Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CA-LES'CENCE, n. [L. calesco.]

Growing warmth; growing heat.

CALF, n. [c'aff, plur. calves, pron. c'avz. Sax. cealf; Sw. kalf; Dan. kalv; D. kalf; and the verb kalven, to calve, to vomit; G. kalb; kalben. The primary sense is issue, from throwing out. Hence the word is applied to the protuberant part of the leg, a push, a swell.]

1. The young of the cow, or of the bovine genus of quadrupeds.
2. In contempt, a dolt; an ignorant, stupid person; a weak or cowardly man. – Drayton.
3. The thick fleshy part of the leg behind, so called from its protuberance. – Wiseman.
4. The calves of the lips, in Hosea, signify the pure offerings of prayer, praise and thanksgiving. – Brown.

CALF'-LIKE, a.

Resembling a calf. – Shak.

CALF'-SKIN, n.

The hide or skin of a calf; or leather made of the skin.

CAL'I-BER, n. [Fr. and Sp. calibre.]

1. The diameter of a body; as, the caliber of a column, or of a bullet. – Encyc.
2. The bore of a gun, or the extent of its bore. Caliber-compasses, calibers, or callipers, a sort of compasses made with arched legs, to take the diameter of round bodies, as masts, shot, &c. The legs move on an arch of brass, on which are marked the inches and half inches, to show how far the points of the compasses are opened asunder. – Encyc. Caliber-rule, Gunner's Callipers, an instrument in which a right line is so divided as that the first part being equal to the diameter of an iron or leaden ball of one pound weight, the other parts are to the first as the diameters of balls of two, three, four, &c. pounds, are to the diameter of a ball of one pound. It is used by engineers, to determine, from ball's weight, its diameter or caliber, and vice versa. – Encyc.

CAL'ICE, n. [L. calix; Fr. calice; Sax. calic, a cup; Gr. κυλιξ. It is usually written chalice; but incorrectly.]

A cup; appropriately, a communion cup, or vessel used to administer the wine in the sacrament of the Lord's supper. It is used by the Roman Catholics in the mass.

CAL'I-CO, n. [Said to be from Calicut, in India.]

Cotton cloth. In England, white or unprinted cotton cloth is called calico. In the United States, calico is printed cotton cloth, having not more than two colors. I have never heard this name give to the unprinted cloth. Calico was originally imported from India, but is now manufactured in Europe and the United States.

CAL'I-CO-PRINT-ER, n.

One whose occupation is to print calicoes.

CAL'ID, a. [L. calidus, from caleo, to be hot.]

Hot; burning; ardent. – Johnson.

CA-LID'I-TY, n.

Heat. – Brown.

CAL'I-DUCT, n. [L. caleo, to be hot, calor, heat, and duco, to lead.]

A pipe or canal used to convey hot air or steam, from a furnace to the apartments of a house.

CA'LIF, n. [Written also caliph and kalif. From Ar. خَلَفَ calafa, to succeed. Hence a calif is a successor, a title given to the successors of Mohammed.]

A successor or vicar; a representative of Mohammed, bearing the same relation to him as the Pope pretends to bear to St. Peter. Among the Saracens, or Mohammedans, a calif is one who is vested with supreme dignity and power in all matters relating to religion and civil policy. This title is borne by the Grand Signior in Turkey, and by the Sophi of Persia. – Encyc.

CAL'IF-ATE, or CAL'I-PH-ATE, n. [or KAL'IF-ATE.]

The office or dignity of a calif; or the government of a calif. – Harris.

CAL-I-GA'TION, n. [L. caligatio, dimness, from caligo, to be dark.]

Darkness; dimness; cloudiness. In medical authors, caligation or caligo, is an opakeness or cloudiness of the anterior surface of the crystalline lens, causing dimness of sight; impaired sight from obstruction to the passage of light, or cataract. – Coxe. Encyc.

CA-LIG'IN-OUS, a.

Dim; obscure; dark.

CA-LIG'I-NOUS-LY, adv.

Obscurely.

CA-LIG'IN-OUS-NESS, n.

Dimness; obscurity.

CAL-I-GRAPH'IC, a. [Infra.]

Pertaining to elegant penmanship. – Warton.

CA-LIG'RA-PHIST, n.

An elegant penman.

CA-LIG'RA-PHY, n. [Gr. καλος, fair, and γραφω, to write; καλλιγραφια.]

Fair or elegant writing, or penmanship. – Prideaux.

CA'LIN, n.

A compound metal, of which the Chinese make tea canisters and the like. The ingredients seem to be lead and tin. – Encyc.

CAL'IPASH, or CAL'I-PEE, n.

Terms in cookery.

CAL-IS-THEN'IC, a.

Pertaining to calisthenics.

CAL-IS-THEN'ICS, n. [Gr. καλος, beautiful, and σθενος, strength.]

The art, science or practice of healthful exercise of the body and limbs, to promote strength and graceful movement.

CAL'I-VER, n. [from caliber.]

A kind of hand-gun, musket or arquebuse. – Shak.