n. [ Gael. cabar. ] A pole or beam, esp. one used in Gaelic games for tossing as a trial of strength. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ ‖‖ } n. [ Pg. cabeça, F. cabesse. ] The finest kind of silk received from India. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Sp., properly, big head. Cf. Cavesson. ] (Zoöl.) A California fish (Hemilepidotus spinosus), allied to the sculpin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Sp. cascabel a little bell, also (fr. the shape), a knob at the breech end of a cannon. ] The projection in rear of the breech of a cannon, usually a knob or breeching loop connected with the gun by a neck. In old writers it included all in rear of the base ring. [ See Illust. of Cannon. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. a. Of or pertaining to Judas Maccabeus or to the Maccabees; as, the Maccabean princes; Maccabean times. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. 1. The name given in later times to the Asmonaeans, a family of Jewish patriots, who headed a religious revolt in the reign of Antiochus IV., 168-161 b. c., which led to a period of freedom for Israel. Schaff-Herzog. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The name of two ancient historical books, which give accounts of Jewish affairs in or about the time of the Maccabean princes, and which are received as canonical books in the Roman Catholic Church, but are included in the Apocrypha by Protestants. Also applied to three books, two of which are found in some MSS. of the Septuagint. [ 1913 Webster ]