Castalian
(Cas*ta"li*an) a. [L. Castalius] Of or pertaining to Castalia, a mythical fountain of inspiration
on Mt. Parnassus sacred to the Muses. Milton.
Castanea
(||Cas*ta"ne*a) n. [L., a chestnut, fr. Gr. .] (Bot.) A genus of nut-bearing trees or shrubs
including the chestnut and chinquapin.
Castanet
(Cas"ta*net) n. See Castanets.
Castanets
(Cas"ta*nets), n. pl. [F. castagnettes, Sp. castañetas, fr. L. castanea (Sp. castaña) a chestnut.
So named from the resemblance to two chestnuts, or because chestnuts were first used for castanets.
See Chestnut.] Two small, concave shells of ivory or hard wood, shaped like spoons, fastened to the
thumb, and beaten together with the middle finger; — used by the Spaniards and Moors as an accompaniment
to their dance and guitars.
The singular, castanet, is used of one of the pair, or, sometimes, of the pair forming the instrument.
The dancer, holding a castanet in each hand, rattles then to the motion of his feet.
Moore
Castaway
(Cast"a*way) n.
1. One who, or that which, is cast away or shipwrecked.
2. One who is ruined; one who has made moral shipwreck; a reprobate.
Lest . . . when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
1 Cor. ix. 27.
Castaway
(Cast"a*way), a. Of no value; rejected; useless.
Caste
(Caste) n. [Pg. casta race, lineage, fr. L. castus pure, chaste: cf. F. caste, of same origin.]
1. One of the hereditary classes into which the Hindoos are divided according to the laws of Brahmanism.
The members of the same caste are theoretically of equal rank, and same profession or occupation, and
may not eat or intermarry with those not of their own caste. The original are four, viz., the Brahmans,
or sacerdotal order; the Kshatriyas, or soldiers and rulers; the Vaisyas, or husbandmen and merchants; and
the Sudras, or laborers and mechanics. Men of no caste are Pariahs, outcasts. Numerous mixed classes,
or castes, have sprung up in the progress of time.
2. A separate and fixed order or class of persons in society who chiefly hold intercourse among themselves.
The tinkers then formed an hereditary caste.
Macaulay.
To lose caste, to be degraded from the caste to which one has belonged; to lose social position or
consideration.
Castellan
(Cas"tel*lan) n. [OF. castelain, F. châtelain, L. castellanus pertaining to a castle, an occupant
of a caste, LL., a governor of a castle, fr. L. castellum castle, citadel, dim. of castrum fortified place.
See Castle, and cf. Chatelaine.] A governor or warden of a castle.
