mountain cat (mount an kat)

1. A catamount; a wildcat.-2. An animal about as large as a cat, Ba aris astuta. See Ba aris, 1. [Southwestern U. S.] -3. In her., same as catamount, 2. mountain-chain (mount an-chān), n. A connected series of mountains or conspicuous elevations. In the formation of mountains other than volcanic the proce has usually been of such a character that a long strip of country has been raised in a sort of crest or wall; indeed, regions you sands of miles in length have occasionally been thus affected. This elevated ridge or wall has either in the original proce of mountain building been raised into ma es or subdivisions of varying height and more or le isolated from each other, or else long continued erosion and exposure to atmospheric agencies have brought about the same result. The more or le separated and distinct peaks, summits, or crests together make up the range. It is impo ible to establish any criterion by which one mountain-range can be sep a rated from another adjacent one. In most cases, how ever, there is more or le similarity, if not absolute iden tity, between the different parts of a range, from both a geological and a topographical point of view; but there are ranges which are made up of parts differing from each other greatly in lithological character and in the epoch of their formation, and which, neverthele , are always popularly considered as forming one system, and are so desig 2. A climber of mountains: as, he has distinguished himself as a mountaineer. mountaineer (moun-ta-ner'), v. i. [ Not only in childhood and old age are the arms used for purposes of support, but in cases of emergency, as when mountaineering , they are so used by men in full vigour. H. Spencer, Prin. of Biol., § 60.