Cavatina, kav-at-ē′na, n. a short form of operatic air, of a smooth and melodious character, differing from the ordinary aria in consisting only of one part, and frequently appearing as part of a grand scena. [It.]
Cave, kāv, n. a hollow place in the earth: a den: any small faction of seceders from a political party.—v.t. to hollow out.—v.i. to lodge in a cave.—n. Cave′-bear (Ursus spelæus), a fossil bear of the Quaternary epoch.—n.pl. Cave′-dwell′ers, prehistoric men who lived in caves.—n. Cav′ing, yielding.—To cave in, of land, to slip, to fall into a hollow: to yield to outside pressure, to give way, collapse. [Fr.,—L. cavus, hollow.]
Caveat, kā′ve-at, n. a notice or warning: a formal warning, entered in the books of a court or public office, that no step shall be taken in a particular matter without notice to the person lodging the caveat, so that he may appear and object. [L., 'let him take care'—cavēre, to take care.]
Cavendish, kav′en-dish, n. tobacco moistened and pressed into quadrangular cakes. [Possibly from the name of the original manufacturer.]
Cavern, kav′ėrn, n. a deep hollow place in the earth.—v.t. to put in a cavern: to hollow out, in the form of a cavern.—adjs. Cav′erned, full of caverns: dwelling in a cavern; Cav′ernous, hollow: full of caverns.—adv. Cav′ernously.—adj. Caver′nūlous, full of little cavities. [Fr.,—L. caverna—cavus, hollow.]
Cavesson, kav′es-on, n. a nose-band for a horse. [Fr.,—It.—L. capitia, capitium, a head-covering.]
Cavetto, ka-vet′to, n. a hollowed moulding whose curvature is the quarter of a circle, used chiefly in cornices. [It.; dim. of cavo—L. cavus, hollow.]
Caviare, Caviar, kav-i-är′, or kav-i-ār′ (originally four syllables), n. an article of food made from the salted roes of the sturgeon, &c.: (fig.) something whose flavour is too fine for the vulgar taste. [Prob. the 16th-cent. It. caviale; the Turk, khāvyār is prob. borrowed.]
Cavicorn, kav′i-korn, adj. hollow-horned, as a ruminant.—n. one of the Cavicor′nia, a family contrasted with the solid-horned ruminants, or deer (Cervidæ). [L. cavus, hollow, cornu, a horn.]
Cavie, kāv′i, n. a hen-coop or cage. [Dut. kevie; Ger. käfig.]