cater 
avoid the oil with which a pattern has been drawn upon cat-foot (kat'fiit), n. 
we nrrd ii" fiitri-inii for tin- rnorniw. 
Ktltl''. Scr. 
Gray.- 
Exp., II. 90. caterpillar-eater (kat'er-pil-ar-etcr), . 1. A Wlth Cyri , ,! wtthNnortaii, nnpero 
[Also quater; < r . quatre, name given to the larva? of certain iclinciimon- Cat-fuateii thro' the town. V. IHHI*H, I'rincess, i. 
flies, from their being bred in the bodies of cat- Ca t_g l(l (kat'gold), w. A variety of mica of a 
erpillarn and eating their way out. 2. Same as 
illtir-cntclii r. 
cater 2 (ka'ter), n. 
< L. quatitor = E. four : see four, and quntur, 
i/Hiitn -iinri/, etc.] The four-spot of cards or dice, 
cater- (ka'ter), v. t. [< cater"*, n.] To cut di- 
agoimlly. [Prov. Eng. and U. 8.] 
cateran (kat'er-an), . [So., < Gael, ceathair- 
neach, a soldier, = Ir. eeathnriiach, a soldier (> 
- 
caterpillar-fungus (kat'er-pil-ar-fung'gus) 
A fungus of the genus Cordyceps, WUOD grows 
U pon the larv of insects. See Cordyct'i**. 
E. kern, which is thus the same word as eatrr- caterpillar-hunter (kat'er-pil-iir-hun'ter), n. 
mi), < Gael, and Ir. ctith, battle, = AS. heathu, Same as caterpillar-catcher. 
battle.] 1. A kern; a Highland or Irish ir- cater-pointt, . The number four at dice. 
regular soldier. 2. A Highland freebooter or Kerxry, 1708. 
caters (ka'terz), n. pi. [Also written i/imfrr.v. 
< F. quatre, four: see eater' 2 .'] The collective 
name of the changes which can be rung upon 
nine bells : so called because four pairs of bells 
change places in the order of sounding every 
time a change is rung. 
reaver. [Scotch.] 
eater-cornered (ka't6r-k6r'nerd), . [< cater*, 
n., + cnnirr + -f<l-.] Diagonal ; set diagonally. 
[Prov. Eng. and U. S.] 
cater-COUSin (ka'for-ku/."n), n. [Also written 
quater-, guatre-cousin ; < catcr%, F. quatre, four 
(fourth), + cousin.] A fourth cousin; a remote caterwaul (kat'er-wal), t'. i. [A var. of earlier 
relation ; hence, a friend. 
Ills master and ho ... are scarce cater-cou*in. 
cater-cousinship (ka ' ter - kuz * n - ship), n. [< 
cater-cousin + -ship.'] The state of being 
of being distantly related. 
yellowish color. The name is sometimes ap- 
plied to iron pyrites. 
" catgut (kat'gut), /i. [Appar. < cat 1 + t/n! ("I. 
pquiv. aitliii;/, 2) ; but, as catgut does not seem 
ever to have been prepared from cats' intes- 
tines, the word is supposed to stand for "kiti/nt 
(cf. equiv. l:iltlrin(i), liy confusion of kit 1 , a 
little cat, with kit*, a fiddle.] 1 . The intestines 
of sheep (sometimes of the horse, the ass, or 
the mule), dried and twisted, used for strings 
of musical instruments and for other purposes ; 
a string of this kind. 2. A sort of linen or 
canvas with wide interstices. 3. (a) A name 
for one of the olive seaweeds, 1'lmnlit filum, 
which is allied to Laminaria. (b) The plant Te- 
lilirnxin Vir</iiiiiiii<i : so called on account of its 
caterteaw, after waul : see catcrwaw and waul.] ioiig, slender, and very tough roots. 
To cry as cats under the influence of the sex ca tgut-scraper (kat'gut-skra'per), . 
ual instinct; make a disagreeable howling or sive name fa a violinist; a fiddler, 
screeching. 
The very cats caterwauled more horribly nd pcrtina- 
cater-cousins, or of being distantly related. ciously there than I ever heard elsewhere. 
Thank Heaven he [the second-rate Englishman] is not 
the only specimen of cater-cmurimhip from the dear old caterwauling (kat er-wa-ling), n. [Verbal n. 
Mother Island that is shown to us ! __ o f caterwaul, v.~] The crying of cats ; a howling 
A deri- 
Lowell, Study Windows, p. 69. 
caterer (ka'ter-er), n. A provider or purveyor 
of food or provisions ; one who provides for any 
want or desire. 
That [sect] called Chenesia is the principal!: whose 
Priests doe feed on Horse-flesh. Such Horses as are unfit 
for service, their Caterers doe buy and fat for their palats. 
Sandys, Travailes, p. 96. 
cateress (ka'ter-es), n. [< cater 1 + -ess.] A 
woman who caters ; a female provider. 
She, good catereti, 
Means her provision only to the good. 
Milton, Comus, 1. 764. 
caterfoilt, < Same as quatrefoil^ 
found only once, in the abbr. form catyrpel, < 
OF. "cattepelewre or a similar form represented 
or screeching. 
What a caterimtding do you keep here ! 
Shak., T. N., ii. 3. 
caterwawt, * ' [ME. caterwawen, < cater- (cf. 
D. kater. m., a cat; cf. also caterpillar) for cat 
(see cafl) + wawen, howl, waul; an imitative 
word: see waul and caterwaul.] Same as cat- 
erwaul. 
caterwawedt, . [ME. (appar. a pp., 
really a verbal noun), < caterwaw, q. v.] C; 
wauling. 
But forth she [the cat] wol, er any day be dawed, 
Cath. An abbreviation of Catholic. 
cath-. A form of cat- for cata- before the aspi- 
rate, occurring in words of Greek origin. 
Catha (kath'S), . [NL., < Ar. kat, khat.] A 
genus of plants, belonging to the natural order 
Cclastracece, mostly natives of Africa. The mot 
interesting species of the genus is C. tdulu, cultivated 
by the Arabs, and known as khat or ta/ta. It is a shrub 
growing to about 10 feet in height, with smooth leaves of 
an elliptical form about 2 inches In length by 1 inch In 
width. The leaves and twigs are used in the preparation 
of a beverage possessing properties analogous to those of 
tea and coffee. The use of khat U of great antiquity, hav- 
ing preceded that of coffee, and it forms a considerable 
article of commerce among the Arabs, 
but cathag (kat'ach), n. [Gael, cathag, a daw, jack- 
ater- daw.] A name for the jackdaw, Corvus nwne- 
dula. Macgillirray. [Scotch.] 
Cathaian, a. and n. See Cataian. 
Toshew'ehir'skynandgon'acaferaawed. cat-hammed (kat'hamd), a. Clumsy; awk- 
Chaueer, ProL to Wife of Bath's Tale, 1. 854. ward; without dexterity. Grose; Halliwell. 
cateryt (ka'ter-i), n. [By apheresis from aca- [Prov. Eng.] 
tery, q. v.] A place for keeping provisions. Cathari (kath'a-ri), n.pl. [< ML. Catharus, a 
Also catry. puritan, < Gr. "taBapot, pure.] An appellation 
cat-eyed (kat'id), a. Having eyes like a cat; of different early and medieval religious sects; 
I hence, seeing well in the dark. the Catharists. See Catharist. 
F Jh^a'te^sTcLZeloL chattepe- caMall (kat ? fal), n Naut the rope which, Catharian (ka-tha'ri-an), n A Catharist. 
being rove in the cat-block and cat-head, forms Catharina, n. pi. Same as Catarrhina. 
the tackle for heaving up the anchor from the catharine-wheel (kath'a-rin-hwel), n. [So 
water's edge to the cat-head. Also called cat- called from St. Catharine of Alexandria, who 
tackle fall. See cut under cat-head. 
[< cat 1 + fish.] 1. A 
louse, 
forms OF. chatepelose, chatepelouse, 
louse, chatcpeleuse, chattepelleuse, also chateplue, 
a caterpillar, also a weevil, a mite, mod. dial. 
(Picard) capleuse, capcluehe, capture, carplure, 
assibilated chatte, mod. F. chatte, f., a cat, + 
"peleure, pillettre, pilleuse (Palsgrave), F. dial. 
pilure, pelure, a pill, < L. pilula, > also E. pill 1 : 
*cat' being a fanciful name applied to the 
caterpillar (cf. It. dial, gatta, gattola, a cater- 
pillar^ gatto, a cat; G. dial. (Swiss) teufels- 
katz (lit. devil's cat), a caterpillar; F. chenille, 
a caterpillar (see chenille), < L. canicula, a little 
dog), and ' pill ' having reference to its rolling 
itself up in a little ball (cf . E. pill-bug and pill- 
beetle).] 1. Properly, the larva of a lepidop- 
wolf-fish, Anarrhichas lupus, from 
i and its ferocity when caught. 
See wolf -fish. 2. A name generally given in 
the United States to species of the family Vi- 
luridff, which when taken out of the water 
emit a sound like the purring of a cat. The 
North American species are robust fusiform fishes with 
8 barbels, a short dorsal with a strong pointed spine in 
front, a posterior adipose fin, and a moderate anal. They 
have been referred to five genera, Amiurut, Groniai, 
Ictalurut, Leptops, and ffoturu. The species of the first 
two are of some economical importance, and contribute 
considerably to the food of the poorer classes at least. 
The most common in the eastern streams are the A. nebti 
losui and .1 . albidus, and in the west the .1. tnela. 
terous insect, but also applied to the larvse of 
other insects, such as members of the family 
Tenthredinidtf, or saw-flies. Caterpillars are produced 
Immediately from the egg ; they are furnished with three 
pairs of true feet and a number of fleshy abdominal legs 
named prolegs, and have the shape and appearance of a 
worm. The old Idea of Swammerdam that the pupa and 
imago are already concealed under the skin of the cater- 
pillar is only partially founded in truth. The pupal skin 
is formed from the hypodermis of the larva, ana the mus- 
cles contract and change its form. The larval skin Is then 
thrown off, and the Insect remains quiescent for some time, 
the imago or perfect insect forming beneath the pupal en- 
velop. Caterpillars generally feed on leaves or succulent 
vegetables, and are sometimes very destructive. See lama. 
2. A cockchafer. [Prov. Eng.] 3f. An envi- 
ous person who does mischief without provo- 
cation. E. Phillips, 1706. 4f. One who preys 
upon the substance of another; an extortioner, name has been' also extended to similar fishes in various 
They that be the children of this world, as ... extor- parts of the world, and even to species of different but 
tioners, . . . caterpillars, usurers, think you they come to related families. 
3. A name given in some parts of England to 
the weever, Trachinus draco. 4. A local Eng- 
Catfish (Amiurtts mtlas}. 
largest are the .1 . niyricant of the great lakes and the A. 
pandtrotiig of the Mississippi, the latter sometimes attain- 
ing a weight of 100 pounds. The most esteemed is the /. 
punctatus of the great lakes and the Mississippi valley, 
recognizable by its slender head and forked tail. The 
God's storehouse? Latimtr. 
5. The popular name of plants of the genus 
fteorpiuruti Caterpillar point-lace, (a) A needle- 
made lace produced in Italy during the seventeenth cen- 
tury, and named from the resemblance of the sprig which 
formed its pattern to the bodies of caterpillars. (6) A 
light fabric spun liy caterpillars in the process of eating 
food spread for them upon a smooth stone, while they 
is represented with a wheel, in allusion to her 
martyrdom.] 1. In arch., a window, or com- 
partment of a window, of a circular form, with 
radiating divisions or spokes. See rose-window. 
2. In her., a wheel with sharp hooks project- 
ing from the tire, supposed to represent the 
wheel upon which St. Catharine suffered mar- 
tyrdom. 3. A kind of firework having a spiral 
tube which revolves as the fire issues from it ; 
a pin-wheel. 4. In embroidery, a round hole 
in muslin or other material filled by twisted or 
braided threads radiating like the spokes of a 
wheel. 
Also spelled catherine-wheel. 
The catharism (kath'a-rizni), n. [< Gr. na6apio/i6f, a 
cleansing, < KaBajii&tv, cleanse : see catharize.] 
The process of making a surface chemically 
clean. 
Catharist (kath'a-rist). . [= F. cathariste, < 
ML. catharista;, pi., < Gr. Kadapdf, pure: see ca- 
thartic.] Literally, a puritan; one who pre- 
tends to more purity than others possess : used 
as a distinctive ecclesiastical name. This name 
has been specifically applied to or used by several bodies 
of sectaries at various periods, especially the Novatians 
in the third century, and the antisacerdotal sect* (Albi- 
genses, etc.) in the south of France and Piedmont in the 
twelfth century. They differed considerably among them- 
selves in doctrine and in the degree of their opposition to 
the Church of Rome, but agreed in denying its supreme 
authority. 
Catharista (kath-a-ris'ta), n. [NL. (Vieil- 
lot, 1816), < Gr. as il "KaBapianif, < uBapSfro, 
cleanse: see catharize.] A genus of American 
vultures, of the family Cathartida; the type of 
which is the black vulture or carrion-crow, C. 
atrata. 
lish name of the scyllioid shark, Scyllium cnfit- catharization (kath'a-ri-za'shon), . [< cath- 
l USm 5, A local English name of the torsk, arize + -ation.] The act of cleansing; the 
Brosmius brosme. 6. A name in New Zealand process of making chemically clean, 
for fishes of the family Uranoscopidce, espe- catharize (kath'a-riz), r.t.; pret. and pp. cathn- 
cially the Ichthyscopus monopteryaius. rized, ppr. cathafizinu. [< Gr. tofaptf**, cleanse, 
