Catgut
(Cat"gut`) n. [Cat + gut.]
1. A cord of great toughness made from the intestines of animals, esp. of sheep, used for strings of
musical instruments, etc.
2. A sort of linen or canvas, with wide interstices.
Catharine wheel
(Cath"a*rine wheel`) See catherine wheel.
Catharist
(Cath"a*rist) n. [LL. catharista, fr. Gr. clean, pure.] One aiming at or pretending to a greater
purity of like than others about him; — applied to persons of various sects. See Albigenses.
Cat-harpin
(Cat"-harp`in) n. See Cat-harping.
Cat-harping
(Cat"-harp`ing) n. (Naut.) One of the short ropes or iron cramps used to brace in the
shrouds toward the masts so a to give freer sweep to the yards.
Catharsis
(||Ca*thar"sis) n. [NL., fr. Gr. . See Cathartic.] (Med.) A natural or artificial purgation of
any passage, as of the mouth, bowels, etc.
Cathartic
(Ca*thar"tic Ca*thar"ic*al) a. [Gr. fr. to cleanse, fr. pure; akin to F. chaste.]
1. (Med.) Cleansing the bowels; promoting evacuations by stool; purgative.
2. Of or pertaining to the purgative principle of senna, as cathartic acid.
Cathartic
(Ca*thar"tic), n. (Med.) A medicine that promotes alvine discharges; a purge; a purgative of
moderate activity.
The cathartics are more energetic and certain in action that the laxatives, which simply increase the
tendency to alvine evacuation; and less powerful and irritaint that the drastic purges, which cause profuse,
repeated, and watery evacuations.
— Ca*thar"tic*al*ly, adv. — Ca*thar"tic*al*ness, n.
cathartin
(ca*thar"tin) n. (Chem.) The bitter, purgative principle of senna. It is a glucoside with the
properties of a weak acid; — called also cathartic acid, and cathartina.
Cathay
(Ca*thay") n. China; — an old name for the Celestial Empire, said have been introduced by Marco
Polo and to be a corruption of the Tartar name for North China (Khitai, the country of the Khitans.)
Better fifty years of Europe than a cycle of Cathay.
Tennyson.
Cathead
(Cat"head`) n. (Naut.) A projecting piece of timber or iron near the bow of vessel, to which
the anchor is hoisted and secured.
Cathedra
(||Cath"e*dra) n. [L., fr. Gr. seat. See Chair.] The official chair or throne of a bishop, or of
any person in high authority.
Ex cathedra [L., from the chair], in the exercise of one's office; with authority.
The Vatican Council declares that the Pope, is infallible "when he speaks ex cathedra."
Addis & Arnold's
Cath. Dict.
Cathedral
(Ca*the"dral) n. [LL. cathedralis (sc. ecclesia): cf. F. cathédrale. See Cathedra.] The
principal church in a diocese, so called because in it the bishop has his official chair (Cathedra) or throne.
