- Calf
- Calf Calf, n.; pl. {Calves}. [OE. calf, kelf, AS. cealf; akin
to D. kalf, G. kalb, Icel. k[=a]lfr, Sw. kalf, Dan. kalv,
Goth. kalb[=o]; cf. Skr. garbha fetus, young, Gr. ?????, Skr
grabh to seize, conceive, Ir. colpa, colpach, a calf.
[root]222.]
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.
[1913 Webster]
2. Leather made of the skin of the calf; especially, a fine, light-colored leather used in bookbinding; as, to bind books in calf. [1913 Webster]
3. An awkward or silly boy or young man; any silly person; a dolt. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]
Some silly, doting, brainless calf. --Drayton. [1913 Webster]
4. A small island near a larger; as, the Calf of Man. [1913 Webster]
5. A small mass of ice set free from the submerged part of a glacier or berg, and rising to the surface. --Kane. [1913 Webster]
6. [Cf. Icel. k[=a]lfi.] The fleshy hinder part of the leg below the knee. [1913 Webster]
{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. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
