CABLE LOOP:
an implement made of cable or wire coated with plastic or leather in the form of a loop.  Used for striking. Considered to be a high impact implement.  It leaves a mark similar to a cane and can cause serious bruising with little force.  If not used carefully, it can easily bruise vital organs such as kidneys.  A strike against the tail bone can cause damage to a person's spine.  Great care should be given to the use of these types of devices.

See related BEATER.





CABLE TIE:
more commonly known as a zip tie, a flexible nylon thin notched strap, that threads through a small locking mechanism.  Cable ties can be used with other cable ties to increase desired length.  Large double zip ties, known as plasticuffs, are used by police in place of handcuffs for riot control.  Cable ties are sometimes used as a restraint in BDSM activities.  There is no way of unlocking a cable tie and it is recommended that a dominant always have a pair of EMT scissors nearby while using this sort of restraint.

See also PLASTICUFFS.





CAGE:
could refer to either a bondage cage or a chastity cage.

See BONDAGE CAGE or see CHASTITY CAGE.



CANDAULISM:
the sexual practice or fantasy in which a man exposes his female partner, or images of her, to other people for their voyeuristic pleasures.  Also, the practice in which a man takes enjoyment from watching his female lover engage in sex with another.

See sometimes related CUCKOLD.





CANE:
a thin, flexible instrument used to strike.  The favored material for canes is rattan but they can also be made of other flexible woods and plastic.  Some canes are made of bamboo, which only lasts a couple of strikes before splintering.  Canings leave distinctive, painful welts, sometimes referred to as wheals.  Historically, caning became the leading form of corporal punishment in the 19th century taking over popularity of the birch rod.  It was used primarily in British homes and schools to punish students for minor infractions.  In the late 18th and early 19th century, caning was a common form of domestic corporal punishment for disobedience, for both wife and child.  A heavier, more severe caning was used for judicial purposes.  In some countries the practice is still in use.  A cane that was used for corporal punishment usually looked like a walking cane with a curved handle at one end.  They had a yellowish amber color when new.  The varnish on some canes would darken over time.  Currently, there are many types of canes, with many types of handles, made from many different type materials.





CARABINER:
a D-shaped metal ring with a spring-loaded straight end, used to connect two chains or ropes together.  There are many types of carabiners used for the many different types of rigging in BDSM.





CARPET BEATER:    see BEATER.



CAT:
generic term for a flogger, or any whip with many lashes.  Most commonly refers to the cat o' nine tails flogger.

See CAT-O'-NINE.





CATFISHING:
the action of luring someone into some sort of online relationship by means of a fictional persona or facade identity.  Pretending to be someone other than yourself to con someone for financial gain or for a vindictive fulfillment.  This is common on BDSM related social networking sites due to the lure of online sexual fantasy on such sites, plus the fact that it is easier to create a fake identity on adult sites as they often provide a level of anonymity, compared to that of other social networking sites.





CATTLE PROD or STOCK PROD:
a long metal stick with electrodes at the end, much like a stun gun, used to inspire livestock to move by striking or poking them in the buttocks.  Like any electricity play, playing with cattle prods can prove to be dangerous, particularly so with a cattle prod because of the high voltage that the device admits.  It is possible to stop a person's heart or disrupt body functions and cause permanent injury or death.  It is advisable to never use a stun gun, a cattle prod, taser, or any other device that admits high voltage electricity for the purposes of BDSM play.  Despite the obvious dangers involved with this device, some choose to ignore the dangers and engage in BDSM type play using it.  Hence why it is in the glossary.  All dangerous BDSM activities or edgeplay have different levels of risk involved.  Playing with a cattle prod should be considered extremely high risk and discouraged.





CAT O' NINE or CAT O' NINE TAILS:
a specific type of flogger with nine braided lashes affixed, usually made of rope or cord, sometimes with knots at the tips.  It is designed to lacerate the skin and cause intense pain.  Historically, the cat of nine tails, nicknamed the "Captain's Daughter", was a flogger used by the British navy and through most of Europe during the 18th and 19th century.  It was used on British sailing vessels as a form of corporal punishment for any number of infractions to include court martial.  The manner in which rope back then was plaited and then unraveled into a flogger, gave it the nine falls (tails).  The knotted rope falls were often soaked in brine or seawater for an added sting and also as an antiseptic.  The wounds from the "cat" could sometimes be severe lashings.  Brine or seawater was also poured over the open wounds after a flogging, to help fight infection.  Hence the idiom "salt in the wound" meaning the added insult to injury.  Many idioms can be contributed to the cat o' nine tails, such as "there is no room in here to swing a dead cat", (meaning a broken whip).  There were many variations of the cat, most common being that with a wooden handle and nine knotted cords. There was also a more elementary version created by tying rope into a handle leaving loose ends for knotted falls.  After punishment, the cat o' nine tails was often soaked in blood from the wounds that it inflicted.  The blood-soaked flogger was sometimes simply tossed overboard, and a new rope flogger was then tied up for the next time punishment was to be handed out.  The special knots on the falls are called blood knots or barrel knots, tied in such a way so that the rope travels in a straight line before and after the knot.  The cat was also a widely used implement for punishment on land as well.  There were many different types of rope floggers used in many prisons, homes, schools, government buildings, and churches.  A smaller version that used thinner cord was used by priests and monks for self-flagellation.  Catholics in some South American countries used a heavier version of the rope flogger called a Cuerda (Spanish for rope).  Some cats were also made from fine strips of leather that were twisted and braided to make a rope.





CATHERINE'S WHEEL:
a large, upright wooden wheel attached to a wall or frame.  A person may be bound to the wheel and then rotated into position for flagellation.  Also used to spin a person enough times for her/him to become disoriented.  The original Catherine's wheel was a device used in the Middle Ages for torture, also known as a breaking wheel, which often included attached spikes.





CATHETER:
a tube designed to be inserted into the urethra.





CBT:    see COCK AND BALL TORTURE.



CELL POPPING:   see DEVIL'S FIRE.



CHASTITY:
the practice of a dominant disallowing a submissive sexual activity or sexual release.  It is the practice of refraining from sexual penetration, usually imposed by another.



CHASTITY BELT:
any device used to prohibit the wearer from having sexual intercourse.  It is worn in place of underwear with a lockable harness that keeps the vagina or anus from being penetrated.  Early medieval chastity belts were made of metal; however, historians have recently argued whether or not such a device ever actually existed or if it was merely erotic lore.  Either way, the concept of chastity bondage is very popular today.





CHASTITY CAGE or COCK CAGE:
a common male chastity device, that is placed around the penis and locked, designed to prevent the penis from becoming erect and achieving orgasm.  Though most chastity devices are designed to disallow a submissive sexual activity entirely, chastity cages are often used in conjunction with anal sex, (the male in the chastity device being the receiver).  Male chastity devices are usually made of metal or durable plastic.   Some come with plastic locks so that the wearer can safely go through metal detectors.   Male chastity devices are often used for humiliation play.

See related GATES OF HELL.





CHASTITY PIERCING:
any piercing that temporarily prohibits the wearer from having sexual contact or intercourse.





CHEMICAL PLAY:
any form of play involving mild irritants as a form of torture, such as rubbing heated menthol cream onto the testicles or nipples.





CHICKEN PLAY or COCK AND HEN PLAY:
a form of animalism in which participants take on roles that resemble chickens and/or chicken-like behavior.  Said to be related to the fertility and harvest ritual in Luxembourg that dates back to the 16th century.  Those who engage in chicken play put on elaborate chicken themed play parties, called hen house parties.



CHICKENHAWK:
a slang term for a gay male who seeks out very young gay males.  Outside of BDSM circles, the term chickenhawk is also a derogatory term for a pedophile.



CHDW (Pronounced CHUD-WA):
a derogatory term for a dominant with little or no real-world experience in BDSM who behaves recklessly.  A person who engages in BDSM for the sole purpose of finding sexual partners but has no real interest in BDSM.  An acronym meaning clueless horny dom wannabe.



CHILD PLAY:   see AGE PLAY.



CILICE:
a spiked (tined) chain worn around the thigh or sometimes around the neck, producing discomfort and pain to the wearer.  It is said to have originated by a Catholic sect called the Opus Dei, in which they would wear the device two hours per day except on the Sabbath, to remind them of the suffering of Christ at the crucifixion and as punishment for 'sins of the flesh'.  The original term cilice was for a coarse cloth or animal hair shirt that caused skin irritations, worn by some religious sects as a sign of atonement or repentance for a sin.  Today the term is more often used for the metal device used in BDSM activities.





CINCHER:
a tight corset, shorter than a regular corset, that wraps primarily around the wearer's waist.  Usually an under-the-bust corset that exposes the breasts.

See related CORSET.





CITRUS II:
a hospital germicidal deodorizing cleaner found in most medical supply stores.  The cleaner kills most germs and viruses to include HIV and is safe to use on most dungeon equipment without fear of bleaching.



CLEAVE GAG:
a cloth gag that is pulled between the teeth and firmly tied behind the head.  Often not a very effective gag for silencing a person.





CLOTHESPIN:
a wooden or plastic clip for securing clothes to a clothesline, used to pinch a person's skin in BDSM play.





CLOVER CLAMP:
a nipple clamp that increases the pressure on the nipple when the attached chain or string is pulled.





CLUB DOM:
a derogatory term for a dominant who plays at fetish clubs or play parties and concerns him/herself primarily with his/her popularity in the BDSM community.  A dominant, usually with little experience, who plays in public and is preoccupied with his/her appearance and performance, rather than concentrating on the needs and safety of the submissive he/she is playing with.  Similar in meaning to a chud-wa.

See CHDW.



CLUB DOMME:   see CLUB DOM.



COACHWHIP:   see BUGGY WHIP.



COCK AND BALL TORTURE or CBT:
any torture inflicted on the penis and/or testicles.





COCK BONDAGE:
any form of restraining the penis.





COCK CAGE:   see CHASTITY CAGE.





COCK DOCKING:
the act between two males, placing the heads of their penises together.  Penis touching penis. Often the term refers to one penis touching the head of a partner's uncircumcised penis, and then rolling the foreskin over the other penis.  Sometimes called gay docking, foreskin docking, dry docking, or hard docking.  The term dry docking or hard docking is also sometimes used to mean rough sexual intercourse without proper lubrication.

See DRY DOCKING or HARD DOCKING.





COCK FIGHTING:
an uncommon practice in which a person or persons, usually one or more female dominants, forces two male submissives to engage in a wrestling match with each other, while they are naked and covered in a lubricant such as petroleum jelly.  The goal of the match is for the submissives to try and penetrate one another's anus.  The winner of the match is the male submissive that overpowers the other, sodomizing him.  The winner then gains favors with his dominant, while the loser receives punishment.  This practice is sometimes achieved by giving both male submissives sex aid-drugs such as sildenafil citrate (Viagra).   Giving a person any drug that is not prescribed by a licensed physician is extremely dangerous and illegal.



COCK RING:
a rubber or metal ring affixed around the base of the penis, used to allow blood to travel into the penis while constricting blood flow out of the penis, thus keeping it erect.  Some cock rings have a leather strap or drawstring mechanism.





COCK WORSHIP:
the practice of body worship with the focus on the male sex organ of the dominant; a practice through which the submissive is to worship the dominant usually by performing oral sex on him.





CO-DOM:
a dominant who acts as a partner to another dominant in a play session.



CODE WORD:   see SAFEWORD.



COFFIN:
a bondage box, shaped like a coffin, that a person can be locked inside of.  Often the box will have openings so that a dominant has access to certain body parts.





COLLAR or SLAVE COLLAR:
a strap made of leather or metal and worn around the neck as a symbol of submission or lifetime commitment to BDSM slavery.  Often it has an O-ring where a lead can be attached, and sometimes it has a locking device so that it cannot easily be removed.  There are all sorts of collars, from those similar to what you would find at a pet store to collars resembling historic slave rings.  The slave collar is a symbol of a lifestyle commitment, of a long-term relationship between a dominant and a submissive.  However, the collar is sometimes also worn merely as decoration, or a symbol that the wearer has an interest in BDSM as a submissive.





COLLAR PROTOCOL:
a term for the common etiquette in the BDSM community that a person who is collared should not be approached by another person, especially another dominant, without first gaining permission from the master.  To do so is considered disrespectful and rude.



COLLAR TRAINING:
a period when a dominant trains his/her submissive to wear a collar, often a period in which the dominant is considering the relationship, to establish protocols and train the submissive to serve the dominant.

See related TRAINING COLLAR.



COLLARED:
the state of being engaged in a long-term BDSM relationship as a submissive to a dominant.  A term used for a slave to a master/mistress.





COLLARING CEREMONY:
a formal ceremony celebrating the long-term commitment made between a dominant and submissive.  Similar to a wedding.  Often a celebration marking the beginning of a TPE relationship.

See related TOTAL POWER EXCHANGE.



COMMUNITY:    see BDSM COMMUNITY.



CONDITIONING:
the term for the deliberate process of creating a psychological link between a desired response and an unrelated stimuli.  It is also a term for training a submissive to respond in a way desired by her/his dominant.



CONDOM or PROPHYLACTIC:
a thin latex sheath used as a barrier during sex to help prevent the transmission of STIs.  It is considered good practice to use condoms on toys that are used with more than one partner.  Condoms are also made of other materials for those with latex allergies.



CONSENT:
permission for something to happen or agreement to do something.  In a BDSM context, consent is when a submissive freely gives permission to conditions and actions of a play session, without coercion or duress.  The difference between all activities involving BDSM/sexual activities and abuse is the presence or absence of affirmative consent.  Informed consent is an essential component in all BDSM play.  Without complete consent from the submissive, such activities are considered both physically and mentally abusive.

See related INFORMED CONSENT.



CONSENT CONTRACT
(PLAY SESSION CONTRACT OF CONSENT):
a contract between parties regarding a pending BDSM play session where it is clearly written out what will be permissible and what will not during the session.  Though not legally binding the contract serves to show intent.

For an example of a play session contract of consent, CLICK HERE.

See related CONTRACT (SLAVE CONTRACT).



CONSENSUAL NON-CONSENT (CNC) ROLE-PLAY:
a situation in which the submissive knowingly and completely voluntarily gives up the ability to prevent the dominant from doing whatever the dominant wishes to do, within established strict guidelines.  The guidelines often include hard limits that are put in place to limit the dominant’s given power.  Though the given power seems limitless beyond the guidelines, in actuality, established safewords further ensure that the role-play does not cross an unforeseen boundary.  Considered to be a very dangerous form of edgeplay.

See related or contrast depending on your view INFORMED CONSENT.



CONSENSUAL NON-CONSENT (CNC) RELATIONSHIP:
usually refers to a 24/7 TPE relationship (master/slave play) that has an ongoing power exchange structure in which the submissive completely voluntarily gives up the ability to prevent the dominant in the relationship from doing whatever the dominant wishes to do, within established strict guidelines.  The guidelines often include hard limits that are put in place to limit the dominant’s given power.  Though the given power seems limitless beyond the guidelines, in actuality, the submissive should maintain the ability to end the relationship at any time, which ensures that the relationship remains consensual.  This is considered to be the utmost perilous form of BDSM relationships and considered an extremely psychologically risky form of edgeplay.

See related or contrast depending on your view INFORMED CONSENT and TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN (24/7) TPE.



CONTRACT 24/7
(SLAVE CONTRACT or SERVICE CONTRACT):
also known as a slave contract; a written agreement between a dominant and submissive, negotiating guidelines in regard to activities in a BDSM relationship.  A way of establishing rules, hard limits, and the individual roles participants are to play in a relationship.  A written contract can sometimes help prevent BDSM relationships from becoming physically or mentally abusive.  These contracts are not legally binding or enforceable.  They do little to help protect a dominant from charges of abuse, should such contracts be brought into the courtroom.  A submissive should still report anything she/he considers abusive.  The contract is a useful tool for outlining what is acceptable and unacceptable in a BDSM relationship and shows a measure of intent.  The contract does not release participants from basic human rights and human decency.   

For an example of a BDSM slave contract, CLICK HERE.

In recent times contracts have also been drawn up for only one single play session, known as a consent contract.

See related CONSENT CONTRACT.



CONTRAPOLAR STIMULATION:
any form of stimulation where both pain and pleasure are administered simultaneously.  "It hurts so good."  

Sometimes confused with the related term ALGOLAGNIA.





CORPORAL PUNISHMENT:
any physical punishment, such as spanking, caning, or flogging.





CORSET:
a Victorian-style clothing piece, often made of leather, PVC, or strong vinyl, worn around the waist, and cinched tight with laces in the back and/or sides.  Often with rigid vertical strips called boning.  The corset is meant to narrow the waist and lift the breasts, creating an unrealistic form of the female body.





CORSET COLLAR:
a collar that cinches up with laces (much like a corset) rather than a buckle.  Corset collars should never be laced up so tight that they restrict a person's breathing.





CORSET PIERCING:
a form of piercing play where needles or rings are pierced into the skin, and then decorative laces are placed in a pattern that is reminiscent of the lacing of a corset.  Sometimes referred to as piercing lacing.





CO-TOP:   see CO-DOM.



COUNTING or COUNTING GAMES:
the psychological practice in which a dominant commands that the submissive count out each strike during play.



CPR:
cardiopulmonary resuscitation.  Classes can be taken online for a minimal fee to certify a person in CPR.  It is always good practice to be prepared in the event something should go wrong during BDSM play.



CRACKER:
also known as a popper; a short piece of cord or heavy string at the end of a whip that makes a loud cracking sound when the whip is snapped.  The cracker is the very tip of the whip that moves faster than the speed of sound, creating a small sonic boom, hence the cracking sound.





CRASH:
a sudden feeling of depression or unhappiness immediately following a BDSM session or activity.

See BOTTOM DROP.



CROP or RIDING CROP:
a thin, flexible tool used for striking, often made of fiberglass rod.  The tip of the crop has a small strap or piece of leather.  The crop was originally created for striking a horse's hide.





CROSS:   see ST. ANDREW'S CROSS.



CROSS CUFFS or CROSSCUFFS:
wrist cuffs that hold one hand on top of the other in a crossed fashion.





CROSS DRESSING:
the act of wearing clothing and other adornments associated with the opposite sex.



CROSS DRESSER:
a person who engages in cross dressing.

See related TRANSVESTITE and See related TRANSGENDER.



CTC or CALL TIME CONFUSION:
refers to the confusion that may happen when something goes wrong during play, in the context of when one should call for help.  The philosophy is that if a person is in a situation where he/she finds him/herself contemplating seeking medical attention, then by default, at that moment it is definitely time to seek medical attention.  As soon as you are confused, take no chances, and call for help.



CUCKOLD or CUCK:
a man with an adulterous wife.  In BDSM it refers to the fetish of a man who takes sexual pleasure from his female partner to have sex with other men, as a means to feel humiliation.



CUCKOLDRY:
the act of making someone a cuckold; the state or quality of being a cuckold.  Refers to the act of a dominant female having sex with other partners as a way to humiliate the submissive male.  Sometimes a form of punishment, where the submissive male must watch the female dominant enjoy the company of another.  Example: a submissive husband was made to watch his dominant wife have sexual intercourse with other men.  The term cuckold originates from the Cuckoo bird which often lays its eggs in the nest of other birds.  The original term was used as a derogatory name for any man with an adulterous wife.  The term now generally refers to the sexual fetish of the same name, in which a male gains sexual gratification from his female partner having sex with other males.  The term is also now erroneously used to refer to any male and female couple who enjoy having the female partner engage in sex and/or sexual acts with other males, often without any sort of humiliation play involved.  Sometimes a dominant male will encourage his submissive female to have sex with other men and they use the term cuckoldry to describe their relations.  However, this is thought to be an inaccurate use of the term.  Many argue that true cuckoldry must have an element of humiliation play and that without the element of humiliation it is instead referred to as merely swinging.  The swinger term for a male that enjoys sharing his partner with other males without any humiliation attached to the act is referred to as a stag.  To add even more confusion to how the term cuckoldry is used, in recent times it is sometimes used by some porn sites and some online BDSM social networking sites to describe any sex with multiple people, to include a female who enjoys her male partner to have sexual relations with other women.  The fetish of a male partner humiliating the female partner by having sex with other woman outside of the relationship, is sometimes referred to as cuckqueanry.

See related contrast CUCKQUEAN and see related contrast STAG.



CUCKQUEAN:
the gender opposite of a cuckold.  A woman with an adulterous husband.  In BDSM it refers to the fetish of a woman who takes sexual pleasure from her male partner to have sex with other women, as a means to feel humiliation.  Not to be confused with cuckqueen, which has a different spelling and different meaning all together.



CUCKQUEEN:
refers to a woman who enjoys making her male partner a cuckold by her engaging in sexual relations with other men.  Though the term cuckqueen actually refers to an adulterous female, it has been erroneously used by many porn sites and online social networking sites to describe a cuckquean, which has a different spelling and different meaning all together.  A cuckqueen is also sometimes referred to as a vixen or hotwife.



CUFFS:
any restraint that binds a person by immobilizing her/his limb(s).

See WRIST CUFFS or see ANKLE CUFFS.





CUNNILINGUS:
stimulation of the female genitals using the tongue or lips.  Oral sex performed on a female.





CUPPING or FIRE CUPPING:
a type of sensation play involving the use of small glass cups.  The cups are placed over the skin and the air inside the cups is evacuated, creating a small semi-vacuum.  In some cultures, cupping is an ancient form of alternative medicine, practiced for thousands of years.  It is believed to promote healing by mobilizing blood flow.  Historically, a flame was placed inside the cup, removed, and the cup was then very quickly placed onto a person’s skin.  The flame ate up all the oxygen under the cup, thus creating the semi-vacuum effect.  Modern cups, called vacuum cups, do not use fire, but instead have valves and tubing attached to the top where a pump can be attached.  The semi-vacuum inside the cup sucks the skin into the cup and can be strong enough to create pain and/or bleeding, leaving a distinct, ring-shaped bruise.





CUTTING:
in relation to BDSM, cutting is any act in which a person cuts the skin of another or him/herself for the purposes of sexual gratification.  When a person has an uncontrollable compulsion to cut him/herself, it is considered a mental disorder that should be taken seriously.

See related SCARIFICATION, BODY MODIFICATION and KNIFE PLAY.



CVT:
an uncommon acronym for clitoris and vagina torture.  The opposite of cock and ball torture.  Women having the same urges that some men do in regard to having their genitals tortured is also considered rare.










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