01 a. Captive; wretched; unfortunate.
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1.
Captive; wretched; unfortunate.[Obs.]
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2.
Base; wicked and mean; cowardly; despicable.“Arnold had sped his caitiff flight.” — W. Irving.
Entry
5 senses · 2 variants
Webster, 1913
Caitiff
· Cai·tiff
· IPA /ˈkeɪtɪf/
02 n. A captive; a prisoner.
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1.
A captive; a prisoner.[Obs.]“Avarice doth tyrannize over her caitiff and slave.” — Holland.
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2.
A wretched or unfortunate man.[Obs.]
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3.
A mean, despicable person; one whose character meanness and wickedness meet.