Skull of Beaver (Castor Jffcr). 
castor 
party which called itself the national party, the 
beaver being the national emblem of Canada. 
3. leap.] [NL.] A genus of sciuromorphic ro- 
dent mammals, typical of the family Casttirida: 
The type anil only living rapreMBtatiTC is the braver. 
Castor JtotTi of aquatic habits, having the feet 4-tinl, thr 
fure feet small, 
i hi' hinder large, 
webbnl. with 1 lu' 
second 1m' dim- 
ble-rlau.'.l ; 1 In- 
tail liroil' I. Hal. 
oval, nakril, ami 
scaly ; and the 
body thick-set, 
i'>pi'i'hill.v !- 
hinil. On each 
side, ahuve and 
below, the in 
cisors are 1, ca- 
Ilitlrs II, pivlno 
lars l.iiinl molars '',, makinu -jntei-th In all. The skull IT 
semhli-s that of tin- ,sv" /</,!, hut lacks postorbital pro- 
cesses. Sri- /"W/vcl. 
4. A beaver hat ; by extension, a silk hat. 
I havr always ln-cn kitmvn fur the jaunty manner in 
uhirh I wear my <-ftxl': Scott. 
" Kven ft." replied tin- stranger, making diligent use 
of his triangular <-a.s/"/' to produce a circulation in the 
close air of the woods. Cooper, Last of Mohicans, ii. 
5. A heavy quality of broadcloth used for over- 
coats. 
II. n. Made of beaver-skin or -fur, or of the 
doth called beaver. 
castor 2 (kas'tor), n. [Also called castoreum, of 
which castor is a shortened form ; = F. casto- 
reum = Sp. cttstdreo = Pg. It. castoreo, < L. cit- 
toreum, < Ur. KOOTO/UOV, castor, a secretion of the 
beaver, < ndarup, the beaver: see castor*.] A 
reddish-brown substance consisting of the pre- 
putial follicles of the beaver and their contents, 
dried and prepared for commercial purposes. 
It has a strong, penetrating, enduring odor, and 
was formerly of high repute in medicine, but is 
now used chiefly by perfumers. 
castor 3 (kas'tor), n. [Named from Castor in 
Gr. myth. : see Castor and Pollux.] A mineral 
found in the island of Elba associated with 
another called pollux. It is a silicate of aluminium 
and lithium, and probably a variety of petalite. It is 
rolorless and transparent, with a glistening luster. Also 
called cantorile. 
castor 4 , a. See caster, 3. 
Castor and Pollux (kas'tor and pol'uks). 
[Named from Castor (Gr. Kdorup) and Pollux 
(Gr. l1oAv6ci'K>K ), in Gr. myth, twin sons of Zeus 
or Jupiter, in the form of a swan, and Leda, 
wife of Tyndareus, king of Sparta ; or produced 
from two eggs laid by her, one containing Cas- 
tor and ClytoBinuestra, the other Pollux (or Poly- 
deuces) and Helen ; or all, according to Homer, 
children of Leda and Tyndareus, and hence 
called Tyndaridce. Castor and Pollux are joint- 
ly called the Dioscuri, sons of Zeus or Jupiter.] 
1. In axtroii., the constellation of the Twins, 
or Gemini, and also the zodiacal sign named 
from that constellation, although the latter has 
moved completely out of the former. Castor, <. 
Geminorum, is a greenish star of the magnitude 1.6, the 
more northerly of the two that lie near together in the 
heads of the Twins. Pollux, ft Geminornm, is a very yel- 
low star of tbe magnitude 1.2, the more southerly of the 
same pair. See cut under Gemini. 
2. 
or 
two minerals found together in granite in the 
island of Elba. See the separate names. 
castorate (kas'to-rat), n. [< castor(ic) + -ate 1 .] 
In clicm., a salt produced from the combination 
of castoric acid with a saliflable base. 
castor-bean, . See beani. 
castoreum (kas-to're-um), ii. [L.] Same as 
castor?. 
castoric (kas-tor'ik), a. [< castor^ + -ic.~\ Of, 
pertaining to, or derived from castoreum: as, 
castoric acid. 
Castoridae (kas-tor'i-de), n. pi. [NL. ; < Castor 1 , 
3, + -idee.] A family of sciuromorphic simplici- 
dent rodent quadrupeds, typified by the genus 
Castor, the beaver, its only living representative. 
There are, however, several fossil genera, as Eucantor and 
Stentojiber, and probably others. The tibia and fibula 
unite in old age, contrary to the rule in the sciurine se- 
ries of rodents ; the skull is massive, without postorbital 
processes ; the dentition is powerful, with rootless or only 
late-rooting molars ; clavicles are present ; there is an ac- 
cessory carpal ossicle ; the salivary glands are enormous, 
and the stomach lias a glandular appendage ; the urogen- 
ital system opens into a cloaca, and the Weberian bodies 
are developed as a uterus masciilinns : and large preputial 
glands or scent-bags secrete the substance known as cas- 
tor. See cantorl and Iteacerl. 
castorin, castorine 2 (kas'to-rin), n. [< castor'* 
+ -in' 2 , -iin'-; = Sp. caJitorina.] An animal 
principle obtained by boiling castor in six times 
851 
its weight of alcohol, and filtering the liquid, 
from which the cnsturin is deposited. 
Castorina (kiis-to-ri'n&), n. pi. [NL., neut. 
pi. of LL. i-itKliiriiiitK, of tli<> beaver, < L. cnxtur : 
see cantor 1 .'] The beaver tribe : a family of ro- 
dent animals, comprising the beaver, the coypu, 
and the nuiskrat or musquash. [Not in use.] 
castorine 1 (kas'to-rin), M. [= F. castorine, < 
LL. raxtoriiiitx, of the beaver: see Castorimt.] 
A cotton-velvet fabric. 
castorine-, . See castorin. 
castorite (kas'to-rit), . [< castor 3 + -itn-.] 
Same as cantor^. 
Castoroides (kas-tq-roi'dez), . [NL. (J. W. 
Foster, 1838), < G"r. ndarup, castor, + uA, 
form.] The typical genus of the family ( '>/ 
roiiliilii: Thi'i-e is but one species, C. ohioeiuis, the so- 
called fossil beaver of North America, which was of about 
the size of the black tear, and hence somewhat exn-i <l< ii 
in size the capibara, the largest of living rodents. The 
skull alone was about a foot long. The known remains 
are all from Quaternary deposits, in localities from Texas 
and Smith Carolina to Michigan and New York. 
Castoroididse (kas-to-roi'di-de), n. pi. [NL., < 
Ciixtomidcs + -iVe.]" A family of rodents, in- 
stituted for the reception of the genus Caxto- 
roides, related on the one hand to the t'axto- 
ridtE or beavers, and on the other to the chin- 
chillas, cavies, and capibaras. other genera, a 
Amblyrhiza and Loxntiniltot, are considered to beprobabh 
referable to this family. The skull resembles that of the 
Castoridce, but the dentition is entirely dilferent, resem- 
bling that of cliini-hilla* anil capibaras. 
castor-oil (kas'tor -oil'), n. [< castor* (from 
some supposed resemblance to that substance) 
iinir pair, rtee cui unuer iteiituit. 
2. An ancient classical name of the corposant, 
>r St. Elmo's fire. 3. [I.e.] The name given to 
a, fruit of castor-oil 
Castor-oil Plant (Riciitus commttnis). 
f oil.] The oil yielded by the seeds of Rid mix 
communis (the castor-oil plant), a native of In- 
dia, but now distributed over all the warmer 
regions of the globe. The oil is 
obtained from the seeds by bruising 
them between rollers and then pressing 
them in hempen bags in a strong press. 
The oil that first comes away, called 
cold-drawn castor-oil, is reckoned the 
best ; an inferior quality is obtained by 
heating or steaming the pressed seeds, 
and again subjecting them to pressure. 
The oil is afterward heated to the 
boiling-point, in order to separate the 
albumen and impurities. Castor-oil 
is used medicinally as a mild but effi- 
cient purgative. It is also used as a 
fixing agent in cotton-dyeing, especial- 
ly in dyeing a Turkey-red color from 
madder. In its saponified state it is p) f ^ ; * ,*ed c, 
sold under various names, as Turk?*/- section of 'same. ' 
red oil, alizarin oil, sulphated oil, tolu- 
Me oil, etc. Castor-oil plant, the plant Riciinm CIHII- 
inunis, which produces castor-oil. It is often cultivated 
for ornament under the name of Palma Christi, grows to 
a height of 6 or 8 feet or more, with broad palmate leaves, 
and varies much in the color of its stem, leaves, etc. 
castoryt (kas'to-ri), . [< Gr. KaarAptov, a cer- 
tain color, neut. of Kaariptof, pertaining to the 
beaver, < Kaorup, the beaver: see castor 1 , and 
cf. castor 2 .] A color of an unknown shade. 
As polisht yvory 
Which cunning Crafteaman hand hath overlayd 
With fayre vermilion or pure Castory. 
Speiuer, F. Q., II. ix. 41. 
castra, . Plural of eastrum. 
castrametation (kas'tra-me-ta'shon), n. [= 
F. castrametation = Sp. castra metacion = Pg. 
eastranietacdlo = It. castrametazione, < ML. cas- 
trametatio(n-), < LL. castrametari, pp. castra- 
metatus, pitch a camp, < L. castra, a camp (see 
castle), + metari, measure.] The art or act of 
encamping; themarkingorlayingoutof acamp. 
casual 
castrate (kas'trnt), c. t. pret. and pp. castrated, 
l>]ir. i-aKtratiny. [< L. eastratiis, pp. of <.- 
ifii-r (> OF. "caKtrir, "castrer (cf. castri, cas- 
trated), F. cltdtriT = Pr. Sp. Pg. castrar = It. 
custrare), castrate, prune, curtail, expurgate; 
akin to Skt. Castra, a knife.] 1. To deprive 
of the testicles; geld; emasculate. 2. In lint,, 
to deprive (a flower) of its anthers. Ihirtrin. 
3. To remove something objectionable from, 
as obscene parts from a writing; expurgate; 
destroy the strength or virility of ; emasculate. 
The following k-tter, which I hav rv/x'/vi/.--/ in 
places. .iililinni, sprcutor, N". IT'.i. 
4. To take out a leaf or sheet from, and ren- 
der imperfect ; mutilate. 
A ctutratetl set of Ilolinshed's chronirK-n. Todil. 
5. Figuratively, to take the vigor or spirit 
from; mortify. 
Ye canlralf tin- dfsircs of the flesh, and shall obtain 
more ample reward of grace in heaven. 
T. Martin, Marriage of I'riestes, Sig. Y, i. b. 
castrate (kas'trat), a. and n. [=F. castrat, n., 
= Sp. riixlrnilo, a. and n., = Pg. castrado, n., = 
It. ctmtrato, n., < L. caatratus, pp. : see the 
verb.] I. a. 1. Gelded; emasculated. 2. In 
hot., deprived of the anthers; anantherous : ap- 
plied to stamens or flowers. 
II. . One who or that which has been cas- 
trated, gelded, or emasculated; a eunuch. 
castrater (kas'tra-t6r), M. [= F. r/iiilri nr = Sp. 
Pg. castrador = It. castratore, < LL. <-axtr<it<n . 
< L. castrare: see castrate, v.] One who cas- 
trates. 
castrati, . Plural of castrato. 
castration (kas-tra'shon), . [< ME. castra- 
cioun, < F. castration = Pr. castracio = Sp. cas- 
tracion = Pg. castraq&o = It. castrazione, < L. 
castratio(n-), < castrare, castrate: see castrate, 
r.] The act of castrating, or state of being 
castrated. 
castrato (kas-tra'to), . ; pi. castrati (-te). [It. : 
see castrate, a. and .] A male person emas- 
culated during childhood for the purpose of 
preventing the change of voice wnich natu- 
rally occurs at puberty; an artificial or male 
soprano. The voice of such a person, after arriving at 
adult age, combines the high range and sweetness of the 
female with the power of the male voice. 
castrelt, Same as kestrel. Beau, and Fl. 
castrensial (kas-tren'shial), a. [< L. castrensi* 
(> Sp. Pg. It. castrense), pertaining to a camp, 
< castra, a camp.] Belonging to a camp. Sir 
T. Browne. [Bare.] 
castrensian (kas-tren'shian), a. Same as cax- 
trensial. Coles, 1717. [tfare.] 
castrilt, Same as Kestrel. 
eastrum (kas'trum), n.; pi. castra (-tra). [L., 
a castle, fort, fortress, a fortified town, in pi. 
castra, a camp ; hence nit. E. -caster, Chester, 
and (through dim. castellmn) castle, q. v.] A 
Roman military camp. See 
'[lie ancient castle occupies the site of a Roman '"* 
train. Ettrye. Brit., XIV. 'JS4. 
cast-shadow (kast'shad'o), n. In painting, a 
shadow cast by an object within the picture, 
and serving to bring it out against the objects 
behind it. 
cast-steel (kast'stel), n. Steel which has been 
rendered homogeneous by remelting in cruci- 
bles or pots: for this reason sometimes called 
crucible or homogeneous steel. This process was in- 
vented by Benjamin Huntsman (born in Lincolnshire, 
England, in 1704), and brought to perfection some time 
liefore 1770. Cast-steel is made by the melting of blister- 
steel, bar-iron, or puddled steel, with the addition of bar- 
iron, carbon, manganese ore, or spiegeleisen, iu small 
quantities, according to the character of the steel desired 
to lie produced. The finest cast-steel is made from Swed- 
ish bar-iron manufactured from ore practically free from 
sulphur and phosphorus. See iron and uteel. 
casual (kaz'u-al), a. and n. [< ME. casuet, < F. 
casuel = Pr. Sp. Pg. casual = It. casuale, < LL. 
casiialis, of or by chance, < L. casvs (casu-), 
chance, accident, event, > E. easel, q. v .] I. 
a. 1. Happening or coming to pass without 
(apparent) cause, without design on the part of 
the agent, iu an unaccountable manner, or as 
a mere coincidence or accident; coming by 
chance; accidental; fortuitous; indeterminate: 
as, a casual encounter. 
Eny brother of this ffratemyte, that hath don hys dew- 
leys well and trewly to the ffraternite, come or fall to 
pouerte by the visitacion of god, or by camitll auenture, 
and hath not wher-of to leve, that he roaye haue, every 
weke, of the almys. Engluh Gild (E. E. T. S.), p. 319. 
That which seemeth most canial and subject to fortune 
is yet disposed by the ordinance of God. 
Raleigh, Hist, of World. 
He tells how casual bricks in airy climb 
Encountered casual cow-hair, casual lime. 
//. ami J. Smith, Rejected Addresses. 
