persian \per"sian\, a. from persia: cf. it. persiano. cf.
   parsee, peach, persic.
   of or pertaining to persia, to the persians, or to their
   language.
   1913 webster

   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.
      1913 webster
see also:
parsee peach persic persian berry rhamnus infectorius persian cat 
angora cat angora persian columns persians atlantes 
persian drill persian fire persian powder insect powder insect 
persian red indian red indian persian wheel noria 

angora \ango"ra\ a^ng=o"r.a, n.
   a city of asia minor or anatolia which has given its name
   to a goat, a cat, etc.
   1913 webster

   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.
      1913 webster angostura
see also:
angora cat angola cat cat angora goat 

cat \cat\ ka^t, n. as. cat; akin to d.  dan. kat, sw.
   katt, icel. k"ottr, g. katze, kater, ir. cat, w. cath,
   armor. kaz, ll. catus, bisc. catua, ngr. ga`ta, ga`tos, russ.
    pol. kot, turk. kedi, ar. qitt; of unknown origin. cf.
   kitten.
   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.
      1913 webster +pjc

   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.
         1913 webster

               laying aside their often rancorous debate over
               how best to preserve the florida panther, state
               and federal wildlife officials,
               environmentalists, and independent scientists
               endorsed the proposal, and in 1995 the eight cats
               female texas cougars were brought from texas
               and released. . . .
               uprooted from the arid hills of west texas, three
               of the imports have died, but the remaining five
               adapted to swamp life and have each given birth
               to at least one litter of kittens. --mark derr
                                                  n. y. times,
                                                  nov. 2, 1999,
                                                  science times
                                                  p. f2.
         pjc

   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.
         1913 webster

   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. --totten.
          1913 webster

   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.
      1913 webster

   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.
          1913 webster

   5. same as cat o' nine tails; as, british sailors feared
      the cat.
      1913 webster + wordnet 1.5

   6. a catamaran.
      pjc

   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.
      1913 webster
see also:
kitten felidae felis panthera lynx felis domestica 
felis catus wild cat lynx rufus wild cat tiger cat 
angora cat maltese cat manx cat siamese cat florida panther 
tipcat cat o' nine tails catamaran blind cat angora 
blind black cat black cat and dog cat block 
cat hook cat nap cat o' nine tails cat's cradle cratch 
cratch cradle to bell the cat to let the cat out of the bag bush cat serval 

angora cat
     n : a long-haired breed similar to the persian cat syn: angora
see also:
angora