catoptric 
house, a form of lixht in which reflectors are employed 
instead uf til-- UMial arrangement of l.-nst s ami prisms. 
CatOptrlC telescope, :t tele^-npr uhit h lAliiliiN ohjert,^ 
by rettcction. More commonly called r' : !l'''-Hn:f !<! 
catoptrical (ka-top'tri-kal), a. Same as min/,- 
frii-. 
catoptrically (ka-top'tri-kal-i), <tdi:. In a ca- 
toptric manner; by reflection. 
catoptrics (ka-top'triks), H. [PI. of cutn/ilrir: 
see -i<'#. Of. It. catottrii'ti, etc.] That branch o:' 
flic science of option which explains the prop- 
erties of incident and reflected light, and par- 
ticularly the principles of retlection from mir- 
rors or polished surfaces. 
catoptromancy (ka-top'tro-man-si), n. [< Gr. 
KaroTTTimv, a mirror (see rnti>i>trr), + /Mvreta, 
divination.] A species of divination among 
the ancients, performed by letting down a mir- 
ror into water for a sick person to look at his 
face in it. If the countenance appeared (Hatm-tcd and 
Khastly, it was an ill omen ; if Crash and healthy, it was 
favoraMc. 
catoptron (ka-top'tron), M. Same as cato/ii* i. 
catostome (kat'os-tom), w. [< ('n/ii.itoiiius.] A 
lish of the family I'lt/ii.iliiiiiiiln: Also caklstomr. 
Catostomi (ka-tos'to-mi), >i. i>l. [NL., pi. of 
< 'iiliuiliiiiiitn.] A tribe of cyprinoid fishes: same 
as the family t'atnxtomidie. Also Catiixlnmi. 
catostomid (ku-tos'to-mid), a. and . I. a. Per- 
taining to or characteristic of the Catostomii/ir. 
II. . A fish of the family Catontomida:. 
Also fiitnxlomid. 
Catostomidae (kat-os-tom'i-de), n. pi. [NL., 
< I'ntoxtoinHx + -ititv.] A family of eveutogua- 
thous fishes, typified by the genus Catostomux, 
having the margin of the upper jaw formed at 
the sides by the supramaxillary, numerous pha- 
ryngeal teeth, and two basal branohihyals. The 
species are mostly peculiar to North America, and are popu- 
larly known as suckers, car/,, Imfiilti-Jisli, etc. The family 
is by some authors divided into three subfamilies, Catostn- 
nnml-, I'lii-d'iiti/lir, ami IctiubilHK. Also CatOstomidO!. 
CatOStomina (ka-tos-to-mi'ujn, M. pi. [NL., 
< GotMlMMU + -ma.] In Guiither's classifica- 
tion of fishes, the first group of CyprinMie, hav- 
ing the air-bladder divided into an anterior and 
a posterior portion, not inclosed in an osseous 
capsule, and the pharyngeal teeth in a single 
series, and extremely numerous and closely set. 
Also I'liliixliiniinii. 
Catostominae (ka-tos-to-uu'ne), H. pi. [NL., 
< Catostomvs + -intx.] A subfamily of Catosto- 
mida: with the dorsal fin short. Most of the rep- 
resentatives of the family belong to it, and are known in 
the United States chiefly as nwkcra anil mullets or mullet- 
suckers. Also CataxtoiniiuK. 
catostomine (ka-tos'to-min), n. and n. I. . 
Pertaining to or having the characters of the 
Catostominw. 
II. n. A fish of the subfamily Catostominae. 
Also catastomine. 
catostomoid (ka-tos'to-moid), a. and . [< NL. 
Catostomus, q. v., -f- Gr. cldof, shape.] I. a. 
Resembling or having the characters of the 
Catostomirlii'. 
II. n. A fish of the family Ca tostomida". 
Also catastomoid. 
Catostomus (ka-tos'to-mus), . [NL., < Gr. 
Kara, down, + ar6[ia, mouth.] A genus of eveii- 
tognathous fishes, giving name to the family 
Catostomid(E. By Lesueur and the old authors it was 
made to embrace all the Catostomidat, but it was gradually 
restricted, and is now generally limited to the species like 
the C. (ere* or common sucker of the United States. Also 
Catastomus. 
catotretous (ka-tot're-tus), a. [< NL. catotre- 
tus, < Gr. Kara, down, + rpijrif, verbal adj. of 
Tcrpaivfiv, perforate.] In zool., having inferior 
or ventral apertures; hypostomous, as an in- 
fusorian. 
cat-OWl (kat'oul), . A name of the large 
horned owls of the genus Bubo, as the great 
horned owl, Bubo virginianus: so called from 
their physiognomy. See cut under Bubo. 
cat-pipe (kat'pip), n. 1. A catcall. 2. Fig- 
uratively, one 
who uses a cat- 
pipe or catcall. 
cat-rake (kaf- 
rak), n. A ratch- 
et-drill. E. H. 
Knight. 
cat-rig (kat'rig), 
n. Naut., a rig 
consisting of 
a single mast, 
stepped very 
near the stem, 
and a sail laced 
to a gaff and 
55 
Cat-boat. 
stir, 
boom and managed in the same manner as the 
mainsail of a sloop. The cat-rig is the typical 
rig of small American sail-boats. 
cat-rigged 1 (kat'rigd), a. Having the cat-rig, 
cat-rigged- (kat'rigd),nr. Ridged; badly creased, 
as linen. [1'rov. Kng.] 
cat-rope (kat'rop), . Same as cai-l>tirk m/ir. 
See i-nl-liiu-l;. 
cat-rush (kat'rush), H. A name of plants of the 
genus l^jilixrluul. 
catryt. . Same as enti-nj. 
cat-salt (kat'salt), n. A sort of beautifully 
gra 1 1 ulated salt formed from the bittern or leach- 
brine used for making hard soap. 
cat's-brains (kats'bmn/), . //'. Sandstones 
traversed in I'M TV direction by little branching 
veins of calcite. [Eng.] 
cat's-claw (kats'kla), . 1. Aname given in tin? 
\Vesl Indies ( n) to the Hii/ininiii tini/Hix,a, climb- 
ing vine with claw-shaped tendrils, and (6) to 
the ritlii'rn/ithiiiiit l'ni/i/i.t-riiii. on account of its 
curved pod. 2. In western Texas, a name of 
several species of Ai-iirin with hooked thorns, 
as A. Cnyyi and A. Writjhti. 
cat's-cradle(kats'kra"dl), . A children's game 
in which one playc-r stretches a looped cord 
over the fingers of both hands in a symmetri- 
cal tigure, and the other player has to insert his 
fingers and remove it in such a way as to pro- 
duce a different figure. Also called crutch-cradle 
and scratch-cradle. 
cat's-ear (kats'er), n. A plant of the genus 
lli//iiii-/urri.i, weedy chicory-like composites of 
Europe : so called from the shape of the leaves. 
The name is also applied to (}napli(ttiui>idit>icum. 
cat's-eye (kats'i), . 1. A variety of quartz, 
very hard and semi-transparent, and from cer- 
tain points exhibiting a yellowish opalescent 
radiation or chatoyant appearance, whence the 
name. Also called KutiHttui?. The same name is also 
given to other penis exhibiting like chatoyant effects, more 
especially to chrysoberyl, which is sometimes called the 
true cat's-eye. 
2. A species of the plant scabious, Scabiosa 
stvllata. 
cat's-foot (kats'fut), n. A name sometimes 
given to ground-ivy or gill, from the shape of 
its leaves, and to Gnaphalium dioicum, from its 
soft flower-heads. Also called cat's-pair, 
cat-shark (kat'shark), . A shark of the fam- 
ily Craleorliinidai, Triads semifasciatus, occur- 
ring along the coast of California. 
cat's-head (kats'hed), . 1. A kind of large 
apple. 2. A nodule of hard gritstone in shale. 
[Leinster, Ireland.] Cat's-head hammer or 
sledge. Same as bully-head. 
cat-Sflipt (kat'ship), n. A ship with a narrow 
stern, projecting quarters, and a deep waist. 
cat-Silver (kat'sil'ver), n. [= Sw. lofMMwr.] 
A name sometimes given to a variety of silvery 
mica. 
Catskill (kats'Ml), a. In American geol., an 
epithet applied to the upper division of the 
Devonian age, characterized by the red sand- 
stone of eastern New York. 
catskin (kat'skin), . [= Icel. kattskinn = Dan. 
katteskind.'] The fur or furry pelt of the cat. 
This is often dyed in imitation of costly furs, and in the 
Netherlands and elsewhere cats are bred for the sake of 
their fur, which is an article of commerce. The fur of the 
wild cat of Hungary is prettily mottled, and is used with- 
out dyeing. 
cat's-milk (kats'milk), n. A plant, the Eu- 
phorbia Helioscopia. Also called sun-spurge and 
tcartwced or wartwort. 
catsot (kat'so), n. [< It. cazzo (pron. kat'so), 
an obscene term of contempt, also used as an ex- 
clamation.] A base fellow; a rogue; a cheat. 
These he our nimble-spirited catnos, that have their 
evasions at pleasure. 
B. Jomon, Every Man out of his Humour, ii. 1. 
cat's-paw, catspaw (kats'pa), n. 1. Naut.: 
(a) A light air perceived in a calm by a slight 
rippling of the surface of the water. 
We were now in the calm latitudes, the equatorial belt 
of baffling cat's-paws and glassy seas. 
W. C. Kunsell, Sailor's Sweetheart, Ix. 
(6) A peculiar twist or hitch in the bight of a 
rope, made to hook a tackle on. 
When the mate came to shake the catspaw out of the 
downhaul, and we began to boom-end the sail, it shook 
the ship to her center. 
R. H. Dana, Jr., Before the Mast, p. 387. 
2. One whom another makes use of to ac- 
complish his designs ; a person used by another 
to serve his purposes and to bear the conse- 
quences of his acts ; a dupe : as, to make a per- 
son one's cafs-paw. An allusion to the story of the 
monkey which, to save its own paw, used the paw of the 
cat to draw the roasted chestnuts out of the fire. 
cattle 
They took the enterprise upon themselves, and made 
theniM-h r* the p. . i But DOW toA dMttOUt 
is taken from the cmlicrs. anil tlie monkey is coining in tor 
the benefit of the cat's guhxcmuncy. /. 
He refrained fn-ln ilrli'iiliirinu tli-- p-Tillator* whose 
witless r<tt'*-iMli' he claimed to have bl 
A. .1. /;,,-., CXXIIt. 408. 
3. In vol., same as eafs-foot. 4. In bookliin'l- 
iii'i. the mark made on the covers or edges of a 
book by a sponge containing color or gtaiiiiiig- 
tluid. 
Cat'8-purr (kats'per), w. In jinlhol., a peculiar 
purring thrill or sound heard in an.-i'iiltaiion of 
the oli 
cat-squirrel (kat'skwur 'el), . 1. A name of 
the fox-squirrel. [Local, eastern U. 8.] 2. 
A name of the ring-tailed bassaris, Bassaris 
iixiiiin. [Southwestern U. 8.] 
cat's-tail(kats'tal), ii. 1. Same as cattail, 1. 
2. A name for the plant /-.</ i.v< linn nrveimc and 
it her species of that genus. 3. Same as cirrus 
cloud. See cloud. cat's-taU grass, in Kun.pe, the 
common name of the grasses beloiciim to the v -mia I'hle- 
um, because of their dense spikes of flowers. Also called 
l-altflil. Sec I'lif'-i/in. 
cat-stane (kat'stan), . [Sc., appar. < ci + 
.1/11 nf = E. stone; but the first element is un- 
certain, being referred by some to (iael. <-nth. 
a battle (see caterun).'} 1. A conical cairn or 
monolith found in various parts of Scotland, 
and supposed to mark the locality of a battle. 
2. One of the upright stones which support 
a grate, there being one on each side. "The 
term is said to originate from this being the 
favorite seat of the cat" (Jamieson). 
cat-stick (kat'stik), n. A stick or flat bat em- 
ployed in playing tip-cat. 
Prithee, lay up ray cat and rat-slick safe. 
M<<l'l/''i<iu, Women Beware Women, t 2. 
He could not stay to make my legs too, but was driven 
To clap a pair of cat-sticks to my knees. 
Beau, and Ft., Captain, ii. 1. 
cat-stopper (kat'stop'er), n. Same as cat-head 
sto/iper (which see, under cat-head). 
catsup (kat'sup), n. Same as catchup. 
cat-tackle (kat'tak'l), n. Naut., tackle used 
for raising the anchor to the cat-head Cat- 
tackle fall Same as cat-fall. 
cattail (kat'tal), n. [< cat* + to71.] 1. The 
common name of the tall reed-like aquatic 
plant Ty/ilia latifolia : so called from its long 
cylindrical furry spikes: often popularly called 
bulrush and caM-nine-tails. Also cat's-tail. 
2. Same as cat's-tail grass (which see, under 
cat's-tail). 3. Same i as catkin. 4. Naut., that 
end of a eat-head which is fastened to the ship's 
frame. [Properly cat-tail.'] 
catter (kat'er), v. i. To thrive. Grose ; Halli- 
wclt. [Prov. Eng.] 
cattery (kat'e-ri), w. ; pi. catteries (-riz). [< cat 1 
+ -ery. Ct."piggery, camelry, fernery, pinery, 
etc.] A place for the keeping and breeding 
of cats. Soutliey. [Rare.] 
cat-thrasher (kat'thrash"er), w. A clupeoid 
fish, Clupra testivalis. [Maine, U. 8.] 
cattimandoo (kat-i-man'do), . [E. Ind.] A 
kind of gum obtained in the East Indies from 
an angular columnar species of Euphorbia, E. 
Cattimandoo. It is used as a cement and as a 
remedy for rheumatism. 
cattish (kat'ish), a. [< ca* 1 + -wAl.] Having 
the qualities or ways of a cat ; cat-like ; feline. 
The cattish race. 
Drumiiumd, Phillis on the Death of her Sparrow. 
cattle (kat'l), n. sing, and pi. [< ME. catel, 
katel, assibilated chatcl (> chattel, q. v.), prop- 
erty, capital, = MLG. katcl, katele, < OF. catcl, 
katel, assibilated chatcl, chateil, eliaptel, chatal, 
chastal, chetel, chatei, etc., = Sp. caudal (cf. Pg. 
caudal, a., abundant), < ML. captale, capitate, 
capital, property, goods (vivum capitate, live 
stock, cattle), whence mod. E. capital^, q. v. 
Thus cattle = chattel = capital?.] If. Prop- 
erty ; goods ; chattels ; stock : in this sense now 
only in the form chattel (which see). 
His tythes payede he ful fayre and wel, 
I lot he of his owne swinke, and his ,//.',/. 
Chaucer, Gen. Prol. to 0. T., L 540. 
2. Live stock; domestic quadrupeds which 
serve for tillage or other labor, or as food for 
man. The term may include horses, asses, camels, all 
the varieties of domesticated beasU of the bovine genus, 
sheep of all kinds, goats, and even swine. In this general 
sense it U used in the Scriptures. In common use, how- 
ever, the word is restricted to domestic beasU of the cow 
kind. In the language of the stable it means horses. 
The first distinction made of live stock from other prop- 
erty was to call the former quick cattle. 
Sir J. Uarington, Epig. L 91. 
