Heading
they are torn or cut out bodily. If they are brief, they are 'blacked out' by means of a rectangular stamp about as wide as an ordinary newspaper column, and 'cross-hatched' in such a way that, when inked and dabbed upon the paper, it makes a close network of white lines and black diamonds. The peculiar mottled or grained look of a page thus treated has suggested the attributive caviare: a memory of the look of the black salted caviare spread upon a slice of bread and butter. A verb has been formed from the noun, and every Russian now understands that 'to caviare' = to 'black out.' Of course as long as the Russian Government permits the entry of letters without censorial examination, any citizen of St. Petersburg or Moscow can write to Berlin, Paris, or London, and ask to have cut out and forwarded in a sealed envelope either a particular article that has been caviared, or all articles relating to Russia that may appear in any specified newspaper or magazine.
1890. St. James s Gaz., 25 April, p. 7, col. 1. Every one of Mr. Kennan's articles in the Century has been caviared.
Cavort, verb (American).—To
prance; to frisk; to run or ride
in a heedless or purposeless manner.
[From the Lingua Franca
cavolta = prancing on horseback.
Some, however, derive it from
'curvetting' = capering for show;
there are also, as possible sources,
the Spanish cavar, the pawing of
a spirited horse; and the French
courbetter.]—See Cavaulting.
1848. Major Jones's Courtship, 41 (Bartlett). A whole gang . . . came ridin' up, and reinin' in, and prancin', and cavortin'.
1883. Bret Harte, In the Carquinez Woods, ch. i. 'If we had'nt been cavorting round this yer spot for the last half-hour I'd swear there was a shanty not a hundred yards away,' said the sheriff.
1889. Puck's Library, April, p. 12. Being an educated man, I feel ten thousand woes Cavorting for the populace In illustrated clothes.
Cawbawn.—See Cobbon.
Caw Handed, or Caw Pawed.—Awkward;
not dexterous, ready
or nimble.—Grose [1785].
Caxton, subs. (theatrical).—A wig.
[A corruption of caxon, a kind
of wig.] In Grose's time a caxon
signified an old weather-beaten
wig. Cf., Cauliflower.
Cayuse, subs. (American).—A nickname
given by Mormon girls to
young 'Latter Day Saints': the
'Yahoos' of the Gentiles.
[The cayuse is properly the
common Indian pony. In
explanation, it must be noted
that there exists among
Americans a passionate love of
horses. A near and dear friend,
an old companion, or men and
women whose traits of character
command respect and homage,
are familiarly 'horses.' A distinguished
Kentuckian carried
away by enthusiasm for Miss
Kemble's acting, started to his
feet, and with tremendous energy
roared out, 'By heaven she's a
"horse."'] See Old Hog.
Caz, subs. (thieves').—Cheese.—[See
Cassan.]
1812. J. H. Vaux, Flash Dictionary. Caz: cheese; 'As good as caz,' is a phrase signifying that any projected fraud or robbery may be easily and certainly accomplished.
