Dictionary of Americanisms - C



C.
CAB. A small one horse carriage, lately introduced into our principal
cities from England.

CABBAGE. A cant word for shreds and patches made by tailors in cutting out
clothes.--Todd. From this comes to cabbage, to steal in a small way.

CABOOSE. The common pronunciation for camboose (Dutch kombuis), a ship's
cooking-range or kitchen.

CACHE. (French.) A hole in the ground for hiding and preserving provisions
which it is inconvenient to carry; used by settlers in the West.--Webster.

CADDY. A small box generally made of laquered ware, and lined with sheet
lead, for keeping tea in.

CAHOOT. Probably from cohort, Spanish and French, defined in the old
French and English Dictionary of Hollyband, 1593, as "a company, a band."
It is used at the South and West to denote a company or union of men for a
predatory excursion, and sometimes for a partnership in business.

If I could only get the township and range, I'd make a cahoot business
with the old man.--Simon Suggs, p. 37.

Pete Hopkins aint no better than he should be, and I wouldn't swar he
wasn't in cahoot with the devil.--Chronicles of Pineville, p. 74.

I'd have no objection to go in cahoot with a decent fellow for a
character, but have no funds to purchase on my own account.--New Orleans
Picayune, p. 136.

The hoosier took him aside, told him there was a smart chance of a pile on
one of the (card) tables, and that if he liked, he would go with him--in
cahoot!--Field, Western Tales, p. 198

CALASH. (Fr. calèche.) A two-wheeled carriage, resembling a chaise, used
in Canada.

CALASH. A covering for the head, usually worn by ladies to protect their
head-dresses when going to evening parties, the theatre, etc.

TO CALCULATE. This word, which properly means to compute, to estimate, has
been erroneously transferred from the language of the counting-house to
that of common life, where it is used for the words, to esteem; to
suppose; to

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believe; to think; to expect; intend, &c. It is employed in a similar way
to the word guess, though not to so great an extent. Its use is confined
to the illiterate of New England.

Mr. Cram requested those persons who calculated to join the singin' school
to come forward.--Knickerbocker Mag. Vol. xvii.

CALABOOSE. (Fr. calabouse. Span. calabozo.) In New Orleans, the common
jail or prison.

CALIBOGUS. Rum and spruce-beer. An American beverage.--Grose.

CALICO. Supposed to be derived from Calicut in India. The word was
originally applied to white cottons from India. In England, white cotton
goods are still called calicoes. In the United States the term is applied
exclusively to printed cotton cloth. Dr. Webster says, to printed cotton
cloth having but two colors. This is a mistake. Calicoes may have two or
ten colors in them. The number of colors does not change the name.

TO CALK. In some parts of America, to set upon a horse or ox shoes armed
with sharp points of iron, to prevent their slipping on ice.--Webster.

CALLITHUMPIANS. It is a common practice in New York, as well as other
parts of the country, on New-Year's eve, for persons to assemble with tin
horns, bells, rattles, and similar euphonious instruments, and parade the
streets making all the noise and discord possible. This party is called
the Callithumpians, or the Callithumpian Band. On wedding nights the happy
couple are sometimes saluted with this discord by those who choose to
consider the marriage an improper one, instead of a serenade. See
chiravari.

CALUMET. (Old Fr.) Among the aboriginals of America, an pipe, used for
smoking tobacco, whose bowl is usually of soft red marble, and the tube a
long reed, ornamented with feathers. The calumet is used as a symbol or
instrument of peace and war. To accept the calumet, is to agree to the
terms of peace; and to refuse it, is to reject them. The calumet of peace
is used to seal or ratify contracts and alliances, to receive strangers
kindly, and to travel with safety. The calumet of war, differently made,
is used to proclaim war.--Webster, Dic.

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CAMP OUT. To encamp out of doors for the night.

The surveying party did not always retire to the hut at night, but it
camped out, as they called it, whenever the work led them to a distance.--
Cooper, Satanstoe, Vol. II. p. 88.

CANADA RICE. (Zizania aquatica.) A plant which grows in deep water along
the edges of ponds and sluggish streams in the Northern States and Canada.
It is called in some places wild rice and water oats.

CANDLE. Hold a candle. To hold a candle to one, is to wait on him. Hence,
'yon are not fit to hold a candle to him,' is equivalent to, you are not
fit to be even his servant; or not to be compared to him.

I have heard in my time a good many men speak French, but I never see the
man yet who could hold a candle to the Prince de Joinville. It was like
lightnin', jist one long-endurin' streak. It was beautiful, but I couldn't
understand it, it was so everlastin' fast.--Sam Slick in England, ch. 22.

Talking about the popularity and glory of his administration--"Why," says
the General, "nothing can hold a candle to it."--Maj. Downing's Letters,
p. 233.

CANE-BRAKE. A thicket of canes. They abound in the low lands of Louisiana
and Mississippi.

CANOE. (Canóa, West Indies.) And Indian boat made of bark or skins.

TO CANT. To turn about; to turn over; a common use of the word, not
mentioned by Johnson or Todd. It is, however, in Ash's Dictionary, who
defines it, a sudden kind of turn in moving a piece of timber.

The cart reeled and rattled. It jolted over stones, canted on knolls,
sidled into gutters.--Margaret, p. 17.

CANT-HOOK. A wooden lever, with an iron hook at one end, with which heavy
articles of merchandise or timber are canted over.

CAN'T COME IT, is a vulgar expression for cannot do it. "You can't come it
over me so," i.e. you cannot effect your purpose. Mr. Hamilton notices
this expression among the provincialisms of Yorkshire.-- Nugæ Literariæ,
p. 353.

CANTELOPE. A species of muskmelon.

CANTICOY, or Cantica. An Indian word, denoting a dancing

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assembly, still used by aged people in New York and on Long Island. Also,
a noisy conversation.

At their canticas or dancing matches, where all persons that come are
freely entertained, it being a festival time.--Denton's Description of New
York, 1670.

CANYON. (Span. cañon.) A narrow, tunnel-like passage between high and
precipitous banks, formed by mountains or table lands, with a river
running beneath. These occur in the great western prairies.

The Platte forces its way through a barrier of table lands, forming one of
those striking peculiarities incident to mountain streams, called a
cañon.--Scenes in the Rocky Mountains, p. 111.

TO CAP. To excel; to surpass. Ex. To cap all. Used in familiar language in
New England. Mr. Hartshorne, in his Shropshire Glossary, has the
expression, to cob all, meaning the same.

TO CAP THE CLIMAX, is to surpass everything. A letter from Mexico, in
speaking of the excesses of the American soldiers, says:

Several robberies were committed by them at Jalapa, but at Cautepec they
robbed almost every house, and, to cap the climax of braggadocio with
respect to his own prowess, says "he can whip his weight in wildcats."--
Thorpe's Backwoods.

TO SET HER CAP FOR HIM. To direct her attentions to him; to endeavor to
win his affections. Dr. Johnson notices the phrase, which he says belongs
to modern times. It is common in the United States, and may be heard in
the best society, in familiar conversation.

CAPSHEAF. A small sheaf of straw forming the top of a stack.--Dorset
Glossary. Figuratively used in the United States to denote the highest
degree, the summit.

Of all the days that I ever did see in this 'ere world, moving-day in New
York is the capsheaf.--Maj. Downing, May-day in N. Y., p. 43.

TO CAPSIZE. To upset or overturn.--Webster. Originally a seaman's word;
but now often heard among landsme.

TO CAPTIVATE, v. a. (Lat. captivo, from capto, to take; Fr. captiver.) To
take prisoner; to bring into bondage.--Johnson. To seize by force; as an
enemy in war.--Webster.

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How ill-becoming is it in thy sex,
To triumph like an Amazonian trull
Upon their woes whom fortune captivates.--Shakspeare.

They stand firm, keep out the enemy, truth, that would captivate or
disturb them.--Locke.

The unnatural brethren who sold their brother into captivity are now about
to be captivated themselves, and the binder himself to be bound in turn.--
Dr. Adam Clarke, Reflec. 4th Genesis.

The Edinburgh Review, in its notice of the American Mineralogical Journal,
published in New York in 1810, after speaking of other words, says, "Other
examples, proving the alteration to which our language has been exposed,
chiefly by the introduction of gallicisms, may be noticed in the rest of
this Journal, resembling expressions found in American newspapers, where
for a "ship taken," we read of "a ship captivated!"

In his remarks on this word, Mr. Pickering says it was new to him, and
that he had never seen it in the newspapers. Subsequently, however, he
discovered it in two or three of our authors. It cannot be said to be in
use among writers at the present day. It is well known that Congress, in
adopting the Declaration of Independence prepared by Mr. Jefferson,
omitted certain passages contained in the original draft. Among these was
the omission of the paragraph relating to the slave trade:
He has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating its most
sacred rights of life and liberty in the persons of a distant people, who
never offended him, captivating and carrying them into slavery in another
hemisphere, or to more miserable death in transportation thither.

In noticing the above passage, Lord Brougham says, The word "captivating"
will be reckoned an Americanism (as the Greeks used to say of their
colonists a Solæcism). But it has undoubted English authority--Locke among
others.--Statesmen of George III.

Twenty-three people were killed in this surprisal, and twenty-nine were
captivated.--Belknap, Hist. New Hampshire, Vol I. ch. 10.

The singularly interesting event of captivating a second Royal army (Lord
Cornwallis's) produced strong emotions.--Ramsay, History American
Revolution, Vol. II. p. 274.

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CARDINAL. The name of a woman's cloak; from the red or scarlet habit worn
by cardinals.--Todd's Johnson. The cardinal worn by ladies at the present
day is a short cloak usually made of velvet, satin, or other rich
material.

But we've no time, my dear, to waste,

Come, where's your cardinal, make haste.--Lloyd, Chit- chat.

CAROLINA POTATO. The sweet potato (convolvulus batata), so called in the
Eastern States.

CARPET WEED. A small spreading plant, common in cultivated ground
(molugo).--Bigelow's Plants of Boston.

CARROTY. Carroty-hair, red hair. A term common alike to England and
America.

While "Tall-and-thin," with his hair all carroty,
Looks thrice as red, with fright, as his head,
And his face bounds plump, at a single jump,
Into horror, and out of hilarity!--New Tale of a Tub.

Seth's short, bow-legged figure was thatched with the most obstinate bunch
of carroty hair that ever bid defiance to bear's oil.--Robb, Squatter
Life.

CARRYALL. A four-wheeled pleasure carriage, capable of holding several
persons, or a family; hence the term, carryall. The name is common in the
Northern States. In Canada it is applied to a sleigh.

TO CARRY A HORSE TO WATER, instead of lead or ride him to water. A
Southern expression.--Sherwood, Georgia.

TO CARRY ON. To riot; to frolic.

Everybody tuck Christmas, especially the niggers, and sich carryins-on--
sich dancin' and singin'--and shootin' poppers and sky-rackets--you never
did see.--Maj. Jones's Courtship.

She had better not come about me with any of her cantankerous carryings-on
this mornin'.--Chron. of Pineville.

When he reflected that wherever there were singin' schools, there would be
carryings-on, he thought the cheapest plan would be to let them have their
fun out.--Peter Cram in Knickerbocker Mag.

TO CASCADE. To vomit--from the resemblance to a waterfall. It is a common
word in England.

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CASSAVA, or CASSADA. (Cassabi, W. Ind.) The native name of a shrub of
Central and South America, from the root of which the tapioca and mandioca
arc extracted.

CATAMARAN. In the State of Maine, a raft for crossing rivers.

CATAMOUNT. Although this animal is peculiar to North America, a similar
name, that of catamountain, for the wild cat, is common in the old authors
from which we probably borrowed it. The catamount of North America is a
larger and very different animal from the wild cat of Europe.

As cattes of the mountayn, they are spotted with diverse fykle fantasyes.--
Bale on the Revel. (1550), p. 2.

Would any man of discretion venture such a gristle,
To the rude claws of such a cat-a-mountain?--Beaumont and Fletcher.

CATAWAMPTIOUSLY CHAWED UP. Completely demolished, utterly defeated. One of
the ludicrous monstrosities in which the vulgar language of the Southern
and Western States abounds.

In this debate, Mr. B. was 'catawamptiously chawed up;' his arguments were
not only met, but his sarcasm returned upon himself with great effect.--
Charleston Mercury.

TO CATCH A TARTAR. To attack one of superior strength or abilities. This
saying originated from the story of an Irish solder in the Imperial
service, who, in a battle against the Turks, called out to his comrade
that he had caught a Tartar. "Bring him along then," said he. "He won't
come," answered Paddy. "Then come along yourself," replied his comrade.
"Arrah," cried he, "but he won't let me."--Grose.

In this defeat they lost about 5000 men, besides those that were taken
prisoners; so that, instead of catching the Tartar, they were catched
themselves.--Life of the Duke of Tyrconnel, 1689.

TO CATCH A WEASEL ASLEEP. It is a common belief that this little animal is
never caught napping, for the obvious reason that he sleeps in his hole
beyond the reach of man. The expression is applied to persons who are
watchful and always on the alert, or who cannot be surprised; as, "You
cannot deceive me, any sooner than you can catch a weasel

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asleep," or, "You can't catch a weasel asleep." The expressions are
common.

CATERWAUL. The wailing of cats in the night-time; and hence, any
ludicrous, disagreeable noise that resembles it.

What a caterwauling you do keep here! If my lady has not called up her
stewart Malvolio, and bid him turn you out of doors, never trust me.--
Shakspeare, Twelfth Night.

It indeed appeared a little odd to me, to see so many persons of quality
of both sexes, assembled together at a kind of caterwauling; for I cannot
look upon the performance to have been anything better, whatever the
musicians themselves might think of it.--Spectator, No. 361.

Yes, gentlemen, as the eagle is the proud representative of this great
nation, so is Mr. Van Buren the proud representative of the Democracy.
(Cheers, groans, and caterwaulings.)--Report of Speech, N. Y. Herald.

CATFISH. (Genus Prinelodus. Cuvier.) This fish in several varieties is
common throughout the Atlantic States under different popular names. It is
also called by the name of Horned-pout, Bull-head, Mud-pout, and Minister.
There is a very large species called the channel cat-fish, which is
noticed by Dr. Kirtland in his Report On the Geology of Ohio.

CATMINT, or CATNIP. (Nepeta cataria.) A well known medicinal herb.

CATS-PAW. To be made a cats-paw of. To be made a tool or instrument to
accomplish the purpose of another; an allusion to the story of a monkey,
who made use of a cat's paw to scratch a roasted chestnut out of the
fire.--Grose.

CATSTICK. A bat or cudgel bused by boys in a game at ball. It is known by
the same name in England, though used for a different play. I have never
heard the word here except in Rhode Island.

When the cat is laid upon the ground, the player with his cudgel or
catstick strikes it smartly, it matters not at which end, and it will rise
high enough for him to beat it away as it falls in the same manner as he
would a ball.--Strutt, Sports and Pastimes.

Your petitioner most earnest implores your immediate protection from the
insolence of the rabble, the batteries of catsticks, and a painful
lingering death.--Tattler, No. 134.

CAT-TAILS. Hares-tail rush (erophorum vaginatum). So called from its
resemblance to a cat's tail. This name is

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common alike to England and America. It is used as a material for stuffing
bed-ticks.

The cat-tails whiten through the verdant bog;

All vivifying Nature does her work.--Davidson's Poems, p. 10.

CAT-TAIL GRASS. Herds grass, or timothy.

CATTLE-RANGE. In Kentucky, a park.

CATTY-CORNERED. Diagonally. In his Craven Glossary, Mr. Carr gives the
word cater corner'd.

CAUCUS. A private meeting of the leading politicians of a party to agree
upon the plans to be pursued in an approaching election.

Gordon's History of the American Revolution, 1788, contains the earliest
account of this word.

"The word caucus, and its derivative caucusing, are often used in Boston.
All my repeated applications to different gentlemen have not furnished me
with a satisfactory account of its origin...... More than fifty years ago,
Mr. Samuel Adams's father, and twenty others, one or two from he north end
of the town, where all ship-business is carried on, used to meet, make a
caucus, and lay their plan for introducing certain persons into places of
trust and power. When they had settled it, they separated, and used each
their particular influence within his own circle," &c. Vol. I. p. 240.

"From the above remarks of Dr. Gordon on this word," says Mr. Pickering,
"it would seem that these meetings were in some measure under the
direction of men concerned in the 'ship business;' and I had therefore
thought it not improbable that caucus might be a corruption of caulkers',
the word meetings being understood. I was afterwards informed that several
gentlemen in Salem and Boston believed this to be the origin of the word."
I'll be a voter, and this is a big character, able to shoulder a
steamboat, and carry any candidate that the caucus at Baltimore may set up
against the people. What's the people to a caucus? Nothing but a dead ague
to an earthquake.--Crockett's Tour, p. 206.

On the whole, this may be called a very useful word, the sense being so
well understood in every part of the Union.

CAUSEY. A causeway, or way raised above the natural level

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of the ground, by logs, stones, earth, etc., serving as a dry passage over
wet ground. This word is seldom used now.

Mr. Church said he would go and fetch his horse back, which was going off
the causey toward the enemy; but before he got over the causey, he saw the
enemy run.--Church's Indian Wars, 1716.

TO BE A CAUTION. To be a warning. A common expression used in familiar
language.

The way the Repealers were used up, was a caution to the trinity of
O'Connell, Repeal, and Anti-Slavery, when they attempt to interfere with
true American citizens.--New York Herald.

There's a plaguy sight of folks in America, Major, and the way they
swallow down the cheap books is a caution to old rags and paper- makers.--
Maj. Downing, May-day in New York, p. 3.

A large portion of Capt. Marryatt's "Travels of Mons. Violet," is stolen
from the New Orleans Picayune; and it will not be surprising if Kendall
[the author] lets his sting into this trans-Atlantic robber. He can do it
in a way that will be a caution.--Providence Journal.

The way Mr. Van Buren is a democrat, is a caution, all over. He is dyed in
the wool, through and through.--Crockett's Tour, p. 207.

He was a sneezer that; and when he flourished his long whip-stick, that
looked like a fishin-rod, and yelled like all-possessed, he was a caution,
that's a fact.--Sam Slick in England.

Our route was along the shore of the lake in a northerly direction, and
the way the icy blast would come down the bleak shore was a caution.--
Hoffman, Winter in the West, p. 234.

Moses wound up his description of the piano, by saying that the way the
dear creeturs could pull music out of it, was a caution to hoarse owls.--
Thorpe's Mysteries of the Backwoods, p. 24.

CAVALLARD. (Sp. caballardo.) A term used by the caravans which cross the
prairies, to denote a hand of horses or mules.

The chef d'œvre of this Indian's rascality was exhibited in his stealing
our whole cavallard, consisting of ten head of horses and mules, which he
drove to the mountains.--Scenes in the Rocky Mountains, p. 80.

TO CAVE IN. Said of the earth which falls down when digging into a bank.
Figuratively, to break down; to give up.

At the late dinner, Mr. W---- arose to make a speech, but soon caved in.--
Washington Paper.

The South-western and Western Locos, it is thought, will cave in, and
finally go for the Treaty [of peace with Mexico], though they talk loud
against it now.--New York Tribune, March 4, 1848.

The Northern Democrats are caving in on the "three million bill;" they

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have determined to sacrifice the proviso against slavery; their temporary
firmness, though mostly affected, has already failed.--N. Y. Tribune.

CAVESON. (French caveçon.) A muzzle for a horse.--New England.

There, Chilion, it is just as I told you. The rake-shame put a caveson on
him.--Margaret, p. 304.

CAVORTIN. (Span. cavar, to paw, applied to horses.) A word chiefly used in
the Southern States. The following illustrations will show the sense in
which it is used:

There's some monstrous fractious characters down in our beat, and they
mustn't come a cavortin about me when I give orders.--Major Jones's
Courtship, p. 20.

A whole gang of fellers, and a heap more of young ladies, came ridin' up
and reinin' in, and prancin' and cavortin'.--Ibid. p. 41.

Old Alic had a daughter, that war a most enticin' creatur; and I seed Tom
Settlers cavortin' round her like a young buffalo.--Robb, Squatter Life.

CENSUS. In the United States, an enumeration of the inhabitants of all the
States, taken by order of Congress, to furnish the rule of apportioning
the representation among the States, and the number of representatives to
which each State is entitled in the Congress; also, the enumeration of the
inhabitants of a State, taken by order of the Legislature.--Webster.

CENT. A copper coin of the United States, whose value is the hundredth
part of a dollar.--Webster.

CHAIR. In the Southern Stares, this name is given to that kind of one-
horse pleasure carriage, which, in the Northern States, is generally
called by the old English name, chaise.--Pickering. The same word, in
England, is applied to a vehicle drawn by one horse.

E'en kings might quit their state, to share
Contentment and a one-horse chair.--T. Warton.

TO CHALK OUT. To mark or trace out as with chalk.--Johnson. To chalk out a
plan or proceeding, is to devise or lay out a plan.

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His own mind chalked out to him the just proportions and measures of
behaviour to his fellow creatures.-- South.

The time falls within the compass here chalked out by nature very
punctually.--Woodward, Nat. Hist.

The Liverpool Times, when speaking of Sir Robert Peel's Tariff, says:
The United States cannot be insensible to the enlightened views in
commercial matters, which English philosophers have chalked out, and which
English statesmen have carried.--Juen 19, 1846.

CHALK. Not by a long chalk. When a person attempts to effect a particular
object, in which he fails, we say, "He can't do it by a long chalk."

CHAP. A boy, lad; a fellow.

For you are to consider these critical chaps
Do not like to be snubb'd; you may venture, perhaps,
An amendment, where they can see somewhat amiss;
But may raise their ill blood, if you circulate this.--Byron, Critical
Remarks.

CHAPARRAL. In Spain, a chaparral is a bush of a species of oak. The
termination al signifies a place abounding in; as, chaparral, a place of
oak-bushes; almendral, an almond orchard; parral, a vineyard; cafetal, a
coffee-plantation, &c. &c.

This word having recently become quite common in our newspapers in
consequence of the lamental war with Mexico, the following description of
a chaparral was given last year by a correspondent of the New Orleans
Picayune, then at Matamoras: It is a series of thickets of various sizes,
from one hundred yards to a mile through, with bushes and briars, all
covered with thorns, and so closely entwined together as to prevent the
passage of anything through larger than a wolf or hare. When they are in
the course of a traveller, he must travel around them, sometimes four or
five miles before he can make half a mile on his route. In the middle of
most of them you will find a small prairie, with numerous beds of prickly
pears, the fruit of which is often ventured for by those who are
accustomed to its use, and "know the ropes."

CHATTER-BOX. One whose tongue runs incessantly.--Todd.

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TO CHAW. (Saxon, ceowan; German, kawen.) To champ between the teeth; to
masticate; to chew.--Johnson. Webster. This, according to all
lexicographers, is the legitimate word, and should be so written and
pronounced. Custom and fashion, however, have changed it to chew, which is
now invariably used among educated people.

I home returning, raught with foul despite,
And chawing vengeance all the way I went.--Spenser, F. Queen.

The man who laught but once, to see an ass
Mumbling to make the cross-grained thistles pass,
Might laugh again, to see a jury chaw
The prickles of Unpalatable law.--Dryden.

TO CHAW UP. To use up; demolish.

I heerd Tom Jones swar he'd chaw me up, if an inch of me was found in them
diggins in the mornin'.--Robb, Squatter Life, p. 63.

Miss Patience smiled, and looked at Joe Cash. Cash's knees trembled. All
eyes were upon him. He sweat all over. Miss Patience said she was
gratified to hear Mr. Cash was a musician; she admired people who had a
musical taste. Whereupon Cash fell into a chair, as he afterwards
observed, chawed-up.--Thorpe's Backwoods, p. 28.

CHAY. A chaise. Common in New England, where these vehicles are chiefly
used.

CHEBACCO BOAT. Probably the same as the xebec of the Mediterranean. A
description of fishing vessel employed in the Newfoundland fisheries. They
are also called Pinksterns. The word may be a corruption of chedabucto,
the name of a bay in Nova Scotia, from which vessels are fitted out for
fishing.--Adams on the Fisheries, p. 220.

CHECKERS or chequers. The common name for the game which is called
draughts in England. Mr. Todd, in his edition of Johnson's Dictionary, has
the word checker, a chessboard, or draught-board.

The checkers, at this time a common sign of a public house, was originally
intended, I suppose, for a kind of draught- board, called tables, and
showed that there the game might be played.--Brand, Popular Antiquities.
CHEQUER BERRY. (Mitchella.) A handsome little creeping plant, the only
species of its genus.--Bigelow's Flora Bostoniensis.

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CHEWINK. The ground robin; so called from its peculiar note. On Long
Island it is called the towhee goldfinch; and in Louisiana, from its
plumpness, grasset.--Natural History of New York.

CHICKABIDDY. A young chicken. Used also as a term of endearment to
children, and not peculiar to America.

I'm a chickabiddy see,
Take me now, now, now.--Nursery Rhymes.

CHICKADEE. The black-cap titmouse, a very common little bird so called
from its peculiar note.--Audubon, Ornith.

CHICKAREE. (Lat. sciurus Hudsonii.) The popular name of the red squirrel.

CHICKEN-FIXINGS. In the Western States, a chicken fricassee.

We trotted on very fast, in the assurance of rapidly approaching a snug
breakfast of chicken-fixins, eggs, ham-doins, and corn slap-jacks.--
Carlton's New Purchase, Vol. II. p. 69.

The remainder of the breakfast table in New York was filled up with some
warmed-up old hen, called chicken-fixings.--Rubio, Travels in the U. S.

I guess I'll order supper. What shall it be, corn-bread and common-doins,
or wheat bread and chicken-fixings.--Sam Slick, 3d Ser. p. 118.

CHICKWEED. (Stellaria media.) A very common plant, growing in every
situation, even between the bricks in the side-walks.--Bigelow's Flora.

CHIGRES (commonly called jiggers). Sand-fleas, which penetrate under the
skin of the feet, but particularly the toes. As soon as they accomplish
this, an itching sensation is felt when the chigre ought to be removed by
means of a needle breaking the skin. No uneasiness follows; but should
this precaution be neglected, the insect breeds in the toe, and produces
sometimes dreadful sores. These insects are found in the West Indies, and
the adjacent shores of the Gulf of Mexico.--Carmichael's West Indies, Vol.
I. p. 188.

TO CHINK. To rattle, jingle; to cause to rattle or jingle. Used especially
of the noise of coin shaken in a purse or bag.

At length the busy time begins,
"Come, neighbours, we must wag."--
The money chinks, down drop the chins,
Each lugging out his bag.--Cowper, Yearly Distress.

p. 74

He chinks his purse, and takes his seat of state;
With ready quills the dedicators wait.--Pope, Dunciad.

CHINK. A term used for money; used in various paris of England, as well as
in the United States.--Grose. Forby.

Though never so much a good huswife doth care
That such as do labour have husbandly fare;
Yet feed them and cram them, till purse do lack chink,
'No spoon-meat, no bellyfull,' laborers think.
Kill crow, pie, and cadow, rook, buzzard, and raven,
Or else go desire them to seek a new haven.--Tusser, Husbandry.

When joyful tidings reach the ear,
And dad retires by Heaven's commands,
To leave his chink to better hands.--Somerville, Fables, 2.

CHINKING AND DAUBING. The process of filling with clay the interstices
between the logs of houses in the new countries. In the north of England
it is called daubing and filling.--Moor.

Our log-house quarters, however, were closely chinked and daubed, and we
passed a comfortable night.--Kendall's Santa Fé Exp. Vol. I. p. 28.

The interstices of the log wall were "chinked"--the chinking being large
chips and small slabs, dipping like strata of rocks in geology; and the
daubing, yellow clay ferociously splashed in soft by the hand of the
architect.--Carlton, The New Purchase, Vol. I. p. 61.

CHINQUIPIN. (Castanea pumila.) A species of chestnut. The water chinquipin
of the United States, is the 'sacred bean' of the Egyptians (nelumbo
nucifera).

CHIP. "A chip of the old block," a child who either in person or
sentiments resembles his father.--Grose. A common expression in the United
States.

I was introduced to about one hundred young gentlemen, true chips of the
old block, ready to be rocked in the old cradle of liberty [Faneuil
Hall].--Crockett, Tour, p. 66.

Hosses and galls, Sam, are all you think of (says father). You're a chip
of the old block, my boy. There ain't nothin' like 'em, is there?--Sam
Slick in England, ch. 19.

CHIPMUK, or CHIPMONK. The popular name for the striped squirrel (sciurus
striatus). Probably an Indian word.

The children were never tired of watching the vagaries of the little
chipmonk as he glanced from branch to branch.--Mrs. Clavers's Forest Life.

CHARIVARI. (Commonly pronounced shevaree.) A custom

p. 75

which prevails in those parts of the United States which were originally
colonized by the French, as Louisiana, some parts of Florida, Missouri and
Michigan. It is also common in Canada. When an unequal match takes place,
when an old bachelor marries, or a widow or widower soon after the death
of his or her partner, their friends assemble on the night of the
marriage, with tin horns, bells, pans, kettles, and everything that will
make a discordant noise. This "serenade" is continued night after night
until the party is invited in and handsomely entertained.--See
Calithumpian.

TO CHIRK. To make a peculiar noise by placing the tongue against the roof
of the mouth, to urge horses on.

He painted a horse-rider cheering and chirking his horse, yet reining him
hard as he champed upon his bit.--Holland, Pliny, B. 35, ch. 10.

CHIRK. Lively; cheerful; in good spirits; in a comfortable state; as when
one enquires about a sick person, it is said, he is chirk. The word is
wholly lost except in New England.--Webster. It is doubtless derived from
the old verb to chirk (Ang. Sax. cercian), i. e. to chirp, which is found
in old English writers.

Afore I had mixed a second glass of switchel, up they came, and the
General looked as chirk and lively as a skipper.--Maj. Downing's Letters.

TO CHIRRUP. To cheer up; to quicken or animate a horse by a peculiar sound
or chuck, or by chirping. It is not noticed by Johnson, though it is
common in England.

The mustang needs but a chirrup to arouse him, and set him off at a gate
[sic] which an eastern horse can hardly attain.--Prairie Scenes.

TO CHISEL. To cheat; the same as to gouge. A Western word.

CHITLINS. Fragments; small pieces.

While I was in this way rolling in clover, they were tearing my character
all to chitlins up at home.--Robb, Squatter Life.

TO CHOCK. To put a wedge under a thing to prevent its moving; as, to
'chock a barrel,' i. e. to put a piece of wood or something under it to
keep it steady.

CHOCK UP. Close, tight; said of a thing which fits closely to another.

When the bells ring, the wood-work thereof shaketh and gapeth, and exactly
chocketh into the joynts again.--Fuller's Worthies.

p. 76

CHOCK-FULL. Entirely full; see also Chuck-full.

I'm chock-full of genius and running over, said Pigwiggin.--Neal.

By this time we got into a shabby looking street, chock-full of hogs and
boys.--Maj. Downing, May-day in New York.

CHOKE-CHERRY. The popular name of the prunus Virginiana, so called from
its astringent properties.

TO CHOKE OFF. A figurative expression borrowed from the act of choking a
dog to make him loosen his hold. To arrest or stop a public speaker when
addressing an audience, is called choking him off. This is done by
shuffling the feet, applauding where applause is uncalled for, by putting
questions of order, or in any way impeding or arresting the speaker. It is
sometimes resorted to when a tedious man occupies the floor, and when
vacant seats do not satisfy him that no one will listen to him.

I spent a couple of hours in the House amused by watching the dignified
proceedings of our Representatives. The operation of "choking off" a
speaker was very funny, and reminded me of the lawless conduct of fighting
school-boys.--New York Express, Feb. 21, 1848.

TO CHOMP. To champ; to chew loudly and greedily. Champ is an old word, but
not often used now, except in connection with a horse.--Forby's Vocab.
Chomp is quite common in New England and is applied to persons who eat
fast or greedily.

A tobacco-pipe happened to break in my mouth; and the pieces left such a
delicious roughness on my tongue, that I champed up the remaining part.--
Spectator.

CHOO! interj. (Old Fr. chou.) Used to drive away pigs and set dogs upon
them. Cotgrave says, "Chou is a voice wherewith we drive away pullein."
And why not pigs?--Forby's Vocab.

CHOP. A Chinese word signifying quality; first introduced by mariners in
the China trade, but which has now become common in all our sea-ports.
Originally the word was only applied to silks, teas or other goods from
China; now it is applied to everything, for we hear of first chop teas,
first chop tobacco, and first chop potatoes.

A smart little hoss, says I, you are a cleaning of; he looks like a first
chop article.--Sam Slick in England, ch. 2.

p. 77

I went to board at a famous establishment in Broadway, where sundry young
merchants of the first chop were wont to board.--Perils of Pearl St.

TO CHOP. "To drop and change," is an old expression which we still make
use of, meaning to change often, to shift about. It is also applied
particularly to the wind, so that a 'chopping wind or sea' is one that is
constantly changing its direction.

For we are not as many are, which choppe and chaunge with the worde of
God; but even oute of purenesse, and by the power of God, and in the
syghte of God, so spake we of Chryste.--Bible, 1551. 2 Cor. ch. 2.

Long time you fought, redoubl'd battery bore,
But after all, against yourself you swore--
Your former self, for ev'ry hour you form,
Is chopp'd and chang'd, like winds before a storm.--Dryden.

The wind was at south-east, south-south-east, and south; which brought in
a short chopping sea.--Cook's Voyages.

CHORE, or CHAR. The word chore, which has been thought peculiar to
America, is without doubt the same as the word char, which, both as a verb
and a noun, may be found in the English dictionaries. "In America," says
Mr. Webster, "this word denotes small work of a domestic kind as
distinguished from the principal work of the day. It is generally used in
the plural, chores, which includes the daily or occasional business of
feeding cattle and other animals preparing fuel, sweeping the house,
cleaning furniture," &c.

According to the English dictionaries char means work done by the day, a
single job or task; from which has arisen the words char-man and char-
woman. In Jenning's Glossary of Somersetshire, is the word choor, a job,
or any dirty household work; choor-woman, a woman who goes out to do any
kind of odd or dirty work. In Wiltshire, it is pronounced cheare. This as
well as the Somerset word is very near the American word in pronunciation.
That char is charr'd, as the good woman said when she had hang'd her
husband (i. e. The business is done).--Ray's Proverbs.

His hands to woll, and arras worke, and woman's chares he laide.--Warner's
Albion's England, ii. 111.

A woman, and commanded
By such poor passion as the maid that milkes
And does the meanest chares.--Shakspeare, Ant. & Cleop.

p. 78


Bob. I approve
Your counsel, and will practise it; bazi los manos;
Here's two cheares chear'd.--Beaum. and Fletch. Love's Cure.

The harvest done, to char-work did aspire;
Meat, drink, and two pence, were her daily hire.--Dryden, Theoc.

Get three or four char-women to attend you constantly in the kitchen, whom
you pay only with broken meat, a few coals, and all the cinders.--Swift.

Hunting cattle is a dreadful chore! remarked one of our neighbors, after
threading the country for three weeks in search of his best ox.--Mrs.
Clavers's Forest Life, Vol. I. p. 142.

I'm looking for a place where I can board and do chores myself.--Mrs.
Clavers, A New Home, p. 87.

Radney comes down, and milks the cow, and does some of my other little
chores.--Margaret, p. 388.

Girl hunting is certainly among our most formidable chores.--Mrs.
Kirkland, Western Clearings.

The editor of the Boston Daily Star, in relinquishing his editorial
charge, gives the following notice:
Any one wishing corn hoed, gardens weeded, wood sawed, coal pitched in,
paragraphs written, or small 'chores' done with dispatch and on reasonable
terms, will please make immediate application to the retiring editor.

TO CHOUSE. The origin of this word has been referred by Etymologists to
the Swed. kiusa, the old French joucher, and the Dutch kosen, to cozen.
Skinner, and Gifford in his notes to Ben Jonson, think the word is of
Turkish origin, from chiaous, a messenger of the Turkish emperor. A
messenger, or chiaous, from the Grand Senior, in 1609, committed a gross
fraud upon the Turkish and Persian merchants resident in England, by
cheating them out of £4,000. Hence from the notoriety of the circumstance,
to chiaous, chause, or chouse, was to do as this man did, i.e. to cheat,
or defraud. This origin of the word seems quite probable; for the name of
a notorious defaulter in New York has recently been used in a similar
manner.

Dap. And I will tell, then? By this hand of flesh,
Would it might never write good court-hand more,
If I discover. What do you think of me,
That I am a chause?

p. 79

Fac. What's that? The Turk was here,
As one would say, do you think that I'm a Turk?--Ben Jonson.

Freedom and zeal have chous'd you o'er and o'er;
Pray give us leave to bubble you once more.--Dryden.

For which reason, however they may pretend to chouse one another, they
make but very awkward rogues; and their dislike to each other is seldom so
well dissembled but it is suspected.--Tattler, No. 213.

CHOWDER. A favorite dish in New England, made of fish, pork, onions, and
biscuit, stewed together. Picnic parties to the sea-shore generally have a
dish of chowder, prepared by themselves in some grove near the beach, from
fish caught at the same time. Grose describes the same as a sea dish.

CHRISTIANIZATION. This substantive is to be found occasionally in our
religious publications. The verb to christianize, which is in the
dictionaries, is in use among the English writers; but the substantive is
never employed by them.--Pickering, Vocab.

CHUCK-FULL. Entirely full. Common in familiar language as well as chock-
full, which see for other examples.

[At dinner] the sole labor of the attendants was to keep the plates chuck-
full of something.--Carlton, The New Purchase, Vol. I. p. 181.

I'll throw that in, to make chuck-full the "measure of the country's
glory."--Crocket, Tour, p. 86.

CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW. The common name of a bird of a bird of the
whippoorwill family (capimulgus Caroniensis). Mr. Audubon says, "About the
middle of March, the tile forests of Louisiana are heard to echo with the
well-known notes of this interesting bird. No sooner has the sun
disappeared, and the nocturnal insects emerge from their burrows, than the
sound 'Chuck-Will's-widow,' repeated with great clearness and power, six
or seven times in as many seconds, strike the ear."--Ornithology, Vol. I.
p. 273.

TO CHUCK. To throw, by a quick and dexterous motion, a short distance.--
Dorsetshire Glossary. Todd. This word is noticed by Dr. Webster as a
vulgarism.

To chuck under the chin is a common expression here as in England.

Who loves no hurries, routs, or din;
But gently chucks her husband's chin.--Fawkes, The Vigar's Reply.

p. 80

CHUCKLEHEAD. A fool. Not peculiar to America.

CHUFFY. Blunt; surly; clownish.--Todd's Johnson.

In New England, says Mr. Webster, this word expresses that displeasure
which causes a swelling or surly look and grumbling, rather than heat and
violent expressions of anger.

The etymology of this word is uncertain. Shakspeare applied the term fat
chuffs to rich and avaricious people, as a term of contempt. In old
French, joffu has a similar meaning to our chuffy.
The goddess drank; a chuffy lad was by,

Who saw the liquor with a grudging eye.

And grinning, cries, She's greedy more than dry.--Ovid. Met. b. v.

CHUK. A noise made in calling swine. Always repeated at least three times.

CHUM. A chamber-mate; a term used in colleges.--Junius Etymologicon. We
sometimes use it in the more extended meaning of companion, fellow.

A young student laid a wager with his chum, that the Dean was at that
instant smoking his pipe.--Philips's Life and Poems, p. 13.

I am again your petitioner in behalf of that great chum of literature,
Samuel Johnson.--Smollett, in Boswell.

CHUNK. A short, thick piece of wood.--Webster. Ihis word is provincial in
the South of England.--Ray. Grose.

It is sometimes called a junk in this country, as well as in England. The
English dictionaries have the word chump, which is used in the same sense
sense as chunk. This word is also applied to other things besides wood. I
have often heard the butchers in market say, 'chunk of beef.'

CHUNKY. Short and thick. This word, formed from chunk, is only used when
speaking of the stature of a person, as 'a chunky little fellow.'

CHURCH. Mr. Pickering has the following remarks on this word: "A church,
as a body of persons, is distinguished in New England, from a
congregation, by the privileges which the former in general reserve to
themselves of receiving exclusively in that church the sacrament and
baptism, in consequence of their having publicly declared their assent to
the creed which that church maintains. Marriage, burial,

p. 81

and public worship, are open to the members of the congregation at large,
according to the forms and methods employed in each church; as are also
catechizing for children and visits to the sick."--Vocabulary.

CIRCUMBENDIBUS. A circuitous, roundabout way, either of getting to a spot,
or of telling a story.--Holloway's Dic. of Prov.

CISCO. The popular name of a fish of the herring kind which abounds in
Lake Ontario, particularly in Chaumont Bay at the east end, where
thousands of barrels are annually caught and salted. I do not find this
name mentioned by Dr. DeKay, in his work on the fishes of New York, in the
Natural History of the State.

TO CITIZENIZE. To make a citizen; to admit to the rank and privileges of a
Citizen.--Webster. Rarely used.

Talleyrand was citizenized in Pennsylvania, when there in the form of an
emigrant.--T. Pickering.

CITESS. This word, Mr. Pickering says, as well as citizeness, was used
during the first years of the French Revolution, as a translation of the
revolutionary title, citoyenne; but it has for several years been wholly
disused.--Pickering's Vocabulary.

It is unnecessary to recite the discussions on this word by the British
critics, the Quarterly Review, &c. as it was never adopted into our
language. Dr. Webster and the English lexicographers have the word citess
in their dictionaries, but only in the sense of "a city woman."

CIVISM. Love of country; patriotism.--Webster. This, like the preceding
word, is one of the productions of the French Revolution, though
frequently used several years ago, is now obsolete here as well as in
France.--Pickering's Vocabulary.

CIVILIZEE. A civilized man; one advanced in civilization.

The barbarian likes his seraglio; the civilizee admires institution of
marriage. The barbarian likes a roving, wandering life; the civilizee
likes his home and fireside.--New York Observer.

CLAM. The popular name of a very common shell-fish. "As happy as a clam at
high water," is a very common expression

p. 82

in those parts of the coast of New England where clams are found.

Many sorts of fishes are caught on the coast; lobsters, crabs, clams,
limpits, and periwinkles.--Fordyce, Statistics of Scotland.

Tak thee a fiddle, or a flute to jest,--
Thy clouted cloak, thy scrip and clam-schells,--
Cleik on thy cross, and fair on into France.--Kennedy, Evergreen, p. 74.

CLAM-BAKE. The baking of clams on those parts of the sea-coast where they
abound, particularly in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, furnishes one of
the most popular dishes as well as most favorite amusements of which the
people partake. The method of baking is as follows: A cavity is dug in the
earth about eighteen inches deep which is lined with round stones. On this
a fire is made; and when the stones are sufficiently heated, a bushel or
more of clams (according to the number of the persons who are to partake
of the feast) is thrown upon them. On this is put a layer of rock-weed
gathered from the beach, and over this a second layer of sea-weed. This
prevents the escape of the steam, and preserves the sweetness of the
clams. Clams baked in this manner, are preferred to those cooked in the
usual way in the kitchen.

Parties of ten or twenty persons, of both sexes, are the most common.
Often they extend to a hundred, when other amusements are added; and on
one occasion, that of a grand political mass-meeting in favor of Gen.
Harrison on the 4th of July, 1840, nearly 10,000 persons assembled in
Rhode Island, for whom a clambake and chowder were prepared. This was
probably the greatest feast of the kind that over took place in New
England.

CLAM-SHELL. The lips, or mouth. There is a common though vulgar expression
in New England, of "Shut your clam-shell," that is, Shut your mouth, hold
your tongue.

TO CLAP, or CLAP DOWN. To set down; charge to one's account.

If a man be highly commended, we think him sufficiently lessened, if we
clap one sin, or folly, or infirmity, into his account.--Jeremy Taylor,
Holy Living.

CLAPBOARD. A thin narrow board, used to cover the sides of houses, and
placed so as to overlap the one below it. In

p. 83

England, according to Bailey's Dictionary, a clapboard is a thin board
formed ready for the cooper's use, in order to make casks or vessels.

CLAPE. The common name of the golden-winged woodpecker in the State of New
York. Dr. DeKay thinks it "a provincial word, introduced by the early
English colonists." It is elsewhere called High-hole, Yucker, Flicker,
Wake-up, and Pigeon woodpecker; in Louisiana, Pique bois jaune.--Nat.
Hist. of New York.

CLAP-TRAP. An artifice for attracting applause. Used chiefly in theatrical
or political language.

The managers have resorted to all sorts of mummery and clap-trap, for the
purpose, forsooth, of promoting American manufactures.--Newspaper.

There are those in both parties in Congress, who will vote down the clap-
traps of such men as A---- in the Senate.--N. Y. Tribune.

CLEAN, adv. (Ang. Sax. clæne.) Quite; perfectly; fully; completely. This
sense is now little used.--Johnson. In the United States it is common
among the illiterate, but rarely seen in composition.

Spenser labored to restore such good and natural English words as have
been a long time out of use, and almost cleane disherited.--Obs. on
Spenser's Fairy Queen, by E. K.

The people passed clean over Jordan.--Joshua, iii. 17.

Let's hew his limbs till they be clean consum'd.--Shakspeare, Titus And.

Since the prelates were made lords and nobles, there is no work done. They
hawk, they hunt, they dice, they pastime with gallant gentlemen. And by
their lording and loitering, preaching and ploughing is clean gone.--Bp.
Latimer's Sermon of the Plough.

He gave him a kick that sent him clean over the fence, into the Deacon's
potato-patch.--Maj. Downing's Letters, p. 23.

THE CLEAN THING. A low expression denoting propriety, or what is
honorable.

It is admitted, that sending out ships to plunder your neighbor or
adversary, is as much as mere words in making war. I don't like it. It
isn't the clean thing.--Crockett, Tour, p. 193.

CLEARING. A place or tract of land cleared of wood for cultivation; a
common use of the word in America.--Webster.

After we reached the boundaries of the clearing and plunged into the

p. 84

timbered land, this heat was exchanged for a grotto-like coolness.--Mrs.
Clavers's Forest Life, Vol. I. p. 64.

TO CLEAR OUT. To take oneself off; to depart, decamp. A bulgar expression.

This thing of man-worship I am a stranger to; I don't like it; it taints
every action of life; it is like a skung getting into a house--long after
he has cleared out, you smell him in every room and closet, from the
cellar to the garret.--Crockett's Speech, Tour, p. 74.

I turned round and was going to clear out. But says he, Stop Mister!--Maj.
Downing's May-day in N. Y..

CLEAVAGE. The state of being cleft.

The color of the stone is darker than appears to be natural in a fresh
cleavage.--Schoolcraft in Amer. Ethnolog. Trans. Vol. I.

CLEVER. Good-natured, obliging. In Great Britain, a clever man is a
dextrous man, one who performs an act with skill or address. Mr. Pickering
says, that 'in speaking of anything but man, we use the word much as the
English do. We say a clever horse, &c.; and it is common to see in the
London newspapers advertisements in this form--"To be sold, a clever gray
gelding," &c.

A choice of ministers and diplomatic agents constitutes one of the most
important duties of a wise and clever monarch.--Millengen, Mind and
Matter, 1847.

The landlord of the hotel was a very clever man, and made me feel quite at
home in his house.--Crockett's Tour down East, p. 22.

CLEVERLY. "This is much used in some parts of New England instead of well
or very well. In answer to the common salutation, How do you do? we often
hear, I am cleverly. It is also applied to other things, as well as to
health, and means either adroitly or exactly; according to the case."--
Pickering. It is also used in the sense of fairly, completely. Dr.
Johnson's definition is dextrously, fitly, handsomely.

The landlord comes to me, as soon as I was cleverly up this morning,
looking full of importance.--Sam Slick in England, ch. 8.

CLEVERNESS. Mildness or agreeableness of disposition; obligingness; good
nature. Used in New England.--Webster.

CLEVIS, or CLEVY. An iron bent to the form of an ox-bow, with the two ends
perforated to receive a pin, used on the end of a cart-neap, to hold the
chain of the forward horse or

p. 85

oxen; or, a draft-iron on a plow. Provincial in New England.--Webster.

CLINCHER. A smart reply.--Bailey's Dictionary. This word is used in a
figurative Sense. To clinch a nail, renders it immovable and impossible to
draw out. So a clincher in conversation is an argument or opinion which
cannot be controverted.

That was supposed to be a clincher, even in New England [that Gen. Jackson
was in favor of a judicious tariff], until after power lifted him above
the opposition of the supporters of a tariff.--Crockett's Speech.

CLING.}
CLING-STONE.} A variety of the peach in which the flesh adheres, or
clings, firmly to the stone. When the stone readily separates from the
peach, they are called free-stones. The word peach frequently designates
the free-stone, while the others are called clings.

CLINKER. A vitrified substance found in grates and stoves where anthracite
coal has been burnt.

CLIP. A blow or stroke with the hand; as, He hit him a clip.--Webster.
Provincial in New England and the Northern States.

TO CLIP. To cut, to run. Probably from the motion of a bird's wings, which
strike or heat the air as it flies or runs.

Some falcon stoops at what her eye designed,

And, with her eagerness the quarry missed,

Straight flies at check, and clips it down the wind.--Dryden.

I hadn't much time left, .... so I ran all the way, right down as hard as
I could clip.--Sam Slick in England, ch. 8.

CLIPPER. A cutter; a small schooner with raking masts, built and rigged
with a view to fast sailing. Larger vessels are sometimes built after
their model, when they are called clipper-built.

CLITCHY. Clammy, sticky, glutinous.--Pickering's Vocab. Mr. Pickering
says, he has "heard this word used in a few instances by old people in New
England; but it is rarely heard." In Devonshire, in England, the word
clatchy, meaning the same, is provincial. In Holloway's Dictionary of
Provincialisms is clit, clayey, stiff, applied to the soil.

p. 86

CLOCKMUTCH. (Dutch, klapmuts, a night-cap.) A woman's cap composed of
three pieces,--a straight centre one, from the forehead to the neck, with
two side pieces. A New York term.

CLODHOPPER. A rustic; a clown.

Jack, are ye turned clodhopper at last?-- St. Ronan's Well.

She was not much concerned to do justice to one whom she had known as a
clodhopper.--Mrs. Clavers's Forest Life.

CLOSE-FISTED. Stingy, mean. Common in various dialects of England.--
Halliwell.

Ibycus is a carking, griping, close-fisted fellow.--Bp. Berkeley's Maxims.

CLOSURE. A shutting up; a closing.--Pickering.

Very soon after the closure of imports, I did submit to the consideration
of the Senate a proposition.--J. Q. Adams, 1808.

Mr. Pickering observes that he has never seen this word, except in the
extract quoted, in any American publication. Dr. Johnson gives the word in
the same sense from the French closure, and cites several authorities for
its use.

And must so break with men on such occasions, as to leave room and to
prepare the way for a closure.--Atterbury, Sermons, IV. 330.

CLOTHES-HORSE. A frame-work for hanging clothes on to dry after they have
been washed and ironed, in the form of an opening screen.

CLOTHIER. A man whose occupation is to full and dress cloth.--Webster. In
England, a clothier is one who makes clothes, which seems to have been the
meaning of the word in the time of Shakspeare. Mr. Pickering observes that
"although we use clothier for fuller, yet the place where the cloth is
cleansed and dressed is called a fulling-mill."

CLOUT. A blow or strike, most properly with the fist. This word is found
in several old English authors, and in the Shropshire and Dorset
Glossaries of the present day. With us it is a vulgar expression
frequently heard.

The kynges sone, one and proud,
Gaf king Richard swylke a ner clout
That the fyre of his heyen sprong.--Richard Cœur de Lyon, v. 768.

The late queene of Spaine took off one of her chapines, and clouted
Olivarez about the noddle with it.--Howell, Familiar Letters.

p. 87

CLOUT-NAILS. Short nails with large heads for the soles of strong shoes.--
Hartshorne's Shropshire.

CLUB-TAIL. (Genus alosa.) The common shad, the fatter portion of which
have the tail swollen, and on the coast of Carolina where they are taken,
are called club-tails.--Nat. Hist. N. Y.

COAL-HOD. A kettle for carrying coals to the fire. More frequently called,
as in England, a coal-scuttle. Mr. Halliwell in his Dic. of Prov. has coal-
hood, which is used in the eastern part of England.

CONCERN. In mercantile usage, an establishment or firm for the transaction
of business. It is provincial in England, and denotes a small estate; from
whence our use of the word is derived.

TO CONDUCT, instead of 'to conduct oneself;' leaving out the reflexive
pronoun. This offensive barbarism is happily confined to New England,
where it is common both in speech and writing. Like many other expressions
in the same predicament, it has received the tacit sanction of Dr.
Webster, himself a New England man.

CONGRESS. This term is applied by us especially to three differently
constituted bodies of representatives of the people that have succeeded
each other in the government of the country. The first is the Continental
Congress, assembled in 1774, and which conducted the national affairs
until near the close of the Revolution. The second is the Federal
Congress, which met under the Articles of Confederation, adopted March,
1781, and ruled the country till 1789. The third is the Congress of the
United States, which first met under the Constitution, on the 4th of
March, 1789.

Mr. Pickering remarks, that English writers, in speaking of American
affairs, generally say, "the Congress," using the article. Such was
formerly our own practice; but in the course of time it has acquired with
us the force of a proper flame, so that we now speak of Congress, as the
English do of Parliament. When the present Constitution was adopted, the
usage was still fluctuating, as the following examples will show:
The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year; and such

p. 88

meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by law
appoint a different day.--Art. I. Sec. 4.

Neither House, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent
of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place
than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.--Art. I. Sec. 5.

CONGRESSIONAL. Pertaining to a congress, or to the Congress of the United
States; a Congressional debates.--Webster.

The congressional institution of Amphicytons, in Greece.--Barton.

The conflict between Congressional and State authority, originated with
the creation of those authorities.--Marshall, Life of Washington.

CONSCIENCE. Reason, reasonableness. A common use of the word in familiar
language, even in the best Society as, "What in conscience are you doing
that for?" "That's enough, in all conscience."

Half a dozen fools are, in all conscience, as many as you should require.--
Swift.

CONSIDERABLE, used adverbially for very, is a common vulgarism.

A body has to stir about considerable smart in this country, to make a
livin', I tell you.--Sam Slick in England, ch. 6.

CONSIDERABLE. This word is frequently used in the following manner in the
Northern States, "He is considerable of a surveyor;" "Considerable of it
may be found in the country."--Pickering.

CONSOCIATION. Fellowship or union of churches by their pastors and
delegates; a meeting of the pastors and delegates of a number of
congregational churches, for aiding a[nd] supporting each other, and
forming an advisory council in ecclesiastical affairs.--Webster.

Consociation of churches, is their mutual and solemn agreement to exercise
communion in such acts as aforesaid, amongst themselves, with specia[l]
reference to those churches, &c.--Result of the Synod, 1662.

TO CONSOCIATE. To unite in an assembly or convention, as pastors and
messengers or delegates of churches.--Webster.

CONSTABLE. Mr. Webster notices the following distinction between the
application of this word in England and in the

p. 89

United States: "In England there are high constables, petty constables and
constables of London. In the United States constables are town or city
officers of the peace, with powers similar to those possessed by the
constables in Great Britain." Mr. Pickering says that "in many of the
cities, boroughs, and other local jurisdictions in England, they have
peace officers called constables, whose powers are not materially, if at
all, different from those of our constables."

CONSTANTS. Quantities or data that are constant, not subject to variation
or change.

The perceptions of a public are as subtle-sighted as its passions are
blind...... Those involuntary opinions of people at large explain
themselves and are vindicated by events, and form at last the constants of
human understanding.--Washington and the Generals of the Amer. Rev.

CONSTITUTED AUTHORITIES. The officers of government collectively, in a
kingdom, city, town, &c. This expression has been adopted by some of our
writers from the vocabulary of the French Revolution.--Pickering.

Neither could he perceive danger to liberty except from the constituted
authorities, and especially from the executive.--Marshall's Washington.

CONSTITUTIONALITY. Used chiefly in political language, to signify the
state of being agreeable to the constitution of a State or of the United
States.

The argument upon this question has naturally divided itself into two
parts, the one of expediency, the other of constitutionality.--Debates in
Congress in 1802.

The judges of the supreme court of the United States have the power of
determining the constitutionality of laws.--Webster.

CONTEMPLATION. The phrase, "I have it in contemplation to do so and so,"
instead of "I intend," &c., has been transferred by us, like many other
Latinisms of a like kind, from the language of books to that of common
conversation.

TO CONVENE. This is used in some parts of New England in a very strange
sense; that is, to be convenient, fit, or suitable. Ex. This road will
convene the public; i. e. will be convenient for the public. The word,
however, is used only by the illiterate.--Pickering. I have never heard
the phrase.

COODIES. The name of a political sect in the State of New

p. 90

York, which originated in the year 1814. At that time a series of well
written articles appeared in a New York paper signed Abimeleck Coody. He
professed to be a mechanic. "He was a federalist and addressed himself
principally to the party to which he belonged. He endeavored to show the
impropriety of opposing the war, and urged them to come forward in defence
to their country. He also attacked De Witt Clinton with great severity."
The writer was ascertained to be Mr. Gulian C. Verplanck, then as now
distinguished for his talents. He was replied to by a writer under the
signature of "A Traveller," said to be De Witt Clinton, who thus speaks of
this party: "The political sect called the Coodies, of hybrid nature, is
composed of the combined spawn of federalism and Jacobinism, and generated
in the venomous passions of disappointment and revenge, without any
definite character; neither fish, nor flesh, nor bird, nor beast, but a
non-descript made up of 'all monstrous, all prodigious things.'"--
Hammond's Political Hist. of N. Y.

COOKEY. A cake. A Dutch word used in New York.

Mrs. Child thinks it best to et the little dears have their own way in
everything, and not to give them more cookies than they, the dear
children, deem requisite.--Sunday Mercury, N. Y.

COLD AS PRESBYTERIAN CHARITY. I know not the origin of this saying, and am
not aware that there is less charity in this sect than in any other.

They are as cold as Presbyterian charity, and mean enough to put the sun
in eclipse, are the English.--Sam Slick in England, ch. 7.

Why, Colonel, the river is pretty considerable for a run; but the water is
cool as Presbyterian charity.--Crockett's Tour, p. 145.

COOL-WORT. (Tiarella cordifolia.) The popular name of an herb, the
properties of which are diuretic and tonic. It is prepared by the Shakers.

COOL. Used in familiar language, in England and in the United States, in
the sense of impudent. Punch gives a dialogue between the years 1845 and
1846, which is a good illustration of this word.

1846. "Come, answer me, answer me, old Forty-Five,
As an old man a young should answer;

p. 91

I've much to learn; so, while you're alive,
Just resolve me this point if you can, sir:
What's the coolest thing that you've seen Forty-Five?"
1845. "Why, PEEL, when he said to Commons and Peers
That the Income Tax should end in three years--
That was, p'raps, the coolest thing."
1846. "What else have you seen that was cool, Forty- Five?"
1845. "Why, Jonathan threatening that he'd annex us,
If we grumbled about his annexing Texas--
That struck me as rather cool."

COON. A popular contraction of the word raccoon. A nickname applied to
those who belong to the Whig party.

COONERY. Whiggery. See preceding article.

Democrats of the old Bay State, one charge more and the work is thoroughly
done. "Once more to the breach," and you will hear the shouts of
Democratic victory, and the lamentations of the vanquished. We must
achieve a victory--the people must be free--'coonery must fall with all
its corruptions and abominations, never more to rise. Democrats--freemen!--
keep your council-fires burning brightly. Let no one remain listless, or
doubt, or hesitate' "push on your columns," rout the 'coons, beat them,
overwhelm them, and let the welkin ring with the soul-stirring tidings
that Massachusetts is safe--is free from the curse of whiggery.--Boston
Post.

COPPER. A copper coin, especially a British halfpenny or American cent.

My friends filled my pockets with coppers.--Franklin.

COOT. The name of a small water-fowl. It is often applied to a stupid
person, as, "He is a poor coot." Mr. Halliwell notices the old proverbial
saying, "As stupid as a coot."

Little coot! don't you know the Bible is the best book in the world?--
Margaret, p. 134.

CORDUROY ROAD. A road or causeway constructed with logs laid together over
swamps or marshy places. When properly finished, earth is thrown between
them, by which the road is made smooth; but in newly settled parts of the
United States, they are left uncovered, and thereby are extremely rough
and bad to pass over with a carriage. Sometimes they extend many miles.
They derive their name from their resemblance to a species of ribbed
velvet, called corduroy.

p. 92

CORK. The steel points fixed under the shoes of horses, in the winter, to
prevent them from falling on the ice. It is the same thing that in
Johnson's and other Dictionaries is called frost-nails.--Pickering. In
Ash's Dictionary, the word corking is defined, "turning up the heels of a
horse's shoes."

CORN. Maize, throughout the United States, is called Indian corn, or
simply corn. What is called corn in England,is here called grain; or
rather corn is considered in England a general term, and is applied to
grain used for bread.

CORN-BLADE. The leaf of the maize. Corn-blades are collected and used as
fodder in some of the Southern States.--Webster.

CORN-BROOM. Brooms made from the tops of a species of corn, called broom-
corn.

CORN COCKLE. The popular name of a purple-flowering plant (genus
agrostemma).--Bigelow 's Flora Bostoniensis.

CORN-CRACKER. The nickname for a native of Kentucky.

CORN-DODGER. A kind of cake made of Indian corn, and baked very hard.

The Sucker State, the country of vast projected rail-roads, good corn-
dodgers, splendid banking-houses, and poor currency.--Robb, Squatter Life,
p. 28.

CORNED. Drunk. Used in the same sense in England.

CORN-JUICE. Whisky. A western term.

I informed the old fellow that Tom wanted a fight; and as he was too full
of corn-juice to cut cut carefully, I didn't want to take advantage of
him.--Robb, Squatter Life.

CORN-STALK. A stalk of corn, particularly the stalk of the maize.--
Webster. Mr. Pickering says, "the farmers of New England use this term,
and more frequently the simple term stalks, to denote the upper part of
the stalks of Indian corn (above the ear), which is cut off while green,
and then dried to make fodder for their cattle."--Vocabulary.

CORN-SHUCKING. An occasion on which a farmer invites the young people of
the neighborhood to his house or barn, to aid him in stripping the shucks
from his corn.--See Husking.

p. 93

The young people were all gibberin', and talkin', and laughin', as if
they'd been to a corn-shuckin', more'n to a meetin' house.--Major Jones.

TO CORNER. To corner a person, is to get the advantage of him in an
argument, as though he were physically placed in a corner from which he
could not escape.

TO CORNER. A Wall street word, which means to take advantage of a person
in a peculiar manner.

"There is a large class of brokers in Wall street, who sometimes control a
good deal of money, and who make speculation their business. These
generally unite in squads, for the purpose of cornering--which means, that
they first get the control of some particular stock, and then, hy making a
great many contracts on time, compel the parties to pay whatever
difference they choose, or rather what they can get; for they sometimes
overrate the purse of those they contract with."--A Week in Wall Street,
p. 81.

The remarkable fluctuations in the Stock market, are chielly the result of
a successful cornering operation.--N. Y. Journal of Corn.

The Erie Rail-road cornering has been a very unfortunate affair for many
members of the board.--N. Y. Herald.

COSEY. Snug, comfortable. Dr. Jamieson calls it a Scottish word.

Then cannie in some cozie place
They close the day.--Burns.

To keep you cosie in a hoord,
This hunger I with ease endur'd.--Allan Ramsey.

All observers of primitive life, know that animals, quadruped and biped
too, have frovn time immemorial indulged in the cozey habits of burrowing
in the earth, huddling close together, &c.--London Athenæum.

Mid comforts abounding, well clothed and well fed,

The bright fire surrounding, or cosy in bed.--N. Y. Tribune, 1845.

COSSET. A lamb brought up without the aid of the dam.--Bailey. This word
is used in New England in this sense, and also to signify a favorite or
darling.

And if thou wilt bewayle my woful teene,
I shall give thse yond cosset for thy payne.--Spenser.

TO COTTON TO. 'To cotton to one,' is to take a liking to him; to fancy
him; literally to stick to him, as cotton would. The term is very common
at the South and West.

p. 94

There were divers queer characters on board the steamer, with whom Tom was
a great favorite; but none of them cotton'd to him more kindly than an
elderly hoosier, from the innermost depths of Indiana.-- Field.

COTTONOCRACY. A term applied to the Boston manufacturers, especially by
the 'Boston Whig' newspaper.

COUNTERACIION. Mr. Pickering has noticed this word in his Vocabulary, and
observes that it is sometimes, though rarely, used by American writers in
the following manner: "He prevailed over his enemies by the counteraction
(counteracting) of their designs."

No English lexicographer had then noticed the word. The dictionaries of
Mr. Todd and Dr. Webster now contain it. The definition of the latter is,
"Action in opposition; hindrance."

The beauties of writing are ... wholly subject to the imagination, and do
not force their effects upon a mind preoccupied by unfavorable sentiments,
nor overcome the counteraction of a false principle or of stubborn
partiality.--Johnson, Rambler, No. 93.

All the eloquence and fire of Demosthenes could not rouse the Athenian
people to a timely dread or steady counteraction of the formidable plans
of Philip.--British Critic, Vol. I. p. 51.

COUNTRIFIED. Rustic, rude. A word of recent formation in our language, and
in no dictionary, but now much used.--Todd. It is in the last edition of
Webster.

The inhabtants of Herefordshire, though near the metropolis, are as likely
to be countrified as persons living at a greater distance from town.--
Gose's Local Proverbs.

This man pretty soon espied a countrified looking fellow whom he
approached.--Perils of Pearl Street.

Mr. Seymour Bullitt brought the message to Caroline; and such a splendid
fellow--but then, old recollections, and such a countrified name.--Mrs.
Clavers's Forest Life.

COUNTY. "In speaking of counties," says Mr. Pickering, "the names of which
are composed of the word shire, we say the county of Hampshire, the county
of Berkshire, &c. In England they would say, either Hampshire or Berkshire
simply, without the word county; or, the county of Hants, the county of
Berks, &c. The word shire of itself, as every body knows, means county;
and in one instance (in Massachusetts), this latter word is used instead
of shire, as a part of

p. 95

the name--'The county of Duke's County.'"--Pickering's Vocabulary.

COUPON. A financial term, which, together with the practice, is borrowed
from France. In the United States, the certificates of State stocks
drawing interest are accompanied by coupons, which are small tickets
attached to the certificates. At each term when the interest falls due,
one of these coupons is cut off (whence the name); and this being
presented to the State treasurer, or to a bank designated by him, entitles
the holder to receive the interest. The coupons attached to the bonds of
some of the Western States have not been cut off for several years.

COURT. In New England this word is applied to a legislative body composed
of a House of Representatives and a Senate; as, the General Court of
Massachusetts.

COVERCLIP. (Genus achirus. Lacipede.) The popular name of the sole, a fish
common in the waters of New York. Calico is another name for it.--Nat.
Hist. of New York.

COVERLID. A bed-quilt, counterpane.

Her bed consisted of a mattress of beech-leaves spread on the floor, with
tow and wool coverlids.--Margaret, p. 12.

TO COW. To depress with fear.--Webster.

By reason of their frequent revolts, they have drawn upon them the
pressure of war so often, that it seems to have somewhat cowed their
spirits.--Howell, Vocal Forest.

For when men by their wives are cow'd,
Their horns of course are understood.--Hudibras.

The Spaniards ought to defend the Despena Perros; but they go to the
plains to be beaten, and thus cow the troops, who would otherwise defend
themselves in the mountains.--Wellington's Despatches, No. 346.

They were in a terrible sweat all the time, for fear I'd get cowed, and
wouldn't succeed in my oration.--Maj. Jones's Courtship, p. 154.

COWBERRY. (Vaccinium vitis idæa.) A plant resembling the common cranberry,
but larger. It is found on certain mountains in Massachusetts.--Bigelow 's
Flora Bostoniensis.

COWHIDE. A particular kind of whip made of raw hide; it is also called a
raw-hide.

TO COWHIDE. To flog with a cowhide.

p. 96

To be out of office and in for a cowhiding, is not a pleasant change from
eight dollars a day and all sorts of nice pickings. [Alluding to an ex-
member of Congress.]--N. Y. Tribune.

COW-LICK. A twist, or wreathing in the hair, which, in a calf, might be
supposed to have been licked by the cow out of its natural position.--
Forby's Vocabulary. In some parts of England it is called a calf-lick.

COW PARSNIP. (Heracleuin latanum.) The popular name of a plant classed
among the herbs prepared by the 'Shakers,' as containing properties
carminative and diuretic.

CRACK. This word is used by us as in England to signify most famous, best.
Thus we speak of "a crack ship," "a crack officer," &c.

CRACKED. Crazy.

To such an extent may these discrepancies be carried, that a man of genius
is considered cracked;--an expression which led Dr. Parr to say, "that
such men were decidedly cracked, but that the crack let in the light."--
Millengen, Mind and Matter, 1847.

CRACKER, or FIRE-CRACKER. A little paper cylinder filled with powder or
combustible matter, imported from China. It receives its name from the
noise it produces in exploding. In England it is called a squib.

CRACKER. A small hard biscuit; probably so called from the noise it emits
when broken. The word seems to be peculiar to the United States.

The following anecdote was related to me by the Hon. Albert Gallatin. When
travelling in England with his family in 1818, he stopped at an inn and
ordered a servant to bring them some "crackers and cheese" for their
lunch. But what was his surprise to see the servant return with a plate of
cheese and half a dozen nut-crackers!

CRACKER. A nick-name applied to the backwoodsmen of Georgia.

CRACKLINGS. Cinders, the remains of a wood fire. A word used in the
Southern States.

When it lightened so, she said t'other eend of the world was afire, and
we'd all be burnt to cracklin's before mormng.--Maj. Jones's Courtship.

TO CRACK UP. To crack, i. e. to brag or boast, is a verb

p. 97

common in old authors, from Chaucer downwards, and still provincial in the
north of England. We use it only in the phrase to crack up. Thus we say,
"A Yankee is sure to crack up his own country;" "That is not what it is
cracked up to be."

CRADLE-SCYTHE. Called also simply cradle. It consists of a common scythe
with a light frame-work attached, corresponding in form with the scythe.
It is used for cutting grain instead of the sickle; and by the regular
manner in which it lays the grain, it enables the farmer to perform treble
the work that could be accomplished with the latter implement.

TO CRADLE. 'To cradle grain,' is to cut it in the same manner that grass
is cut or mowed, with the implement above described.

The operation of cradling is worth a journey to see. The sickle may be
more classical; but it cannot compare in beauty with the swaying, regular
motion of the cradle.--Mrs. Clavers's Western Clearings.

CRAMBO. A diversion in which one gives a word, to which another finds a
rhyme. If the same word is repeated, a forfeit is demanded. It was also a
terrn in drinking, as appears from Dekker.--Halliwell's Arch and Prov.
Dictionary.

This amusement is practised in New York, where it is also called, "What is
my thought like?"

CRAMP-BARK. (Viburnum oxycoccus.) The popular name of a medicinal plant;
its properties anti-spasmodic. It bears a fruit intensely acid. In New
England it is called the tree cranberry.

CRANES-BILL. (Geranium maculatum.) The popular name of a native geranium,
which grows about fences and the edges of woods.--Bigelow.

CRASH. A coarse kind of linen cloth used for towels.

Margaret was up early in the morning. She washed at the cistern, and wiped
herself on a coarse crash towel.--Margaret, p. 17.

CRAWFISH. (Astacus Bartonii.) The popular name of the fresh-water lobster.

CREATURE. In the plural number this word is in very com-

p. 98

mon use among farmers as a general term for horses, oxen, &c. Ex. The
creatures will be put into the pasture to-day.--Pickering.

The owners or claimers of any such creatures [i.e. "swine, neat cattle,
horses, or sheep"], impounded as aforesaid, shall pay the fees, &c.--
Provincial Laws of Mass.--Statute 10, Wm. III.

CREEK. A small river or brook. In New York, the Western States, and in
Canada, a small stream is called a creek; in New England it is called a
brook. The term is incorrectly applied; as its original signification,
according to the dictionaries, is a small port, a bay or cove; from which
it has gradually been extended to small rivers. In New England, the old
English sense of the word is retained.

CREEPMOUSE. A familiar word in the nursery. Mr. Halliwell calls it a term
of endearment still in use in England. He refers to Palgrave's Acolastus,
1540.--Archaic and Prov. Dic.

CREOLE. In the West Indies and Spanish America, a native of those
countries descended from European ancestors.--Webster. But this is not its
only acceptation.

"The word Creole," says Mrs. Carmichael, "means a native of a West India
colony, whether he be black, white, or of the colored population."--West
Indies, p. 17.

In the United States, we generally understand a Creole to have a portion
of black blood in him; which may be explained by the following extract:

"Children born in the West Indies from Spaniards," says an anonymous
author, "are called creollos, which signifies, one born in that country;
which word was made by the negroes, for so they call their own children,
born in those parts, and thereby distinguish them from those born in
Guinea."--History of Peru, p. 397.

CREVASSE. (French, a disruption.) The breaking away of the embankments or
levees on the lower Mississippi, by a pressure of tbe water. See Levee.

CRIMANY. Interj. of sudden surprise.--Forby's Vocabulay. Used in low
language in the United States.

p. 99

CRISS-CROSS. A mark in the shape of a cross; especially that of those who
cannot sign their own names. Mr. Hartshorne, in his interesting work on
British Antiquities, has the following account of this custom: "From the
earliest period since the introduction of Christianity, it has been
customary for those who were unable to sign their names, to affix the mark
of a cross instead. Witred, king of Kent, decreed, anno 694, that no deed
was valid unless it bore this stamp. It is constantly observable in the
charters of the Anglo-Saxon and Spanish kings, and in all those documents
which recite property bequeathed for ecclesiastical purposes. Numerous
proofs still remain, which testify that royal and noble personages were
not ashamed to confess their ignorance of letters. Witred acknowledges, in
a charter printed in Spelman's Concilia, p. 193, that on account of his
ignorance of letters, he had confirmed what he had dictated by the
signature of a cross.--Salopia Antiqua, p. 379.

CRISS-CROSS. A game played on slates by children, at school.

CROCK. (Ang. Sax. crocca.) An earthen vessel, a pot or pitcher, a cup.--
Webster.

This old English word is still used in some parts of New England.

Therefore the vulgar did about him flocke,
Like foolish flies into an honey crocke.--Spenser, F. Queen, V. 2. 33.

CROCK. The black of a pot; smut, the dust of soot or coal.

This word is provincial in various parts of England, and is there used
precisely as in the United States.

At one of our frolics, there was one long-haired fellow, looked as though
he'd been among the pets and kettles, and got a great gob of crock on his
upper lip.--Lafayette Chron.

TO CROCK. To black with soot or other matter collected from combustion, or
to black with the coloring matter of cloth.--Webster.

Provincial in Norfolk and Suffolk, England.

CROCKY. Smutty. Used alike in England and America.

CROOKED AS A VIRGINIA FENCE. A phrase applied to anything very crooked;
and figuratively to persons of a stub-

p. 100

born temper, who are difficult to manage, that is, to make straight or
correct The fences of Virginia are mostly made of rails, laid up in a zig-
zag manner, and of course very crooked.

CROSS-EYE. That sort of squint, by which both the eyes turn towards the
nose, so that the rays, in passing to the eye, cross each other.--Forby's
Vocabulary. Since the newly discovered means of restoring and curing
squint or cross eyes by a surgical operation, the scientific name of
strabismus has been substituted.

CROSS-FOX. A fox whose color is between the common reddish-yellow and the
silver-gray, having on its back a black cross. These animals are rare, and
their skins command a high price.

CROSS-GRAINED. Perverse; troublesome; vexatious.--Johnson.

Or what the plague did Juno mean,
That cross-grain'd, peevish, scolding queen,
That scratching, caterwauling puss,
To use an honest fellow thus?--Cotton, Virgil Travestie, B. 1.

CROSS-PATCH. An ill-tempered person. A vulgar word, used alike in England
and America. Patch is a very old word of contempt in Shakspeare and other
writers. At the present day it is used only in connection with cross.

CROTCHETY. Whimsical; fanciful.

CROTCHICAL. Cross, perverse, peevish. A common colloquial word in New
England.

You never see such a crotchical old critter as he is. He flies right off
the handle for nothin'.--Sam Slick in England.

CROW-BAR. A bar of iron sharpened at one end, used as a lever. In England
it is called a crow; though crow-bar is "a name often provincially applied
to an iron crow or lever."--Rees's Cyclopedia.

CROWSFEET. The wrinkles under the eyes, or from the outward corners of the
eyes, which are the effect of age, and which are thought to resemble the
impression of the feet of crows.--Todd.

So long mote ye liven, and all proud,
Till crowes feet growin under your eie,
And send you then a mirrour in to prie.--Chaucer, Troil. and Cres.

p. 101

And by myne eye the crow his claw doth wright.--Spenser, Shepherd's Cal.
Dec.

CRULLER. (Dutch kruller, a curler.) A cake made of a strip of sweetened
dough, boiled in lard, the two ends of which are twisted or curled
together. The New Yorkers have inherited the name and the thing from the
Dutch.

TO CRUNCH, or CRAUNCH. To crush with the teeth; to chew with violence and
noise.-Webster. Mr. Hartshorne notices this word among the provincialisms
of England, and gives early examples of its use. It is sometimes
pronounced cranch.--Skropskire Glossary.

To cranchen ous andal our kynde.--Piers Ploughman.

She can cranch

A sack of small coale! eat you lime and hair.--Ben Jonson.

The flames seized and crunched the gnarled top of an old oak.--Margaret,
p. 350.

CRUSTY. Sturdy; morose; snappish. A low word.--Johnson. Provincial in
various parts of England. A word, says Dr. Webster, used in families, but
not deemed elegant.

Maister Reef, are ye so crusty?--Preston's King Cambyses, O. P. (1562.)

TO CRY. To publish the bans of marriage in church, formerly so called in
the interior of New England.

I should not be surprised if they were cried next Sabbath.--Margaret.

CUBBY-HOLE, or CUBBY-HOUSE. A snug place for a child. Common to various
English dialects.--Barnes's Dorset Glossary. Seldom heard with us except
among children.

TO CUDDLE, or CUDDLE UP. To hug or fondle. So used in some parts of
England.

CULTIVABLE. Capable of being tilled or cultivated.-Webster. This word, Mr.
Todd says, has lately been adopted by English writers on agriculture.

CUNNUCK. A name applied to Canadians by the people in the Northern States.

CURB-STONE. A border to a pavement, consisting of stone slabs set on edge,
which form the separation between it and the carriage-way.

I will sit here as unmoved as a curb-stone.--Margaret, p. 82.

p. 102

Here the watchman struck his club against the curb-stone.--Pickings from
the Picayune, p. 31.

CURIOUS. "This word is often heard in New England among the common
farmers, in the sense of excellent, or peculiarly excellent; as in these
expressions: 'These are curious apples;' 'this is curious cider,' &c. This
use of the word is hardly known in our seaport town."--Pickering.

CUPALO, for cupola, is a common error of pronunciation. It is also a very
old one, as appears from the following passage:

Whose roof of copper shineth so,
It excells Saint Peter's cupello.--Political Ballads, 1660.

CURMUDGEON. An avaricious, churlish fellow; a miser. In explaining this
word, Dr. Ash made a ludicrous mistake, from his ignorance of the French
language. He took the word from Johnson, who derives it from cœur-méchant,
and who gives as his authority an "unknown correspondet." As these words
immediately followed the French, Dr. Ash supposed them to be the English
of cœur-mé chant, and accordingly says, "Curmudgeon, from the French cœur,
unknown, and mérchant, correspondent."

A man's way of living is commended, because he will give any rate for it;
and a man will give any rate, rather than pass for a poor wretch, or a
penurious curmudgeon.--Locke.

TO CURRY FAVOR. To seek or gain favor by flattery, caresses, kindness, or
officious civilities.--Webster.

He judged them still over-abjectly to fawn upon the heathens, and to curry
favor with infidels.--Hooker.

This humor succeeded so well with the puppy, that an ass would go the same
way to work to curry favor for himself.--L'Estrange.

CUSTOMABLE. Subject to the payment of duties called customs. (Law of
Massachusetts.)--Webster.

The word dutiable is much used among merchants in New York, but I never
heard the word customable.

CUSTOMER. A cant term, meaning one that one has to deal with, that one
comes across. In use, it answers nearly to the word "fellow," and is often
heard iu such phrases as "He's a queer customer," "You'll find him an ugly
customer."

p. 103

What is any home game, or the wild boar of which British Lloyds write so
pleasantly, when compared with such a customer as the buffalo bull?--
London Athenæum, No. 195.

CUT. A quantity of yarn, twelve of which make what is called a hank or
skein. Common in England and America.

TO CUT. This word is in general use in conversation in the United States,
and is employed precisely in the same way as defined by Grose in the
following passage:

"To renounce acquaintance with any one, is to cut him. There are several
species of the CUT; such as the cut direct, the cut indirect, the cut
sublime, the cut infernal, &c. The cut direct is to start across the
street, at the approach of the obnoxious person, in order to avoid him.
The cut indirect is to look another way, and pass without appearing to
observe him. The cut sublime is to admire the top of King's College
Chapel, or the beauty of the passing clouds, till he is out of sight. The
cut infernal is to analyze the arrangement of your shoe-strings, for the
same purpose.--Class. Dict. Vulgar Tongue.

The Bankrupt,
With his debts' schedule large, and no assets,
By all his decent friends entirely cut.--London Bench.

"I'll cut your acquaintance," said Harry to John,
In a furious passion, "if thus you go on!"
"To cut my acquaintance," said John, "you are free,--
Cut them all, if you please, so you do not cut me!"--Mrs. Osgood.

CUT. An infliction; a rebuke.

A thief, arrested at Baltimore and brought to this city in the steamboat
Ohio this morning, escaped from the officer, who was lying fast asleep,
just as the boat reached the wharf. The unkindest cut of all was, that he
walked off with the officer's baggage.--N. Y. Tribune.

TO CUT. To run; to be off.

The whole was borne along upon the shoulders of men who contrived to cut
along with their burdens at a great pace.--Eöthen, p. 158.

The wedding over, about twelve o'clock the company hegan to cut hom, all
of 'em just as sober as when they came.--Major Jones's Courtship.

Down cut the mesmeric professor, through the bar-room; out I cut after
him; over went the stove in the rush after us.--Field, Western Tales.

TO CUT AND RUN. To be off; to be gone.--Holloway's Prov. Dictionary.

p. 104

Originally a nautical term. To cut the cable of a ship and make sail
withoout waiting to weigh anchor.--Falconer's Dictionary.

They caught the leaders [in the Canadian revolt] and hanged them; tho'
most of the first chop men cut and run, as usual in such cases.--Sam
Slick.

TO CUT DIRT. To run; to go fast. A vulgar expression, probably derived
from the quick motion of a horse or carriage over a country road, which
makes the dirt fly.

Wel, the way the cow cut dirt was cautionary; she cleared stumps, ditches,
windfalls, and everything.--Sam Slick in England, ch. 18.

Now cut dirt! screamed I; and, Jehu Gineral Jackson! if he didn't make a
straight shirt-tail for the door, may I never make another pass.--Field,
Western Tales, p. 132.

TO CUT DIDOES. Synonymous with to cut capers, i. e. to be frolicksome.

Who ever heerd them Italian singers recitin' their jabber, showin' their
teeth, and cuttin' didoes at a private concert.--S. Slick in England, ch.
15.

Watchman! take that ere feller to the watchhouse; he comes here a cutting
up his didoes every night.--Pickings from the Picayune, p. 86.

TO CUT A DASH. In modern colloquial speech, to make a great show; to make
a figure.--Johnson. A fashionable or gaily dressed lady in walking the
streets is often said to cut a dash. In Scotland, according to Dr.
Jamieson, the phrase to cast a dash, to make a great figure or a splendid
appearance, is used.

Bowden wi' pride o' simmer gloss,
To cast a dash at Reikie's cross?--Fergusson's Poems, 2. 32.

I saw the curl of his waving lash
And the glance of his knowing eye,
And I knew that he thought he was cutting a dash,
As his steed went thundering by.--O. W. Holmes's Poems, p. 105.

TO CUT A CAPER. (Italian, tagliar le capriole.) The act of dancing in a
frolicksome manner.--Todd. We use it also in a more general sense. Thus,
of a person who conducts himself in a strange or ridiculous manner, we
would say, "He cuts strange capers."

Flimnap, the treasurer, is allowed to cut a caper on the straight rope, at
least an inch higher than any other lord in the whole empire.--Gulliver's
Travels.

p. 105

A man may appear learned, without talking sentences; as in his ordinary
gesture he discovers he can dance, though he does not cut capers.--
Spectator, No.4.

TO CUT A FIGURE. To make an appearance, either good or bad.

We are not as much surprised at the poor figure cut by the Whigs in the
committees of the House, as by the position of some of the Loco Focos.--N.
Y. Tribune, Dec. 10, 1845.

TO CUT OUT. To supersede one in the affections of another. A familiar
expression in common use: "Miss A was engaged to be married to Mr. B; but
Mr. C cut him out." It also means to supplant or excel in any way.

TO CUT OUT OF. To cheat, deprive of.

Having been cut out of my speech in Cougress, by the "previous question."--
Crockett, Tour, p. 24.

THE CUT OF HIS JIB. The form of his profile, the cast of his countenance;
as, "I knew him by the cut of his jib." A nautical vulgarism.

CUT AND COME AGAIN. An expression in vulgar language, implying that having
cut as much as you pleased, you may come again; in other words, plenty; no
lack; always a supply.--Todd.

TO CUT UP. To criticise with severity; as, he was severely cut up in the
newspapers.

Some correspondent asked you, just for a change, to give "a spicy and
personal cut up of an author."--N. Y. Literary World, Vol. iii. p. 125.

TO CUT UP. To wound one's feelings, to mortify. Ex. "He was very much cut
up by the neglect of his friend."

CUT AND DRIED. Ready made.

I am for John C. Calhoun for the presidency; and will not go for Mr. Van
Buren, the man attempted to be forced upon us by this cut-and-dried party
machinery.--Mr. Walsh's Speech. Com. Adv. Sept. 1847.

TO CUT UP SHINES. To cut capers, play tricks.

A wild bull of the prairies was cutting up shines at no great distance,
tearing up the sod with hoofs and horns.--Knickerbocker Mag.

What have these men been doing? asked the Recorder.
Oh, they were cutting up all kinds of shines; knocking over the ashes
barrels, shying stones at lamps, kicking at doors, and disturbing the
peace of the whole city.--Pickings from the Picayune, p. 61.

p. 106

TO CUT A SWATHE. The same as to cut a dash.

The expression is generally applied to a person walking who is gaily
dressed, and has a pompous air or swagger in his or her gait. In allusion
to the sweeping motion of a scythe, when cutting a swathe.

TO CUT SHORT. To hinder from proceeding by sudden interruption,- -Johnson.

The judge cut off the counsel very short.--Bacon.

Achilles cut him short; and thus replied,
My worth, allow'd in words, is in effect denied.--Dryden.

TO CUT STICK, or TO CUT ONE'S STICK. To be off, to leave immediately aud
go with all speed. A vulgar expression, and often heard. It is also
provincial in England.

Dinner is over. It's time for the ladies to cut stick.--Sam Slick in
England, ch. 15.

If ever you see her and she begins that way, up hat and cut stick, double
quick.--Ibid. ch. 29.

TO CUT UNDER. To undersell in price.--New York.

CUT-OFF. Passages cut by the great Western rivers, particularly the
Mississippi, affording new channels, and thus forming islands. These cut-
offs are constantly made.

When the Mississippi, in making its cut-offs, is ploughing its way through
the virgin soil, there float upon the top of this destroying tide,
thousands of trees that covered the land and lined its curving banks.--
Thorpe's Backwoods, p.172.

TO DRAW CUTS. A common way of deciding by lot, is to place several slips
of paper or straws, of different length, in a person's hand, which are
drawn out by others. This is called drawing cuts. The practice and the
term are very old, as will be seen by the following examples:

And ther they were at a long stryf which of them shulde go; and so at last
they acorded and sware, and made promyse before all the company, that they
shulde drawe cuttes, and he that shulde have the longest strawe shulde go
forthe, and the other abyde.--Lord Berners, Froissart Cronycle, Vol. I. p.
288.

My lady Zelmane, and my daughter Mopsa may draw cuts, and the shortest cut
speak first.--Sidney.

CUT-GRASS. (Leersia oryzoides.) The common name of a

p. 107

species of grass, with leaves exceedingly rough backward, so as to cut the
hands if drawn across them.--Bigelow's Flora Bosioniensis.

CUTE. (An abbreviation of acute.) Sharp; cunning; acute. It is provincial
in various parts of England. In New England it is a common colloquialism,
though never used by educated people.

Now, says I, I'm goin' to show you about as cute a thing as you've seen in
many a day.--Maj. Downing's Letters, p. 214.

Mr. Marcy was a right cute, cunning sort of a man; but in that
correspondence Gen. Taylor showed himself able to defend himself against
the fire in the rear,--Mr. Gentry's Remarks at the Taylor Meeting in N. Y.

He had a pair of bright twinkling eyes, that gave an air of extreme
cuteness to his physiognomy.--Knickerbocker Mag. Aug. 1845.

CUTTER. A one horse sleigh.

And then--we'll go sleighing, in warm raiment clad,
With fine hnrses neighing as if they were glad.
The shining bells jingle, the swift cutter flies,
And if our ears tingle, no matter; who cries?--N. Y. Tribune.

CUTTOES. (French couteau, a knife.) A large knife used in olden times in
New England.

There were no knives and forks, and the family helped themselves on wooden
plates, with cuttoes.--Margaret, p. 10.

CYPRESS-BRAKE. A basin-shaped depression of land near the margin of
shallow, sluggish bayous, into which the superabundant waters find their
way. In these places are vast accumulations of fallen cypress-trees, which
have been accumulating for ages. These are called cypress-brakes.--
Dickeson on the Cypress Timber of Louisiana.