Part 1544

<syn>Syn. -- Disaster; distress; afflicition; adversity; misfortune; unhappiness; infelicity; mishap; mischance; misery; evil; extremity; exigency; downfall.</syn> <usage> -- <er>Calamity</er>, <er>Disaster</er>, <er>Misfortune</er>, <er>Mishap</er>, <er>Mischance</er>. Of these words, <i>calamity</i> is the strongest. It supposes a somewhat continuous state, produced not usually by the direct agency of man, but by natural causes, such as fire, flood, tempest, disease, etc, <i>Disaster</i> denotes literally <i>ill-starred</i>, and is some unforeseen and distressing event which comes suddenly upon us, as if from hostile planet. <i>Misfortune</i> is often due to no specific cause; it is simply the bad fortune of an individual; a link in the chain of events; an evil independent of his own conduct, and not to be charged as a fault. <i>Mischance</i> and <i>mishap</i> are misfortunes of a trivial nature, occurring usually to individuals. "A <i>calamity</i> is either public or private, but more frequently the former; a <i>disaster</i> is rather particular than private; it affects things rather than persons; journey, expedition, and military movements are often attended with <i>disasters</i>; <i>misfortunes</i> are usually personal; they immediately affect the interests of the individual."</usage>

<i>Crabb.</i>

<h1>Calamus</h1> <Xpage=202>

<hw>Cal"a*mus</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt>; <plu>pl. <plw>Calami</plw> <tt>(#)</tt>.</plu> <ety>[L., a reed. See <er>Halm</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <def>The indian cane, a plant of the Palm family. It furnishes the common rattan. See <er>Rattan</er>, and <er>Dragon's blood</er>.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <def>A species of <spn>Acorus</spn> (<spn>A. calamus</spn>), commonly called <spn>calamus</spn>, or <i>sweet flag</i>. The root has a pungent, aromatic taste, and is used in medicine as a stomachic; the leaves have an aromatic odor, and were formerly used instead of rushes to strew on floors.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>The horny basal portion of a feather; the barrel or quill.</def>

<h1>Calando</h1> <Xpage=202>

<hw>Ca*lan"do</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[It.]</ety> <def>(<er>Mus</er>.) Gradually diminishing in rapidity and loudness.</def>

<h1>Calash</h1> <Xpage=202>

<hw>Ca*lash"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F. <ets>cal\'8ache</ets>; of Slavonic origin; cf. Bohem. <ets>kolesa</ets>, Russ. <ets>koliaska</ets> calash, <ets>koleso</ets>, <ets>kolo</ets>, wheel.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A light carriage with low wheels, having a top or hood that can be raised or lowered, seats for inside, a separate seat for the driver, and often a movable front, so that it can be used as either an open or a close carriage.</def>

<blockquote>The baroness in a <b>calash</b> capable of holding herself, her two children, and her servants. <i>W. Irving.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>In Canada, a two-wheeled, one-seated vehicle, with a calash top, and the driver's seat elevated in front.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>A hood or top of a carriage which can be thrown back at pleasure.</def>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>A hood, formerly worn by ladies, which could be drawn forward or thrown back like the top of a carriage.</def>

<hr> <page="203"> Page 203<p>

<h1>Calaverite</h1> <Xpage=203>

<hw>Ca`la*ve"rite</hw> <tt>(<?/)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Min.)</fld> <def>A bronze-yellow massive mineral with metallic luster; a telluride of gold; -- first found in <ets>Calaveras</ets> County California.</def>

<h1>Calcaneal</h1> <Xpage=203>

<hw>Cal*ca"ne*al</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <fld>(Anal.)</fld> <def>Pertaining to the calcaneum; <as>as, <ex>calcaneal</ex> arteries</as>.</def>

<h1>Calcaneum</h1> <Xpage=203>

<hw>Cal*ca"ne*um</hw> <tt>(?)</tt> <tt>n.</tt>; <plu>pl. E. -<plw>neums</plw>, L. -<plw>nea</plw>.</plu> <ety>[L. the heel, fr. <ets>calx</ets>, <ets>calcis</ets>, the heel.]</ety> <fld>(Anal.)</fld> <def>One of the bones of the tarsus which in man, forms the great bone of the heel; -- called also <altname>fibulare</altname>.</def>

<h1>Calcar</h1> <Xpage=203>

<hw>Cal"car</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>calcaria</ets> lime kiln, fr. <ets>calx</ets>, <ets>calcis</ets>, lime. See <er>Calx</er>.]</ety> <fld>(Glass manuf.)</fld> <def>A kind of oven, or reverberatory furnace, used for the calcination of sand and potash, and converting them into frit.</def>

<i>Ure.</i>

<h1>Calcar</h1> <Xpage=203>

<hw>Cal"car</hw>, <tt>n.</tt>; L. <plu>pl. <plw>Calcaria</plw> <tt>(#)</tt>.</plu> <ety>[L., a pur, as worn on the heel, also the spur of a cock, fr. <ets>calx</ets>, <ets>calcis</ets>, the heel.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <def>A hollow tube or spur at the base of a petal or corolla.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>A slender bony process from the ankle joint of bats, which helps to support the posterior part of the web, in flight.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Anat.)</fld> <sd>(a)</sd> <def>A spur, or spurlike prominence.</def> <sd>(b)</sd> <def>A curved ridge in the floor of the leteral ventricle of the brain; the <i>calcar avis</i>, <i>hippocampus minor</i>, or <i>ergot</i>.</def>