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n. 1. A piece performed after a play, usually a farce or other small entertainment. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) The heel of a rudder. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Aver, n. + penny. ] (Old Eng. Law) Money paid by a tenant in lieu of the service of average. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a North American wild lobelia (Lobelia inflata) having small blue flowers and inflated capsules formerly used as an antispasmodic.
Syn. -- Indian tobacco. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. any of a number of annual or perennial herbs with inflated seed pods; some are placed in the genus Lesquerella. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. any of several plants of the genus Physaria having racemose yellow flowers and inflated pods. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

4. any of several hairy North American herbs having yellow racemose flowers and inflated pods. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ OE. catyrpel, corrupted fr. OF. chatepelouse, or cate pelue, fr. chate, F. chatte, she-cat, fem. of chat, L. catus + L. pilosus hairy, or F. pelu hairy, fr. L. pilus hair. See Cat, and Pile hair. ] 1. (Zool.) The larval state of a butterfly or any lepidopterous insect; sometimes, but less commonly, the larval state of other insects, as the sawflies, which are also called false caterpillars. The true caterpillars have three pairs of true legs, and several pairs of abdominal fleshy legs (prolegs) armed with hooks. Some are hairy, others naked. They usually feed on leaves, fruit, and succulent vegetables, being often very destructive, Many of them are popularly called worms, as the cutworm, cankerworm, army worm, cotton worm, silkworm. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Scorpiurus, with pods resembling caterpillars. [ 1913 Webster ]

Caterpillar catcher, or
Caterpillar eater (Zool.), a bird belonging to the family of Shrikes, which feeds on caterpillars. The name is also given to several other birds. --
Caterpillar hunter (Zool.), any species of beetles of the genus Callosoma and other allied genera of the family Carabidæ which feed habitually upon caterpillars. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. an endless belt looped over several wheels, used in pairs in place of wheels to propel vehicles, such as tractors or military tanks, over rough ground. [ PJC ]

adj. having caterpillar treads or tracks on the wheels; as, a caterpillar-tracked earthmover.
Syn. -- caterpillar. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ } n. 1. An ornament to be placed in the center, as of a table, ceiling, atc.; a central article or figure. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Specifically: An arrangement of flowers placed in the center of a table as an ornament while dining. [ PJC ]

3. The central or most important feature of an activity, plan, or object; as, the centerpiece of her campaign was a proposal to slash taxes. [ PJC ]

n. (a) A plate of polished copper on which a design or writing is engraved. (b) An impression on paper taken from such a plate. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In printing from a copper- or steel plate the lines are filled with ink, the surface of the plate is wiped clean, the paper laid upon it, and the impression taken by pressing it under the roller of a plate press. [ 1913 Webster ]

Copperplate press. See Plate press, under Plate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Counterpoint, corrupted into counterpane, from the employment of pane-shaped figures in these coverlets. ] A coverlet for a bed, -- originally stitched or woven in squares or figures. [ 1913 Webster ]

On which a tissue counterpane was cast. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. contrepan a pledge, security; contre + pan a skirt, also, a pawn or gage, F. pan a skirt. See Pane, and cf. Pawn. ] (O. Law) A duplicate part or copy of an indenture, deed, etc., corresponding with the original; -- now called counterpart. [ 1913 Webster ]

Read, scribe; give me the counterpane. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A part corresponding to another part; anything which answers, or corresponds, to another; a copy; a duplicate; a facsimile. [ 1913 Webster ]

In same things the laws of Normandy agreed with the laws of England, so that they seem to be, as it were, copies or counterparts one of another. Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) One of two corresponding copies of an instrument; a duplicate. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A person who closely resembles another. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A thing may be applied to another thing so as to fit perfectly, as a seal to its impression; hence, a thing which is adapted to another thing, or which supplements it; that which serves to complete or complement anything; hence, a person or thing having qualities lacking in another; an opposite. [ 1913 Webster ]

O counterpart
Of our soft sex, well are you made our lords. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Counter- + passant: cf. F. contrepassant. ] (Her.) Passant in opposite directions; -- said of two animals. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To plead the contrary of; to plead against; to deny. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Counterplotted; p. pr. & vb. n. Counterplotting. ] To oppose, as another plot, by plotting; to attempt to frustrate, as a stratagem, by stratagem. [ 1913 Webster ]

Every wile had proved abortive, every plot had been counterplotted. De Quinsey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A plot or artifice opposed to another. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Counter- + point. ] An opposite point [ Obs. ] Sir E. Sandys. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. contrepoint; cf. It. contrappunto. Cf. Contrapuntal. ] (Mus.) (a) The setting of note against note in harmony; the adding of one or more parts to a given canto fermo or melody. (b) The art of polyphony, or composite melody, i. e., melody not single, but moving attended by one or more related melodies. (c) Music in parts; part writing; harmony; polyphonic music. See Polyphony. [ 1913 Webster ]

Counterpoint, an invention equivalent to a new creation of music. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. contrepoincte, corruption of earlier counstepointe, countepointe, F. courtepointe, fr. L. culcita cushion, mattress (see Quilt, and cf. Cushion) + puncta, fem. p. p. of pungere to prick (see Point). The word properly meant a stitched quilt, with the colors broken one into another. ] A coverlet; a cover for a bed, often stitched or broken into squares; a counterpane. See 1st Counterpane. [ 1913 Webster ]

Embroidered coverlets or counterpoints of purple silk. Sir T. North. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Counterpoised p. pr. & vb. n. Counterpoising. ] [ OE. countrepesen, counterpeisen, F. contrepeser. See Counter, adv., and Poise, v. t. ] 1. To act against with equal weight; to equal in weight; to balance the weight of; to counterbalance. [ 1913 Webster ]

Weights, counterpoising one another. Sir K. Digby. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To act against with equal power; to balance. [ 1913 Webster ]

So many freeholders of English will be able to beard and counterpoise the rest. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. countrepese, OF. contrepois, F. contrepods. See Counter, adv., and Poise, n. ] 1. A weight sufficient to balance another, as in the opposite scale of a balance; an equal weight. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fastening that to our exact balance, we put a metalline counterpoise into the opposite scale. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An equal power or force acting in opposition; a force sufficient to balance another force. [ 1913 Webster ]

The second nobles are a counterpoise to the higher nobility, that they grow not too potent. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The relation of two weights or forces which balance each other; equilibrium; equiponderance. [ 1913 Webster ]

The pendulous round eart, with balanced air,
In counterpoise. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The exact opposite. [ 1913 Webster ]

The German prose offers the counterpole to the French style. De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To equal in weight; to counterpoise; to equiponderate. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Counterproved p. pr. & vb. n. Counterproving. ] To take a counter proof of, or a copy in reverse, by taking an impression directly from the face of an original. See Counter proof, under Counter. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Sp. cuerpo, fr. L. corpus body. See Corpse. ] The body. dale a tu cuerpo alegria, Macarena! (1996) [ 1913 Webster ]

In cuerpo, without full dress, so that the shape of the Body is exposed; hence, naked or uncovered. [ 1913 Webster ]

Exposed in cuerpo to their rage. Hudibras. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. decerpere; de- + carpere to pluck. ] To pluck off; to crop; to gather. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. decerptus, p. p. of decerpere. ] Plucked off or away. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. That may be plucked off, cropped, or torn away. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of plucking off; a cropping. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is plucked off or rent away; a fragment; a piece. Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. discerpere, discerptum; dis- + carpere to pluck. ] 1. To tear in pieces; to rend. [ R. ] Stukeley. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To separate; to disunite. [ R. ] Bp. Hurd.

{ , n. Capability or liableness to be discerped. [ R. ] Wollaston.

{ , a. [ See Discerp. ] Capable of being discerped. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. discerptio. ] The act of pulling to pieces, or of separating the parts. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Tending to separate or disunite parts. Encys. Dict. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ OF. desparpeulier. ] To scatter; to sprinkle. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Odorous water was
Disperpled lightly on my head and neck. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Dunderhead. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Mutual talk or conversation; conference. [ Obs. ] Sir J. Hayward. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. Same as Interplead. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. enterprise, fr. entreprendre to undertake; entre between (L. inter) + prendre to take. See Inter, and Emprise. ] 1. That which is undertaken; something attempted to be performed; a work projected which involves activity, courage, energy, and the like; a bold, arduous, or hazardous attempt; an undertaking; as, a manly enterprise; a warlike enterprise. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their hands can not perform their enterprise. Job v. 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Willingness or eagerness to engage in labor which requires boldness, promptness, energy, and like qualities; as, a man of great enterprise. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To undertake; to begin and attempt to perform; to venture upon. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The business must be enterprised this night. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

What would I not renounce or enterprise for you! T. Otway. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To treat with hospitality; to entertain. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Him at the threshold met, and well did enterprise. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To undertake an enterprise, or something hazardous or difficult. [ R. ] Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who undertakes enterprises. Sir J. Hayward. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a disposition for enterprise; characterized by enterprise; resolute, active or prompt to attempt; as, an enterprising man or firm. -- En"ter*pri`sing*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. Herpetologist. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. erpétologie. ] (Zoöl.) Herpetology. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ L., fr. Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; delightful; e'y^ well + &unr_; to delight. ] 1. (Class. Myth.) The Muse who presided over music. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) A genus of palms, some species of which are elegant trees. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>a. Of or pertaining to Euterpe or to music. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. excerpere, excerptum; ex out + carpere to pick, gather. See Harvest, and cf. Scarce, a. ] To pick out. [ Obs. ] Hales. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An extract; a passage selected or copied from a book or record. [ 1913 Webster ]