calavance ? Obs.
(ˈkæləvæns)
Forms: 7 garvance, caravance, 8 calla-, callevance, callvanse, kalavansa, 8 callivancy, 8– calli-, calavance.
[Orig. garvance, caravance, a. Sp. garbanzo chick-pea, according to Larramendi ad. Basque garbantzu, f. garau seed, corn + antzu dry. (Diez says the question of derivation from Gr. ἐρέβινθος chick-pea is not worth consideration; though the Pg. form ervan{cced}o suggests connexion with the Gr.) Calavance appears to have come into Eng. through some foreign lang. which changed r into l.]
A name for certain varieties of pulse, as Dolichos barbadensis, D. sinensis, etc.
| 1620 Cocks's Diary II. 311 (Y.) They make their provition in aboundance..garvances, or small peaze or beanes. 1767 Chron. in Ann. Reg. 126/2 Orders of his Majesty in council..Importation into this Kingdom of oats..peas, beans, tares, callivancies. 1772–84 Cook Voy. (1790) I. 246 Rice, callevances, and water-melons. Ibid. 255 To bring away the maize and callavances. 1779 Forrest New Guinea 104 Abounding with kalavansas (beans), but having no rice. 1829 Marryat F. Mildmay vi, Salt fish and calavances, for such was our cargo. c 1880 Sir J. Hooker in Yule Gloss. s.v., When I was in the Navy, haricot beans were in constant use as a substitute for potatoes, and, in Brazil and elsewhere were called Calavances. |