| cat1 |
a small, furry mammal with whiskers, short ears, and a long tail. Cats, also called house cats, are often kept as pets or to catch mice and rats. [2 definitions] |
| cat2 |
(informal) a vehicle with moving treads, esp. a Caterpillar tractor. |
| Cat Ba Island |
the largest of the 366 islands in Halong Bay off the coast of northern Vietnam. |
| cat burglar |
a burglar who gains entry through upper windows, roof doors, and the like; second-story man. |
| cat rig |
one large sail on a mast set well forward in the bow, as of a catboat. |
| CAT scan |
an image of an area of the body that is formed from a grouping of x-rays on a computer. CAT scans are used to make a diagnosis in medical treatment. CAT stands for computerized axial tomography. |
| cat's cradle |
a children's game in which a looped string is passed back and forth from the fingers of one player to those of the other so as to form a series of intricate patterns. |
| cat's-eye |
any of various gemstones or pieces of glass that reflect light so as to suggest a cat's eye. |
| cat's-paw |
a person exploited by another as a tool or dupe, esp. to do something illegal or risky. [2 definitions] |
| cat-o'-nine-tails |
a whip with nine knotted cords or lines attached to a handle, formerly used for flogging, esp. to discipline naval crewmen aboard ship. |
| cata- |
down. [4 definitions] |
| catabolism |
the metabolic breakdown, in living organisms, of complex substances into simpler ones. (Cf. anabolism.) |
| catabolize |
to undergo or cause to undergo catabolism. |
| catachresis |
the incorrect use of a word or words. [2 definitions] |
| cataclysm |
a violent natural event, esp. an upheaval causing a sudden change in the earth's crust, or a great flood. [2 definitions] |
| catacomb |
(usu. pl.) an underground burial tunnel, lined by recesses for the tombs. [2 definitions] |
| catafalque |
a raised platform on which a dead body, usu. in a coffin, rests during or prior to an elaborate funeral. |
| catalepsy |
a condition, often associated with epilepsy and schizophrenia, in which the body becomes numb and the limbs rigid, and the victim loses consciousness or fails to respond to external stimuli. |
| catalo |
variant of cattalo. |
| catalog |
an organized list of things such as book titles, goods for sale, or other items. Catalogs usually give a short description of each item on the list. [2 definitions] |