CANTO

Division of a long poem

E.g: Kuvempu's Mahabharata is divided into cantos

CANVASS

Determining or seeking people's opinion, votes etc.

E.g: The poll canvassed the views of almost eighty economists.

CAPILLARY

Having very small internal diameter.

E.g: Capillaries are tiny blood vessels in your body

CAPTIOUS

Tending to find and call attention to faults.

E.g: Gowri was an excessively demanding and captious tutor.

CARAFE

A glass container in which you serve water or wine.

E.g:He ordered a carafe of wine

CARAPACE

1. protective shell on the back of some animals such as tortoises or crabs
2. an attitude that someone has in order to protect themselves

E.g:

1. The arrogance became his protective carapace.
2. The swan was perched on top of the giant turtle's carapace.
   

CARILLON

A set of bells on which tunes can be played

E.g: The carillon at the Clock tower provides musical entertainment every hour.

CAROUSAL

A merry drinking party

E.g : They were out carousing last night

CARP

1. Freshwater fish
2. Raising trivial objections

E.g:This was the man whom other trainers love to carp about.

CARRION

Dead and rotting body of an animal

E.g: The vultures were just waiting to feast on the bull's carrion.

CATACLYSM

event that causes great change or harm.

E.g: The British Petroleum oil spill is the greatest cataclysm of this decade.

CATARACT

1. large waterfall
2. layers over a person's eyes that prevent them from seeing properly.

E.g:  She gazed with awe at the mighty cataract know as Niagara Falls

CATCALL

A cry expressing disapproval

E.g: The crowd responded with boos and catcalls.

CATECHISM

A book for religious instruction; instruction by question and answer

E.g: He taught by engaging his pupils in a catechism, until they gave him the correct answer.

CATHARSIS

getting rid of unhappy memories or strong emotions such as anger or sadness by expressing them in some way

E.g: If there is not a catharsis that would lead to the confirmation of a majority this summer, then autumn could mean the fall of the government.

CAUCUS

a group of people within an organization who share similar aims and interests or who have a lot of influence.

E.g: We, the members of Team Core form a caucus

CAULK

Make tight, secure against leakage

E.g : The blusterous winds forced us to caulk the windows

CAUTERIZE

burns with heat or with a chemical in order to close up and prevent object from becoming infected

E.g: He cauterized the wound with a piece of red-hot iron.

CAVALCADE

procession of people on horses or in cars or carriages

E.g:The bombing of Benazir Bhutto's cavalcade as she paraded through Karachi on Thursday night was a tragedy almost waiting to happen

CAVIL

Make criticisms of points that are considered unimportant or unnecessary

E.g: I don't think this is the time to cavil at the wording of the report.

CELERITY

Speed, Swiftness

E.g: The film, 'A Wednesday' showcases the unusual celerity in the operations of the Mumbai Police

CENTAUR

In classical mythology, a centaur is a creature with the head, arms, and upper body of a man, and the body and legs of a horse.

CENTURION

Roman army officer

E.g: Ben Hur is a film about two centurions clashing with each other

CERTITUDE

Certainity

E.g: We have this definite certitude that Kasab will not be freed.

CESSION

the act of giving up land or rights, especially to another country after a war

E.g : After the Kargil War, India ruled out any territorial cession with Pakistan in the peace settlement.

CHAFE

1. Soreness and warmth caused by friction
2. Feel extreme irritation or anger

E.g:

1. The messenger bent and scratched at his knee where the strapping chafed.
2. He was chafing under the company's new ownership.

CHAFFING

Bantering, joking

E.g: His flippant, chaffing remarks annoyed me.

CHAGRIN

feeling of disappointment, upset, or annoyance, perhaps because of your own failure.

E.g:One of the first things we did when we moved in, to the chagrin of the architect, was to replace the leaded windows.

CHALICE

large gold or silver cup with a stem, used to hold wine

E.g: The Chalice used by Jesus at the last supper has  been found.