caliber, calibre (kaliber)

[F. calibre, formerly also qualibre, bore of a gun, size, capacity (lit. and fig.), also weight, Sp. Pg. calibre = It. calibro, caliber. Origin uncertain; perhaps 764 = E. who, wha - t; librā, abl. of libra, balance, counterpoise, measure for liquids, a pound: see libra. Cf. cantilever, cant a liver. Littré suggests Ar. kālab, a form, mold, model; cf. Pers. kalab, a mold. Doublets, caliper, caliver, q. v.] 1. The diameter of a body, especially of the hollow inside of a cylinder: as, the caliber of a piece of ordnance or other firearm. In the United States the caliber of a firearm is expre ed in decimal parts of an inch; thus, a rifle of.44-inch caliber (often shortened to "a 44-caliber rifle," "a 32-caliber pistol," etc.); of a cannon, either by the diameter of its bore, as a 10-inch gun, or by the weight of a solid round shot which it can carry, as a 12-pounder. In Great Britain the calibers of small arms are commonly expre ed in decimal parts of an inch; of field-guns, by the weight of a solid round shot which will fit the bore, as a 6-pounder; of heavy guns, in tons, as a 38-ton gun or a 100-ton gun. In France and in other in millimeters countries or on centimeters. the continent the caliber is expre ed The energy of the brain depends mainly on the calibre of its arteries. G. H. Lewes, Probs. of Life and Mind, I. ii. § 47. 2. Figuratively, compa or capacity of mind; the extent of one's intellectual endowments. Coming from men of their calibre, they were highly mis Burke, Appeal to Old Whigs. IMG:content-2933.png:[blocks in formation] 3. In horol.: (a) The distance between the two plates of a watch which determines the flatne of the movement. (b) The plate upon which is traced the arrangement of the pieces of a clock; the pattern-plate. E. H. Knight. -Caliber-compa es, calibers. See caliper. caliber (kal'i-ber), v. t. [ ard for measuring cal i bers, whether external or internal. A usual combination form (see the annexed cut) is made with prongs or jaws having an opening of exactly the required ments, and a bar of the exact gage for internal measurements. Other forms are plugs or rings, external measure etc. Also caliper - gage. IMG:content-2934.png:[blocks in formation] The calibration of a thermometer-tube is effected by inserting a column of mercury of a known length, and ascertain. ing that it retains the same length in all parts of the tube.