cam·el /ˈkæməl/
 駱駝,打撈浮筒


 cam·el n.
 1. Zool. 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 hump 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).
 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.
 Camel bird Zool., the ostrich.
 Camel locust Zool., the mantis.
 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
      n : cud-chewing mammal used as a draft or saddle animal in
          desert regions


 Camel
    from the Hebrew _gamal_, "to repay" or "requite," as the camel
    does the care of its master. There are two distinct species of
    camels, having, however, the common characteristics of being
    "ruminants without horns, without muzzle, with nostrils forming
    oblique slits, the upper lip divided and separately movable and
    extensile, the soles of the feet horny, with two toes covered by
    claws, the limbs long, the abdomen drawn up, while the neck,
    long and slender, is bent up and down, the reverse of that of a
    horse, which is arched."

      (1.) The Bactrian camel is distinguished by two humps. It is a
    native of the high table-lands of Central Asia.

      (2.) The Arabian camel or dromedary, from the Greek _dromos_,
    "a runner" (Isa. 60:6; Jer. 2:23), has but one hump, and is a
    native of Western Asia or Africa.

      The camel was early used both for riding and as a beast of
    burden (Gen. 24:64; 37:25), and in war (1 Sam. 30:17; Isa.
    21:7). Mention is made of the camel among the cattle given by
    Pharaoh to Abraham (Gen. 12:16). Its flesh was not to be eaten,
    as it was ranked among unclean animals (Lev. 11:4; Deut. 14:7).
    Abraham's servant rode on a camel when he went to fetch a wife
    for Isaac (Gen. 24:10, 11). Jacob had camels as a portion of his
    wealth (30:43), as Abraham also had (24:35). He sent a present
    of thirty milch camels to his brother Esau (32:15). It appears
    to have been little in use among the Jews after the conquest. It
    is, however, mentioned in the history of David (1 Chr. 27:30),
    and after the Exile (Ezra 2:67; Neh. 7:69). Camels were much in
    use among other nations in the East. The queen of Sheba came
    with a caravan of camels when she came to see the wisdom of
    Solomon (1 Kings 10:2; 2 Chr. 9:1). Benhadad of Damascus also
    sent a present to Elisha, "forty camels' burden" (2 Kings 8:9).

      To show the difficulty in the way of a rich man's entering
    into the kingdom, our Lord uses the proverbial expression that
    it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle
    (Matt. 19:24).

      To strain at (rather, out) a gnat and swallow a camel was also
    a proverbial expression (Matt. 23:24), used with reference to
    those who were careful to avoid small faults, and yet did not
    hesitate to commit the greatest sins. The Jews carefully
    filtered their wine before drinking it, for fear of swallowing
    along with it some insect forbidden in the law as unclean, and
    yet they omitted openly the "weightier matters" of the law.

      The raiment worn by John the Baptist was made of camel's hair
    (Matt. 3:4; Mark 1:6), by which he was distinguished from those
    who resided in royal palaces and wore soft raiment. This was
    also the case with Elijah (2 Kings 1:8), who is called "a hairy
    man," from his wearing such raiment. "This is one of the most
    admirable materials for clothing; it keeps out the heat, cold,
    and rain." The "sackcloth" so often alluded to (2 Kings 1:8;
    Isa. 15:3; Zech. 13:4, etc.) was probably made of camel's hair.