— cascader , n.
/kas kayd"/ , n. , v. , cascaded, cascading .
n.
1. a waterfall descending over a steep, rocky surface.
2. a series of shallow or steplike waterfalls, either natural or artificial.
3. anything that resembles a waterfall, esp. in seeming to flow or fall in abundance: a cascade of roses covering the wall.
4. (in a drain or sewer) a chain of steps for dissipating the momentum of falling water in a steep place in order to maintain a steady rate of flow.
5. an arrangement of a lightweight fabric in folds falling one over another in random or zigzag fashion.
6. a type of firework resembling a waterfall in effect.
7. Chem. a series of vessels, from each of which a fluid successively overflows to the next, thus presenting a large absorbing surface, as to a gas.
8. Elect. an arrangement of component devices, as electrolytic cells, each of which feeds into the next in succession.
9. Biochem. a series of reactions catalyzed by enzymes that are activated sequentially by successive products of the reactions, resulting in an amplification of the initial response.
v.i.
10. to fall in or like a cascade.
v.t.
11. to cause to fall in a cascade.
12. Elect. to arrange (components) in a cascade.
[ 1635-45; cascata, equiv. to casc ( are ) to fall ( casicare, equiv. to cas ( us ) fallen (ptp. of cadere ) + -ica- formative v. suffix + -re inf. ending) + -ata -ADE 1 ]