————————The
`CONCISE
`
`
`
`OXFORD
`DICTIONARY
`
`
`
`
`
`of
`Current English
`
`
`
`FIRST EDITED BY
`
`H. W. Fowler and F. G. Fowler
`
`EIGHTH EDITION
`
`EDITED BY R. E. ALLEN
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`CLARENDON PRESS - OXFORD
`
`Patent Owner, Ex. 2005, pg. 1
`
`Patent Owner, Ex. 2005, pg. 1
`
`

`

`
`
`Oxford University Press, Walton Street, Oxford OX2 GDP
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`Oxford is a trade mark of Oxford University Press
`
`© Oxford University Press 1.964, 1976‘, 1982, 19.90
`
`Published in the United States by
`Oxford University Press Inc, New York
`
`First edition 1911
`New edition (revised) 1929
`Third edition (with Addenda) 1934
`Fourth edition 1951
`Fifth edition 1964
`Sixth edition 1976‘
`Seventh edition 1982
`Eighth edition 1990
`
`All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
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`
`British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
`The concise Oxford dictionary of current English.—8th ed.
`1. English language‘Dictionaries
`I. Allen, R. E. (Robert Edward), 19447423
`ISBN 0—19—86124375 thumb index
`ISBN azasmeoaz plain
`
`Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
`The Concise Oxford dictionary of current English.i8th ed./edited by R. E. Allen.
`p.
`cm.
`‘First edited by H. W. Fowler and F. G. Fowler.’
`ISBN 0—19—86120wb—ISBN 0—1.?86‘124375 (thumb index)
`1. English language—Dictionaries.
`I. Allen, R. E.
`II. Fowler,
`H. W. (Henry Watson), 1858—1933.
`III. Fowler, F. G. (Francis
`George), 1870—1918.
`PE16'28.C68
`1.9.90
`423—dc20 8&72114 CIP
`
`8109
`
`Printed in the United States of America
`
`
`
`Contents
`
`Acknowledgements
`
`English over Fifteen Centuries
`
`Eighty Years of the Concise Oxford Dictionary
`
`Guide to the Use of the Dictionary
`
`Abbreviations used in the Dictionary
`
` Preface
`
`vii
`
`x
`
`xii
`
`xxi
`
`xxiv
`
`xxxvii
`
`xxxix
`
`1431
`
`1436
`
`1437
`
`1439
`
`1442
`
`1443
`
`1444
`
`1445
`
`1453
`
`Note on Proprietary Status
`
`DICTIONARY
`
`Appendices
`I.
`Countries of the World
`
`II.
`
`III.
`
`IV.
`
`Major Divisions of Geological Time
`
`The Chemical Elements
`
`Weights and Measures
`
`V.
`
`Counties of the United Kingdom
`
`VI.
`
`States of the USA
`
`VII.
`
`Books of the Bible
`
`VIII.
`
`Punctuation Marks
`
`IX.
`
`The Greek and Russian Alphabets
`
`Patent Owner, Ex. 2005, pg. 2
`
`Patent Owner, Ex. 2005, pg. 2
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`

`

`
`
`184
`
`cervelat
`
`cervelat /'s3:ve,lo:, -,lmt/ n. a kind of smoked pork
`sausage. [obs. F f. It. cervellata]
`1 of or
`cervical /ss:'va1k(e)l,
`‘s3:v1k(o)1/ adj. Anat.
`2 of or
`relating to the neck (cervical vertebrae).
`relating to the cervix. ncervical screening ex‘
`amination of a large number of apparently healthy
`women for cervical cancer. cervical smear a spe-
`cimen of cellular material from the neck of the womb
`for detection of cancer. [F cervical or mod.L cervicalis
`f. L cervix -icis neck]
`cervine /'ss:vain/ adj. of or like a deer. [L cervinus f.
`cervus deer]
`1 the
`cervix /’sa:vxks/ n. (pl. cervices /-,si:z/) Anat.
`neck. 2 any necklike structure, esp. the neck of the
`womb. [L]
`Cesarean (also Cesarian) US var. of CAESAREAN.
`cesarevitch /srzaeriv1t_r/
`n.
`(also
`cesarewitch
`/-w1t]‘/) 1 hist. the eldest son of the emperor of Russia
`(cf. TSAREVICH). 2 (Cesarewitch) a horse-race run
`annually at Newmarket. [Russ tsesarevich]
`-
`cesium US var. of CAESIUM.
`cessl /ses/ n. (also sess) Sc., Ir., & Ind. etc. a tax, a
`levy. [properly sess for obs. assess n.: see ASSESS]
`cess2 /ses/ n. Ir. nbad cess to may evil befall (bad
`cess to their clan). [perh. f. CESS‘]
`cessation /se'seij‘(e)n/ n. 1 a ceasing (cessation of the
`truce). 2 a pause (resumedfighting after the cessation).
`[ME f. L cessatio f. cessare CEASE]
`cesser /'Sese(r)/ n. Law a coming to an end; a
`cessation (of a term, a liability, etc.). [AF & OF, =
`CEASE]
`1 (often full. by of) the ceding or
`cession /'se_[(e)n/ n.
`giving up (of rights, property, and esp. of territory
`by a State). 2 the territory etc. so ceded. [ME f. OF
`cession or L cessio f. cedere cess— go away]
`cessionary /'sejanari/ n. (pl. -ies) Law = ASSIGN n.
`cesspit /'sespit/ n.
`1 a pit for the disposal of refuse.
`2 = CESSPOOL. [cess in CESSPOOL + PIT‘]
`cesspool /‘sespu:l/ n.
`1 an underground container
`for the temporary storage of liquid waste or sewage.
`2 a centre of corruption, depravity, etc. [perh. alt.,
`after POOL‘,
`f. earlier cesperalle,
`f. suspiral vent,
`water-pipe,
`f. 0F souspirail air-hole f. L suspirare
`breathe up, sigh (as SUB-, spirare breathe)]
`cestode /'sesteod/ n.
`(also cestoid /'sestotd/) any
`flatworm of the class Cestoda, including tapeworms.
`[L cestus f. Gk kestos girdle]
`CET abbr. Central European Time.
`cetacean /st'te1j(e)n/ n. & adj. —n. any marine
`mammal of the order Cetacea with streamlined
`hairless body and dorsal blowhole for breathing,
`including whales, dolphins, and porpoises. —adj. of
`cetaceans. nncetaceous adj.
`[mod.L Cetacea f. L
`cetus f. Gk kétos whale]
`cetane /'si:tein/ n. Chem. a colourless liquid hy-
`drocarbon of the alkane series used in standardizing
`ratings of diesel fuel. ucetane number a measure
`of the ignition properties of diesel fuel. [f. SPERMACETI
`after methane etc.]
`ceteris paribus /,setaris ‘pwribos/ adv. other things
`being equal. [L]
`Ceylon moss /SI'lnn/ n. a red seaweed, Gracilaria
`lichenoides, from E. India. [Ceylon, now Sri Lanka]
`CF abbr. Brit. Chaplain to the Forces.
`Cf symb. Chem. the element californium.
`cf. abbr. compare.
`[L confer
`imper. of conferre
`compare]
`c.f. abbr. carried forward.
`CFC abbr. Chem. chloro-fluorocarbon, any of various
`usu. gaseous compounds of carbon, hydrogen, chlor-
`ine, and fluorine, used in refrigerants, aerosol pro-
`pellants, etc, and thought to be harmful to the ozone
`layer in the earth’s atmosphere.
`CFE abbr. College of Further Education.
`cg abbr. centigram(s).
`CGS abbr. Chief of General Staff.
`cgs abbr. centimetre-gram-second.
`CH abbr. (in the UK) Companion of Honour.
`
`r.
`ch. abbr. 1 church. 2 chapter. 3 chestnut.
`
`_ n_armour armour made of interlaced rings.
`ridge a suspension bridge on chains. chain
`
`,
`i
`cha var. of CHARS.
`(pl. same /-liz/) a d
`n
`Chablis /‘j‘aebli/ n.
`system of transmission by endless chains.
`
`burgundy wine. [Chablis in E. France]
`
`[gang a team of convicts chained together and
`cha-cha /'tju:tj‘o:/ (also cha-cha-cha /,t]‘u:t[q
`to work in the open air. chain-gear a gear
`
`& v. —n. 1 a ballroom dance with a Latin-Am
`.Smltting motion by means of an endless chain.
`
`*
`rhythm. 2 music for or in the rhythm of
`‘ etter one of a sequence of letters the recipient
`
`—v.intr. (cha-Chas, cha-chaed /-t_[u':d/ or’ch
`h is requested to send copies to a specific
`
`cha-chaing /-tj‘o:in/) dance the cha-cha. [Ame
`er of other people. chain-link made of wire in
`
`a a music
`chaconne /]‘e'knn/ n. Mus.
`1
`amend-Shaped mesh
`(chainlink
`fencing).
`
`consisting of variations on a ground bass. b a
`in mail = chain-armour. chain reaction 1
`composition in this style. 2 hist. a dance p‘e
`CS a self-sustaining nuclear reaction, esp.. one
`to this music. [F f. Sp. chacona]
`
`whiCh a neutron from a fission reaction initiates
`chador /'tjAda(r)/ n. (also chadar, chuddar
`rtes of these reactions. 2 Chem. a self-sustaining
`
`piece of cloth worn in some countries by
`ecular reaction in which intermediate products
`women, wrapped around the body to leave
`
`ate further
`reactions.
`3 a series of events,
`face exposed. [Pers chador, Hindi chador]
`caused by the previous one. chain-saw a
`
`chaetognath /'ki:tag,n$e/ n. any dart-shape
`opdriven saw with teeth on an endless chain.
`
`living
`of the phylum Chaetognatha, usu.
`msmoker a person who smokes continually,
`
`marine plankton, and having a head with .el
`ne who lights a cigarette etc. from the stub of
`thorny teeth. [mod.L Chaetognatha f. Gk kh
`st one smoked. chain-stitch an ornamental
`
`.
`May or crochet stitch resembling chains.
`hair + gnathos jaw]
`
`chafe /t_[e1f/ v. & n. -v. 1 tr. & intr. make or b
`mstore one of a series of shops owned'by one
`
`sore or damaged by rubbing. 2 tr. rub (esp.
`rm and selling the same sort of goods. chainiwale
`
`to restore warmth or sensation). 3 tr. & in
`GHANuELz. chain-wheels a wheel
`transmitting
`
`or become annoyed; fret (was chafed by'th
`er by a chain fitted to ItS edges.
`[ME f- 0F
`
`1 a an act of chafing. b a sore resultin
`ha(e)tne f. L catena]
`—n.
`
`1 a separate seat for One
`this. 2 a state of annoyance. [ME f. OF chau '
`7311: /t_[e6(1‘)/ n. & U- ——n.
`
`rson, of various forms, usu. havmg a back'an'd
`L calefacere f. calére be hot + facere make]
`
`chafer /'tj‘eife(r)/ n. any of various large slow _
`ounlegs. 2 a a professorship (Oflered the chair m
`
`th
`‘
`beetles of the family Scarabeidae, esp.
`slcs). b a seat of authority, esp: on a board of
`chafer. [OE ceafor, cefer f. Gmc]
`ctors. c a mayoralty. 3 a a chairperson. b the
`
`chaff /t_[u:f/ n. & v. —n. 1 the husks of corn or
`tor office of a chairperson (will you take the
`seed separated by winnowing or threshing. 2 ch
`‘L (IN; I‘m in the chalr).‘ 4 US :. electric Chair. 5 an
`
`hay and straw used as fodder. 3 light-hearte J
`r steel socket holding a railway rail in place. 6
`
`=. sedan Chair» _.U~tr- 1 act {”213 chairperson 0f 01‘
`banter. 4 worthless things; rubbish. 5 strips
`
`side over (a meeting).
`foil released in the atmosphere to obstru
`2 Brit..carry (a person)
`
`1 tr. & intr. tease; banter. 2 tr
`loft in a chair or in a sitting position, in triumph. 3
`detection. —v.
`
`(straw etc.). nchafl-cutter a machine for Oh
`nstall in a chair,
`(38p. as a pos1tion Pf authority.
`
`chair-bed a chair
`fodder. separate the wheat from the cha
`that unfolds
`into a
`PEG-
`
`hair-borne colloq. (of an administrator) not active.
`tinguish good from bad. on chaffy adj. [OE ce
`
`prob. f. Gmc: sense 3 of n. & 1 of v. perh. f. CHAF
`ir-car a railway carriage. With chairs insteadof
`
`chafl‘er /'tjmfa(r)/ v. & n. —~v.intr. haggle; 'ba
`ong seats; a parlour car. chair-11ft a series of chairs
`
`on, an endless cable for carrylng paSSEDEGFS up and
`—n. bargaining; haggling. unchafl‘erer 12. [ME
`
`,
`down a mountain etc. take a chair Sit down. [ME f.
`ceapfaru f. ceap bargain + faru journey]
`
`chaflinch /'t[aefintj/ n. Brit. a common Eur
`VAFrchaere, OF chazere f. L cathedra f. Gk hathedra:
`
`CATHEDRAL]
`finch, Fringilla coelebs,
`the male of whic
`.
`blue-grey head with pinkish cheeks. [OE ceafli
`0h .rlady /'tl99.1eld1/ 71.
`(131. -ies) = CHAIRWOMAN.
`_
`airman
`CHAFF, FINCH]
`.
`/'t_[eemen/
`n.
`(pl.
`-men;
`fem.
`
`1 a cooking pot W1
`hairwoman, pl. «if/omen)
`chafing-dish /'tj'eifnj/ n.
`1 a person chosen to
`
`side 0V9]? a meeting.
`outer pan of hot water, used for keeping food
`2 th? permanent president
`
`fa committee, a board 0f directors,
`2 a dish with a spirit-lamp etc. for cooking at
`5} firm. Etc- 3
`
`the master of ceremonies at an entertainment etc..4
`[obs. sense of CHAFE = warm]
`Chagas’ disease /‘tIa:ges/ (also Chagas’s di
`* hist. either of two sedan-bearers. no chairmanship
`
`n. a kind of sleeping sickness caused by a pro
`
`_,1rperson /‘tjee,p3:s(e)n/ n. a chairman or chair-
`transmitted by blood-sucking bugs. [0. Chagas,
`man (used as a neutral alternative).
`physician d. 1934]
`
`se ljeiz/ n.
`1 esp. hist. a horse-drawn carriage
`chagrin /'j‘aegrin, j‘e'grim/ n. & v. -—n. acute ve
`
`for one or two persons, esp. one with an open top
`or mortification. —v.tr. affect with chagrin
`
`nd two wheels. 2 = post-chaise (see Posrz). [F var.
`,
`chagrin(er), of uncert. orig]
`f chaire, formed as CHAIR]
`
`.
`chain /tjein/ n. & v.
`chaise longue /j‘eiz 'l'ong/ n. a sofa with only one arm
`links as decoration o _
`series of esp. metal
`est. [F, lit. long chair]
`
`b something resemblin
`practical purpose.
`alaza lka‘leize/ n. (pl. chalazae /-zi:/) each of two
`(formed a human chain). 2 (in pl.) a fetters u
`
`twisted membranous strips joining the yolk to the
`b any restraining force.
`confine prisoners.
`
`nds of an egg. [mod.L f. Gk, = hailstone]
`sequence, series, or set (chain of events; mo
`
`lcedony lkael'sedeni/ n. a type of quartz oc-
`chain). 4 a group of associated hotels, shops,
`
`ring in several different forms, e.g. onyx, agate,
`papers, etc. 5 a badge of office in the form of a
`
`iger’s eye, etc. on chalcedonic /,kee151‘dnnik/ adj.
`worn round the neck (mayoral chain). 6 a aj
`
`{ME f. L c(h)alcedonius f. Gk khalkédon]
`measuring-line consisting of linked metal rods
`
`chalcolithic /,kaalka‘lieik/ adj. Archaeol. of a pre-
`length (66 ft.). 7 Chem. a group of (esp. carbon)
`
`historic period in which both stone and bronze
`bonded in sequence in a molecule. 8 a figur
`
`mplements were used. [Gk hhalkos copper + lithos
`quadrille or similar dance. 9 (in pl.) Naut. ch
`ne]
`
`(see CHANNEL2).
`.10 (also chain-shot) hz
`
`Chalcopyrite /,keelke'pairait/ n. a yellow mineral of
`cannon-balls or half balls joined by a chain an
`
`-°ODper-iron sulphide, which is the principal ore of
`in sea battles for bringing down a mast etc. -
`
`:coliper. [Gk khalkos copper + PYRITE]
`(often fell. by up) secure or confine with a ch
`
`confine or restrict (a person) (is chained to the
`Chaldean /kael'di:en/ n. & adj. ——n.
`
`185
`
`chamber
`
`
`
`ancient Chaldea or Babylonia. b the language of the
`Chaldeans. 2 an astrologer. 3 a member of the Uniat
`(formerly Nestorian) sect in Iran etc. —adj. 1 of or
`relating to ancient Chaldea or its people or language.’
`2 of or relating to astrology. 3 of or relating to the
`Uniat sect.
`[L Chaldaeus f. Gk Khaldaios f. Assyr.
`Kaldu]
`Chaldee /kael'di:/ n. 1 the language of the Chaldeans.
`2 a native of ancient Chaldea. 3 the Aramaic language
`as used in Old Testament books.
`[ME,
`repr. L
`Chaldaei (p1.) (as CHALDEANH
`.
`chalet /'j‘aelei/ n.
`1 a small suburban house or
`bungalow, esp. with an overhanging roof. 2 a small,
`usu. wooden, hut or house on a beach or in a holiday
`camp. 3 a Swiss cowherd’s hut, or wooden cottage,
`with overhanging eaves. [Swiss F]
`chalice /'tjaelis/ n.
`1 literary a goblet. 2 a wine-cup
`used in the Communion service. [ME f. OF f. L calix
`~icis cup]
`1 a white soft earthy
`chalk /tj‘o:k/ n. & v. —n.
`limestone (calcium carbonate) formed from the skel-
`etal remains of sea creatures. 2 a a similar substance
`(calcium sulphate), sometimes coloured, used for
`writing or drawing. b a piece of this (a box of chalks).
`3 a series of strata consisting mainly of chalk. 4 :
`French chalk. ——v.tr.
`1 rub, mark, draw, or write
`with chalk. 2 (foll. by up) a write or record with
`chalk. b register (a'success etc.).
`c charge (to an
`account). has different as chalk and (or from)
`cheese fundamentally different. by a long chalk
`Brit. by far (from the use of chalk to mark the score
`in games). chalk and talk traditional
`teaching
`(employing blackboard, chalk, and interlocution).
`chalk out sketch or plan a thing to be accomplished.
`chalk—pit
`a quarry in which
`chalk is
`dug.
`chalk-stone a concretion of urates like chalk in
`tissues
`and joints
`esp.
`of hands
`and
`feet.
`chalk-stripe a pattern of thin white stripes on a
`dark background.
`chalk—striped having chalk-
`stripes. [OE cealc ult. f. WG f. L CALX]
`chalkboard /'t_[31kbozd/ n. US : BLACKBOARD.
`a
`1
`chalky /‘t_[o:ki/ adj.
`(chalkier, chalkiest)
`abounding in chalk.
`b white as chalk.
`2 like or
`containing chalk stones. on chalkiness n.
`challenge /'tjaelmd3/ n. & v. —n. 1 a a summons to
`take part in a contest or a trial of strength etc., esp.
`to a duel. b a summons to prove or justify something.
`2 a demanding or difficult task (rose to the challenge
`of the new job). 3 Law an objection made to a jury
`member. 4 a call to respond, esp. a sentry’s call for a
`password etc. 5 an invitation to a sporting contest,
`esp. one issued to a reigning champion. 6 Med. a test
`of immunity after immunization treatment. —v.tr.
`1 (often foll. by to + infin.) a invite to take part in a
`contest, game, debate, duel, etc. b invite to prove or
`justify something. 2 dispute, deny (I challenge that
`remark).
`3 a stretch, stimulate (challenges him to
`produce his best). b (as challenging adj.) demanding;
`stimulatingly difficult. 4 (of a sentry) call to respond.
`5 claim (attention, etc.).
`6 Law object
`to (a jury
`member, evidence, etc.). 7 Med. test by a challenge.
`on challengeable /-d33b(a)1/ adj. challenger n. [ME
`f. OF c(h)alenge, c(h)alenger f. L calumnia calumniari
`calumny]
`«
`Challis Halls, ‘jalil n. a lightweight soft clothing
`fabric. [perh. f. a surname]
`chalybeate /ke‘libiet/ adj. (of mineral water etc.)
`impregnated with iron salts. [mod.L chalybeatus f. L
`, chalybs f. Gk khalups ~ubos steel]
`chamaephyte /'kaemi,fait/ n. a plant whose buds
`are on or near the ground. [Gk khamai on the ground
`+ —PHY’I‘E]
`_
`a a hall used by a
`1
`chamber /'tj‘eimbe(r)/ n.
`legislative or judicial body. b the body that meets in
`it. c any of the houses of a parliament (Chamber of
`Deputies; second chamber).
`2 (in pl.) Brit. Law a
`rooms used by a barrister or group of barristers,
`esp. in the Inns of Court. b a judge’s room used for
`
`1 a a native of
`
`bbut ddog ffew gget hhe jyes kcat
`
`lleg mman nno ppen rred ssit
`
`ttop v
`
`
`‘3' we
`
`2 Zoo
`
`1‘ she
`
`3 decision 9 thin o FSiét%rfiif Ownt [chitEgz ja266iserfbrfiiw2§
`
`Patent Owner, Ex. 2005, pg. 3
`
`