akin to E. seed.] (Bot.) A variety of cabbage (Brassica oleracea), cultivated for its seeds, which yield an oil valued for illuminating and lubricating purposes; summer rape.

Com-. A prefix from the Latin preposition cum, signifying with, together, in conjunction, very, etc. It is used in the form com- before b, m, p, and sometimes f, and by assimilation becomes col- before l, cor- before r, and con- before any consonant except b, h, l, m, p, r, and w. Before a vowel com- becomes co-; also before h, w, and sometimes before other consonants.

||Co"ma (kō"m&adot;), n. [NL., fr. Gr. kw^ma lethargy, fr. koima^n to put to sleep. See Cemetery.] A state of profound insensibility from which it is difficult or impossible to rouse a person. See Carus.

||Co"ma, n. [L., hair, fr. Gr. ko`mh.] 1. (Astron.) The envelope of a comet; a nebulous covering, which surrounds the nucleus or body of a comet.

2. (Bot.) A tuft or bunch, -- as the assemblage of branches forming the head of a tree; or a cluster of bracts when empty and terminating the inflorescence of a plant; or a tuft of long hairs on certain seeds.

Coma Berenices (&?;) [L.] (Astron.), a small constellation north of Virgo; -- called also Berenice's Hair.

Co*man"ches (? or ?), n. pl.; sing. Comanche (? or ?). (Ethnol.) A warlike, savage, and nomadic tribe of the Shoshone family of Indians, inhabiting Mexico and the adjacent parts of the United States; -- called also Paducahs. They are noted for plundering and cruelty.

Co"mart` (?), n. A covenant. [Obs.] Shak.

Co"mate (?; 277), a. [L. comatus, fr. comare to clothe with hair, fr. coma hair.] Encompassed with a coma, or bushy appearance, like hair; hairy.

Co"-mate` (?), n. [Pref. co- + mate.] A companion. Shak.

Co"ma*tose` (? or ?; 277), a. [From Coma lethargy.] Relating to, or resembling, coma; drowsy; lethargic; as, comatose sleep; comatose fever.

Co"ma*tous (?), a. Comatose.

||Co*mat"u*la (?; 135), n. [NL., fr. L. comatulus having hair neatly curled, dim. fr. coma hair.] (Zo÷l.) A crinoid of the genus Antedon and related genera. When young they are fixed by a stem. When adult they become detached and cling to seaweeds, etc., by their dorsal cirri; -- called also feather stars.

Co*mat"u*lid (?), n. (Zo÷l.) Any crinoid of the genus Antedon or allied genera.

Comb (?; 110), n. [AS. camb; akin to Sw., Dan., & D. kam, Icel. kambr, G. kamm, Gr. &?; a grinder tooth, Skr. jambha tooth.] 1. An instrument with teeth, for straightening, cleansing, and adjusting the hair, or for keeping it in place.

2. An instrument for currying hairy animals, or cleansing and smoothing their coats; a currycomb.

3. (Manuf. & Mech.) (a) A toothed instrument used for separating and cleansing wool, flax, hair, etc. (b) The serrated vibratory doffing knife of a carding machine. (c) A former, commonly cone-shaped, used in hat manufacturing for hardening the soft fiber into a bat. (d) A tool with teeth, used for chasing screws on work in a lathe; a chaser. (e) The notched scale of a wire micrometer. (f) The collector of an electrical machine, usually resembling a comb.

4. (Zo÷l.) (a) The naked fleshy crest or caruncle on the upper part of the bill or hood of a cock or other bird. It is usually red. (b) One of a pair of peculiar organs on the base of the abdomen of scorpions.

5. The curling crest of a wave.

6. The waxen framework forming the walls of the cells in which bees store their honey, eggs, etc.; honeycomb. "A comb of honey." Wyclif.

When the bee doth leave her comb. Shak.

7. The thumbpiece of the hammer of a gunlock, by which it may be cocked.

Comb, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Combed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Combing.] To disentangle, cleanse, or adjust, with a comb; to lay smooth and straight with, or as with, a comb; as, to comb hair or wool. See under Combing.

Comb down his hair; look, look! it stands upright. Shak.

Comb, v. i. [See Comb, n., 5.] (Naut.) To roll over, as the top or crest of a wave; to break with a white foam, as waves.

{ Comb, Combe (? or ?), } n. [AS. comb, prob. of Celtic origin; cf. W. cwm a dale, valley.] That unwatered portion of a valley which forms its continuation beyond and above the most elevated spring that issues into it. [Written also coombe.] Buckland.

A gradual rise the shelving combe Displayed. Southey.

Comb, n. A dry measure. See Coomb.

Com"bat (? or ?; 277), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Combated; p. pr. & vb. n. Combating.] [F. combattre; pref. com- + battre to beat, fr. L. battuere to strike. See Batter.] To struggle or contend, as with an opposing force; to fight.

To combat with a blind man I disdain. Milton.

After the fall of the republic, the Romans combated only for the choice of masters. Gibbon.

Com"bat, v. t. To fight with; to oppose by force, argument, etc.; to contend against; to resist.

When he the ambitious Norway combated. Shak.

And combated in silence all these reasons. Milton.

Minds combat minds, repelling and repelled. Goldsmith.

Syn. -- To fight against; resist; oppose; withstand; oppugn; antagonize; repel; resent.

Com"bat, n. [Cf. F. combat.] 1. A fight; a contest of violence; a struggle for supremacy.

My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st. Shak.

The noble combat that 'twixt joy and sorrow was fought in Paulina. Shak.

2. (Mil.) An engagement of no great magnitude; or one in which the parties engaged are not armies.

Single combat, one in which a single combatant meets a single opponent, as in the case of David and Goliath; also, a duel.

Syn. -- A battle; engagement; conflict; contest; contention; struggle; fight, strife. See Battle, Contest.

Com"bat*a*ble (? or ?), a. [Cf. F. combattable.] Such as can be, or is liable to be, combated; as, combatable foes, evils, or arguments.

Com"bat*ant (?), a. [F. combattant, p. pr.] Contending; disposed to contend. B. Jonson.

Com"bat*ant, n. [F. combattant.] One who engages in combat. "The mighty combatants." Milton.

A controversy which long survived the original combatants. Macaulay

Com"bat*er (?), n. One who combats. Sherwood.

Com"bat*ive (? or &?;), a. Disposed to engage in combat; pugnacious.

Com"bat*ive*ness, n. 1. The quality of being combative; propensity to contend or to quarrel.

2. (Phren.) A cranial development supposed to indicate a combative disposition.

||Com`bat`tant" (?), a. [F.] (Her.) In the position of fighting; -- said of two lions set face to face, each rampant.

Comb"broach` (?), n. A tooth of a wool comb. [Written also combrouch.]

Combe (? or ?), n. See Comb.