a steep fall of water from a higher into a lower place. The word is French, being formed from the Italian cascata, which has the same signification, being the participle of cascare, to fall, which again is derived from the Latin cadere.

Cascades are either natural, as that at Tivoli, or artificial, as those of Versailles: they either fall with a gentle descent, as those of Sceaux; or in form of a buffet, as at Trianon; or down steps, in form of a perron, as at St Cloud; or from basin to basin, as those in many places that might be mentioned.