Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Casus
‖
Ca′sus
,Noun.
[L.]
An event; an occurrence; an occasion; a combination of circumstances; a case; an act of God. See the Note under
Accident
. Casus belli
, an event or combination of events which is a cause war, or may be alleged as a justification of war.
– Casus fortuitus
, an accident against which due prudence could not have provided. See
– Act of God
, under Act
. Casus omissus
, a case not provided for by the statute.
☞ The domestic cat includes many varieties named from their place of origin or from some peculiarity; as, the
Angora cat
; the Maltese cat
; the Manx cat
; the Siamese cat
. The word
cat
is also used to designate other animals, from some fancied resemblance; as, civet cat
, fisher cat
, cat
bird, cat
fish shark, sea cat
. 2.
(Naut.)
(a)
A strong vessel with a narrow stern, projecting quarters, and deep waist. It is employed in the coal and timber trade.
(b)
A strong tackle used to draw an anchor up to the cathead of a ship.
Totten.
3.
A double tripod (for holding a plate, etc.), having six feet, of which three rest on the ground, in whatever position it is placed.
4.
An old game;
specifically:
(a)
The game of tipcat and the implement with which it is played. See
Tipcat
. (b)
A game of ball, called, according to the number of batters, one old cat, two old cat, etc.
Angora cat
, blind cat
Black cat
the fisher. See under
– Black
. Cat and dog
, like a cat and dog; quarrelsome; inharmonious.
“I am sure we have lived a cat and dog life of it.” Coleridge.
– Cat block
(Naut.)
, a heavy iron-strapped block with a large hook, part of the tackle used in drawing an anchor up to the cathead.
– Cat hook
(Naut.)
, a strong hook attached to a cat block.
– Cat nap
, a very short sleep.
[Colloq.]
– Cat o’ nine tails
, an instrument of punishment consisting of nine pieces of knotted line or cord fastened to a handle; – formerly used to flog offenders on the bare back.
– Cat's cradle
, game played, esp. by children, with a string looped on the fingers so, as to resemble small cradle. The string is transferred from the fingers of one to those of another, at each transfer with a change of form. See
– Cratch
, Cratch cradle
. To bell the cat
, to perform a very dangerous or very difficult task; – taken metaphorically from a fable about a mouse who proposes to put a bell on a cat, so as to be able to hear the cat coming.
– To let the cat out of the bag
, to tell a secret, carelessly or willfully.
[Colloq.]
– Bush cat
, the serval. See
Serval
.