cali

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The process of estimating the caliber a tube, as of a thermometer tube, in order to graduate it to a scale of degrees; also, more generally, the determination of the true value of the spaces in any graduated instrument. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } 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. qālib model, mold. Cf. Calipers, Calivere. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

The caliber of empty tubes. Reid. [ 1913 Webster ]

A battery composed of three guns of small caliber. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The diameter of round or cylindrical body, as of a bullet or column. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Fig.: Capacity or compass of mind. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Calice. ] See Chalice. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a deposit of sand or clay on the surface containing crystallized salts such as sodium chloride or sodium nitrate; -- used especially of the sodium nitrate deposits of Chile and Peru. RHUD [ PJC ]

2. a stratum of calcium carbonate in the soil of an arid or semiarid region. [ PJC ]

adj. covered with caliche{ 2 }, a hard calcium-carbonate encrusted soil. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. caliculus a small cup, dim. of calicis, a cup. Cf Calycle. ] (Zool.) (a) One of the small cuplike cavities, often with elevated borders, covering the surface of most corals. Each is formed by a polyp. (b) One of the cuplike structures inclosing the zooids of certain hydroids. See Campanularian. [ Written also calycle. See Calycle. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Calicoes [ So called because first imported from Calicut, in the East Indies: cf. F. calicot. ] 1. Plain white cloth made from cotton, but which receives distinctive names according to quality and use, as, super calicoes, shirting calicoes, unbleached calicoes, etc. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The importation of printed or stained colicoes appears to have been coeval with the establishment of the East India Company. Beck (Draper's Dict. ). [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Cotton cloth printed with a figured pattern. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In the United States the term calico is applied only to the printed fabric. [ 1913 Webster ]

Calico bass (Zool.), an edible, fresh-water fish (Pomoxys sparaides) of the rivers and lake of the Western United States (esp. of the Misissippi valley.), allied to the sunfishes, and so called from its variegated colors; -- called also calicoback, grass bass, strawberry bass, barfish, and bitterhead. --
Calico printing, the art or process of impressing the figured patterns on calico. [ 1913 Webster ]