Browse by Title: C
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cab The front, enclosed part of a pickup truck. |
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cactus A plant common to the U.S. Southwest, cactus grows in habitats that regularly experience drought. Most cacti are considered succulents, meaning that they store water… |
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cactus buttons Most likely a reference to peyote, a small, spineless cactus that contains, among other compounds, mescaline, a psychoactive alkaloid that can alter one's perception… |
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cadaver A scientific term for a corpse or dead body. The term is used often in medical contexts, for example when bodies of dead people or animals are dissected and used for… |
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cadence The rhythm or beat of a sequence of sounds, for example in spoken language. |
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cage An device meant to contain a living creature. Often, a cage is in the shape of a cube, with the sides, top, and bottom of the cage being constructed in a such as to… |
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caliber The diameter measurement of either a bullet or the internal width of a gun barrel. The caliber is usually measured in hundredths of an inch, for example .22, .38, and… |
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caliche clay Also called hardpan, this is a hardened layer of soil formed by calcium deposits. Caliche develops over thousands of years in arid and semi-arid regions when calcium… |
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California The 31st state to join the Union, California was originally settled by hundreds of small, seminomadic indigenous groups before becoming the part of the Spanish Empire… |
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call girl An anachronistic, or old fashioned term, for "escort," a term sometimes coded to refer to someone who sells sex, and sometimes nonsexual companionship, by appointment,… |
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callers of the Clouds A picturesque yet literal reference to several Pueblo cultures, such as the Hopi and Zuni, who have many ceremonies surrounding rain and water. Although originally semi… |
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Calling Back Chant Most likely a fictional title for a Navajo ceremonial invented by Tony Hillerman for his 1978 Navajo detective novel Listening Woman. According to the novel, the… |
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cambium A layer of cells responsible for the secondary growth of perennial plants. Each year the vascular cambium causes plants to grow an inner layer of cells called xylem… |
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Cameron, Arizona A small community located on the Navajo Nation Reservation in Northern Arizona. Cameron developed around a bridge built by the U.S. government over the Little Colorado… |
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camouflage The effect or practice of concealment. Camouflage can consist of actual artifice, for example wearing a mask or a costume or of covering one object with another.… |
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Camp Pendleton, California The primary Marine Corps base on the West Coast, located in San Diego, California. It was established in 1942 during World War II. This base was named after Major… |
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camper A pickup truck, van, or other vehicle outfitted with sleeping and sometimes cooking facilities. Campers range in sophistication from trucks fitted with "toppers" to… |
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Cancer Research and Treatment Center, University of New Mexico, New Mexico New Mexico's leading facility for cancer care and research, located on the North Campus of the University of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque. This cutting edge and… |
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candid An adjective referring to something that is authentic, frank, straight forward, objective, or non-edited. |
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cannibal An animal or human who consumes the flesh of a member of the same species. In animals, cannibalism occurs regularly in a number of species for population control or to… |
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Cañoncito Reservation, New Mexico A non-contiguous section of the Navajo reservation located approximately 75 miles from the main Navajo reservation. Cañoncito Reservation is located in central New… |
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canteen (container) A container generally made of either metal or plastic that carries liquids; often used when hiking or camping. |
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canteen (dispensary) A snack bar or small general store at a military base or prison. At a prison, inmates who are not allowed to use cash have canteen accounts from which they can buy… |
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canvas A strong, thick, durable cloth made of natural fibers such as hemp, flax, cotton, or jute. The name probably came from cannabis, the Latin term for hemp. Canvas cloth… |
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canvas pack Typically a kind of backpack, knapsack, or rucksack made from canvas, a durable natural-fiber fabric, and large enough to carry a significant amount gear, supplies, or… |