<B>C</B> (1) or <B>c, </B>noun, pl. <B>C's</B> or <B>Cs,</B> <B>c's</B> or <B>cs.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the third letter of the English alphabet. <BR> <I>Ex. There are two c's in cancel.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>any sound represented by this letter. <DD><B> 3. </B>as a symbol: <DD><B> a. </B>the third (of an actual or possible series). <DD><B> b. </B>third best (of its kind or class). <BR> <I>Ex. grade C canned fish.</I> <DD><B> c. </B>a known quantity (used especially in algebraic equations along with <I>a, b,</I> etc.; <I>x, y,</I> and <I>z</I> most commonly represent unknown quantities). <DD><B> 4. </B>the third highest grade (in most schools and colleges). <BR> <I>Ex. to get a C in history.</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>(Music.) <DD><B> a. </B>the first tone in the scale of C major, the natural scale without flats or sharps; the third tone of A minor. <DD><B> b. </B>the symbol representing this tone. <DD><B> c. </B>a key, string, etc., that produces this tone. <DD><B> d. </B>the scale or key which has C as its keynote. <BR> <I>Ex. a concerto in C.</I> <DD><B> 6. </B>the Roman numeral for 100. <DD><B> 7. </B>(U.S. Slang.) <DD><B> a. </B>a hundred-dollar bill. <DD><B> b. </B>one hundred dollars. </DL>
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<B>C</B> (2), noun. pl. <B>C's.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> anything shaped like the letter C. </DL>
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<B>c</B> (no period),<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>centi-. <DD><B> 2. </B>centimeter. </DL>
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<B>c.,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> an abbreviation or symbol for the following: <DD><B> 1. </B>Also, <B>ca.</B> about; approximately (Latin, <I>circa</I>). <DD><B> 2. </B>carat. <DD><B> 3. </B>(in baseball) catcher. <DD><B> 4. </B>cathode. <DD><B> 5. </B>center. <DD><B> 6. </B>centimeter. <DD><B> 7. </B>cent or cents. <DD><B> 8. </B>centime. <DD><B> 9. </B>(Mathematics, Physics.) constant. <DD><B> 10. </B>copy. <DD><B> 11. </B>copyright. <DD><B> 12. </B>cubic. <DD><B> 13. </B>cup or cups. <DD><B> 14. </B>curie. <DD><B> 15. </B>(Electricity.) current. <DD><B> 16. </B>cycle. <DD><B> 17. </B>hundredweight (Latin, <I>centium</I>). </DL>
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<B>C</B> (no period),<DL COMPACT><DD> an abbreviation or symbol for: <DD><B> 1. </B>capacitance. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Electricity.) capacity. <DD><B> 3. </B>carbon. <DD><B> 4. </B>Celsius ( = centigrade). <DD><B> 5. </B>centigrade. <BR> <I>Ex. A rise of 10 degrees C doubles the rate of many chemical reactions (K. D. Wadsworth).</I> <DD><B> 6. </B>central. <DD><B> 7. </B>(Physics.) (electric) charge. <DD><B> 8. </B>(Mathematics, Physics.) constant. <DD><B> 9. </B>copyright. <DD><B> 10. </B>cytosine. <DD><B> 11. </B>one hundred (Latin, <I>centum</I>). </DL>
<B>cab</B> (1), noun, verb, <B>cabbed,</B> <B>cabbing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>an automobile that can be hired with driver; taxicab. <BR> <I>Ex. My father telephoned for a cab to take him to the airport.</I> <DD><B> 2a. </B>a carriage that can be hired with driver, usually pulled by one horse. <BR> <I>Ex. We rode through the park in an open cab.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>a hansom (cab). <DD><B> 3. </B>the covered part of a railroad engine where the engineer and fireman sit. <BR> <I>Ex. The engineer invited the boy to sit in the cab with him.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>an enclosed seat on a truck, tractor, or other vehicle or machinery, where the driver or operator sits. <DD><B> 5. </B>the glass-enclosed booth of a control tower at an airport. <DD><I>v.i. </I> to go by cab. adj. <B>cabless.</B> </DL>
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<B>cab</B> (2), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a Hebrew unit of dry measure, equal to about 2 quarts. Also, <B>kab.</B> </DL>
<B>CAB</B> (no periods) or <B>C.A.B.,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> Civil Aeronautics Board. </DL>
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<B>caba, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (in the Philippines) a measure of capacity equal to about 1 U.S. bushels. </DL>
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<B>cabal, </B>noun, verb, <B>-balled,</B> <B>-balling.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a small group of people working or plotting in secret; faction. <BR> <I>Ex. The cabal of disruptive conspirators ... had no right to be where they were, when, on May 5, they were arrested on the Capitol steps (New York Times).</I> (SYN) junto, clique. <DD><B> 2. </B>a secret scheme of such a group; plot. (SYN) intrigue. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Historical.) five ministers of Charles II forming an unpopular faction. Their initials happened to make up the word: <I>C</I>lifford, <I>A</I>rlington, <I>B</I>uckingham, <I>A</I>shley, and <I>L</I>auderdale. <DD><I>v.i. </I> to form such a group; conspire. <BR> <I>Ex. The barons ... began to cabal against his succession (Henry Hallam).</I> noun <B>caballer.</B> </DL>
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<B>cabala</B> or <B>Cabala, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a system of interpretation of the Scriptures based on the numerical rather than the alphabetical value of the letters of a word, developed in the Middle Ages by certain rabbis. <DD><B> 2. </B>a mystical belief; secret doctrine. Also, <B>cabbala,</B> <B>kabala,</B> <B>kabbala.</B> </DL>
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<B>cabaletta, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an operatic song in rondo form with variations imitating the hoofbeats of a cantering horse. </DL>
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<B>cabalic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with the cabala. </DL>
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<B>cabalism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the system of the cabala (def. 1). <DD><B> 2. </B>mystic or occult doctrine; occultism. </DL>
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<B>cabalist</B> (1), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a person expert in the cabala or other secret doctrine; a mystic. Also, <B>kabbalist.</B> </DL>
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<B>cabalist</B> (2), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a secret intriguer or plotter. </DL>
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<B>cabalistic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>having a mystical meaning; secret. (SYN) occult, mystic. <DD><B> 2. </B>of or suitable for the Jewish cabala. Also, <B>kabbalistic.</B> adv. <B>cabalistically.</B> </DL>
<B>caballero, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ros.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>in Spain: <DD><B> a. </B>a gentleman. <BR> <I>Ex. Respectable caballeros no longer take their wives or fiancees to such places (Time).</I> <DD><B> b. </B>a knight. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Southwestern U.S.) <DD><B> a. </B>a horseman. <DD><B> b. </B>an ardent admirer of women or of a particular woman; gallant. </DL>
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<B>caballine, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with a horse or horses. <BR> <I>Ex. the caballine spring (the spring Hippocrene produced by a stroke of the hoof of Pegasus).</I> </DL>
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<B>cabana, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a shelter like a small tent or cabin, used on a beach or near a swimming pool for dressing or to provide shade; bathhouse. <DD><B> 2. </B>a cabin. </DL>
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<B>cabana set,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a set of matching short-sleeved jacket and bathing shorts, used as beachwear for men. </DL>
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<B>cabane, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a system of struts for supporting an airplane wing above the fuselage. </DL>
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<B>cabaret, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1a. </B>a restaurant offering singing and dancing as entertainment. <DD><B> b. </B>the entertainment. <BR> <I>Ex. Students in Leipzig were ... putting on a satirical cabaret (Manchester Guardian Weekly).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a set of dishes for coffee or tea and the stand or tray holding them. </DL>
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<B>cabas, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a bag of plaited straw, or of silk, leather, or other material, carried by women to hold small purchases, articles for work, or sewing. </DL>