Cucking-stool, kuk′ing-stōōl, n. a stool in which scolds and other culprits were placed, usually before their own door, to be pelted by the mob. [Mentioned in Domesday Book as in use in Chester, and called cathedra stercoris. From an obs. word cuck, to ease one's self; cf. Ice. kúka.]
Cuckold, kuk′old, n. a man whose wife has proved unfaithful.—v.t. to wrong (a husband) by unchastity.—v.t. Cuck′oldise, to make a cuckold.—adv. Cuck′oldly (Shak.).—ns. Cuck′old-mak′er; Cuck′oldom, state of a cuckold: act of adultery; Cuck′oldry, adultery. [O. Fr. cucuault—cucu, cuckoo.]
Cuckoo, kook′kōō, n. a bird which cries cuckoo, remarkable for laying its eggs in the nests of other birds.—ns. Cuck′oo-bud (Shak.), name of a plant; Cuck′oo-clock, a clock in which the hours are told by a cuckoo-call; Cuck′oo-flow′er, a species of Cardamine—called also Lady's Smock; Cuck′oo-pint, the Wake-robin, Arum maculatum; Cuck′oo-spit, -spit′tle, a frothy spittle, made by many insects parasitic on plants, surrounding the larvæ and pupæ.
Cucullate, -d, kū′kul-lāt, -ed, adj. hooded: shaped like a hood. [L. cucullatus—cucullus, a hood.]
Cucumber, kū′kum-bėr, n. a creeping plant, with heart-shaped leaves, rough with bristly hairs, and large oblong fruit used as a salad and pickle—a native of southern Asia.—adj. Cucum′iform. [L. cucumis, cucumeris.]
Cucurbit, kū′kur-bit, n. a chemical vessel used in distillation, originally shaped like a gourd.—adjs. Cucur′bital, Cucurbitā′ceous, pertaining to the Cucurbitaceæ, mostly herbaceous climbers, as the gourd, melon, &c.; Cucur′bitive, like a gourd-seed. [Fr. cucurbite—L. cucurbita, a gourd.]
Cud, kud, n. the food brought from the first stomach of a ruminating animal back into the mouth and chewed again.—n. Cud′weed, the popular name for many species of plants covered with a cottony down.—Chew the cud, to meditate. [A.S. cwidu.]
Cudbear, kud′bār, n. a purple or violet coloured powder prepared from a lichen, used in dyeing. [A corr. of Cuthbert—from Dr Cuthbert Gordon, who first made it an article of commerce.]
Cuddle, kud′l, v.t. to hug: to embrace: to fondle.—v.i. to lie close and snug together.—n. a close embrace. [Perh. a freq. of M. E. couth, cosy.]
Cuddy, kud′i, n. a small cabin or cookroom, in the fore-part of a boat or lighter: in large vessels, the officers' cabin under the poopdeck. [Origin uncertain; cf. Fr. cahute; Dut. kajuit; Ger. kajüte.]