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Calf
A calf (plural, calves) is the young of domestic cattle. Calves are reared to become adult cattle, or are slaughtered for their meat, called veal, and for their calfskin.
The term “calf” is also used for some other species. See “Other animals” below.
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Calf (noun)
A young cow or bull.
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Calf (noun)
Leather made of the skin of the calf; especially, a fine, light-coloured leather used in bookbinding.
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Calf (noun)
A young elephant, seal or whale also used of some other animals.
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Calf (noun)
A chunk of ice broken from a larger glacier, ice shelf, or iceberg.
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Calf (noun)
A small island, near a larger island.
“the Calf of Man”
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Calf (noun)
A cabless railroad engine.
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Calf (noun)
An awkward or silly boy or young man; any silly person; a dolt.
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Calf (noun)
The back of the leg below the knee.
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Calf (noun)
The muscle in the back of the leg below the knee.
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Calve (verb)
To give birth to a calf.
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Calve (verb)
To assist the giving of birth of a calf.
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Calve (verb)
To give birth to (a calf).
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Calve (verb)
To shed a large piece, e.g. an iceberg or a smaller block of ice (coming off an iceberg).
“The glacier was starting to calve even as we watched.”
“The iceberg was starting to calve even as we watched.”
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Calve (verb)
To break off.
“The sea was dangerous because of icebergs calving off the nearby glacier.”
“The sea was dangerous because of ice blocks calving off the nearby iceberg.”
“When an iceberg breaks off from a large ice shelf along an existing fissure, it looks like a large, flat rectangle. Typically, only 10 percent of an iceberg is visible above the water. As it calved, the iceberg may have been smooth and flat underneath, but ocean currents would have quickly changed it.”
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Calve (verb)
To shed (a large piece, e.g. an iceberg). To set loose (a mass of ice), e.g. a block of ice (coming off an iceberg).
“The glacier was starting to calve an iceberg even as we watched.”
“The iceberg was starting to calve an ice block even as we watched.”