CALIBER • DICCIONARIO INGLES.COM • Definition of Caliber

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/kˈæləbər/ Listen

noun

Calibre, Caliber n.

(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." "A battery composed of three guns of small caliber." 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.

The diameter of round or cylindrical body, as of a bullet or column.

Fig.: Capacity or compass of mind.

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.

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Etymology of 'Caliber'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Caliber" Quotes from Famous Books

... that he has failed, conscious from the hard fact that he cannot obtain work in the higher employments, finds several courses open to him. He may come down and be a beast in the social pit, for instance; but if he be of a certain caliber, the effect of the social pit will be to discourage him from work. In his blood a rebellion will quicken, and he will elect to become either a ...

— War of the Classes • Jack London

... direction of Col. Rimailho, whom we had the pleasure of meeting there, and who was one of the important men co-operating in building the "75", and who was, himself, the inventor and author of the "155". These are the guns of lighter caliber which do such effective work in the field. Of course, in addition, the French are also using guns of very large caliber, for instance the 350 mm. These, of course, are for the reduction of forts, and the ...

— A Journey Through France in War Time • Joseph G. Butler, Jr.

... to Delcarte not to fire until we reached his side, for I was fearful lest our small caliber, steel-jacketed bullets should, far from killing the beast, tend merely to enrage it still further. But he misunderstood me, thinking that I had ordered him ...

— The Lost Continent • Edgar Rice Burroughs

... innocence, of course, Mr. Maddison," he said; "but it is a very great mistake to suppose that it will establish itself without extraneous aid. You will have the Attorney-General against you, and you must have some one of the same caliber on your side. The old saying, 'Truth will out,' does not apply in an assize court. It requires to be dragged out. I think you will do well to accept my services. Roberts holds himself open to take the brief for your defence, if I ...

— The New Tenant • E. Phillips Oppenheim

... quantity of treatment paid, rather than quality. Competence no longer mattered so much. The Lobby lost, but didn't know it—because the lowered standards of competence in the profession lowered the caliber of men running the political aspects of that profession as exemplified ...

— Badge of Infamy • Lester del Rey

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