French \French\ (fr[e^]nch), prop. a. [AS. frencisc, LL.
   franciscus, from L. Francus a Frank: cf. OF. franceis,
   franchois, fran[,c]ois, F. fran[,c]ais. See {Frank}, a., and
   cf. {Frankish}.]
   Of or pertaining to France or its inhabitants.
   
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   {French bean} (Bot.), the common kidney bean ({Phaseolus  vulgaris}).

   {French berry} (Bot.), the berry of a species of buckthorn
      ({Rhamnus catharticus}), which affords a saffron, green or
      purple pigment.

   {French casement} (Arch.) See {French window}, under
      {Window}.

   {French chalk} (Min.), a variety of granular talc; -- used
      for drawing lines on cloth, etc. See under {Chalk}.

   {French cowslip} (Bot.) The {Primula Auricula}. See
      {Bears-ear}.

   {French fake} (Naut.), a mode of coiling a rope by running it
      backward and forward in parallel bends, so that it may run
      freely.

   {French honeysuckle} (Bot.) a plant of the genus {Hedysarum}
      ({H. coronarium}); -- called also {garland honeysuckle}.
      

   {French horn}, a metallic wind instrument, consisting of a
      long tube twisted into circular folds and gradually
      expanding from the mouthpiece to the end at which the
      sound issues; -- called in France {cor de chasse}.

   {French leave}, an informal, hasty, or secret departure;
      esp., the leaving a place without paying one's debts.

   {French pie} [French (here used in sense of "foreign") + pie
      a magpie (in allusion to its black and white color)]
      (Zool.), the European great spotted woodpecker ({Dryobstes  major}); -- called also {wood pie}.

   {French polish}.
   (a) A preparation for the surface of woodwork, consisting of
       gums dissolved in alcohol, either shellac alone, or
       shellac with other gums added.
   (b) The glossy surface produced by the application of the
       above.

   {French purple}, a dyestuff obtained from lichens and used
      for coloring woolen and silken fabrics, without the aid of
      mordants. --Ure.

   {French red} rouge.

   {French rice}, amelcorn.

   {French roof} (Arch.), a modified form of mansard roof having
      a nearly flat deck for the upper slope.

   {French tub}, a dyer's mixture of protochloride of tin and
      logwood; -- called also {plum tub}. --Ure.

   {French window}. See under {Window}.
      
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Chalk \Chalk\ (ch[add]k), n. [AS. cealc lime, from L. calx
   limestone. See {Calz}, and {Cawk}.]
   1. (Min.) A soft, earthy substance, of a white, grayish, or
      yellowish white color, consisting of calcium carbonate,
      and having the same composition as common limestone.
      
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   2. (Fine Arts) Finely prepared chalk, used as a drawing
      implement; also, by extension, a compound, as of clay and
      black lead, or the like, used in the same manner. See
      {Crayon}.
      
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   {Black chalk}, a mineral of a bluish color, of a slaty
      texture, and soiling the fingers when handled; a variety
      of argillaceous slate.

   {By a long chalk}, by a long way; by many degrees. [Slang]
      --Lowell.

   {Chalk drawing} (Fine Arts), a drawing made with crayons. See
      {Crayon}.

   {Chalk formation}. See {Cretaceous formation}, under
      {Cretaceous}.

   {Chalk line}, a cord rubbed with chalk, used for making
      straight lines on boards or other material, as a guide in
      cutting or in arranging work.

   {Chalk mixture}, a preparation of chalk, cinnamon, and sugar
      in gum water, much used in diarrheal affection, esp. of
      infants.

   {Chalk period}. (Geol.) See {Cretaceous period}, under
      {Cretaceous}.

   {Chalk pit}, a pit in which chalk is dug.

   {Drawing chalk}. See {Crayon}, n., 1.

   {French chalk}, steatite or soapstone, a soft magnesian
      mineral.

   {Red chalk}, an indurated clayey ocher containing iron, and
      used by painters and artificers; reddle.
      
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