▪ I. † culet1 Obs.
Also cullet(t, colyet, coliet, culiet, cullet, culett(e.
[a. OF. cueillete, coillete, cuillete, a semi-popular ad. L. collecta collection, assessment, collection of dues.]
A sum collected from a number of persons chargeable; an assessment, a rate: a. Oxford Univ. A fee formerly paid by every graduate to the bedel of his faculty, as a recompense for attendance at disputations, lectures, etc. It was collected by the bedel once a year, and was called in Latin cumulatio.
| 1550 MS. note in Liber. Antiq. Bedellorum (Bodl. Libr. Rawl. 662 fol. 134 b) Chargys of a bachyllar of dewynytte beyng no componder; hys cullet muste be pey[d] yerly. 1602 in Clark Reg. Univ. Oxon. (1887) II. i. 221 He is to pay two years' culett beforehand. 1866 Rogers Agric. & Pr. I. v. 123. 1873 Athenæum 5 Oct. 442/1. |
b. An assessment of parochial dues.
The quotations refer to ‘culets’ paid by the chapelry of Ulpha to the Parish of Millom, of which it formed a part.
| 1764 Churchw. Acct.-bk. Ulpha, Millom, Cumberland May 5 By a list of four Coliets being one guinea each as follows. 1768 Ibid. June 16 By a list of three Culiets and one third {pstlg}3 9s. 6d. 1771 Ibid. Apr. 28 By a list of four Colyets, one half, one seventh {pstlg}4 13s. 10d. 1814 Ibid. 5 Aug. |
▪ II. culet2
(ˈkjuːlɪt)
[a. OF. culet, dim. of F. cul bottom: cf. F. culasse, the term actually used. The form collet was app. a corruption due to confusion with collet n.1]
1. The horizontal face or plane forming the bottom of a diamond when cut as a brilliant.
| 1678 Lond. Gaz. No. 1330/4 A Laske, Indian-cut..under the Collet of the thicker side a little round hole. 1874 Westropp Precious Stones 4 In a brilliant the culet is the base, and should be two-thirds below the girdle. |
2. A part of ancient armour, consisting of overlapping plates, protecting the hinder part of the body below the waist.
| 1834 J. R. Planché Brit. Costume 287 The lancier was to wear a close casque or head-piece, culessets, culets, or guarde de reins. |