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[caught short]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Not having enough of something when you need it. •/Mrs. Ford was caught short when the newspaper boy came for his money a day early./ •/The man was caught short of clothes when he had to go on a trip./

[cause eyebrows to raise]{v. phr.} To do something that causes consternation; to shock others. •/When Algernon entered Orchestra Hall barefoot and wearing a woman’s wig, he caused eyebrows to raise./

[cause tongues to wag] See: TONGUES TO WAG.

[caution] See: THROW CAUTION TO THE WINDS.

[cave in]{v.} 1. To fall or collapse inward. •/The mine caved in and crushed three miners./ •/Don’t climb on that old roof. It might cave in./ 2. {informal} To weaken and be forced to give up. •/The children begged their father to take them to the circus until he caved in./ •/After the atomic bomb, Japan caved in and the war ceased./

[cease fire]{v.} To give a military command ordering soldiers to stop shooting. •/"Cease fire!" the captain cried, and the shooting stopped./

[cease-fire]{n.} A period of negotiated nonaggression, when the warring parties involved promise not to attack. •/Unfortunately, the cease-fire in Bosnia was broken many times by all parties concerned./

[ceiling] See: HIT THE CEILING or HIT THE ROOF.

[cent] See: TWO CENTS, WORTH A CENT.

[center] See: FRONT AND CENTER, OFF-CENTER, SHOPPING CENTER.

[century] See: TURN OF THE CENTURY.

[C.E.O.]{n.} Abbreviation of "Chief Executive Officer." The head of a company, factory, firm, etc. •/We are very proud of the fact that our C.E.O. is a young woman./

[ceremony] See: STAND ON CEREMONY.

[certain] See: FOR SURE or FOR CERTAIN.

[chain gang]{n.} A group of convicts or slaves in the old South who were chained together. •/Chain gangs are no longer an acceptable way of punishment, according to modem criminologists./

[chain letter]{n.} A letter which each person receiving it is asked to copy and send to several others. •/Most chain letters die out quickly./

[chain-smoke]{v.} To smoke cigarettes or cigars one after another without stopping. •/Mr. Jones is very nervous. He chain-smokes cigars./ [chain smoker] {n.} •/Mr. Jones is a chain smoker./ [chain-smoking] {adj.} or {n.} •/Chain smoking is very dangerous to health./

[chain stores]{n.} A series of stores in different locations, joined together under one ownership and general management. •/The goods in chain stores tend to be more uniform than in independent ones./

[chained to the oars]{adj. phr.} The condition of being forced to do strenuous and unwelcome labor against one’s wishes for an extended period of time. •/Teachers in large public schools frequently complain that they feel as if they had been chained to the oars./

[chair] See: MUSICAL CHAIRS.

[chalk] See: WALK THE CHALK.

[chalk up]{v.}, {informal} 1. To write down as part of a score; record. •/The scorekeeper chalked up one more point for the home team./ 2. To make (a score or part of a score); score. •/The team chalked up another victory./ •/Bob chalked up a home run and two base hits in the game./ •/Mary chalked up good grades this term./