Calabash Cal"a·bash (kăl"ȧ*băsh) noun [ Spanish calabaza , or Portuguese calabaça , cabaça (cf. French Calebasse ), lit., a dry gourd, from Arabic qar' , fem., a kind of gourd + aibas dry.] 1. The common gourd (plant or fruit).

2. The fruit of the calabash tree.

3. A water dipper, bottle, bascket, or other utensil, made from the dry shell of a calabash or gourd.

Calabash tree . (Botany) , a tree of tropical America ( Crescentia cujete ), producing a large gourdlike fruit, containing a purgative pulp. Its hard shell, after the removal of the pulp, is used for cups, bottles, etc. The African calabash tree is the baobab.

Calaboose Cal`a·boose" noun [ A corruption of Spanish calabozo dungeon.] A prison; a jail. [ Local, U. S.]

Calabozo Ca`la·bo"zo noun [ Spanish ] A jail. See Calaboose .

Calade Ca·lade" noun [ French] A slope or declivity in a manege ground down which a horse is made to gallop, to give suppleness to his haunches.

Caladium Ca·la"di·um noun [ New Latin ] A genus of aroideous plants, of which some species are cultivated for their immense leaves (which are often curiously blotched with white and red), and others (in Polynesia) for food.

Calaite Cal"a·ite (kăl`a*īt) noun [ Latin callaïs , Greek ka`lai:s , ka`llai:s ; confer French calaïte .] A mineral. See Turquoise .

Calamanco Cal`a·man"co (kăl`ȧ*măn"ko) noun [ Late Latin calamancus , calamacus ; confer camelaucum ; a head covering made of camel's hair, NGr. kamelay`kion , and French calmande a woolen stuff.] A glossy woolen stuff, plain, striped, or checked. "A gay calamanco waistcoat." Tatler.

Calamander wood Cal"a·man`der wood (kăl"ȧ*măn`dẽr wod`). A valuable furniture wood from India and Ceylon, of a hazel-brown color, with black stripes, very hard in texture. It is a species of ebony, and is obtained from the Diospyros quæsita . Called also Coromandel wood .

Calamar Cal"a·mar (kăl"ȧ*mär), Cal"a*ma*ry (-ma*rȳr) noun [ Late Latin calamarium inkstand, from Latin calamus a reed pen: confer French calmar , calemar , pen case, calamar.] (Zoology) A cephalopod, belonging to the genus Loligo and related genera. There are many species. They have a sack of inklike fluid which they discharge from the siphon tube, when pursued or alarmed, in order to confuse their enemies. Their shell is a thin horny plate, within the flesh of the back, shaped very much like a quill pen. In America they are called squids . See Squid .

Calambac Cal"am·bac (kăl"ăm*băk) noun [ French calambac , calambour , from Malay Kalambaq a king of fragrant wood.] (Botany) A fragrant wood; agalloch.

Calambour Cal"am·bour (kăl"ăm*bōr) noun [ See Calambac .] A species of agalloch, or aloes wood, of a dusky or mottled color, of a light, friable texture, and less fragrant than calambac; -- used by cabinetmakers.

Calamiferous Cal`a·mif"er·ous adjective [ Latin calamus reed + ferous .] Producing reeds; reedy.

Calamine Cal"a·mine (kăl"ȧ*mīn or - mĭn) noun [ French calamine , Late Latin calamina , from Latin Cadmia . See Cadmia .] (min.) A mineral, the hydrous silicate of zinc.

» The name was formerly applied to both the carbonate and silicate of zinc each of which is valuabic as an ore; but it is now usually restricted to the latter, the former being called smithsonite .

Calamint Cal"a·mint (-mĭnt) noun [ Middle English calamint , calemente (cf. French calament ) from Latin calamintha , Greek kalami`nqh , kala`minqos . See 1st Mint .] (Botany) A genus of perennial plants ( Calamintha ) of the Mint family, esp. the C. Nepeta and C. Acinos , which are called also basil thyme .

Calamist Cal"a·mist (-mĭst) noun [ Latin calamus a reed.] One who plays upon a reed or pipe. [ Obsolete] Blount.

Calamistrate Cal`a·mis"trate (-mĭs"trāt) intransitive verb [ Latin calamistratus , curled with the curling iron, from calamistrum curling iron, from calamus a reed.] To curl or friz, as the hair. [ Obsolete] Cotgrave.

Calamistration Cal`a·mis·tra"tion (kăl`ȧ*mĭs*trā"shŭn) noun The act or process of curling the hair. [ Obsolete] Burton.

Calamistrum Cal`a·mis"trum noun [ Latin , a curling iron.] (Zoology) A comblike structure on the metatarsus of the hind legs of certain spiders ( Ciniflonidæ ), used to curl certain fibers in the construction of their webs.

Calamite Cal"a·mite noun [ Latin calamus a reed: confer French calamite .] (Paleon.) A fossil plant of the coal formation, having the general form of plants of the modern Equiseta (the Horsetail or Scouring Rush family) but sometimes attaining the height of trees, and having the stem more or less woody within. See Acrogen , and Asterophyllite .

Calamitous Ca·lam"i·tous adjective [ Latin Calamitosus ; confer French calamiteux .]

1. Suffering calamity; wretched; miserable. [ Obsolete]

Ten thousands of calamitous persons.
South.

2. Producing, or attended with distress and misery; making wretched; wretched; unhappy. "This sad and calamitous condition." South. "A calamitous prison" Milton.

Syn. -- Miserable; deplorable; distressful; afflictive; wretched; grievous; baleful; disastrous; adverse; unhappy; severe; sad; unfortunate.

-- Ca*lam"i*tous*ly , adverb -- Ca*lam"i*tous*ness , noun

Calamity Ca·lam"i·ty noun ; plural Calamities . [ Latin calamitas , akin to in- columis unharmed: confer French calamité ] 1. Any great misfortune or cause of misery; -- generally applied to events or disasters which produce extensive evil, either to communities or individuals.

The word calamity was first derived from calamus when the corn could not get out of the stalk. Bacon.

Strokes of calamity that scathe and scorch the soul.
W. Irving.

2. A state or time of distress or misfortune; misery.

The deliberations of calamity are rarely wise.
Burke.

Where'er I came I brought calamity .
Tennyson.

Syn. -- Disaster; distress; affliction; adversity; misfortune; unhappiness; infelicity; mishap; mischance; misery; evil; extremity; exigency; downfall. -- Calamity , Disaster , Misfortune , Mishap , Mischance . Of these words, calamity is the strongest. It supposes a somewhat continuous state, produced not usually by the direct agency of man, but by natural causes, such as fire, flood, tempest, disease, etc, Disaster denotes literally ill-starred , and is some unforeseen and distressing event which comes suddenly upon us, as if from hostile planet. Misfortune is often due to no specific cause; it is simply the bad fortune of an individual; a link in the chain of events; an evil independent of his own conduct, and not to be charged as a fault. Mischance and mishap are misfortunes of a trivial nature, occurring usually to individuals. "A calamity is either public or private, but more frequently the former; a disaster is rather particular than private; it affects things rather than persons; journey, expedition, and military movements are often attended with disasters ; misfortunes are usually personal; they immediately affect the interests of the individual." Crabb.

Calamus Cal"a·mus noun ; plural Calami . [ Latin , a reed. See Halm .] 1. (Botany) The indian cane, a plant of the Palm family. It furnishes the common rattan. See Rattan , and Dragon's blood .

2. (Botany) A species of Acorus ( A. calamus ), commonly called calamus , or sweet flag . The root has a pungent, aromatic taste, and is used in medicine as a stomachic; the leaves have an aromatic odor, and were formerly used instead of rushes to strew on floors.

3. (Zoology) The horny basal portion of a feather; the barrel or quill.

Calando Ca·lan"do adjective [ Italian ] (Mus.) Gradually diminishing in rapidity and loudness.

Calash Ca·lash" noun [ French calèche ; of Slavonic origin; confer Bohem. kolesa , Russian koliaska calash, koleso , kolo , wheel.] 1. A light carriage with low wheels, having a top or hood that can be raised or lowered, seats for inside, a separate seat for the driver, and often a movable front, so that it can be used as either an open or a close carriage.

The baroness in a calash capable of holding herself, her two children, and her servants.
W. Irving.

2. In Canada, a two-wheeled, one-seated vehicle, with a calash top, and the driver's seat elevated in front.

3. A hood or top of a carriage which can be thrown back at pleasure.

4. A hood, formerly worn by ladies, which could be drawn forward or thrown back like the top of a carriage.

Calaveras skull Ca`la·ve"ras skull A human skull reported, by Prof. J. D. Whitney, as found in 1886 in a Tertiary auriferous gravel deposit, lying below a bed of black lava, in Calaveras County, California. It is regarded as very doubtful whether the skull really belonged to the deposit in which it was found. If it did, it indicates an unprecedented antiquity for human beings of an advanced type.

Calaverite Ca`la·ve"rite noun (Min.) A bronze-yellow massive mineral with metallic luster; a telluride of gold; -- first found in Calaveras County California.

Calc-sinter Calc"-sin`ter noun [ German kalk (L. calx , calcis ) lime + English sinter .] See under Calcite .

Calc-spar Calc"-spar` noun [ German kalk (L. calx ) lime English spar .] Same as Calcite .

Calc-tufa Calc"-tu`fa noun [ German kalk (l. calx ) lime + English tufa .] See under Calcite .

Calcaneal Cal·ca"ne·al adjective (Anal.) Pertaining to the calcaneum; as, calcaneal arteries.

Calcaneum Cal·ca"ne·um noun ; plural English -neums , Latin -nea . [ Latin the heel, from calx , calcis , the heel.] (Anal.) One of the bones of the tarsus which in man, forms the great bone of the heel; -- called also fibulare .

Calcar Cal"car noun [ Latin calcaria lime kiln, from calx , calcis , lime. See Calx .] (Glass manuf.) A kind of oven, or reverberatory furnace, used for the calcination of sand and potash, and converting them into frit. Ure.

Calcar Cal"car noun ; Latin plural Calcaria . [ Latin , a spur, as worn on the heel, also the spur of a cock, from calx , calcis , the heel.] 1. (Botany) A hollow tube or spur at the base of a petal or corolla.

2. (Zoology) A slender bony process from the ankle joint of bats, which helps to support the posterior part of the web, in flight.

3. (Anat.) (a) A spur, or spurlike prominence. (b) A curved ridge in the floor of the leteral ventricle of the brain; the calcar avis , hippocampus minor , or ergot .

Calcarate, Calcarated Cal"ca·rate, Cal"ca·ra`ted adjective [ Late Latin calcaratus , from Latin calcar . See 2d Calcar .]

1. (Botany) Having a spur, as the flower of the toadflax and larkspur; spurred. Gray.

2. (Zoology) Armed with a spur.

Calcareo-argillaceous Cal·ca"re·o-ar`gil·la"ceous adjective consisting of, or containing, calcareous and argillaceous earths.

Calcareo-bituminous Cal·ca"re·o-bi·tu"mi·nous adjective Consisting of, or containing, lime and bitumen. Lyell.

Calcareo-siliceous Cal·ca"re·o-si·li"ceous adjective Consisting of, or containing calcareous and siliceous earths.

Calcareous Cal·ca"re·ous adjective [ Latin calcarius pertaining to lime. See Calx .] Partaking of the nature of calcite or calcium carbonate; consisting of, or containing, calcium carbonate or carbonate of lime.

Calcareous spar . See as Calcite .

Calcareousness Cal·ca"re·ous·ness noun Quality of being calcareous.

Calcariferous Cal`ca·rif"er·ous adjective [ Latin calcarius of lime + ferous .] Lime-yielding; calciferous

Calcarine Cal"ca·rine adjective (Anat.) Pertaining to, or situated near, the calcar of the brain.

Calcavella Cal`ca·vel"la noun A sweet wine from Portugal; -- so called from the district of Carcavelhos. [ Written also Calcavellos or Carcavelhos .]

Calceated Cal"ce·a`ted adjective [ Latin calceatus , past participle of pelceare to ahoe, from catceus shoe, from calx , calcic , heel .] Fitted with, or wearing, shoes. Johnson.

Calced Calced adjective [ See Calceated .] Wearing shoes; calceated; -- in distintion from discalced or barefooted ; as the calced Carmelites.

Calcedon Cal"ce·don noun [ See Chalcedony .] A foul vein, like chalcedony, in some precious stones.

Calcedonic, Calcedonian Cal`ce·don"ic, Cal`ce·do"ni·an adjective See Chalcedonic .

Calceiform Cal"ce·i·form` (kăl"se*ĭ*fôrm`) adjective [ Latin calceus shoe + -form .] (Botany) Shaped like a slipper, as one petal of the lady's-slipper; calceolate.

calceolaria cal`ce·o·la"ri·a (kăl`se*o*lā"rĭ*ȧ) noun [ New Latin , from Latin calceolarius shoemaker, from calceolus , a dim. of calceus shoe.] (Botany) A genus of showy herbaceous or shrubby plants, brought from South America; slipperwort. It has a yellow or purple flower, often spotted or striped, the shape of which suggests its name.

Calceolate Cal"ce·o·late adjective [ See Calceolaria .] Slipper-ahaped. See Calceiform .

Calces Cal"ces noun plural See Calx .

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