Etymology: Old English cealfian , < cealf calf n.¹; compare the corresponding Middle High German kalben , Dutch kalven , Swedish kalfva , Danish kalve . See sense 3.

Etymology: Of uncertain standing and derivation. It is possible that /kɑːv/ is merely an earlier pronunciation of cave retained locally; but it is notable that calve in coincides in form and sense with West Flemish in-kalven (compare de gracht kalft in ‘the ditch caves in’ De Bo), in which the root part is the same as in Dutch af-kalven , to fall or break away, uit-kalven to fall or shoot out, said of the sides of a cutting or the like. De Vries refers this -kalven to kalve , kaluwe , surface of the ground, surface layer or soil (see callow adj.¹ and n.¹). In-kalven would thus signify the shooting in of the surface or earth above. Some, however, think that the word is, in its origin, identical with calve v.¹ The evidence is not decisive. Calve/kɑːv//kɔːv/ in, is the vernacular form in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Norfolk, and adjacent parts of Suffolk, Cambridge, Leicester, Derby, and Yorkshire. Wesley, who is quoted for it, was a native of Epworth, in the district covered by Mr. E. Peacock's Gloss. of Manley and Corringham, North Lincolnshire. Assuming the word to be from Dutch, it has been suggested that it was ‘introduced by the Dutch navvies who came over for the large drainage works in the Lincolnshire fens’ (Wedgwood).