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casuistry the application of general ethical principles in determining right and wrong in particular cases. [2 definitions]
casus belli (Latin) an event or occurrence that provokes or serves as a pretext to declare war.
cat1 a small carnivorous furry mammal, usu. kept as a pet or to catch mice and rats. [4 definitions]
cat2 (informal) a vehicle with moving treads, esp. a Caterpillar tractor.
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.
cat about (slang) to hunt about for sex partners.
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 a systematic, usu. annotated, list of book titles, items on display, merchandise, or the like that is available in or from a source such as a library, retail store, or mail order merchandiser. [5 definitions]
catalogue raisonné reasoned catalog (French); a listing of books, art works, or the like, with explanatory notes; descriptive catalog.
catalpa any of several deciduous shade trees that have broad leaves and bear clusters of white flowers and long slender pods.
catalysis the introduction or intervention of a substance that causes or speeds up a chemical reaction without being affected itself. [2 definitions]
catalyst a substance that produces or speeds up a chemical reaction without being affected itself. [2 definitions]
catalytic converter an antipollution device on automobiles that consists of a chemical filter connected to the exhaust system.
catalyze to bring about or change, as a catalyst.