cubitus n. one of (usu. three) major veins in insect wing; elbow; forearm biology
cuckooing n. exploitation of vulnerable people’s homes for criminal activity, esp. that related to the distribution of drugs British
culm n. 1 plant stem, esp. of grass or sedge botany
culm n. 2 waste coal or coal dust; inferior anthracite
cultivar n. plant variety created by selective breeding
culverin n. handheld weapon of the 14th & early 15th Centuries; small cannon
cumber v. to hinder or hamper, to burden
cumbrous adj. unwieldy, cumbersome
cumshaw n. gratuity, present, tip
cumulet n. white domesticated pigeon
curate n. assistant to rector or vicar
curate’s egg n. something asserted to be both bad and good, but which is entirely awful idiom
curiologic adj. of hieroglyphic writing in which pictures directly represent objects; of pictorial representation as in a rebus
currawong n. medium-sized crowlike songbird of Australia
curricle n. two-wheeled light carriage drawn by two horses abreast
curtilage n. ground surrounding a dwelling, sometimes including outbuildings, considered the same as the residence itself
curule chair n. seat modeled after ancient camp chair with open back and curved legs and often decorated with ivory in which only the highest magistrates of ancient Rome were privileged to sit
curvet n. leap of rearing horse in dressage in which the hind legs are kicked out as the front legs descend; to leap in this manner
cuspidorian n. person tasked with cleaning and maintaining cuspidors
customary n. consuetudinary, customal, custumal, written account of local customs or usages of a manor or region
cut the cackle v. stop messing about (and move on to serious matters) British
cutler n. seller or repairer of knives
cwm n. steep narrow valley, cirque
cwt n. abbreviation for hundredweight
cyclamen n. perennial of the primrose family with white, red, or pink flowers
cyclostyle n. early duplicating device in which a toothed rowel is used to create holes in a stencil through which ink is forced
cynosure n. center of attention; guiding star
czardas n. Hungarian dance with slow start and frenetic finish
dace n. small freshwater fish similar to roach or chub
dacoit n. member of thieving class in India and Burma
dacron n. polyester material used for thread and cloth
dactyloscopic adj. of or related to fingerprints
dado n. lower part of interior wall when finished differently than upper portion; grooved slot in board into which another board is fixed
daedal adj. clever, adroit
dally v. to loiter; to delay by trifling; to talk idly; to toy with, esp. in amorous pursuit
daltonism n. color-blindness, esp. between red and green
damselfly n. slender, winged insect of same order as dragonflies, from which it is distinguished by having its wings folded back along the body
damson n. small dark purple or black plum; dark to medium violet
dandiprat n. hateworthy person or person of no consequence obsolete
Dannert wire n. concertina wire, coiled barbed or razor wire
dapperling n. dwarf or child, esp. one neatly dressed; mushroom of the Agaricaceae family
darbies n. handcuffs British
dark lantern n. lantern with a shutter to hide the light
davenport n. large sofa, often a sofa bed
dawamesc n. greenish edible paste or marmalade consisting of hashish mixed with butter, sugar or honey, pistachios, cinnamon and other spices, musk, nutmeg, pine nuts, orange juice
deadworks n. those parts of a laden ship above the waterline nautical
deal adj. made of fir or pine, or from planks of such wood
debauch v. to seduce, to corrupt
debenture n. unsecured loan certificate; fixed-rate bond; drawback certificate against imported goods
debile adj. feeble obsolete
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