DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 Per·sian a.  Of or pertaining to Persia, to the Persians, or to their language.
 Persian berry, the fruit of Rhamnus infectorius, a kind of buckthorn, used for dyeing yellow, and imported chiefly from Trebizond.
 Persian cat. Zool. Same as Angora cat, under Angora.
 Persian columns Arch., columns of which the shaft represents a Persian slave; -- called also Persians. See Atlantes.
 Persian drill Mech., a drill which is turned by pushing a nut back and forth along a spirally grooved drill holder.
 Persian fire Med., malignant pustule.
 Persian powder. See Insect powder, under Insect.
 Persian red. See Indian red (a), under Indian.
 Persian wheel, a noria; a tympanum. See Noria.

 An·go·ra n. A city of Asia Minor (or Anatolia) which has given its name to a goat, a cat, etc.
 Angora cat Zool., a variety of the domestic cat with very long and silky hair, generally of the brownish white color. Called also Angola cat. See Cat.
 Angora goat Zool., a variety of the domestic goat, reared for its long silky hair, which is highly prized for manufacture.
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 cat n.
 1. Zool. Any animal belonging to the natural family Felidae, and in particular to the various species of the genera Felis, Panthera, and Lynx.  The domestic cat is Felis domestica.  The European wild cat (Felis catus) is much larger than the domestic cat.  In the United States the name wild cat is commonly applied to the bay lynx (Lynx rufus).  The larger felines, such as the lion, tiger, leopard, and cougar, are often referred to as cats, and sometimes as big cats.  See Wild cat, and Tiger cat.
 Note: ☞ The domestic cat includes many varieties named from their place of origin or from some peculiarity; as, the Angora cat; the Maltese cat; the Manx cat; the Siamese cat.
 Note: The word cat is also used to designate other animals, from some fancied resemblance; as, civet cat, fisher cat, catbird, catfish shark, sea cat.
 2. Naut. (a) A strong vessel with a narrow stern, projecting quarters, and deep waist.  It is employed in the coal and timber trade. (b) A strong tackle used to draw an anchor up to the cathead of a ship.
 3. A double tripod (for holding a plate, etc.), having six feet, of which three rest on the ground, in whatever position it is placed.
 4. An old game; specifically: (a) The game of tipcat and the implement with which it is played. See Tipcat. (b) A game of ball, called, according to the number of batters, one old cat, two old cat, etc.
 5. same as cat o' nine tails; as, British sailors feared the cat.
 Angora cat, blind cat, See under Angora, Blind.
 Black cat the fisher. See under Black.
 Cat and dog, like a cat and dog; quarrelsome; inharmonious.  “I am sure we have lived a cat and dog life of it.” --Coleridge.
 Cat block Naut., a heavy iron-strapped block with a large hook, part of the tackle used in drawing an anchor up to the cathead.
 Cat hook Naut., a strong hook attached to a cat block.
 Cat nap, a very short sleep. [Colloq.]
 Cat o' nine tails, an instrument of punishment consisting of nine pieces of knotted line or cord fastened to a handle; -- formerly used to flog offenders on the bare back.
 Cat's cradle, game played, esp. by children, with a string looped on the fingers so, as to resemble small cradle.  The string is transferred from the fingers of one to those of another, at each transfer with a change of form. See Cratch, Cratch cradle.
 To bell the cat, to perform a very dangerous or very difficult task; -- taken metaphorically from a fable about a mouse who proposes to put a bell on a cat, so as to be able to hear the cat coming.
 To let the cat out of the bag, to tell a secret, carelessly or willfully. [Colloq.]
 Bush cat, the serval. See Serval.
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 Angora cat
      n : a long-haired breed similar to the Persian cat [syn: Angora]