*cuc*

‖n. [ Sp., fr. native name. ] See Coca. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Cf. AS. scealfingstōl, a word of similar meaning, allied to scealfor a diver, mergus avis; or possibly from F. coquine a hussy, slut, jade, f. of coquin, OE. cokin, a rascal; or cf. Icel. k&unr_;ka to dung, k&unr_;kr dung, the name being given as to a disgracing or infamous punishment. ] A kind of chair formerly used for punishing scolds, and also dishonest tradesmen, by fastening them in it, usually in front of their doors, to be pelted and hooted at by the mob, but sometimes to be taken to the water and ducked; -- called also a castigatory, a tumbrel, and a trebuchet; and often, but not so correctly, a ducking stool. Sir. W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. kukeweld, cokewold, cokold, fr. OF. coucoul, cucuault, the last syllable being modified by the OE. suffix -wold (see Herald); cf. F. cocu a cuckold, formerly also, a cuckoo, and L. cuculus a cuckoo. The word alludes to the habit of the female cuckoo, who lays her eggs in the nests of other birds, to be hatched by them. ] 1. A man whose wife is unfaithful; the husband of an adulteress. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) (a) A West Indian plectognath fish (Ostracion triqueter). (b) The cowfish. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Cuckolded; p. pr. & vb. n. Cuckolding. ] To make a cuckold of, as a husband, by seducing his wife, or by her becoming an adulteress. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To cuckold. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having the qualities of a cuckold; mean-spirited; sneaking. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of a cuckold; cuckolds, collectively. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being a cuckold; the practice of making cuckolds. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Naut.) A hitch or knot, by which a rope is secured to a spar, the two parts of the rope being crossed and seized together; -- called also cuckold's neck. Ham. Nav. Encyc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. coccou, cukkow, F. coucou, prob. of imitative origin; cf. L. cuculus, Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_;, Skr. k&unr_;ki&unr_;a, G. kuckuk, D. koekoek. ] (Zool.) A bird belonging to Cuculus, Coccyzus, and several allied genera, of many species. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The European cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) builds no nest of its own, but lays its eggs in the nests of other birds, to be hatched by them. The American yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus Americanus) and the black-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus erythrophthalmus) build their own nests. [ 1913 Webster ]

Cuckoo clock, a clock so constructed that at the time for striking it gives forth sounds resembling the cry of the cuckoo. --
Cuckoo dove (Zool.), a long-tailed pigeon of the genus Macropygia. Many species inhabit the East Indies. --
Cuckoo fish (Zool.), the European red gurnard (Trigla cuculus). The name probably alludes to the sound that it utters. --
Cuckoo falcon (Zool.), any falcon of the genus Baza. The genus inhabits Africa and the East Indies. --
Cuckoo maid (Zool.), the wryneck; -- called also cuckoo mate. --
Cuckoo ray (Zool.), a British ray (Raia miraletus). --
Cuckoo spit, or
Cuckoo spittle. (a) A frothy secretion found upon plants, exuded by the larvae of certain insects, for concealment; -- called also toad spittle and frog spit. (b) (Zool.) A small hemipterous insect, the larva of which, living on grass and the leaves of plants, exudes this secretion. The insects belong to Aphrophora, Helochara, and allied genera. --
Ground cuckoo, the chaparral cock. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.), a bee, parasitic in the larval stage in the nests of other bees, feeding either upon their food or larvae. They belong to the genera Nomada, Melecta, Epeolus, and others. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A species of Ranunculus (Ranunculus bulbosus); -- called also butterflower, buttercup, kingcup, goldcup. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a bee that is parasitic in the nests of bumblebees. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Bot.) A species of Cardamine (Cardamine pratensis), or lady's smock. Its leaves are used in salads. Also, the ragged robin (Lychnis Flos-cuculi). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Arum (Arum maculatum); the European wake-robin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a common European arum (Arum maculatum) with lanceolate spathe and short purple spadix; it emerges in early spring, and is the source of a sagolike starch called arum.
Syn. -- cuckoopint, lords and ladies, lords-and-ladies, jack-in-the-pulpit, Arum maculatum. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cuckold + quean. ] A woman whose husband is unfaithful to her. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Native name. ] (Zool.) The fire beetle of Mexico and the West Indies. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ LL. cullatus, fr. L. cucullus a cap, hood. See Cowl a hood. ] 1. Hooded; cowled; covered, as with a hood. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) Having the edges toward the base rolled inward, as the leaf of the commonest American blue violet. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) (a) Having the prothorax elevated so as to form a sort of hood, receiving the head, as in certain insects. (b) Having a hoodlike crest on the head, as certain birds, mammals, and reptiles. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Cuculli /plu>. [ L., a hood. ] 1. (Bot.) A hood-shaped organ, resembling a cowl or monk's hood, as certain concave and arched sepals or petals. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. (Zool.) A color marking or structure on the head somewhat resembling a hood. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ L.cuculus a cuckoo + -oid. ] (Zool.) Like or belonging to the cuckoos (Cuculidæ). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. cucumer, cocumber, cucumber, fr. L. cucmis, gen.cucumeris; cf. OF. cocombre, F. concombre. ] (Bot.) A creeping plant, and its fruit, of several species of the genus Cucumis, esp. Cucumis sativus, the unripe fruit of which is eaten either fresh or picked. Also, similar plants or fruits of several other genera. See below. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bitter cucumber (Bot.), the Citrullus Colocynthis syn. Cucumis Colocynthis. See Colocynth. --
Cucumber beetle. (Zool.) (a) A small, black flea-beetle (Crepidodera cucumeris), which destroys the leaves of cucumber, squash, and melon vines. (b) The squash beetle. --
Cucumber tree. (a) A large ornamental or shade tree of the genus Magnolia (Magnolia acuminata), so called from a slight resemblance of its young fruit to a small cucumber. (b) An East Indian plant (Averrhoa Bilimbi) which produces the fruit known as bilimbi. --
Jamaica cucumber,
Jerusalem cucumber, the prickly-fruited gherkin (Cucumis Anguria). --
Snake cucumber, a species (Cucumis flexuosus) remarkable for its long, curiously-shaped fruit. --
Squirting cucumber, a plant (Ecbalium Elaterium) whose small oval fruit separates from the footstalk when ripe and expels its seeds and juice with considerable force through the opening thus made. See Elaterium. --
Star cucumber, a climbing weed (Sicyos angulatus) with prickly fruit. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. cucumis cucumber + -form. ] Having the form of a cucumber; having the form of a cylinder tapered and rounded at the ends, and either straight or curved. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., cucumber. ] (Bot.) A genus of plants including the cucumber, melon, and same kinds of gourds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the type genus of the Cucurbitaceae.
Syn. -- genus Cucurbita. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a natural family of plants including the cucumber; melon; squash; and pumpkin.
Syn. -- family Cucurbitaceae, gourd family. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ Cf. F. cucurbitacé. ] (Bot.) Of, pertaining to, or resembling, a family of plants of which the cucumber, melon, and gourd are common examples. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ L. cucurbita a gourd: cf. F. cucurbite. See Gourd. ] (Chem.) A vessel or flask for distillation, used with, or forming part of, an alembic; a matrass; -- originally in the shape of a gourd, with a wide mouth. See Alembic. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having the shape of a gourd seed; -- said of certain small worms. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) Any large holothurian, especially one of those belonging to the genus Pentacta, or Cucumaria, as the common American and European species. (Pentacta frondosa). [ 1913 Webster ]