calve

views updated Jun 11 2018

calve / kav/ • v. 1. [intr.] (of cows and certain other large animals) give birth to a calf. ∎  [tr.] (of a person) help (a cow) give birth to a calf.2. [tr.] (of an iceberg or glacier) split and shed (a smaller mass of ice). ∎  [intr.] (of a mass of ice) split off from an iceberg or glacier.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

calve

views updated May 09 2018

calve give birth to a calf. OE. calfian (ċealfian), f. cælf CALF; cf. Du. kalven, (M)HG. kalben.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

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