Calescence
(Ca*les"cence) n. [L. calescens, p. pr. of calescere, incho. of calere to be warm.] Growing
warmth; increasing heat.
Calf
(Calf) n.; pl. Calves [OE. calf, kelf, AS. cealf; akin to D. kalf, G. kalb, Icel. kalfr, Sw. kalf,
Dan. kalv, Goth. kalbo; cf. Skr. garbha fetus, young, Gr. Skr grabh to seize, conceive, Ir. colpa,
colpach, a calf. &radic222.]
1. The young of the cow, or of the Bovine family of quadrupeds. Also, the young of some other mammals,
as of the elephant, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, and whale.
2. Leather made of the skin of the calf; especially, a fine, light-colored leather used in bookbinding; as, to
bind books in calf.
3. An awkward or silly boy or young man; any silly person; a dolt. [Colloq.]
Some silly, doting, brainless calf.
Drayton.
4. A small island near a larger; as, the Calf of Man.
5. A small mass of ice set free from the submerged part of a glacier or berg, and rising to the surface.
Kane.
6. [Cf. Icel. kalfi.] The fleshy hinder part of the leg below the knee.
Calf's-foot jelly, jelly made from the feet of calves. The gelatinous matter of the feet is extracted by
boiling, and is flavored with sugar, essences, etc.
Calfskin
(Calf"skin`) n. The hide or skin of a calf; or leather made of the skin.
Cali
(||Ca"li) n. (Hindoo Myth.) The tenth avatar or incarnation of the god Vishnu. [Written also Kali.]
Caliber
(Cal"i*ber, Cal"ibre) n. [F. calibre, perh. fr. L. qualibra of what pound, of what weight; hence,
of what size, applied first to a ball or bullet; cf. also Ar. qalib model, mold. Cf. Calipers, Calivere.]
1. (Gunnery) The diameter of the bore, as a cannon or other firearm, or of any tube; or the weight or
size of the projectile which a firearm will carry; as, an 8 inch gun, a 12-pounder, a 44 caliber.
The caliber of empty tubes.
Reid.
A battery composed of three guns of small caliber.
Prescott.
The caliber of firearms is expressed in various ways. Cannon are often designated by the weight of a
solid spherical shot that will fit the bore; as, a 12-pounder; pieces of ordnance that project shell or hollow
shot are designated by the diameter of their bore; as, a 12 inch mortar or a 14 inch shell gun; small arms
are designated by hundredths of an inch expressed decimally; as, a rifle of .44 inch caliber.
2. The diameter of round or cylindrical body, as of a bullet or column.
3. Fig.: Capacity or compass of mind. Burke.
Caliber compasses. See Calipers. — Caliber rule, a gunner's calipers, an instrument having two
scales arranged to determine a ball's weight from its diameter, and conversely. — A ship's caliber,
the weight of her armament.
Calibrate
(Cal"i*brate) v. i. To ascertain the caliber of, as of a thermometer tube; also, more generally,
to determine or rectify the graduation of, as of the various standards or graduated instruments.
