Cauk, kawk, n. chalk: sulphate of baryta or heavy spar. [A form of Chalk.]
Cauker. See Caulk.
Caul, kawl, n. a net or covering for the head: the membrane covering the head of some infants at their birth. [O. Fr. cale, a little cap, prob. Celt.; cf. Ir. calla, a veil, hood.]
Cauld, kawld, n. (Scot.) a dam in a stream, a weir.
Cauldrife, kawld′-rīf, adj. (Scot.) cold, chilly, lifeless, without vigour.
Cauldron, Caldron, kawl′dron, n. a large kettle for boiling or heating liquids. [O. Fr. caudron—L. caldarium—calidus, hot—calēre, to be hot.]
Caulescent, kaw-les′ent, adj. (bot.) having a stem rising above the ground—also Caulif′erous.—n. Cau′licle, a rudimentary stem.—adj. Caulic′olous, growing on a stem.—n.pl. Cauliculā′ta, the black or antipatharian corals.—adj. Caulic′ulāte.—n. Caulic′ulus, one of the slender stems springing from the caules or main stalks supporting the volutes in the Corinthian capital.—adjs. Caul′iform, having the form of a stem; Caulig′enous, borne upon the stem; Caul′inary, Cau′line, belonging to a stem.—n. Cau′lis, the stem of a plant: one of the main stems at the angles of the Corinthian capital. [L. caulis, a stalk.]
Cauliflower, kaw′li-flow′ėr, n. a variety of cabbage, the eatable part of which is the deformed inflorescence or head. [Earlier cole-florye, colie-florie—Low L. cauli-flora—L. caulis, cabbage. See Cole and Flower.]
Caulk, Calk, kawk, v.t. to press oakum and untwisted rope into the seams of a ship to render it watertight.—ns. Caulk′er, one who caulks: a dram: a big lie—also Cauk′er; Caulk′ing; Caulk′ing-ī′ron, an instrument like a chisel used for pressing oakum into the seams of ships. [O. Fr. cauquer, to press—L. caclāre, to tread—calx, heel.]
Cause, kawz, n. that which produces an effect: that by or through which anything happens: motive: inducement: a legal action between contending parties: sake, advantage: that side of a question which is taken up by an individual or party: (Shak.) accusation: (Shak.) matter, affair in general.—v.t. to produce: to make to exist: to bring about: (Spens.) to give excuses.—conj. (dial.) because.—adj. Caus′al, relating to a cause or causes.—n. Causal′ity, the working of a cause: (phren.) the faculty of tracing effects to their causes.—adv. Caus′ally, according to the order of causes.—ns. Causā′tion, the act of causing: the bringing about of an effect; the relation of cause and effect; Causā′tionism, the theory of causation; Causā′tionist, a believer in the foregoing.—adj. Caus′ative, expressing causation.—n. a form of verb or noun expressing such.—adv. Caus′atively.—adj. Cause′less, having no cause or occasion.—adv. Cause′lessly.—ns. Cause′lessness; Caus′er, one who causes an effect to be produced.—Cause célèbre, a convenient French term for a specially interesting and important legal trial, criminal or civil.—Final cause, the end or object for which a thing is done, esp. the design of the universe; First cause, the original cause or creator of all.—Hour of cause (Scot.), hour or time of trial.—Secondary causes, such as are derived from a primary or first cause.—Have or Show cause, to have to give reasons for a certain line of action; Make common cause (with), to unite for a common object; Show cause (Eng. law), to argue against the confirmation of a provisional order or judgment.—For Occasional causes, see Occasionalism. [Fr.,—L. causa.]