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caliber

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caliber


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Caliber  \Cal"i*ber\,  Calibre  \Cal"ibre\,  n.  [F.  calibre,  perh. 
  fr  L.  qualibra  of  what  pound,  of  what  weight;  hence  of  what 
  size,  applied  first  to  a  ball  or  bullet;  cf  also  Ar 
  q[=a]lib  model,  mold.  Cf  {Calipers},  {Calivere}.] 
  1.  (Gunnery)  The  diameter  of  the  bore,  as  a  cannon  or  other 
  firearm,  or  of  any  tube;  or  the  weight  or  size  of  the 
  projectile  which  a  firearm  will  carry;  as  an  8  inch  gun, 
  a  12-pounder,  a  44  caliber. 
 
  The  caliber  of  empty  tubes.  --Reid. 
 
  A  battery  composed  of  three  guns  of  small  caliber. 
  --Prescott. 
 
  Note:  The  caliber  of  firearms  is  expressed  in  various  ways. 
  Cannon  are  often  designated  by  the  weight  of  a  solid 
  spherical  shot  that  will  fit  the  bore;  as  a 
  12-pounder;  pieces  of  ordnance  that  project  shell  or 
  hollow  shot  are  designated  by  the  diameter  of  their 
  bore;  as  a  12  inch  mortar  or  a  14  inch  shell  gun; 
  small  arms  are  designated  by  hundredths  of  an  inch 
  expressed  decimally;  as  a  rifle  of  .44  inch  caliber. 
 
  2.  The  diameter  of  round  or  cylindrical  body,  as  of  a  bullet 
  or  column. 
 
  3.  Fig.:  Capacity  or  compass  of  mind.  --Burke. 
 
  {Caliber  compasses}.  See  {Calipers}. 
 
  {Caliber  rule},  a  gunner's  calipers,  an  instrument  having  two 
  scales  arranged  to  determine  a  ball's  weight  from  its 
  diameter,  and  conversely. 
 
  {A  ship's  caliber},  the  weight  of  her  armament. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  caliber 
  n  1:  a  degree  or  grade  of  excellence  or  worth:  "the  quality  of 
  students  has  risen";  "an  executive  of  low  caliber"  [syn: 
  {quality},  {calibre}] 
  2:  diameter  of  a  tube  or  gun  barrel  [syn:  {bore},  {calibre}] 




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