cause 
They caiitf.il great Joy unto all the brethren. Acts .vv. :t. 
You cannot guess who rained your father's death. 
Shak., llieli. III., ii. 2. 
July does not caiue August, though it invariably pre- 
cedes it. ./. /''iViAv. Cosmic I'liiliw., I. 154. 
2. To make; force; compel : with an infinitive 
after the object: as, the storm caused him to 
seek shelter. 
1 will cause him to fall by the sword. '1 Ki. xlx. 7. 
And BO ever ony S;ira/in r'ouiyth 1>> that Sepulrre in- 
cast a atomic tiler litt with grctt violence ami liii-pite by 
r:illst' tile seyd Absololl pursued h\s fattier, kill;; l>a\iil. 
and cauxe hyni to lire. 
Torliittuliiii, liiarie of Eng. Travell, p. lW. 
Il.t intraas. To show cause; give reasons. 
I'.iit In-, to shlfte tlieir curious request, 
tiau cauiit'ti wliy stie could not come in place. 
.s'/'Cw, F. (J., III. ix. 20. 
causefult (kaz'ful), a. [< aitixe + -fill, 1.] Hav- 
ing a real or sufficient cause. Kpcnser. 
\Vuil thyself! and wail with ruii*-fntl Inn,. 
Sir P. tiulnrii, in Arlier's Km,'. Carner, I. 650. 
causeless (kiz'les), . [< raw + -/rax.] 1. 
Having no cause or producing agent; self- 
originated; uncreated. 
Kciicli the Almighty's aaered throne, 
And make hisca useless power the cause of all things knou u. 
Sir It. Rluekmore, Creation. 
2. Without just ground, reason, or motive : 
as, causeless hatred; cauxcless fear. 
Your causeless hate to me I hope in buried. 
li'ini. ami Fl., Maid s Tragedy, i. 2. 
Causeless wars that never had an aim. 
William Morns, Earthly Paradise, HI. 332. 
causelesst (kaz'les), ade. Without cause. 
Chaucer. 
causelessly (kaz'les-li), ade. In a causeless 
manner; without cause or reason. 
Carelessly and causelessly neglect it. 
Jer. Taylor, Repentance, x. J 4. 
causelessness (kaz'les-nes), . [< causeless + 
-ness.] The state of being causeless. 
causer (ka'zer), 11. One who or that which 
causes ; the agent or act by which an effect is 
produced. 
Is not the causer of the timeless deaths 
Of these Plantagenets . . . 
As blameful as the executioner? 
Shak., Bich. III., i. 2. 
causeuse (ko-zez'), . [F., prop. fern, of eau- 
nciir, talkative, a talker, < causer, talk: see 
cause, v. i."] A small sofa or settee for two per- 
sons. 
causeway, causey (kaz'wa, ka'zi). . [Prop. 
causey (the form causeway, < ME. cawcewey, 
cawcy wey (Prompt. Parv.), being a popular per- 
version, in simulation of way, a road), early 
mod. E. also causay, coasay, < ME. cauci, kauce, 
cawse, caicsee, also cauchie, cawchie, < OF. "cau- 
cie, canchie, cauchiee, chaucie, F. chausse'e = Pr. 
caussada = Sp. calzada, < ML. calceata, rarely 
calciata (also calcea, calceia. after the OF. form), 
a paved road (sc. L. ria, a way, road ; cf. E. 
street, ult. < LL. strata (sc. L. via), a paved 
road), prop. fern, of "calceatus, "calciatus, pp. 
of "catceare, calciare, pave, make a road or 
causeway (Pg. collar, pave; cf. OF. cauchier, 
chancier, traverse a road), < L. calx (calc-, calci-), 
limestone, lime, chalk, the verb having refer- 
ence to the use of broken limestone, and, appar. 
in a more general application, of any broken 
stone, or of gravel (cf . L. dim. calculus, a pebble, 
gravel, calculosus, calculous, gravelly), or less 
prob. to the use of lime or mortar, in making 
such roads : see calx, chalk, calculus. The verb 
is by some identified with L. caleearc, also cal- 
ciare (>OF. cauchier, caucher, eauccr, F. cJtausser 
= Pr. caussar = Sp. cnlzar = Pg. calfar = It. 
calzare), shoe, provide with shoes, < L. calceus, 
a shoe : see calceate. Causeway, being now 
known to be a false form, is beginning to be 
avoided by some writers.] 1. A road or path 
raised above the natural level of the ground 
by stones, earth, timber, fascines, or the like, 
serving as a dry passage over wet or marshy 
ground, over shallow water, or along the top of 
an embankment. 
At the foote of the castell was the maras. depe on alle 
sides, and ther-to was noon entre saf a litill cam/tie that 
was narowe and straite of half a myle of lengthe. 
Merlin (E. E. T. S.), iii. 380. 
Such are the making and repayringof Bridges, C(iu*i'ii>'*, 
Conduits to conuey water to their Hospitalls or Temples. 
Purehas, Pilgrimage, p. 297. 
It is strange to see the chargeable pavements and cause- 
tfays in the avenues and entrances of towns abroad be- 
yond the seas. 
Bacon, Charge upon the Commission for the Verge. 
The other way Satan went down 
The couwj/to hell-gate. Milton, P. L., x. 415. 
869 
A narrow girdle of rough stones and crags, 
A rude and natural .vn;x-/v/i/. interposed 
Between tlie water and a uindini.- slope 
Of copse and thicket. 
Wtn-'lxifni-tli. Naming of Places, iv. 
The old and ponderous trunks of prostrate tree* 
That lead from knoll to knoll a rmiaii rude. 
llrtjuiit, F.ntraui-e to a Wood. 
2. A sidewalk, or path at the side of a street or 
road raised above the carriageway. Crown of 
the causey, see ./-,!. Giant's Causeway, a pi -om- 
ontory of columnar basalt covering lar^e tiat arras on the 
coast of Antrim, in the north of Ireland, where the for- 
m.ltioiis al'- tiln-ly displayed in the close titling hexagonal 
pillars, distinctly marked, and varying in diameter from 
15 to 20 inches, with a height of 20 feet in some places. 
See lautalt. 
causeway, causey (kaz'wa, ka'/.i), r. t. [< 
ctiiim in/I/, niiinrij, .] To provide with a cause- 
way ; pave, as a road or street, with blocks of 
stone. 
The white woni stones which causewayed the middle of 
the path. Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre, xii. 
causey, and v. See causeway. 
causia (ka'sia), n. [< Gr. Kavaia, < aalu, KCLVOIC.] 
A broad-brimmed felt hat, with a very low 
crown, or sometimes no distinct crown, form- 
ing part of the national costume of the ancient 
Macedonians and of related peoples, as the 
Illyrians. It was worn by kin^s, dyed purple and Mir 
rounded by a white or gold embroidered diadem in the 
form of a narrow band, of which the fringed ends hung 
down at the back. 
The kausia . . . had a very broad brim and a very low 
crown, and belonged to the Macedonian, .Ktolian, lllyrian, 
and also perhaps Thessalian costume. 
C. O. MUUrr, Manual of Arclncol. (trans.), S 338. 
causid (ka'sid), n. A snake of the family Cau- 
xiiln 1 . 
Causidse (ka'si-de), . pi. [NL., < Causus + 
-ida!.] A family of solenoglyph Ophidia, typified 
by the genus Causus, having the maxillary bone 
not excavated, the poison-fang grooved i n front, 
and a postfrontal bone present. The genera be- 
sides Caustts are Heterophis and Dinodipsas. They are 
venomous serpents, most nearly related to the Viptrida 
or vipers. 
causidical (ka-sid'i-kal), a. [< LL. causidicalia, 
< L. causidicus, an advocate or pleader, < causa, 
a cause, + dicere, say.] Pertaining to an advo- 
cate, or to pleading or the defense of suits. 
caussont, Same as cavezon. 
caustic (kas'tik), a. and n. [= F. caustique = 
Sp. cdustico = Pg. caustico = It. caustico, < L. 
camticus, < Gr. taamrutif, caustic, corrosive, ca- 
pable of burning, < KOVOTOC, verbal adj. of mien; 
burn: see calnii, cauma, causus, and cf. encaus- 
tic.'] I. a. 1. Capable of burning, corroding, 
or destroying the tissue of animal substances. 
See causticity. 2. Figuratively, severely crit- 
ical or sarcastic; cutting: as, a caustic remark. 
Let their humour be never so caustic. 
Smollett, Humphrey Clinker. 
Those illusions of fancy which were at length dispelled 
by the caustic satire of Cervantes. 
Prexott, Ferd. and Isa., Int. 
Caustic alcohol, barley, etc. See the nouns. Caustic 
curve, in math. See II., 3. Caustic potash, potassium 
hydrate, KOH, a hard, white, brittle substance, easily solu- 
ble in water and deliquescent in air. It is a strong base, 
forming stable crystalline compounds with all acids. It is 
a powerful caustic, quickly destroying animal and vegeta- 
ble tissues. Caustic potash is used in medicine as a cau- 
tery, and in numlierless ways in the arts, as a detergent, 
as a base for making salts of potash, and in the manufac- 
ture of soap. Caustic soda, sodium hydrate, NaOH, a 
white, brittle solid, having imich the same chemical and 
physical properties as caustic potash, and similar uses in 
the arts. The soaps made with caustic soda are hard ; 
those made with caustic potash are soft. =Syn. 2. Stinging, 
pungent, acrid, sarcastic. 
II. w. 1. In wed., any substance which burns, 
corrodes, or disorganizes the tissues of animal 
structures; an escharotic. 2. Figuratively, 
something pungent or severely critical or sar- 
castic. See causticity. 
Your hottest cautticks. B. Jonnon, Elegy on Lady Pawlet. 
When we can endure the caustics and correctives of our 
spiritual guides, in those things in which we are most 
apt to please ourselves, then our obedience is regular and 
humble. Jar. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), I. 82. 
3. In math., an envelop of rays of light pro- 
ceeding from a fixed point and reflected or 
refracted by a surface or a curve. Caustics are 
consequently of two kinds, catacaustic* and diacaugtics, 
the former being caustics by reflection and the latter caus- 
tics by refraction. Lunar caustic, a name given to silver 
nitrate when cast into sticks for the use of surgeons, etc. 
See nitratf. Secondary caustic, the orthogonal trajec- 
tory of the reflected or refracted rays ; an involute of a 
plane caustic. Vienna caustic, a mixture of potassium 
hydrate and lime in equal proportions, forming a powder 
used in medicine as a caustic, and milder than potassium 
hydrate alone. 
caustical (kas'ti-kal), a. Same as caustic. 
[Rare.] 
caustically (kas'ti-kal-i), adv. In a caustic or 
severe manner : as, td'say something caustically. 
cauterization 
causticity (kas-tis'i-ti), ii. [< <-<i,isti<- + 
= F. raiixtiriti'' = Sp. rniixlifiilnil = IV. riiit 
<iinlr = \\. ritMxtiritti.] i. The property of bt- 
in{r caustic, that is, of i-orrodiiigordiMiryanizint; 
animal matter, or t lie quality of combining with 
the principles of organized substances so us to 
destroy the tissue; corrosivem-ss. This prop- 
erty belongs to eonei-nl rated acids, i uire alkalis, 
and some metallic salts. 2. Figuratively, se- 
verity of language ; pungency ; sarcasm. 
He was a master in all the arts . .1 liHiml, ; ami his In- 
exhau.Htihle spirit only required some permanent subject 
to lia\e livalll <l the .vd/,.7/,-//i/ of Swift. 
/. Iflnnifli, (Juarrcls of Authors, p. 21H. 
I shall he sorry to miss his pungent speech. I know it 
will lie all sense, for the chinch, ami all rimxin-iiii lor 
Schism. < '/,,,,/,, u, lii-nnti-, Shirley, xvlll. 
He had, besides, u M ''/ of tongue. 
Uroryr Jiliut, Mill on the Flow, i. 7. 
causticnesst (kas'tik-nes), n. The quality of 
being caustic; causticity. 
caustify (kas'ti-fi), r. (. ; pret. and pp. causti- 
ticil, ppr. i-iiiiti/ij'i/iiiii. | < riiiislir.: see -/#.] To 
render caustic ; convert into eaustic. For exam- 
ple, soda ash or carbonate of soda is caustillcd by boilini; 
with milk of lime, which removt - tin- < ari.onic acid and 
converts the sodium into caustic soda. 
causus (ka'sus), ii. [NL., < Gr. ratxroc, burning 
heat, causus. < naieiv, burn. Cf. cauma.] 1. In 
med., a highly ardent fever. 2. [cap.] In 
herpet., the typical genus of Cauidte. J. Wag- 
ler. 
cautelt (ka'tel), . [= Sc. cautele, < ME. cautel, 
caiitele, < OF. ctniMe = F. cautele = Pr. Sp. Pg. 
It. cautela, < L. cautela, caution, precaution, < 
caittus, pp. of cavere, take heed: see caution.] 
1. Caution; wariness; prudence. 
But in all things this cautfl they use, that a less pleasure 
hinder not a bigger ; and that the pleasure be no cause of 
displeasure, which they think to follow of necessity, if the 
pleasure be unhonest. 
Robinson, tr. of Sir T. More'g Utopia, U. 7. 
2. Subtlety; craftiness; cunning; deceit; fraud. 
Thus goure cauttll to the comoune hath combred $ou all. 
Richard the Kedcletf, L 78. 
No soil, nor cautel, doth besmirch 
The virtue of his will. Shut., Hamlet, I. S. 
3. Eccles., a detailed caution or written direc- 
tion concerning the proper manner of celebrat- 
ing the holy communion. 
cautellyt, adv. [ME. cautely; < atutel + -ly^.] 
Cautiously. 
Make a crye, and cautely thou call. 
York Plays, p. 828. 
cauteloust (ka'te-lus), a. [< ME. cautelous = 
F. cauteleux = Pr. cautelos = Sp. Pg. caufeloso, 
< ML. cautelosus, < L. cautela: see cautel and 
-o.] 1. Cautious; wary; provident: as, "cau- 
telous though young," Drayton, Queen Margaret. 
Mar. Danger stands sentinel : 
Then I'll retire. 
Ger. We must be cautfloug. 
Middleton, Family of Love, it 4. 
My stock being small, no marvel 'twas soon wasted ; 
But you, without the least doubt or suspicion, 
If cautelous, may make bold with your master's. 
Massinger, City Madam, ii. 1. 
Swear priests, and cowards, and men cautelnui, 
Old feeble carrions, and such suffering souls 
That welcome wrongs. Skak., J. C., ii. 1. 
2. Cunning ; treacherous; wily. 
They are (for the most part) soe cautelvns and wylye- 
headed, specially being men of soe small experience and 
practize in lawe matters, that you would wonder whence 
they borrowe such subtiltyes and slye shiftes. 
Spmsfr, State of Ireland. 
cautelouslyt (ka'te-lus-li), adr. 1 . Cautiously ; 
warily. 2. Cunningly; slyly; craftily. 
cauteiousnesst (ka'te-lus-nes), . Cautious- 
ness ; prudence. 
These two great Christian virtues, caulflouxnt**, repen- 
tance. Hales, liolden Remains, p. 254. 
cautert (ka'ter), n. [LL., < Gr. navrfip, a sear- 
ing-iron, < naiciv, burn.] A searing-iron. Min- 
sheu. 
cauterant (ka'ter-ant), . [For "eauteriant, < 
ML. eauterian(t-)s, ppr. of cauteriare, cauter- 
ize: see cauterize.] A cautery; a caustic. 
cauterisation, cauterise. See cauterization, 
cauterize. 
cauterism (ka'ter-izm), w. [< cautery + -ism. 
Cf. cauterize.] The application of a cautery. 
cauterization (ka'ter-i-za'shon), n. [< cauter- 
ize + -ation; = F. cauterisation = Pr. cauteri- 
zacio = Sp. cautcrizacion = Pg. eauterizagdo = 
It. cauterizzazione.] 1. In sura., the act of cau- 
terizing or searing some morbid part by the ap- 
plication of a hot iron, or of caustics, etc. 2. 
The effect of the application of a cautery or 
caustic. 
Also spelled cauterisation. 
