Cam - Camp

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☞ Cams are much used in machinery involving complicated, and irregular movements, as in the sewing machine, pin machine, etc.
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2. A ridge or mound of earth. [Prow. Eng.] Wright.
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Coloq. Cam wheel (Mach.), a wheel with one or more projections (cams) or depressions upon its periphery or upon its face; one which is set or shaped eccentrically, so that its revolutions impart a varied, reciprocating, or intermittent motion.
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Cam (?), a. [See .] Crooked. [Obs.]
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camachile n. a common thorny tropical American tree (Pithecellobium dulce) having terminal racemes of yellow flowers followed by sickle-shaped or circinate edible pods and yielding good timber and a yellow dye and mucilaginous gum.
Syn. -- manila tamarind, huamachil, wild tamarind.
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Camaieu (?), n. [F.; of unknown origin. Cf. .] 1. A cameo. [Obs.] Crabb.
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2. (Fine Arts) Painting in shades of one color; monochrome. Mollett.
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Camail (?), n. [F. camail (cf. It. camaglio), fr. L. caput head + source of E. mail.] 1. (Ancient Armor) A neck guard of chain mall, hanging from the bascinet or other headpiece.
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2. A hood of other material than mail; esp. (Eccl.), a hood worn in church services, -- the amice, or the like.
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Camara (?), n. [Pg.] Chamber; house; -- used in Camara dos Pares (�), and Camara dos Deputados (�). See .
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Camaraderie (?), n. [F. See .] Comradeship and loyalty.

The spirit of camaraderie is strong among these riders of the plains. W. A. Fraser.
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Camarasaurus (?), n. [NL. fr. Gr. � a vaulted chamber + � lizard.] (Paleon.) A genus of gigantic American Jurassic dinosaurs, having large cavities in the bodies of the dorsal vertebræ.
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Camarilla (?), n. [Sp., a small room.]
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1. The private audience chamber of a king.
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2. A company of secret and irresponsible advisers, as of a king; a cabal or clique.
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camas n. same as .
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camash n. same as .
Syn. -- camas, camass, quamash, camosh.
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Camassia n. a genus of scapose herbs of North and South America having large edible bulbs.
Syn. -- genus Camassia, Quamassia, genus Quamassia.
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Camass (?), n. [American Indian name.] (Bot.) any of several plants of the genus Camassia of North and South America, especially the blue-flowered liliaceous plant (Camassia esculenta) of northwestern America, the bulbs of which were collected for food by the Indians. [Written also camas, cammas, and quamash.]
Syn. -- camass, quamash, camosh, camash.
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☞ The Eastern cammass is Camassia Fraseri.
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Camass (?). n. [Origin uncert.] A small prairie in a forest; a small grassy plain among hills. [Western U. S.]
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Camber (?), n. [Of. cambre bent, curved; akin to F. cambrer to vault, to bend, fr. L. camerare to arch over, fr. camera vault, arch. See , and cf. .] 1. (Shipbuilding) An upward convexity of a deck or other surface; as, she has a high camber (said of a vessel having an unusual convexity of deck).
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2. (Arch.) An upward concavity in the under side of a beam, girder, or lintel; also, a slight upward concavity in a straight arch. See .
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Coloq. Camber arch (Arch.), an arch whose intrados, though apparently straight, has a slightly concave curve upward. -- Coloq. Camber beam (Arch.), a beam whose under side has a concave curve upward.
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Camber, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cambered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Cambering.] To cut bend to an upward curve; to construct, as a deck, with an upward curve.
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Camber, v. i. To curve upward.
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Camberkeeled (?), a. (Naut.) Having the keel arched upwards, but not actually hogged; -- said of a ship.
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Cambial (?), a. [LL. cambialis, fr. cambiars. See .] Belonging to exchanges in commerce; of exchange. [R.]
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Cambist (?), n. [F. cambiste, It. cambista, fr. L. cambire to exchange. See .] A banker; a money changer or broker; one who deals in bills of exchange, or who is skilled in the science of exchange.
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Cambistry (?), n. The science of exchange, weight, measures, etc.
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Cambium (?), n. [LL. cambium exchange, fr. L. cambire to exchange. It was supposed that cambium was sap changing into wood.] 1. (Bot.) A series of formative cells lying outside of the wood proper and inside of the inner bark. The growth of new wood takes place in the cambium, which is very soft.
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2. (Med.) A fancied nutritive juice, formerly supposed to originate in the blood, to repair losses of the system, and to promote its increase. Dunglison.
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Camblet (?), n. See .
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Camboge (?), n. See .
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Camboose (?), n. (Naut.) See .
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Cambrasine (?), n. A kind of linen cloth made in Egypt, and so named from its resemblance to cambric.
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Cambrel (?), n. See , n., 2. Wright.
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Cambria (?), n. The ancient Latin name of Wales. It is used by modern poets.
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Cambrian (?), a. 1. (Geog.) Of or pertaining to Cambria or Wales.
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2. (Geol.) Of or pertaining to the lowest subdivision of the rocks of the Silurian or Molluscan age; -- sometimes described as inferior to the Silurian. It is named from its development in Cambria or Wales. See the Diagram under .
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Cambrian, n. 1. A native of Cambria or Wales.
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2. (Geol.) The Cambrian formation.
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cambric (kămbrĭk), n. [OE. camerike, fr. Cambrai (Flemish Kamerik), a city of France (formerly of Flanders), where it was first made.] 1. A fine, thin, and white fabric made of flax or linen.
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He hath ribbons of all the colors i' the rainbow; . . . inkles, caddises, cambrics, lawns. Shak.
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2. A fabric made, in imitation of linen cambric, of fine, hardspun cotton, often with figures of various colors; -- also called cotton cambric, and cambric muslin.
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Cambro-Briton (kămbr�brĭtŭn), n. A Welshman.
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Came (kām), imp. of .
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came (kām), n. [Cf. Scot. came, caim, comb, and OE. camet silver.] A slender rod of cast lead, with or without grooves, used, in casements and stained-glass windows, to hold together the panes or pieces of glass.
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camel (kămĕl), n. [Oe. camel, chamel, OF. camel, chamel, F. chameau L. camelus, fr. Gr. kamhlos; of Semitic origin; cf. Heb. gāmāl, Ar. jamal. Cf. As. camel, fr. L. camelus.] 1. (Zoöl.) A large ruminant used in Asia and Africa for carrying burdens and for riding. The camel is remarkable for its ability to go a long time without drinking. Its hoofs are small, and situated at the extremities of the toes, and the weight of the animal rests on the callous. The dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) has one bunch on the back, while the Bactrian camel (Camelus Bactrianus) has two. The llama, alpaca, and vicuña, of South America, belong to a related genus (Auchenia).
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2. (Naut.) A water-tight structure (as a large box or boxes) used to assist a vessel in passing over a shoal or bar or in navigating shallow water. By admitting water, the camel or camels may be sunk and attached beneath or at the sides of a vessel, and when the water is pumped out the vessel is lifted.
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Coloq. Camel bird (Zoöl.), the ostrich. -- Coloq. Camel locust (Zoöl.), the mantis. -- Coloq. Camel's thorn (Bot.), a low, leguminous shrub (Alhagi maurorum) of the Arabian desert, from which exudes a sweetish gum, which is one of the substances called manna.
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Camel-backed (?), a. Having a back like a camel; humpbacked. Fuller.
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Cameleon (?), n. See . [Obs.]
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camelhair n. a soft tan cloth made with the hair of a camel.
Syn. -- camel's hair.
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camelia n. any of several shrubs or small evergreen trees having solitary white or pink or reddish flowers; the camellia.
Syn. -- camellia.
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Camelidae n. a natural family comprising the camels and llamas and vicunas.
Syn. -- family Camelidae.
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Camelina n. a genus of annual and biennial herbs of Mediterranean to Central Asia.
Syn. -- genus Camelina.
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Camellia (?), n. [NL., after Georg Josef Kamel, or Camelli, a Jesuit who is said to have brought it from the East.] 1. (Bot.) An Asiatic genus of small shrubs, often with shining leaves and showy flowers. Camellia Japonica is much cultivated for ornament, and Camellia Sassanqua and Camellia oleifera are grown in China for the oil which is pressed from their seeds. The tea plant is now referred to this genus under the name of Camellia Thea.
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2. (Hort.) An ornamental greenhouse shrub (Thea japonica) with glossy evergreen leaves and roselike red or white double flowers.
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Camelopard (kȧmĕl�pärd or kămĕl�pärd; 277), n. [LL. camelopardus, L. camelopardalus, camelopardalis, fr. Gr. kamhlopardalis; kamhlos a camel + pardalis pard, leopard: cf. F. camélopard. The camelopard has a neck and head like a camel, and is spotted like a pard. See , and .] (Zoöl.) An African ruminant; the giraffe. See .
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Camelot (?), n. See . [Obs.]
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Camelot (?), peop. n. 1. the legendary site of King Arthur's court and castle.
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2. Hence, any place or time thought of as having idyllic peace, justice, and happiness.
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Camelry (?), n. Troops that are mounted on camels.
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Camelshair (?), a. Of camel's hair.
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Coloq. Camel's-hair pencil , a small brush used by painters in water colors, made of camel's hair or similar materials. -- Coloq. Camel's-hair shawl . A name often given to a cashmere shawl. See Cashmere shawl under .
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Camembert (?), n., or Camembert cheese. A kind of rich, soft, unpressed cream cheese made in the vicinity of Camembert, near Argentan, France; also, any cheese of the same type, wherever made.
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Cameo (kăm��), n.; pl. Cameos (kăm�ōz). [It. cammeo; akin to F. camée, camaïeu, Sp. camafeo, LL. camaeus, camahutus; of unknown origin.] A carving in relief, esp. one on a small scale used as a jewel for personal adornment, or like.
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☞ Most cameos are carved in a material which has layers of different colors, such stones as the onyx and sardonyx, and various kinds of shells, being used. The classical cameos made in Italy are carved on a seashell (see cameo conch, below), having an olive figure carved from the inner layer of the shell in relief on the white background of the outer layer of the shell.
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Coloq. Cameo conch (Zoöl.), a large, marine, univalve shell, esp. Cassis cameo, Cassis rua, and allied species, used for cutting cameos. See .
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Camera (?), n.; pl. E. Cameras (#), L. Camerae (#). [L. vault, arch, LL., chamber. See .] A chamber, or instrument having a chamber. Specifically: The camera obscura when used in photography. See , and .
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Coloq. Bellows camera . See under . -- Coloq. In camera (Law), in a judge's chamber, that is, privately; as, a judge hears testimony which is not fit for the open court in camera. -- Coloq. Panoramic camera , or Coloq. Pantascopic camera , a photographic camera in which the lens and sensitized plate revolve so as to expose adjacent parts of the plate successively to the light, which reaches it through a narrow vertical slit; -- used in photographing broad landscapes. Abney.
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Camerade (?), n. See . [Obs.]
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Cameralistic (?), a. Of or pertaining to finance and public revenue.
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Cameralistics (?), n. [Cf. F. caméralistique, G. kameralistik, fr. L. camera vault, LL., chamber, treasury.] The science of finance or public revenue.
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Camera lucida (?). [L. camera chamber + L. lucidus, lucida, lucid, light.] (Opt.) An instrument which by means of a prism of a peculiar form, or an arrangement of mirrors, causes an apparent image of an external object or objects to appear as if projected upon a plane surface, as of paper or canvas, so that the outlines may conveniently traced. It is generally used with the microscope.
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Camera obscura (?). [LL. camera chamber + L. obscurus, obscura, dark.] (Opt.) 1. An apparatus in which the images of external objects, formed by a convex lens or a concave mirror, are thrown on a paper or other white surface placed in the focus of the lens or mirror within a darkened chamber, or box, so that the outlines may be traced.
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2. (Photog.) An apparatus in which the image of an external object or objects is, by means of lenses, thrown upon a sensitized plate or surface placed at the back of an extensible darkened box or chamber variously modified; -- commonly called simply the camera.
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Camerate (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Camerated; p. pr. & vb. n. Camerzting.] [L. cameratus, p. p. of camerare. See .] 1. To build in the form of a vault; to arch over.
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2. To divide into chambers.
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Cameration (?), n. [L. cameratio.] A vaulting or arching over. [R.]
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Camerlingo (?), n. [It.] The papal chamberlain; the cardinal who presides over the pope's household. He has at times possessed great power. [Written also camerlengo and camarlengo.]

Cameronian (?), n. A follower of the Rev. Richard Cameron, a Scotch Covenanter of the time of Charles II.
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Cameron and others refused to accept the “indulgence“ offered the Presbyterian clergy, insisted on the Solemn league and Covenant, and in 1680 declared Charles II. deposed for tyranny, breach of faith, etc. Cameron was killed at the battle of Airdmoss, but his followers became a denomination (afterwards called Reformed Presbyterians) who refused to recognize laws or institutions which they believed contrary to the kingdom of Christ, but who now avail themselves of political rights.
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Camis (kămĭs), n. [See .] A light, loose dress or robe. [Also written camus.] [Obs.]
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All in a camis light of purple silk. Spenser.
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{ Camisade (?), Camisado (?), } n. [F. camisade a night attack; cf. It. camiciata. See .] [Obs.] (Mil.) (a) A shirt worn by soldiers over their uniform, in order to be able to recognize one another in a night attack. (b) An attack by surprise by soldiers wearing the camisado.
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Give them a camisado in night season. Holinshed.
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Camisard (?), n. [F.] One of the French Protestant insurgents who rebelled against Louis XIV, after the revocation of the edict of Nates; -- so called from the peasant's smock (camise) which they wore.
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Camisated (?), a. Dressed with a shirt over the other garments.
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Camisole (?), n. [F. See .] 1. A short dressing jacket for women.
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2. A kind of straitjacket.
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Camlet (?), n. [F. camelot (akin to Sp. camelote, chamelote, It. cambellbito, ciambellotto, LL. camelotum, camelinum, fr. Ar. khamlat camlet, fr. kaml pile, plush. The word was early confused with camel, camel's hair also being used in making it. Cf. ] A woven fabric originally made of camel's hair, now chiefly of goat's hair and silk, or of wool and cotton. [Sometimes written camelot and camblet.]
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☞ They have been made plain and twilled, of single warp and weft, of double warp, and sometimes with double weft also, with thicker yarn. Beck (Draper's Dict. )
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Camleted, a. Wavy or undulating like camlet; veined. Sir T. Herbert.
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Cammas (?), n. (Bot.) See .
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Cammock (?), n. [AS. cammoc.] (Bot.) A plant having long hard, crooked roots, the Ononis spinosa; -- called also rest-harrow. The Scandix Pecten-Veneris is also called cammock.
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{ Camomile, Chamomile } (kăm�mīl), n. [LL. camonilla, corrupted fr. Gr. chamaimhlon, lit. earth apple, being so called from the smell of its flower. See , and .] (Bot.) A genus of herbs (Anthemis) of the Composite family. The common camomile, Anthemis nobilis, is used as a popular remedy. Its flowers have a strong and fragrant and a bitter, aromatic taste. They are tonic, febrifugal, and in large doses emetic, and the volatile oil is carminative.
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Camonflet (?), n. [F.] (Mil.) A small mine, sometimes formed in the wall or side of an enemy's gallery, to blow in the earth and cut off the retreat of the miners. Farrow.

Camorra (?), n. [It.] A secret organization formed at Naples, Italy, early in the 19th century, and used partly for political ends and partly for practicing extortion, violence, etc. -- Camorrist (#), n.
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{ Camous (?), Camoys (?), } a. [F. camus (equiv. to camard) flat-nosed, fr. Celtic Cam croked + suff. -us; akin to L. camur, camurus, croked.] Flat; depressed; crooked; -- said only of the nose. [Obs.]
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Camoused, (�), a. [From ] Depressed; flattened. [Obs.]
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Though my nose be cammoused. B. Jonson
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Camously, adv. Awry. [Obs.] Skelton.
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Camp (kămp), n. [F. camp, It. campo, fr. L. campus plant, field; akin to Gr. kh^pos garden. Cf. , , n.] 1. The ground or spot on which tents, huts, etc., are erected for shelter, as for an army or for lumbermen, etc. Shak.
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2. A collection of tents, huts, etc., for shelter, commonly arranged in an orderly manner.
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Forming a camp in the neighborhood of Boston. W. Irving.
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3. A single hut or shelter; as, a hunter's camp.
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4. The company or body of persons encamped, as of soldiers, of surveyors, of lumbermen, etc.
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The camp broke up with the confusion of a flight. Macaulay.
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5. (Agric.) A mound of earth in which potatoes and other vegetables are stored for protection against frost; -- called also burrow and pie. [Prov. Eng.]
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6. [Cf. OE. & AS. camp contest, battle. See .] An ancient game of football, played in some parts of England. Halliwell.
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Coloq. Camp bedstead , a light bedstead that can be folded up onto a small space for easy transportation. -- Coloq. camp ceiling (Arch.), a kind ceiling often used in attics or garrets, in which the side walls are inclined inward at the top, following the slope of the rafters, to meet the plane surface of the upper ceiling. -- Coloq. Camp chair , a light chair that can be folded up compactly for easy transportation; the seat and back are often made of strips or pieces of carpet. -- Coloq. Camp fever , typhus fever. -- Coloq. Camp follower , a civilian accompanying an army, as a sutler, servant, etc. -- Coloq. Camp meeting , a religious gathering for open-air preaching, held in some retired spot, chiefly by Methodists. It usually last for several days, during which those present lodge in tents, temporary houses, or cottages. -- Coloq. Camp stool , the same as camp chair, except that the stool has no back. -- Coloq. Flying camp (Mil.), a camp or body of troops formed for rapid motion from one place to another. Farrow. -- Coloq. To pitch (a) camp , to set up the tents or huts of a camp. -- Coloq. To strike camp , to take down the tents or huts of a camp.
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