Chapter Calandrino to Caligula of C by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Caliban Rude, uncouth, unknown; as a Caliban style, a Caliban language. The allusion is to Shakespeare's Caliban (The Tempestnew creation, but also a new language.

“Satan had not the privilege, as Caliban, to use new phrases, and diction unknown.”- Dr. Bentley.

   Coleridge says, “In him [Caliban], as in some brute animals, this advance to the intellectual faculties, without the moral sense, is marked by the appearance of vice.”
   (Caliban is the “missing link” between brute animals and man.)

Calibre [kal'i-ber]. A mind of no calibre: of no capacity. A mind of great calibre: of large capacity. Calibre is the bore of a gun, and, figuratively, the bore or compass of one's intelligence.

“The enemy had generally new arms ... of uniform caliber.”- Grant: Memoirs, vol. i. chap. xxxix. p. 572.

“We measure men's calibre by the broadest circle of achievements.”- Chapin: Lessons of Faith, p. 16.

Caliburn Same as Excalibur, King Arthur's well-known sword. (See Sword .)

“Onward Arthur paced, with hand
On Caliburn's resistless brand.”
Scott: Bridal of Triermain.

Calico So called from Calicut, in Malabar, once the chief port and emporium of Hindustan.

Calidore (3 syl.). Sir Calidore is the type of courtesy, and hero of the sixth book of Spenser's Faërie Queene. He is described as the most courteous of all knights, and is entitled the “all-beloved.” The model of the poet was Sir Philip Sidney. His adventure is against the Blatant Beast, whom he muzzles, chains, and drags to Faërie Land.

“Sir Gawain was the Calidore of the Round Table.”- Southey.

Caligorant An Egyptian giant and cannibal who used to entrap strangers with a hidden net. This net was made by Vulcan to catch Mars and Venus, Mercury stole it for the purpose of catching Chloris, and left it in the temple of Anubis; Caligorant stole it thence. At length Astolpho blew his magic horn, and the giant ran affrighted into his own net, which dragged him to the ground. Whereupon Astolpho made the giant his captive, and despoiled him of his net. This is an allegory. Caligorant was a great sophist and heretic in the days of Ariosto, who used to entangle people with his talk; but being converted by Astolpho to the true faith, was, as it were, caught in his own net, and both his sophistry and heresy were taken from him. (Ariosto: Orlando Furioso .)

Caligula A Roman emperor; so called because he wore a military sandal called a caliga, which had no upper leather, and was used only by the common soldiers. (12, 37-41.)

“ `The word caligæ, however,' continued the Baron ... `means, in its primitive sense, sandals; and Caius Cæsar ... received the cognomen of Caligula, a caligis, sive caligis levio'-ribus, quibus adolescentior non fuerat in exercitu Germanici patris sui. And the caligoe were also proper to the monastic bodies; for we read in the ancient Glossarium, upon the rule of St. Benedict ... that caligoe were tied with latchets.”- Scott: Waverley. xlviii.