chenille 
chenille (she-neT), n. [F., lit. a caterpillar (= 
Pr. canillia), prob. < L. canicula, a little dog, 
dim. of canis (> F. chien), a dog. Cf. caterpil- 
lar.] 1. A soft, velvety cord of silk or worst- 
ed, used in embroidery and for fringes and 
other ornamental parts of women's dresses, 
etc. 2. A name for Dasya elegans, one of the 
red marine algse, order Floridece. See Dasya. 
A beautiful species [Damja eleyam}, known to lady col- 
lectors by the name of chenille, at once recognized by its 
Ions, cylindrical, branching fronds, densely Hinged with 
fine lake-colored filaments. Farlow, Marine Algse, p. 177. 
Chenille carpet. See carpet. Chenille cloth, a fabric 
made with a fringed silken thread used as the weft in 
combination with wool or cotton. A fur-like surface is 
thus produced, whence the name. Chenille embroi- 
dery, a kind of embroi lery in which chenille is used like 
thread or braid, either laid upon the surface, as in couch- 
ing, or drawn through the material with the needle : in 
the latter case a canvas with large meshes, or perforated 
cardboard, is commonly used. The chenille used for the 
purpose is finer than the ordinary kinds. Chenille lace, 
a kind of lace made in France in the eighteenth century, 
with a ground of silk net and the pattern outlined with 
fine chenille. Chenille-needle, a needle with a very 
large eye and a sharp point, used for making chenille em- 
broidery. Chsnllla rolio, a twisted silk chenille stiff- 
ened by wire, used as an edging for glass shades and for 
different ornaments. It is also made into a soft cylindri- 
cal cord used in rich fringes. 
Chenomorph (ke'no-morf), n. One of the Che- 
nomorpliai. 
Chenomorphae (ke-no-m6r'fe), n. pi. [NL. 
(Huxley, 1867), < Gr. x'f, = E. goose, + fiopQfi, 
form.] The duck tribe considered as a prime 
division of dosmognathous carinate birds hav- 
ing the same technical characters as, and being 
conterminous with, the family Anatidce. 
chenomorphic (ke-no-mdr'fik), a. [< Cheno- 
morphas T -ic.] Pertaining to or having the 
characters of the Chenomorphat ; anserine or 
anatine ; lamellirostral. 
chenopod (ke'no-pod), n. A plant of the order 
Cltenopodiaceai. 
Chenopodiaceae (ke-no-po-di-a'se-e), . pi. 
[NL., < Chenopodium + -acece.] A natural order 
of apetalous exogens, containing about 60 gen- 
era and 400 species of more or less succulent 
herbs or shrubs, for the most part peculiar to 
maritime or saline localities and to dry desert 
regions. It is extensively represented in the alkaline 
regions of central Asia and western America, and in- 
cludes most of the so-called greasewoods of America. It 
furnishes the beet and mangel-wurzel, the spinach, and 
the garden-orach. Some of the succulent species contain 
large quantities of alkaline salts ; some possess aromat- 
ic and medicinal qualities ; and some are cosmopolitan 
weeds. The principal genera are Chenopodium, Atriplex, 
Suceda, and Salsola. 
chenopodiaceous (ke-no-po-di-a'shius), a. Be- 
longing to the natural order Clienopodiacece. 
Chenopodidae (ke-no-pod'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < 
Chenopus (-pod-) + -idw] A family of gastro- 
pods, typified by the genus Chenopus : synony- 
mous with Aporrliaidat. 
Chenopodium (ke-no-po'di-um), n. [NL., < 
Gr. xi v > = E. goose, + TTOW? (noS-) = E. foot] 
The typical genus of plants of the natural 
order Chenopodiaceai. It is widely distributed in 
temperate regions, and includes various common weeds, 
known as goosefoot, pigweed, good-King-llenry, etc., fre- 
quently eaten as greens when young. Some aromatic 
species are used in medicine, as the Jerusalem oak (C. 
Botrys) and wormseed (C. ambrosioiden), and the straw- 
berry-blite (C. capitatutn) is sometimes cultivated on ac- 
count of its scarlet fruit. C. Quinoa is extensively cul- 
tivated in parts of South America for its seeds, which are 
an article of food. The genus is now made to include the 
species which have commonly been referred to Blitum, 
having densely clustered flowers with a calyx which be- 
comes fleshy and colored in fruit. 
Chenopsis (ke-nop'sis), n. [NL. (J. Wagler, 
1832), < Gr. xiiv, = E. goose, + 6-ifjic, aspect, ap- 
pearance.] A genus of swans, belonging to 
the family Anatidie and subfamily Cygnince. C. 
atratus is the well-known black swan of Aus- 
tralia. Also written Chenopis. See swan. 
Chenopus (ke-no'pus), re. [NL., < Gr. %?>>, = E. 
goose, + mi>f (Trorf-) = E. foot.] The typical 
genus of Chenopodidce : same as Aporrhais. 
Chenorhamphus (ke-no-ram'fus), n. [NL., 
irreg. < Gr. xaiveiv, gape', + pdfi<j>of, beak, bill.] 
Same as Anastomus, 1. 
Chenot process. See process. 
cheoh, re. See chih. 
chep 1 t, n. A Middle English form of cheap. 
chep 2 (chep), n. [Appar. a var. of chape] The 
part of a plow on which the share is placed. 
Halliwell. [Prov. Eng.] 
chepet, v. and n. A Middle English form of cheap. 
chepinget, re. Same as cheating. 
chepster (chep'ster), n. [E. dial., < cheep, Sc. 
cheip, chepe, chirp, peep, as a bird, + -ster] A 
local British name of the starling, Sturnus vul- 
garis. Montagu. 
948 
cheque, n. See check 1 , 13. 
chequer (chek'er), n. and v. A more recent 
spelling (in England) of checker 1 . 
chequerberry, . See checkerberry. 
chequer-tree, . See checker-tree. 
chequey, . See cheeky. 
chequint, . An obsolete form of sequin. 
chequy, a. See cheeky. 
cherassi (che-ras'i), n. A kind of gold medal 
struck in Persia for distribution on the occa- 
sion of a coronation, and often used as a coin. 
The value varies from $1 to $7. 
chercht, . A Middle English spelling of church. 
cherchert, n. See kercher, kerchief. Wright. 
cheret. A Middle English form of cheerl and 
cheer 2 . 
cherelichet, adv. A Middle English form of 
cheerly 2 . 
chericet, ' A Middle English form of cherish. 
cherif, n. A French spelling of sherif. 
cherimoyer (cher-i-moi'er), re. [Also chirimoya; 
F. cherimolier, a corruption of cherimoles. the 
name of the fruit in Peru.] The fruit of Anona 
Cherimolia, a native of Peru, it is a heart-shaped 
fruit, with a scaly exterior and numerous seeds buried in 
a pulp. It is as much esteemed in the western parts of 
South America as the custard-apple, to which it bears a 
strong resemblance, is in the West Indies. 
cherisauncet, re. [ME., < cherisen, cherischen, 
cherish: see cherish and -ance.] 1. Cherish- 
ment; comfort. 2. The wallflower, Cheiran- 
thus Cheiri, to which the name of heart's-ease 
was originally given. 
cherish (cher'ish). v. t. [< ME. cherischen, cher- 
isen, chericen, < OF. cheris-, stem of certain forms 
of cherir, F. cherir (cheriss-), hold dear, cherish, 
< cher, < L. carus, dear: see cheer, charity, and 
caress.] 1. To hold as dear; treat with tender- 
ness and affection ; foster ; nurture ; support 
and encourage ; shelter fondly ; nurse ; caress. 
We were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth 
her children. 1 Thes. ii. 7. 
No man ever yet hated his own flesh ; but nourisheth 
and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church. Eph. v. 29. 
And undre that tytle alle Kynges and Lordes cherisschen 
hem the more with jiftes and alle thing. 
dfandeviue, Travels, p. 238. 
You that do abet him in this kind, 
Cheriih rebellion, and are rebels all. 
Shak., Rich. II., ii. 3. 
For what doth cherish weeds, but gentle air? 
Shak., 3 Hen. VI., ii. 6. 
2. To indulge and encourage in the mind; har- 
bor; cling to: as, to cherish forgiveness; to 
cherish revenge. 
His valour . . . 
Hath taught us how to cherish such high deeds, 
Even in the bosom of our adversaries. 
Shak., 1 Hen. IV., v. 6. 
To cheriih virtue and humanity. Burke, Rev. in France. 
3f. To give physical comfort or pleasure to; 
invigorate ; strengthen ; warm ; hence, to pro- 
vide for ; entertain hospitably. 
Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be 
sought for my lord the king a young virgin : and let her 
stand before the king, and let hercAemA him, and let her 
lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat. 
1 JO. I 2. 
They burn sweet gums and spices or perfumes, and 
pleasant smells, and sprinkle about sweet ointments and 
waters, yea, they leave nothing undone that maketh for 
the cherishing of the company. 
Sir T. More, Utopia (tr. by Robinson), it 5. 
= Syn. Foster, Cherish, Harbor. "To foster is to sustain 
and nourish with care and effort. To cherish is to hold 
and treat as dear. To harbor is to provide with shelter 
and protection, so as to give opportunity for working to 
something that might be and often ought to be excluded." 
Angus, Handbook of the Eng. Tongue, p. 378. 
cherisher (cher'ish-er), re. One who cherishes; 
a supporter ; an encourager ; an entertainer. 
He that comforts my wife is the cherisher of my flesh 
and blood. Shak., All's Well, i. 3. 
He [Pepys] was universally belov'd, ... a very greate 
cherisher of learned men of whom he had the conversation. 
Evelyn, Diary, May 26, 1703. 
cherishingly (cher'ish-ing-li), adv. In an af- 
fectionate or cherishing manner. 
cherishment (cher'ish-ment), n. [< cherish + 
-ment] 1. The act of giving physical comfort 
or pleasure. 
Those parts neere (and perhaps vnder) the Pole are hab- 
itable, the continuance of the Sunnes presence in their 
Summer heating and warming with liuely cherishme.nt all 
Creatures. Purchas, Pilgrimage, p. 741. 
2. Encouragement ; support. [Bare.] 
One onelie lives, her ages ornament, 
And myrrour of her Makers majestic, 
That with rich bountie, and deare cherishment, 
Supports the praise of noble Poesie. 
Spenser, Tears of the Muses. 
cherislyt, adv. [ME., < cherisen, cherish, + -ly, 
-ly 2 ; equiv. to cheerlyV, q. v.] Dearly. 
Twig bearing four 
gall-like females of 
C hermes galli/ormis, 
natural size. 
cherry 
Raymound full cheriely was hold also. 
Bom. of Partenay (E. E. T. S.), 1. 5338. 
clierkt, v. i. See chirk 1 . 
cherlt, cherlisht. Middle English forms of 
churl, churlish. 
chermany (cher'ma-ni), n. 
[Origin obscure.] In the 
southern United States, a va- 
riety of the game of base-ball. 
The Century. 
chermes (ker'mez), re. [NL. : 
see formes.] If. An old spell- 
ing of formes. 2. [cup.] 
[NL.] A genus of bark-lice, 
of the family Aphididai, spe- 
cies of which, as C. abietis 
and C. lands, affect firs and 
larches. 
Chermes affords an example of net- 
erogamy in that two different ovip- 
arous generations follow one ano- 
ther : a slender and winged summer 
generation, and an apterous genera- 
tion which is found in autumn and 
spring and lives through the winter. 
Claus, Zoology (trans.), II. 543. 
Chermesinae (ker-me-si'ne), n. pi. [NL., < 
Chermes, 2, + -inte] A subfamily of bark-lice, 
of the family Aphidida:, typified by the genus 
Chermes, having only two diseoidal veins on the 
fore wings, and the antennae usually 5-jointed, 
but exceptionally 3-jointed. it consists of minute 
forms usually black or yellow, including the vine-pest, 
Phylloxera tattatrtf. 
chermesine (ker'me-sin), a. Of or pertaining 
to the Chermesince. 
cherna (cher'na), n. [Sp.] A name adopted 
from the Portuguese and Spanish for various 
species of serranoid fishes, (a) Polyprion cemium, 
generally called stone-bans or wreck-fish. Also cherne. (b) 
Epineplielus morio, better known as the red grouper. 
cherne (chfer'ne), w. [Same as cherna.'] A lo- 
cal (Madeira) name of the stone-bass. See 
cherna, (a). 
Chernes (ker'nez), n. [NL., < Gr. ^epvfa, a day- 
laborer, as adj. poor, needy.] A genus of two- 
eyed book-scorpions, of the family Cheliferidce, 
or giving name to a family Chemetidce. 
chernetid (ker'ne-tid), n. A false scorpion of 
the family Chernetida:. 
Chernetidae (ker-net'i-de), n. pi. [NL.. < Cher- 
nes (Chernet-) + -wte.] A family of false scor- 
pions, of the order Pseudoscorpiones or Chelife- 
ridea. It is restricted to the book-scorpions with two 
eyes, in which case it is synonymous with CheHferida, or 
contains the four-eyed forms also, and is then coextensive 
with the order. 
chernette (cher-nef), n. [Dim. of cherne.] A 
young cherne. 
chernozem (cher'no-zem), . [Also written 
tchernozem ; repr. Buss, chernozemu, < chernuii, 
black, + zemlya, earth, land.] The local name 
of a black earth of extraordinary fertility, cov- 
ering at least 100,000,000 acres, from the Car- 
pathian to the Ural mountains, to the depth 
of from 4 to 20 feet, and yielding an almost 
unlimited succession of similar crops without 
preparation. It consists chiefly of silica with a little 
alumina, lime, and oxid of iron, and about 7 per cent of 
vegetable mold, of which 2.45 is nitrogen gas. The nitro- 
gen and other organic matter are no doubt the cause of 
its fertility. 
cheroot (she-rot'), n. [Also spelled sheroot; = 
Pg. eharuto, a cigar, tobacco-leaves, < Hind. 
churut, a cigar; prob. orig. a native name in 
the Philippine islands.] A kind of cigar not 
pointed at either end, and thicker at one end 
than at the other. Cheroots were first made at 
Manila in the Philippine islands. 
The valleys of Luzon . . . send us more cheroots than 
spices. B. Taylor, Lands of the Saracen, p. 179. 
ch6-root (sha'rSt), n. Same as shaya-root. 
cherry 1 (cher'i), . and a. [Early mod. E. 
also chery, cherie, < ME. chery, chere, in comp. 
cheri-, ehiri- (pi. cherys, cheries, chiries), a new 
singular developed from the supposed pi. *cher- 
is, *chiris, < AS. ciris, cyrs (in ciris-bctim, cyrs- 
treoiv, cherry-tree) = D. kers, kerse=WLQ. forse, 
kars; kas(-bere) = OHG. chirsa, MHG. kirse, 
kerse, kersche, G. kirsche = Dan. kirse(-bar) = 
Sw. kers(-bar) = F. cerise = Pr. serisia, cerei- 
ra = Cat. cirera = Sp. cereza = Pg. cereja = 
It. ciriegia, ciliegia = Wall, ciriashu, a cherry 
(cf. F. cerisier = Pr. serier = Cat. circr, cirerer 
= Sp. cerezo = Pg. cerejeira = It. dricgio, ciliegio 
= Wall, cireshu, a cherry-tree), < ML. cerasea, 
cerasia, < MGr. nepaaea, Kepaaia, the cherry-tree, 
< L. cerasus, a cherry-tree, cerastis, ccrasvm, 
a cherry (= Ar. foraa = Turk, kirdz), < Gr. 
Kepaaof, a cherry-tree, Kcpaotov, a cherry, cherry- 
tree, < itepac, a horn, prob. with reference to 
