Both Flesh and Not: Essays

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carnelian—pale to deep red / reddish-brown carnet—book of postage stamps caryatid—architecture: a supporting column sculptured into a draped woman Casanova de Seingalt—full name of Casanova the lover casuistry—specious or excessively subtle reasoning intended to rationalize or mislead casus belli—provocation or excuse for war catabolism—break down of complex molecules into simple ones catadromous—living in freshwater but migrating to sea to breed; could say of a guy who goes to Florida or CA to have debauches as a catadromous guy catalase—enzyme that causes hydrogen peroxide to decompose into water and oxygen catalpa—type of Midwest tree w/long pods catamenia—menses catamite—boy who has sex with a man catamount—mountain lion cataplasm—poultice catenary—inverse parabolic; imagine curve of wire hung by endpoints (phone wires) catkin—drooping, non-petaled flowers as in willows, birches, oaks celadon—pale to very pale green celiac (adj.) — pertaining to abdomen or abdominal cavity cellar ette—liquor cabinet cenacle—a clique or circle, especially of writers; small dining room on second floor cenotaph—monument erected to dead person whose remains are elsewhere cerements—burial garments certes (archaic adv.) — certainly, truly chamfer (v.) — to bevel, cut the edge off; “chamfered,” “chamfering” (the chamfering on wood edge, etc.) chamfron—armor for medieval horse’s head charcuterie—sausage, bologna: processed meat stuff, or a deli proffering such stuff charnel—repository for bodies; related to death in general: “a charnelodor” chemotropism—movement or growth of organism in response to chemical stimulus chenille—fabric cords of silk or cotton, used for embroidery, fringing, bedspreads, rugs cheval glass—a long mirror mount ed on swivels in a frame chinch (n.) — bedbug chine—backbone or spine of animal / cut of meat including the backbone chivvy (v.) — to vex or harass with petty attacks chlamydia—also causes conjunctivitis in cattle and sheep chloasma—patchy brown skin discoloration on woman’s face caused by hormonal changes, usually pregnancy chromo—prefix meaning color: “chromoplast” cicatrix—area of nasty scar tissue cinerarium—place for keeping ashes of a cremated body cinnabar—red pigment gotten from mercury ore circumvallate (adj.) — surrounded by a rampart citrine—light to moderate olive color clabber—curdled milk; to make (cloud) motions resembling curdling clarkia—show plants w/lovely blossoms clathrate—having a latticelike structure: e.g., clathrate foliage clement—good (w/r/t weather) clepsydra—ancient device that measured time by marking the regulated flow of water through a small opening clerestory—upper part of wall containing windows to supply natural light to building clerisy—the literati; educated people as a class clevis—two-holed fastening device not unlike “hasp” and “staple” clinometer—device for measuring slope, angle of elevation… used in surveying ch surveystrong>cloaca — sewer or latrine clochard—tramp, vagrant