calibre
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also calibré
Contents |
English [edit]
Alternative forms [edit]
- caliber (US)
Etymology [edit]
From French calibre (“bore of a gun, size, capacity (literally, and figuratively), also weight”). Origin uncertain, perhaps, from Latin qua libra (“of what dimensions, weight”)
Pronunciation [edit]
Noun [edit]
calibre (plural calibres) (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK)
- Diameter of the bore of a firearm, typically measured between opposite lands.
- The diameter of round or cylindrical body, as of a bullet, a projectile, or a column.
- A nominal name for a cartridge type, which may not exactly indicate its true size and may include other measurements such as cartridge length or black powder capacity. Eg 7.62x39 or 38.40.
- Unit of measure used to express the length of the bore of a weapon. The number of calibres is determined by dividing the length of the bore of the weapon, from the breech face of the tube to the muzzle, by the diameter of its bore. A gun tube the bore of which is 40 feet (480 inches) long and 12 inches in diameter is said to be 40 calibers long.
- (figuratively) Relative size, importance, magnitude.
- 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter XIII:
- A snort of about the calibre of an explosion in an ammunition dump escaped my late father's sister.
- 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter XIII:
- (figuratively) Capacity or compass of mind.
- (dated): Degree of importance or station in society.
Related terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
Diameter of the bore of a firearm
Diameter of round or cylindrical body, as of a bullet, projectile or column
Unit of measure of the length of the bore of a weapon
Figuratively: Capacity or compass of mind
Obsolete: Degree of importance or station in society
External links [edit]
- calibre in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- calibre in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
Anagrams [edit]
French [edit]
Verb [edit]
calibre
- first-person singular present indicative of calibrer
- third-person singular present indicative of calibrer
- first-person singular present subjunctive of calibrer
- first-person singular present subjunctive of calibrer
- second-person singular imperative of calibrer
Anagrams [edit]
Portuguese [edit]
Noun [edit]
calibre m (plural calibres)
Spanish [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From French calibre.
Pronunciation [edit]
- IPA: /kaˈlibɾe̞/
Noun [edit]
calibre m (plural calibres)
Verb [edit]
calibre (infinitive calibrar)
- Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of calibrar.
- First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of calibrar.
- Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of calibrar.
- Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of calibrar.
Categories:
- English terms derived from French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English nouns
- Australian English
- Canadian English
- New Zealand English
- British English
- English dated terms
- French verb forms
- Portuguese nouns
- Spanish terms derived from French
- Spanish nouns
- Spanish verb forms
- Spanish verb imperative forms
- Spanish verb singular forms
- Spanish verb second-person forms
- Spanish verb formal forms
- Spanish forms of verbs ending in -ar
- Spanish verb subjunctive forms
- Spanish verb first-person forms
- Spanish verb present forms
- Spanish verb third-person forms
