The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate (8 page)

Related words:
castigation
(
KAS
-ti-GAY-sh
e
n) and
castigator
(KAS-ti-
GAY
-t
e
r)
both nouns
,
castigative
(KAS-ti-
GAY
-tiv) and
castigatory
(KAS-ti-g
e
-
TOR
-ee)
both adjectives
.

casuistry
(KAZH-oo-
e
-stree)

1. the application of ethical principles to cases of conscience or conduct.

2. oversubtle reasoning, quibbling, or teaching, especially in questions of morality; sophistry.

Related words:
casuist
(KAZH-oo-ist)
noun
,
casuistic
(
KAZH
-oo-IS-tik) and
casuistical
both adjectives
,
casuistically
adverb
.

catachresis
(
KAT
-
e
-KREE-sis)
noun, plural
catachreses
(
KAT
-
e
-KREE-seez)

incorrect use of words, as in a mistaken metaphor.

Related words:
catachrestic
(
KAT
-
e
-KRES-tik) and
catachrestical
both adjectives
,
catachrestically
adverb
.

catafalque
(KAT-
e
-
FAWK
)
noun

a raised platform on which the body of a deceased person lies or is carried in state.

catamite
(KAT-
e
-
M
I
T
)
noun

a boy or youth kept by a man for homosexual practices.

catechumen
(
KAT
-i-KYOO-m
e
n)
noun

a person under instruction in the rudiments of Christianity.

Related words:
catechumenal
and
catechumenical
(
KAT
-i-kyoo-MEN-i-k
e
l)
both adjectives
,
catechumenically
adverb
,
catechumenate
(
KAT
-i-KYOO-m
e
-
NAYT
) and
catechumenism
(
KAT
-i-KYOO-m
e
-niz-
e
m)
both nouns
.

caterwaul
(KAT-
e
r-
WAWL
)
verb

make a long wailing cry, as of a cat in rut.

Related words:
caterwaul
and
caterwauling
both nouns
.

cavil
(KAV-
e
l)
verb

raise petty and irritating objections.

Related words:
cavil
and
caviler
both nouns
,
cavilingly
adverb
.

censer
(SEN-s
e
r)
noun

a container in which incense is burned during a religious service.

Do not confuse
censer
with
censor
, which see.

censor
(SEN-s
e
r)
noun

any person who exercises supervision of manners or morality.

Do not confuse
censor
with
censer
, which means
incense burner
. This confusion would appear to be merely an end product of poor spelling.

Related words:
censor
verb
;
censorable, censorial
(sen-SOR-ee-
e
l), and
censorian
(sen-SOR-ee-
e
n)
all adjectives
.

cerumen
(si-ROO-m
e
n)
noun

earwax.

Related word:
ceruminous
adjective
.

chafe
(chayf)
verb

1. make sore by rubbing.

2. irritate or annoy.

3. become annoyed, fret.

Do not confuse
chafe
with
chaff
, which see.

chaff
(chaf)
verb

1. tease or mock good-naturedly.

2. banter.

Do not confuse
chaff
with
chafe
. While one of the meanings of
chafe
is
irritate
, and most people show irritation when they are
chaffed
, there is no reason to confuse the two verbs beyond their closeness of spelling. In short, when we
chaff
, meaning
tease or mock good-naturedly
, we may also
chafe
, meaning
become annoyed
, but that's the whole story.

Related word:
chaffingly
adverb
.

charisma
(k
e
-RIZ-m
e
)
noun, plural
charismata
(k
e
-RIZ-m
e
-t
e
)

a personal quality that inspires followers with devotion and enthusiasm.

Related words:
charismatic
(
KAR
-iz-MAT-ik)
adjective
,
charismatize
(k
e
-RIZ-m
e
-
T
I
Z
)
verb
.

chary
(CHAIR-ee)
adjective

1. cautious, timid, wary.

2. ungenerous; sparing of.

Related words:
charily
adverb
,
chariness
noun
.

childish
(CH
I
L-dish)
adjective

1. of, like, or befitting a child.

2. puerile, weak, unsuitable for an adult.

Do not confuse
childish
with
childlike
, which see.

Related words:
childishly
adverb
,
childishness
noun
.

childlike
(CHILD-
L
I
K
)
adjective

like or befitting a child, as in innocence, meekness, or frankness.

Be careful to maintain the distinction between
childlike
and
childish
when applying these adjectives to adults.
Childlike
is entirely complimentary, but
childish
in the sense of
unsuitable
for an adult
is pejorative. While we may be charmed by
childlike
innocence in a woman, we surely are repelled by
childish
behavior in the same woman or in any other adult. In short, we admire
childlike
innocence and we abhor temper tantrums and other
childish
behavior in a grown man or woman.

Related word:
childlikeness
noun
.

chrestomathy
(kres-TOM-
e
-thee)
noun, plural
chrestomathies

a collection of choice literary passages, especially to help in learning a language.

Related word:
chrestomathic
(
KRES
-t
e
-MATH-ik)
adjective
.

chthonic
(THON-ik)
adjective
, also given as
chthonian
(THOH-nee-
e
n)

dwelling in the underworld.

cicerone
(
SIS
-
e
-ROH-nee)
noun, plural
cicerones
(
SIS
-
e
-ROH-neez) and
ciceroni
(
SIS
-
e
-ROH-nee)

a guide, especially for sightseers.

cicisbeo
(
CHEE
-chiz-BAY-oh)
noun, plural
cicisbei
(
CHEE
-chiz-BAY-ee)

a male escort or lover of a married woman.

Related word:
cicisbeism
(
CHEE
-chiz-BAY-iz-
e
m)
noun
.

climactic
(kl
I
-MAK-tik)
adjective
, also given as
climactical
(kl
I
-MAK-ti-k
e
l)

pertaining to a climax.

Do not confuse
climactic
with
climatic
, which see.

Related word:
climactically
adverb
.