center-rail 
rails in a track. It is used on inclined planes fur tin- 
ascent or descent of steep grades, in connection with spe- 
cial wheels on the locomotive. 
center-saw (sen' ter-sa), . A machine for 
splitting logs into bolts for ax-handles, spokes, 
etc. 
center-second (sen ' ter - sek " ond), a. Having 
the second hand mounted on the central arbor: 
applied to a watch, clock, or other timepiece so 
constructed. 
center-table (seu'ter-ta'bl), . A table placed 
or intended to be placed in the center of a room ; 
specifically, a parlor or drawing-room table. 
A book . . . for the student, and . . . more likely to 
find its place on the library-shelf than the centre-table. 
Lowell, Among my Books, 2d ser., p. 276. 
center-tools (sen'ter-tolz), n. pi. The tools 
used by bookbinders for the decoration of the 
centers of ornamented squares. 
center-valve (seu'ter-valv), n. A four-way 
gas-cock or distributer, used to distribute the 
gas to the purifiers. 
center-velic (sen'ter-ve"lik), n. Same as cen- 
ter of effort (which see, under center 1 ). 
centesimal (sen-tes'i-mal), a. and w. [< L. 
centesimus, hundredth (ordinal of centum, a hun- 
dred : see cent, and of. centime), + -al.] I. a. 
1. Hundredth: as, a centesimal part. 2. By 
the hundred: as "centesimal increase," Sir T. 
Browne, Tracts, p. 40 Centesimal division of the 
circle, a system of measuring angles used in France. Each 
centesimal degree is the hundredth part of the quadrant, 
and is divided into one hundred centesimal minutes, and 
each of these into one hundred centesimal seconds. 
II. n. In arith., a hundredth ; the next step 
of progression after decimal in dividing by ten. 
The neglect of a few centesimals in the side of the cube 
would bring it to an equality with the cube of a foot. 
Arbuthnet, Ancient Coins. 
centesimally (sen-tes'i-mal-i), adv. By huu- 
dredths ; in or into a hundred parts. 
The great French tables of logarithms of numbers, sines 
and tangents, and natural sines, called Tables du Cadas- 
tre, in which the quadrant was divided centesimally. 
Encyc. Brit., XIV. 413. 
centesimate (sen-tes'i-mat), v. t. ; pret. and pp. 
centesimated, ppr. centesimating. [< L. centesi- 
matus, pp. of centesimare, take out the hundredth 
for punishment, < centesimus, hundredth: see 
centesimal. Cf. decimate.] To pick out one in 
a hundred of ; inflict the punishment of centesi- 
mation upon. De Quincey. 
centesimation (sen-tes-i-ma'shon), n. [< L. as 
if *centesimatio(n-), < centesimare, take out the 
hundredth for punishment : see centesimate. Cf . 
decimation.'] The punishment of one man in a 
hundred, as in cases of mutiny or wide-spread 
desertion from an army. 
Sometimes the criminals were decimated by lot, as ap- 
pears in Polybius, Tacitus, Plutarch, Julius Capitolinus, 
who also mentions a centeftiination. 
Jer. Taylor, Ductor Dubitantium, ii. 122. 
centesimo (It. pron. chen-tes'e-mo; Sp. then- 
tes'e-mo), . [It. and Sp., < L. centesimus, hun- 
dredth: see centesimal.'] 1. In the monetary 
system of Italy, the hundredth part of a lira; 
in that of Spain, the hundredth of a peseta : in 
both equal to the French centime, the hun- 
dredth part of a franc, or about one fifth of a 
United States cent. 2. A money of account 
in some South American countries, about equal 
to a United States cent. In the Argentine Re- 
public and Uruguay it is the hundredth part of 
a peso ; in Peru, of a sol. 
centesmt, n. [< L. centesimus, hundredth: see 
centesimal. Of. centime.'] The hundredth part 
of a thing, as of an integer. E. Phillips, 1706. 
Oentetes (sen-te'tez), n. [NL. (Illiger, 1811), 
< (Jr. KEvTi/rr/e, one who pierces, < Kcvreiv, pierce, 
prick: see center 1 .] The typical genus of the 
family Centetidai, haying long, highly special- 
ized canines in both jaws, no external tail, and 
the pelage spiny. It contains the tenrec, or Mada- 
gascan groundhog or hedgehog, C. ecaudatutt, which is 
from 12 to 16 inches long, and is one of the largest ani- 
mals of the order. The genus has often been referred to 
the family Erinaceidaz. 
centetid (sen-tet'id), n. An insectivorous mam- 
mal of the family Centetidce. 
Centetidae (sen-tet'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < Cente- 
tes + -idee.'] A family of Madagascan mammals, 
of the order Insecth'ora ; the tenrecs or Madagas- 
can groundhogs or hedgehogs. They have a squat 
form, rudimentary tail, and spines in the pelage; the 
skull is cylindroconic and without interorbital constric- 
tion, zygomatic arches, or postorbital processes. There 
are several genera, all confined to Madagascar and related 
to the West Indian Solenodontidce. 
Centetinae (sen-te-tl'ne), . pi. [NL., < Cente- 
tes + -inte.] The centetids as a subfamily of 
Erinaceidw. Also Centetina. 
886 
centiare (sen'ti-ar ; F. pron. son-tyar'), n. [F., 
< L. centum, a hundred, + area : see are 2 , n.] A 
square meter ; the hundredth part of the French 
are, equal to 1.19 square yards. 
centicipitOUS (sen-ti-sip'i-tus), a. [< L. centi- 
ceps (centicipit-), hundred-beaded, < centum, a 
hundred, + caput, a head.] Having a hundred 
heads. Smart. [Rare.] 
centifidous (sen-tif 'i-dus), a. [< L. centifidus, < 
centum, a hundred, + findere (/ "fid), cleave, = 
E. bite.] Divided into a hundred parts. [Rare.] 
centifolious (sen-ti-fo'li-us), a. [< L. *centifo- 
lius (in fern, centifolia (so. rosa), a hundred- 
leafed rose), < centum, a hundred, + folium, 
a leaf.] Having a hundred leaves. Johnson. 
[Rare.] 
centigrade (sen'ti-grad), a. [< F. centigrade = 
Sp. centigrado = Pg. It. centigrado, < L. centum. 
a hundred, + gradus, a degree : see grade.] 
1. Consisting of a hundred degrees; graduated 
into a hundred divisions or equal parts : often 
placed after the noun which it qualifies, like 
troy, avoirdupois, etc. 2. Pertaining to the 
scale which is divided into a hundred degrees : 
as, a ecu tigrade decree. 
Its abbreviation is C. : as, 35 C. 
Centigrade thermometer, a thermometer introduced 
by Celsius, and universally used by physicists, which di- 
vides the interval between the freezing- and boiling-points 
of water into 100, the zero of the centigrade thermometer 
being placed at the freezing-point. Five degrees centi- 
grade are equivalent to 9 Fahrenheit, and the pointmarked 
10 on the centigrade scale corresponds to the point marked 
50 on the Fahrenheit scale. The simplest rules for redu- 
cing a temperature noted on one scale to the corresponding 
number of degrees in the other are as follows : To reduce 
a temperature on the centigrade scale to Fahrenheit Sub- 
tract 10 from the given temperature, subtract from the 
remainder one tenth of itself, double the last remainder, 
and add 50 to the product. To reduce a temperature on 
the Fahrenheit scale to centigrade Subtract 50 from the 
given temperature, divide the remainder by 2, multiply the 
quotient by 10, divide the product by 9, and add 10 to the 
last quotient. See thermometer. 
centigram (sen'ti-gram), n. [= Sp. centigramo 
= Pg. It. centigrammo, < F. centigramme, < L. 
centum, a hundred, + F. gramme : see gram 2 .] 
A measure of weight in the metric system, the 
hundredth part of a gram, or 0.15432 grain troy. 
See gram 2 . Also spelled centigramme. 
centiliter (sen'ti-le-ter), n. [= Sp. centiUtro = 
Pg. It. centiUtro, < F. centilitre, < L. centum, a 
hundred, + F. litre : see liter.] A liquid mea- 
sure in the metric system, the hundredth part 
of a liter, a little more than three fifths of a 
cubic inch. Also spelled centilitre. 
centiloquyt (sen-til'o-kwi), . [= Sp. centilo- 
quio = Pg. centiloquy, < L. centum, a hundred, + 
loqui, speak. Cf. soliloquy.] A hundred say- 
ings: as, the Centiloquy of Ptolemy, a work 
containing a hundred astrological aphorisms. 
Burton. 
centime (F. pron. son-tern'), n. [F., < L. cen- 
tesimus, hundredth: see centesimal.] In the 
French system 
of coinage, the 
hundredth part 
of a franc, or 
about one fifth 
of a United 
States cent. Its 
abbreviation is 
C. Coins of a sin- 
gle centime have 
been struck in copper and bronze, though little used. 
There are also coins of 2, 3, 5, and 10 centimes. 
centimeter (sen'ti-me-ter), n. [= Sp. centime- 
tro = Pg. It. centimetre, < F. centimetre, < L. 
centum, a hundred, + F. metre, a meter: see 
meter 2 .] In the metric system, a measure of 
length, the hundredth part of a meter, equal to 
0.3937+ of an English inch: that is, one inch 
equals 2.54 centimeters, as nearly as possible. 
Also spelled centimetre, and abbreviated em. 
Centimeter-gram-second system, a system of physical 
units introduced in 1874, in which the centimeter is taken 
as the fundamental unit of length, the gram of mass, and 
the mean solar second of time. In this system the dyne is 
the unit of force, the erg of work, etc. See unit. It is 
abbreviated to c. g. s. system, 
centinelt, n. A former spelling of sentinel. 
centinodet, centinodyt (sen'ti-ndd, sen-tin'6- 
di), n. [= F. centinode = Sp. centinodia, < L. 
centinodia (so. herba, a plant), < centum, a hun- 
dred, -t- nodus, knot.] Knot-grass. 
centiped, centipede (sen'ti-ped, -ped), n. [< 
L. centipeda or centupeda, a worm (also called 
millepeda or multipeda), < centum, a hundred, + 
pes (ped-) = E. foot.] The popular name of an 
articulated arthropod animal of the class My- 
riappda and order Chilopoda: so called from 
having many legs (indefinitely called a hun- 
Obverse. 
Centime of Napoleon III 
Reverse. 
British Museum. 
{ Size of the original.) 
central 
dred), there being a pair to each segment or 
somite of the body. Species of the temperate coun- 
tries are mostly small and quite harmless, 
hut in tropical regions some of the centi- 
peds attain great size and are very poison- 
ous, as those of the genus Scolopendra, 
which are sometimes nearly a foot long. 
See also cuts under basilar and cephalic. 
centipedal (sen'ti-ped-al), a. [< 
centiped + -al.] Of or pertaining 
to the centipeds. 
centuar (sent'niir), n. [Pol., = 
G. centner, etc., < L. centenarius: 
see centner.'] The Polish centner, 
equal to 89.4 pounds avoirdupois. 
centner (sent'ner), n. [= G. Dan. 
Sw. centner = D. eeutenaar = Pol. 
centnar, < L. centenarius: see cen- 
tenary.] 1. In metal, and assay- 
ing, a weight divisible first into a 
hundred parts and then into small- 
er parts. Metallurgists use a weight 
divided into a hundred equal parts, each centiped (Sc- 
being equal to one pound, calling the i a p en dra tour- 
v/hole & centner ; the pound is divided into tonica}. 
thirty-two parts or half-ounces, the half- 
ounce into two quarters, and each of these into two drams. 
But the assayers use different weights ; with them a centner 
is one dram, to which the other parts are proportioned. 
2. A common name in many European coun- 
tries for a hundredweight. It is now fixed at 50 
kilos or 110.23 pounds avoirdupois throughout Germany, 
Austria, Sweden (after Jan. 1, 1889), Denmark, and Swit- 
zerland. The centner was generally 100 local pounds ; but 
this was not always the case. Thus, the Cassel light cent- 
ner was 108 light pounds, or 111.1 pounds avoirdupois; 
the old Prussian centner was usually 110 pounds, or 113.3 
pounds avoirdupois ; the Hamburg centner was 112 pounds, 
or 119.6 pounds avoirdupois ; and the Bremen centner 
was 116 pounds, or 127.2 pounds avoirdupois. See cen- 
tenaar, cantar, and quintal. The British cental has also 
been called centner. See cental. 
The Liverpool corn measure of 100 lb., called a centner, 
he proposes as the unit of measure. 
Standard (London), March 30, 1881. 
cento (sen'to), n. [= F. centon = Sp. centon = 
Pg. centdes = It. centone, < L. cento(n-), patch- 
work, a cento, prob. for *centro(n-), < Gr. nh- 
rpuv, patchwork, a cento, < K&rpov, a pin, point, 
etc. : see center 1 .] If. A patchwork. 
His apparel is a cento, or the ruins of ten fashions. 
Shirley, Witty Fair One, ii 2. 
It is a mere cento of blunders. 
Jefferson, Correspondence, I. 190. 
Hence 2. In music and literature, a compo- 
sition made up of selections from the works of 
various authors or composers; a pasticcio; a 
medley. 
I have laboriously collected this Cento out of divers 
writers. Burton, Anat. of Mel., To the Reader, p. 20. 
It is quilled, as it were, out of shreds of divers poets, 
such as scholars call a cento. Camden, Remains. 
A cento primarily signifies a cloak made of patches. In 
poetry it denotes a work wholly composed of verses or 
passages promiscuously taken from other authors, only 
disposed in a new form or order, so as to compose a new 
work and a new meaning. Ausonius has laid down the 
rules to be observed in composing centos. The pieces 
may be taken either from the same poet, or from several, 
and the verses may be either taken entire, or divided into 
two, one half to be connected with another half taken else- 
where, but two verses are never to be taken together. 
/. D'Israeli, Curios, of Lit., I. 392. 
centoculated (sen-tok'u-la-ted), a. [< LL. cen- 
toculus, having a hundred eyes (< L. centum, a 
hundred, + oculus, eye), + -ate 2 + -ed 2 .] Hav- 
ing a hundred eyes. 
centoist (sen'to-ist), n. [< cento + -4st.] One 
who compiles centos ; a compiler. Edinburgh 
Rev. [Rare.] 
centont, n. [F. : see cento.] A patched coat. 
Coles, 1717. 
centone (It. pron. chen-to'iie), . [It., < L. ceti- 
to(n-), a cento: see cento.] A musical cento. 
centonism (sen'to-nizin), . [< L. cento(n-), 
cento, + -ism.] The practice of constructing 
centos, or making compilations from various 
authors. Hallam. [Rare.] 
centonizing (sen'to-ni-zing), n. [Verbal n. of 
"centonize, < ML. centonizare, < L. ceiito(n-): see 
cento.] The practice of compiling; specifical- 
ly, in music, the practice of adapting songs to 
music- already known. [Rare.] 
centra, . Plural of centrum. 
centrad (sen'trad), adv. [< L. centrum, center, 
+ -ad 3 .] In zool. and anat., to or toward the 
center; from the periphery or surface to the 
center or an interior part. 
centradiaphanes (sen'tra-dl-af 'a-nez), n. [NL., 
< Gr. Kevrpov, center, H- a- priv., + oVa^avfc, 
transparent: see diaphanous.] In pathol., cata- 
ract caused by opacity of the central portion 
of the crystalline lens of the eye. 
central (sen'tral), a. [= F. Pr. Sp. Pg. central 
= It. centrale, <! L. cetitralis, < centrum : see cen- 
