*cun*

‖n. [ Sp. ] (Zool.) A fish of the Mediterranean (Sphyræna spet). See Barracuda. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See Cond. ] To con (a ship). [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See 1st Con. ] To know. See Con. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ L., a cradle, earliest abode, fr. cunae cradle. ] 1. The earliest abode; original dwelling place; originals; as, the cunabula of the human race. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bibliography) The extant copies of the first or earliest printed books, or of such as were printed in the 15th century. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. cunctatio, fr. cunctari, p. p. cunctatus, to delay. ] Delay; procrastination. [ R. ] Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Slow; tardy; dilatory; causing delay. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., lit., a delayer; -- applied as a surname to Q. Fabius Maximus. ] One who delays or lingers. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. cunctipotens; cunctus all + potens powerful. ] All-powerful; omnipotent. [ R ] “God cunctipotent.” Neale (Trans. Rhythm of St. Bernard). [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See Cond. ] To con (a ship). [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.) The bark of a South American vine (Gonolobus Condurango) of the Milkweed family. It has been supposed, but erroneously, to be a cure for cancer. [ Written also condurango. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

[ L. cuneus a wege. See Coin. ] Relating to a wedge; wedge-shaped. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ L.cuneatus, fr. cuneus a wege SeeCoin. ] Wedge-shaped; (Bot.), wedge-shaped, with the point at the base; as, a cuneate leaf. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Cuneiform. “Cuneatic decipherment.” Sayce. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. ] (Fort.) A drain trench, in a ditch or moat; -- called also cuvette. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ L. cuneus a wedge + -form: cf. F. cunei-forme. See Coin. ] 1. Wedge-shaped; as, a cuneiform bone; -- especially applied to the wedge-shaped or arrowheaded characters of ancient Persian and Assyrian inscriptions. See Arrowheaded. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Pertaining to, or versed in, the ancient wedge-shaped characters, or the inscriptions in them. “A cuneiform scholar.” Rawlinson. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ }, n. 1. The wedge-shaped characters used in ancient Persian and Assyrian inscriptions. I. Taylor (The Alphabet). [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Anat.) (a) One of the three tarsal bones supporting the first, second third metatarsals. They are usually designated as external, middle, and internal, or ectocuniform, mesocuniform, and entocuniform, respectively. (b) One of the carpal bones usually articulating with the ulna; -- called also pyramidal and ulnare. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Conner. ] (Zool.) (a) A small edible fish of the Atlantic coast (Ctenolabrus adspersus); -- called also chogset, burgall, blue perch, and bait stealer. [ Written also conner. ] (b) A small shellfish; the limpet or patella. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as cunnilingus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ NL., fr. L. cunnus vulva + lingere to lick. ] Stimulation of the vulva or clitoris of one person by the tongue of another, for the purpose of giving sexual gratification.
Syn. -- cunnilinctus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ AS. cunnan to know, to be able. See 1st Con, Can. ] 1. Knowing; skillful; dexterous. “A cunning workman.” Ex. xxxviii. 23. [ 1913 Webster ]

“Tis beauty truly blent, whose red and white
Nature's own sweet and cunning hand laid on. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Esau was a cunning hunter. Gen xxv. 27. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Wrought with, or exhibiting, skill or ingenuity; ingenious; curious; as, cunning work. [ 1913 Webster ]

Over them Arachne high did lift Her cunning web. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Crafty; sly; artful; designing; deceitful. [ 1913 Webster ]

They are resolved to be cunning; let others run the hazard of being sincere. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Pretty or pleasing; as, a cunning little boy. [ Colloq. U.S. ] Barlett.

Syn. -- Cunning, Artful, Sly, Wily, Crafty. -- These epithets agree in expressing an aptitude for attaining some end by peculiar and secret means. Cunning is usually low; as, a cunning trick. Artful is more ingenious and inventive; as, an artful device. Sly implies a turn for what is double or concealed; as, sly humor; a sly evasion. Crafty denotes a talent for dexterously deceiving; as, a crafty manager. Wily describes a talent for the use of stratagems; as, a wily politician. A cunning man often shows his dexterity in simply concealing. An artful man goes further, and exerts his ingenuity in misleading. A crafty man mingles cunning with art, and so shapes his actions as to lull suspicions. The young may be cunning, but the experienced only can be crafty. Slyness is a vulgar kind of cunning; the sly man goes cautiously and silently to work. Wiliness is a species of cunning or craft applicable only to cases of attack and defense.” Crabb. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. cunnung trial, or Icel. kunnandi knowledge. See Cunning, a. ] 1. Knowledge; art; skill; dexterity. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Let my right hand forget her cunning. Ps. cxxxvii. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

A carpenter's desert
Stands more in cunning than in power. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The faculty or act of using stratagem to accomplish a purpose; fraudulent skill or dexterity; deceit; craft. [ 1913 Webster ]

Discourage cunning in a child; cunning is the ape of wisdom. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

We take cunning for a sinister or crooked wisdom. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a cunning manner; with cunning. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A fortune teller; one who pretends to reveal mysteries. [ Obs. ] Hudibras. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Quality of being cunning; craft. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The female pudenda; specifically the vagina. [ vulgar slang ] [ PJC ]

2. A woman; -- usually used derogatorily and considered obscene. [ PJC ]

‖n.; pl. Dracunculi [ L., dim. of draco dragon. ] (Zool.) (a) A fish; the dragonet. (b) The Guinea worm (Filaria medinensis). [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ Ecto- + cuneiform, cuniform. ] (Anat.) One of the bones of the tarsus. See Cuneiform. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ Ento- + cuneiform, cuniform. ] (Anat.) One of the bones of the tarsus. See Cuneiform. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. facundus, fr. fari to speak. ] Eloquent. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. facundiosus. ] Eloquement; full of words. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. facunditas. ] Eloquence; readiness of speech. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. fecundus, from the root of fetus: cf. F. fécond. see Fetus. ] Fruitful in children; prolific. Graunt. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Fecundated p. pr. & vb. n. Fecundating ] [ L. fecundare, fr. fecundus. See Fecund. ] 1. To make fruitful or prolific. W. Montagu. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Biol.) To render fruitful or prolific; to impregnate; as, in flowers the pollen fecundates the ovum through the stigma. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. fécondation. ] (Biol.) The act by which, either in animals or plants, material prepared by the generative organs the female organism is brought in contact with matter from the organs of the male, so that a new organism results; impregnation; fertilization. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Fecund + -fy. ] To make fruitful; to fecundate. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. fecunditas: cf. F. fécondité. See Fecund. ] 1. The quality or power of producing fruit; fruitfulness; especially (Biol.), the quality in female organisms of reproducing rapidly and in great numbers. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The power of germinating; as in seeds. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The power of bringing forth in abundance; fertility; richness of invention; as, the fecundity of God's creative power. Bentley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being impecunious. Thackeray. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. im- not + pecunia money: cf. F. impécunieux. ] Not having money; habitually without money; poor. [ 1913 Webster ]

An impecunious creature. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Incunabula [ L. incunabula cradle, birthplace, origin. See 1st In-, and Cunabula. ] A work of art or of human industry, of an early epoch; especially, a book printed before a. d. 1500. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. infecundus: cf. F. infécond. See In- not, and Fecund. ] Unfruitful; not producing young; barren; infertile. [ Obs. ] Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. infecunditas: cf. F. infécondité. ] Lack of fecundity or fruitfulness; barrenness; sterility; unproductiveness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Infecund. ] Infertile; barren; unprofitable; unproductive. [ Obs. ] Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. injucunditas. See In- not, and Jocund. ] Unpleasantness; disagreeableness. [ Obs. ] Cockeram. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. iracundus, fr. ira anger. ] Irascible; choleric. “Iracund people.” Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ L. jocundus, jucundus, orig., helpful, fr. juvare to help. See Aid. ] Merry; cheerful; gay; airy; lively; sportive. [ 1913 Webster ]

Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day
Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Rural sports and jocund strains. Prior.

-- Joc"und*ly adv. -- Joc"und*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Merrily; cheerfully. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. jocunditas jucunditas. See Jocund, and cf. Jucundity. ] The state or quality of being jocund; gayety; sportiveness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. jucunditas, from jucundus. ] Pleasantness; agreeableness. See Jocundity. [ R. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]