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Webster 1913 Edition


Carp

Carp

(kärp)
,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Carped
(kärpt)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Carping
.]
[OE.
carpen
to say, speak; from Scand. (cf. Icel.
karpa
to boast), but influenced later by L.
carpere
to pluck, calumniate.]
1.
To talk; to speak; to prattle.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
2.
To find fault; to cavil; to censure words or actions without reason or ill-naturedly; – usually followed by at.
Carping
and caviling at faults of manner.
Blackw. Mag.
And at my actions
carp
or catch.
Herbert.

Carp

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To say; to tell.
[Obs.]
2.
To find fault with; to censure.
[Obs.]
Dryden.

Carp

,
Noun.
;
pl.
Carp
, formerly
Carps
.
[Cf. Icel.
karfi
, Dan.
karpe
, Sw.
karp
, OHG.
charpho
, G.
karpfen
, F.
carpe
, LL.
carpa
.]
(Zool.)
A fresh-water herbivorous fish (
Cyprinus carpio
.). Several other species of
Cyprinus
,
Catla
, and
Carassius
are called carp. See
Cruclan carp
.
☞ The carp was originally from Asia, whence it was early introduced into Europe, where it is extensively reared in artificial ponds. Within a few years it has been introduced into America, and widely distributed by the government. Domestication has produced several varieties, as the leather carp, which is nearly or quite destitute of scales, and the mirror carp, which has only a few large scales. Intermediate varieties occur.
Carp louse
(Zool.)
,
a small crustacean, of the genus
Argulus
, parasitic on carp and allied fishes. See
Branchiura
.
–
Carp mullet
(Zool.)
,
a fish (
Moxostoma carpio
) of the Ohio River and Great Lakes, allied to the suckers.
–
Carp sucker
(Zool.)
,
a name given to several species of fresh-water fishes of the genus Carpiodes in the United States; – called also quillback.

Webster 1828 Edition


Carp

CARP

,
Verb.
I.
Literally, to snap or catch at, or to pick. Hence, to censure, cavil, or find fault, particularly without reason, or petulantly; followed by at.
No, not a tooth or nail to scratch
And at my actions carp and catch. Herbert.

CARP

,
Noun.
A fish, a species of cyprinus, an excellent fish for ponds. These fishes breed rapidly, grow to a large size, and live to a great age.