释义 |
▪ I. caliver Obs. exc. Hist.|ˈkælɪvə(r), kəˈliːvə(r)| Forms: 6 qualivre, calliour, kalli-, qualli-, kaly-, calea-, 6–7 caly-, cally-, calee-, calever, 7 caliever, calivre, 6–9 calliver, 6– caliver. [App. the same word as calibre; see the quotation from Littré there, and the following:
1588E. York Ord. Marshall in Stow's Surv. (1754) II. v. xxxi. 570/1 When I was first brought up in Piemount..we had our particular Calibre of Harquebuze to our Regiment, that one Bullet should serve all the Harquebuzes of our Regiment..Of which Worde of Calibre, came first this unapt Term which we use to call a Harquebuze a Calliver, which is the Height of the Bullet and not the Piece. Before the Battell of Mounganter [= Moncontour, 1569], the Prynces caused seven thousand Harquebuzes to be made, all of one Calibre; which were called Harquebuze du Calibre de Monsieur le Prince. So as I think some men not understanding Frenche, brought hither the name of the Height of the Bullet for the Piece. 1594Barwick Disc. conc. Weapons 8 It is supposed by many that the weapon called commonly a Caliver is another thinge than a Harquebuze, whereas in truth it is not, but only a Harquebuze, sauing that it is of a greater circuite or Bullet then the other is of: wherfore the Frenchman doth call it a peece de Calibre, which is as much as to say, a peece of bigger circute. 1611Florio, Colibro, as Calibro, an instrument that gunners vse to measure the height of any piece or bullet. Also the height or bore of any piece, from whence our word Caliuer is derived; being at first a piece different from others. ] 1. A light kind of musket or harquebus, originally, it appears, of a certain calibre, introduced during the 16th c.; it seems to have been the lightest portable fire-arm, excepting the pistol, and to have been fired without a ‘rest’.
1568in Archæologia (1829) XXII. 78 [In an inventory of the goods at Grafton and Salwarpe 28th November 1568, occurs] ‘Kalyvers’. 1569[see 3]. 1574Lanc. Lieutenancy (1859) i. 32 Ffitt men to serve wth qualliuers. 1577Churchw. Acc. St. Margaret's, Westm. (Nichols 1797) 19 Paid for newe stocking of five calyvers 12s. 1578Sir R. Constable Order of Campe (Harl. MS. 847 lf. 53 b) The ordonnance..halberts, harquebusses, qualivres, launces. 1587Holinshed Sc. Chron. (1806) II. 303 A..hot skirmish..between the Englishmen and Frenchmen with hagbuts, caleevers, and pistolets. 1588Lucar Tartaglia's Colloq. 61 His Caliver..must be in length at the least three foote and two ynches, and the bore must be in Diameter 2/3 of an ynch. His Musket..the bore in Diameter 23/30 of an ynch. 1588T. Deloney in Roxb. Ball. (1887) VI. 390 With Muskets, Pikes, and good Caleeuers, for her Graces safegarde then. 1598Barret Theor. Warres i. i. 3 A good Calliuer charged with good powder and bullet. 1602W. Fulbecke 1st Pt. Parall. 53 He that shooteth in a Caleeuer at birdes. 1613Hayward Norm. Kings 77 Of late yeeres..the harquebuze and calliuer are brought into vse. 1642in Rushw. Hist. Coll. iii. (1692) I. 670, 100 Colliers..whom he armed with Pikes, Musquets, and Calievers. 1678Phillips, Caliver, or Calliver, a small Gun used at Sea. 1761Hume Hist. Eng. II. xxvii. 129 The caliver..was so inconvenient that it had not entirely discredited the bow. 1821Scott Kenilw. i, Then you are from the Low Countries, the land of pike and caliver? 1834J. R. Planché Brit. Costume 278 During this reign [James I's] the caliver, a matchlock that could be fired without a rest, came greatly into use. †b. A soldier armed with a caliver. Obs.
1581Styward Mart. Discip. i. 44 The Caleuers or Coriers. Such must haue either of them a good and sufficient peece, flaske, touch bore, pouder, shot, &c. 1591Garrard Art Warre 83 Calivers or Horgabuzieres or Musketieres. †2.
1589Pappe w. Hatchet (1844) 37 One of them lately at Yorke, pulling out his napkin to wipe his mouth after a lie, let drop a surgeans caliuer at his foote where he stood. 3. attrib. and Comb., as caliver-man, caliver-shot, etc.
1569in Heath Grocer's Comp. (1869) 10 Furnyshed with calyuer matches with flasks. 1613Purchas Pilgr. I. v. xv. 447 A calliver-shot could scarce reach from the one side to the other. 1622R. Hawkins Voy. S. Sea (1847) 170 In a muskett, two calever shott, or many smaller. a1642Sir W. Monson Naval Tracts i. (1704) 174/2 The Fleet was to pass within Calliver Shot of this Fort. 1829Scott Hrt. Midl. xxxii, Ye musquet and calliver-men. ▪ II. ˈcaliver, v. nonce-wd. [f. prec. n.] trans. To shoot with a caliver.
1863Sala Capt. Dang. I. iii. 43 He was averse to all high-handed measures of musketooning, and calivering. ▪ III. caliver obs. form of calibre. |