Cupel
(Cu*pel") v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cupelled (-p?ld"); p. pr. & vb. n. Cupelling.] To refine by means
of a cupel.
Cupellation
(Cu`pel*la"tion) (ku`pel*la"shun) n. [See Cupel.] The act or process of refining gold or
silver, etc., in a cupel.
The process consist in exposing the cupel containing the metal to be assayed or refined to a hot blast,
by which the lead, copper, tin, etc., are oxidized, dissolved, and carried down into the porous cupel,
leaving the unoxidizable precious metal. If lead is not already present in the alloy it must be added before
cupellation.
Cupful
(Cup"ful) n.; pl. Cupfuls As much as a cup will hold.
Cup-gall
(Cup"-gall`) n. A kind of oak-leaf gall. See Gall.
Cupid
(Cu"pid) n . [L. Cupido, fr. cupido desire, desire of love, fr. cupidus. See Cupidity.] (Rom.
Myth.) The god of love, son of Venus; usually represented as a naked, winged boy with bow and arrow.
Pretty dimpled boys, like smiling cupids.
Shak.
Cupidity
(Cu*pid"i*ty) n. [F. cupidite, L. cupiditas, fr. cupidus longing, desiring, fr. cupere to long for,
desire. See Covet.]
1. A passionate desire; love. [Obs.]
2. Eager or inordinate desire, especially for wealth; greed of gain; avarice; covetousness.
With the feelings of political distrust were mingled those of cupidity and envy, as the Spaniard saw the
fairest provinces of the south still in the hands of the accursed race of Ishmael.
Prescott.
Cup-moss
(Cup"-moss`) n. (Bot.) A kind of lichen, of the genus Cladonia.
Cupola
(Cu"po*la) n.; pl. Cupolas [It. cupola, LL. cupula, cuppula fr. cupa, cuppa, cup; cf. L. cupa
tub. So called on account of its resemblance to a cup turned over. See Cup, and cf. Cupule.]
1. (Arch.) A roof having a rounded form, hemispherical or nearly so; also, a ceiling having the same
form. When on a large scale it is usually called dome.
2. A small structure standing on the top of a dome; a lantern.
3. A furnace for melting iron or other metals in large quantity, — used chiefly in foundries and steel
works.
