calvern.1
/ˈkɑːvə/ A cow that calves, or bears young.
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the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > cow > [noun] > that gives birth
calver1785
1785 W. Hutton Bran New Wark (E.D.S.) 322 He that sell'd me tother day a barren cow and a calf, for a calver.
1808 J. C. Curwen Hints Econ. Feeding Stock 177 The milk of the sixth, a winter calver, was reserved for the family.
1884 York Herald 26 Aug. 7/1 Calvers made up to £23 each, and half-breds and calving heifers up to £16 each.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1888; most recently modified version published online March 2018).
† calvern.2
Obsolete. rare.
Only in Palsgrave, and it is difficult to determine what he intended by ‘salmon scum’. Perhaps the treatment as a noun was some error.[The following Old English passages possibly belong to these words. Unfortunately the Old English and Latin are alike uncertain in meaning:
a700 Epinal Gloss. 471 galmaria, caluuær (Erf. caluuer).
a700 Epinal Gloss. 476 galbalacrum, caluær (Erf. caluuer).
a800 Corpus Gl. 952 galmaria, caluuer.
a800 Corpus Gl. 956 gabalacrum, calwer.
a800 Corpus Gl. 954 galmilla, liimcaluuer.
a800 Corpus Gl. 427 calvarium, caluuerclim.
a1000 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. (1884) I. 280 Calmaria, cealfre.
a1000 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. (1884) I. 281 Caluiale, calwerbriw.
a1100 Alphabet. Gloss. in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. 369 calmaria, cealre, Caluiale, cealerbriw.
a1100 Alphabet. Gloss. in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. 413 Galmaria, calwere, Gabalacrum, calwer. [Cf. also Ags. Leechd. 98 I. xxxviii. 2 Nim sur molcen, wyrc to cealre, and beþ mid þy cealre.]
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1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 202/2 Calver of saulmon, escume de saulmon.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1888; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
† calveradj.
Obsolete.
An epithet applied to salmon or other fish. E. Müller thinks ‘fresh’; Way ( Promp. Parv.) ‘fish freshly taken, when its substance appears interspersed with white flakes like curd’. See also calvered adj.A good deal of evidence points to the condition of a fish, the dressing or cooking of which has begun while it is yet alive, instead of after it is dead. (Cf. also )
c1540 J. Bellenden in tr. H. Boece Hyst. & Cron. Scotl. sig. Cijv Quhen the salmondis faillis thair loup, thay fall callour in the said [boiling] caldrounis, & ar than maist delitius to the mouth.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > fish > [adjective] > having white flakes
calver1342
the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > preparation for table or cooking > preparation of seafood > [adjective] > dressed while alive
calver1342
calvered1612
1342–3 in J. T. Fowler Extracts Acct. Rolls Abbey of Durham (1898) I. 38 In 3 salmon Kalver, 3s.
a1403 Forme of Cury in Warner Antiq. Culin. 19 Take calwar samon, and seeth it in lewe water.
c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 59 Calvur, as samoon or oþyr fysshe.
1526 Ord. Hen. VIII 175 Calver Salmon 1 mess..2s. 6d.
1719 in T. D'Urfey Wit & Mirth V. 145 Your Pheasant, Pout, and Culver Salmon.
1865 A. Way in Promptorium Parvulorum (note) In Lancashire, the fish dressed as soon as caught are called calver salmon.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1888; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
† calverv.
? Obsolete.
1. transitive. To treat or cook as a ‘calver’ fish. (The mode apparently differed at different times.) Nares says ‘To prepare salmon, or other fish, in a peculiar way, which can only be done when they are fresh and firm’. Some identify it with to crimp n.2 Some explain it To cut salmon into thin slices while ‘fresh’ (or ‘alive’) and then pickle these.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > preparation for table or cooking > preparation of seafood > prepare seafood [verb (transitive)] > dress while alive
calver1651
1651 T. Barker Art of Angling (1820) 33 A dish of close boyled Trouts buttered with eggs..Every scullion dresseth that dish against his will, because he cannot calvor them.
1653 T. Barker Art of Angling 13 Trouts calvored hot with Antchovaes sauce.
1660 R. May Accomplisht Cook 354 To calver salmon to eat hot or cold.
1664 T. Killigrew Parsons Wedding iii. ii, in Comedies & Trag. 109 Provide me then the Chines fry'd, and the Salmon Calver'd.
2. intransitive. Of fish: To behave when cooked as a ‘calver’ fish. Some recent writers conjecture ‘To shrink by cutting and not fall to pieces’ (Craig), some ‘to bear being sliced and pickled’.
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1651 T. Barker Art of Angling (1820) 21 You shall see whether he calvors or no.
1653 T. Barker Art of Angling 14 So the fierce boiling will make the Fish to calvor.
1676 C. Cotton Compl. Angler 310 A Grayling is a winter fish..his flesh even in his worst season is so firm and will so easily calver that..he is very good meat at all times.
1689 J. Chetham Angler's Vade Mecum (ed. 2) xii. 118 His Flesh..is firm, white, will easily calver.
Derivatives
ˈcalvering n.
ΚΠ
1653 T. Barker Art of Angling 14 I will shew you for the boyling and calvoring, that serves for hot and cold, for first and latter course.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1888; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.11785
n.2
adj.1342v.1651