Cubature
Determination of the cubic content of a solid. Volume.

Cube
1. A solid with six equal square sides and all angles right angles.
2. Raised to the third power.

Cubicle
Any small compartment. A small partitioned area.

Cubic Measurement
1. Measurement of volume in cubic units, esp. that in which 1,728 cubic inches = 1 cubic foot, and 1,000 cubic millimeters = 1 cubic centimeter.
2. In a cube shape.
3. Three dimensional measurement.

Cul-de-sac
A street that is closed at one end with a circular turnaround area and only one outlet.

Culling
Careful examination for the purpose of selecting or rejecting.

Culls
Items rejected due to lack of quality.

Culvert
A drain, such as a pipe-like construction of brick, stone or concrete that passes under a road, railroad, etc. or through an embankment.

Cuneiform
Wedge shaped.

Cup Hook
Small, open-ended hook with the opposite end of the hook threaded so that it can be screwed into wood to hold an object.

Cupola
A small dome-like structure on top of a roof. Cupola is Latin for "little barrel" and the word cup derives from cupola.

Cupped Taper
Defective wallboard panel, which has a concave indentation on the tapered edge making it thicker than the center. Concealing the joint is difficult and must have extra joint compound used in the cupped area.

Cupping the Mortar
When laying block, the mortar is laid, cut and rolled with a trowel off the mortarboard.

Cupronickel
An alloy of copper and nickel, which is used in the manufacturing of hardware and in some coins. Also called nickel silver it is white in color and tarnish-free as well as being corrosion resistant with higher temperature properties than other copper alloys.

Curable Defect
A deficiency in a property, which is easy or inexpensive to repair.

Curb
1. Raised concrete border constructed along a street or sidewalk.
2. Control of an action.

Curb Appeal
The impression of a home as seen from the street.

Curb Cock
Also referred to as a curb stop, this shutoff valve is normally used with water meters and set between the meter and building.

Curb Edger
Trowel that is used to round the edges of newly poured concrete. Curb Machine Machine, which moves along a road, forming and pouring concrete curbs.

Curb Roof
Roof with two or more slopes on each side of the highpoint with the lower slopes having a steeper angle.

Curb Shoe
Metal shoe shaped the same as the bottom of a curb and bolted to the bottom of a scraper blade and used to trim the slope at the edge of a street when curbs are to be installed.

Curb Stake
Survey stakes used to locate the curb grade that is to be cut.

Curb Stone
Curb formed of stone.

Curb Stop
Also referred to as a curb cock, this shutoff valve is normally used with water meters and set between the meter and building.

Curb-mounted Skylight
A skylight that fits into a curb, installed specifically around the opening in the roof.

Cure
1. To preserve.
2. To change properties by chemical process or aging.

Curing Time
Necessary amount of time need to attain desired reaction.

Current
1. At the present time. Now.
2. The flow of water or air, when strong or swift, in a definite direction.
3. The flow or rate of flow of electric charge in a conductor or medium between two points having a difference in potential, usually noted in amperes.

Current Assets
Assets that are either liquid or can be made liquid quickly.

Current Liabilities
Expenses that are due to be paid.

Current Ratio
The balance of current assets against current liabilities.

Current Value
Value of a home at the time of appraisal.

Curtain Wall
An exterior wall enclosing a yard or other area. It does not provide structural support to the home.

Curvature
The rate of deviation of a curve.

Curve
A line having no straight part; bend having no angular part.

Curved Claw Hammer
Hammer used for pulling nails with its split wedged claw, which is bent into a curve.

Curvilinear
Consisting of or enclosed by a curved line or lines.

Cushion Material
Materials used in paving to smooth and level the finished grade.

Cusp
1. A projecting point where two arcs meet, as in the internal curve of an arch.
2. An apex. A peak.
3. A point or pointed end.

Custom Builder
A builder who constructs a home or building with plans selected by the owner.

Custom Built
A structure built specifically for an owner, to his or her specifications.

Custom Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets, which are built to fit into a specific space.

Custom Home
A structure designed by an architect selected by the owner.

Customer
A client. One for whom work is performed or any person with whom one has dealings.

Cut
Surveyors term which notes a grading level with relation to a reference point where the dirt must be removed to match that point.

Cut and Cover
Also called dig and set, this method of laying pipe and trenching eliminates the need to remove a large amount of dirt by using the soil from one section to cover the pipe in an adjoining section. Therefore, only the original soil must be removed, since the rest is buried as the work progresses down the line.

Cutback Asphalt
Asphalt which has cutterstock petroleum distillates added to keep it liquid when temperatures are lower than optimum.

Cut End
Wallboard panel edge which exposes gypsum core.

Cut-in Box
Electrical box, which can be, place in an opening in a drywall panel and fastened by tightening the screws, which secure, to the drywall, the clamps on the side of the box. Since it does not require fastening to a stud, it is excellent for remodeling. Boxes may be fastened in several ways. Sheet metal strips are folded by the screw, which makes them project out from the side of the box. They may also have heavier gauge sheet metal attached at right angles to the walls of the box with screws that draw the plates to the front of the box. Whichever type, screws force the metal projections against the back side of the wall covering, catching the wall covering between the metal projections on the front and sides of the box to hold it in place.

Cut-in Brace
Meeting place where a section of an object is removed or notched to make room so that another object will fit flush against the surface of the first object. Studs or post fences are notched in this manner.

Cut Joints
Masonry joints that have been cut flush with a trowel.

Cut Nail
Nail, used for masonry or heavy timber, which is cut from a sheet of steel with a square or rectangular cross section shank and a blunt end.

Cut of the Varnish
Measurement of the gallons of oil mixed with 100 pounds of resin.

Cut Sheet
Surveyors sheet showing the cuts, elevations and distances of an area of land and is used during earth moving.

Cut Stake
Stake put into the ground to give information about cut locations for earth moving.

Cut Stone
Masonry units of cut and shaped stone.

Cutback
Cold process roofing adhesive that has been thinned with solvent.

Cutoff
1. Road or passage that cuts across, shortening a distance.
2. The act of stopping steam, etc. from entering the cylinder of an engine.
3. Any device for cutting off the flow of a fluid, a connection, etc.

Cutout
A design cut out of something. A notch.

Cutter Bar
1. Holding device for a cutting tool in a machine.
2. The stationary blade against which moving blades pass, making a shearing action.

Cutterstock
Distillates of petroleum that are added to asphalt for keeping it liquid at lower temperatures.

Cutting Off Tool
Also called parting tools, they are available for both wood lathes and metal lathes and are used to cut straight into the piece that is turning on a lathe to separate it from the lathe headstock. The wood lathe tool is hand held. The metal lathe tool is held in a tool holder and is advanced into the work as the work spins and cuts completely and smoothly through the work.

Cutting Torch
Electric arc or oxyacetylene torch used for cutting steel.

Cyaniding
Process where steel, which is in contact with molten cyanide salt, is heated then quenched, case-hardening it.

Cycle
1. A recurring period of a definite number of years, used as a measure of time.
2. A complete set of events recurring in the same sequence.
3. One complete period of the reversal of an alternating current from positive to negative and back again.

Cycloid
1. A curve traced by any point on the circumference, or on a radius, of a circle which rolls without slipping through one complete revolution along a straight line in a single plane.
2. Designating or having fish scales that are rounded in form with smooth edges.
3. Circular.

Cylinder
1. A solid figure described by the edge of a rectangle rotated around the parallel edge as axis; the ends of a cylinder are parallel and equal circles.
2. The chamber in which the piston moves in a reciprocating engine.
3. Pressurized container used to store or transport gases.

Cylinder Head
The closed end, usually detachable, of a cylinder in an internal-combustion engine.

Cylinder Lock
Door lock whose tumblers are enclosed in a cylinder. The tumblers are aligned with a key, allowing the lock to be turned.

Cylindrical
Cylinder shaped.

Cylindroid
Solid figure, which is cylinder, shaped.

Cyma
Molding which has both a convex and concave curve. Cyma recta is when the double curvature profile has the concave portion protruding past the convex portion. Cyma reversa has the convex portion protruding past the concave portion.

Cymatium
Top portion of a classical cornice. Topping of an entablature, which is a horizontal superstructure that is composed of architrave, frieze and cornice and supported by columns.

Cypress
Wood from a type of evergreen tree, which is weather and rot resistant.

Cypress, Red
Weather and rot resistant wood which has a fine texture and beautiful grain pattern.