Chapter Cinctured to Circle of C by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

1. (Bot.) The name of several different species of the genus Potentilla; — also called five-finger, because of the resemblance of its leaves to the fingers of the hand.

2. (Arch.) An ornamental foliation having five points or cups, used in windows, panels, etc. Gwilt.

Marsh cinquefoil, the Potentilla palustris, a plant with purple flowers which grows in fresh- water marshes.

Cinque-pace
(Cinque"-pace`) n. [Cinque + pace.] A lively dance (called also galliard), the steps of which were regulated by the number five. [Obs.] Nares. Shak.

Cinque Ports
(Cinque" Ports`) [Cinque + port.] (Eng. Hist.) Five English ports, to which peculiar privileges were anciently accorded; — viz., Hastings, Romney, Hythe, Dover, and Sandwich; afterwards increased by the addition of Winchelsea, Rye, and some minor places.

Baron of the Cinque Ports. See under Baron.

Cinque-spotted
(Cinque"-spot`ted), a. Five- spotted. [R.] Shak.

Cinter
(Cin"ter) n. [F. cintre.] (Arch.) See Center.

Cinura
(||Ci*nu"ra) n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. To move + tail.] (Zoöl.) The group of Thysanura which includes Lepisma and allied forms; the bristletails. See Bristletail, and Lepisma.

Cion
(Ci"on) n. [OF. cion. See Scion.] See Scion.

The cion overruleth the stock; and the stock is but passive, and giveth aliment, but no motion, to the graft.
Bacon.

Cipher
(Ci"pher) n. [OF. cifre zero, F. Chiffre figure (cf. Sp. cifra, LL. cifra), fr. Ar. çifrun, çafrun, empty, cipher, zero, fr. çafira to be empty. Cf. Zero.]

1. (Arith.) A character [0] which, standing by itself, expresses nothing, but when placed at the right hand of a whole number, increases its value tenfold.

2. One who, or that which, has no weight or influence.

Here he was a mere cipher.
W. Irving.

3. A character in general, as a figure or letter. [Obs.]

This wisdom began to be written in ciphers and characters and letters bearing the forms of creatures.
Sir W. Raleigh.

4. A combination or interweaving of letters, as the initials of a name; a device; a monogram; as, a painter's cipher, an engraver's cipher, etc. The cut represents the initials N. W.

5. A private alphabet, system of characters, or other mode of writing, contrived for the safe transmission of secrets; also, a writing in such characters.

His father . . . engaged him when he was very young to write all his letters to England in cipher.
Bp. Burnet.

Cipher key, a key to assist in reading writings in cipher.

Cipher
(Ci"pher), a. Of the nature of a cipher; of no weight or influence. "Twelve cipher bishops." Milton.