a. [ad. F. carieux (16th c. in Paré), or L. cariōs-us, f. cariēs: see -OUS.]
1. Pathol. Of bones, teeth, etc.: Affected with caries, decayed.
1676. Wiseman, Chirurg. Treat., IV. iv. 309. Finding the Bone carious.
1789. W. Buchan, Dom. Med., 357. A rotten or carious tooth.
1831. Youatt, Horse, viii. (1847), 202. Carious or hollow teeth are occasionally … seen.
2. transf. Decayed; rotten with dry rot.
1530. Test. Ebor. (Surtees), 295. My cariouse bodye to be beride in the Trenyte qweir.
1832. Veg. Subst. Food, 49. The … carious grains are … often housed with the sound grain.
1842. Blackw. Mag., LI. 286. Fire racing along the old carious timbers.
1848. Ruskin, Mod. Paint., I. Pref. 37. The earth yields and crumbles beneath his foot … for its substance is white, hollow, and carious.
Hence Cariousness.
1818. Art Preserv. Feet, 116. A cariousness which has rendered the amputation of one or more toes … necessary.
