C
cabbage for “steal” or “crib,” as from a pony, is schoolboy slang.
cake, takes the: A slang equivalent for “wins the prize.” Used usually to designate that the person, act, or statement to which it is applied exceeds in impudence anything within the knowledge of the persons present.
calculate: The verb signifies to ascertain by mathematical or scientific computation; and the word calculated therefore strictly means adapted by calculation. It is then illogical to speak of “measures calculated to do harm” when the measures were in fact designated for a specific purpose—that of doing good.
calligraphy and cacography respectively mean good and bad writing. It is therefore pleonastic to speak of excellent calligraphy or wretched cacography; and to describe the former as wretched would simply be to say that at the same time it was both excellent and the reverse.
cameo: The plural of the word is not formed by adding “-es” as in “potato” or “grotto” but by the adding of “-s”; as, cameos.
can: Misused for may. Can always refers to some form of possibility. An armed guard may say “You can not pass,” since he has physical power to prevent; hence the question “Can I pass the guard?” is perfectly natural. But where simple permission is required may should be used. “May I (not can I) use your ruler?”
can but, can not but: Discriminate carefully between these phrases. Both these sentences are grammatically correct, though they have not exactly the same meaning: “I can not but believe your proposition” means “I can not help believing,” etc.; while “I can but believe your proposition” means “I can only believe,” etc., a much less strong assertion.
canine should not be used for “dog.”
cannon, a tubular gun, comes from Greek kanna, reed, and must be distinguished from canon, a rule or law, which comes from the Greek kanon, rule.