▪ I. calash, n.
(kəˈlæʃ)
Also 7 gallesh, calleche, calesh, galeche, 7–8 caleche, 9 calèche.
[a. F. calèche, from Slavonic: Boh. kolésa, Pol. kołaska, dim. of kołasa ‘wheel-carriage’, f. koło wheel: cf. Russ. kolaska calash, kolesó wheel. In Eng., after many eccentricities, the word settled down as calash; but the Fr. form calèche is frequent in modern writers in reference to the Continent or Canada.]
1. A kind of light carriage with low wheels, having a removable folding hood or top. In Canada, a two-wheeled, one-seated vehicle, usually without a cover, with a seat for the driver on the splashboard.
(α) Form calèche, etc.
| 1666 Lond. Gaz. No. 104/1 The Pope..taking the air in a rich Caleche. 1673 Dryden Marr. à la Mode (1691) 16, I have been at your Lodgings in my new Galeche. 1676 G. Etherege Man of Mode iii. ii. (1864) 36 Truly there is a bell air in Galleshes as well as men. 1678 Butler Hud. iii. ii. 871 Ladies hurried in Calleches, With Cornets at their Footmens Breeches. 1681 Dineley Jrnl. Tour Irel. in Trans. Kilkenny Archæol. Soc. Ser. ii. (1864) IV. 46 The Modell of a Calesh or Relune to be drawn with one Horse. 1702 Lond. Gaz. No. 3801/7 A Cannon Shot..carried away part of his Caleche. 1845 Gresley Frank's First Trip to Continent 24 A calèche was called. 1866 Thoreau Yankee in Can. i. 10 The Canadians..were riding about in caleches. |
(β) Form calash.
| 1679 R. Mansell Narr. Popish Plot 43 Proposing first to go in his Calash, and pass for a French-man. 1711 F. Fuller Med. Gymn. 43 The Motion [of a]..light Calash..at first may seem a little troublesome, and the Shocks too rude. 1849 Sir R. Wilson Life (1862) I. iii. 129 Sleeping in the Calash. |
2. The folding hood of such a carriage; also, the hood of a bathing machine, perambulator, etc.
| 1856 A. Smith Mr. Ledbury I. xv. 117 The calash of a..bathing-machine. |
3. A woman's hood made of silk, supported with whalebone or cane hoops, and projecting beyond the face. Formerly in common use.
| 1774 Westm. Mag. II. 352 Chip hats or calashes. 1791 Wesley in Wks. (1872) VIII. 307 Give no ticket to any that wear calashes. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xxxix, That lady in her clogs and calash. 1852 Hawthorne Blithed. Rom. II. xii. 212 Priscilla wore..a calash, which she had flung back from her head, leaving it suspended by the strings. 1867 Mrs. Gaskell Cranford (1873) 52 Three or four ladies in calashes met at Miss Barker's door. A calash..is a covering worn over caps not unlike the heads fastened on old-fashioned gigs. |
4. attrib., as in calash-driver, calash-head, calash-top.
| 1822 Edin. Rev. XXXVII. 255/4 His sketch of the calash-driver. 1824 Scott St. Ronan's (1832) 233 [The vehicle] had a calash head. |
▪ II. caˈlash, v.
Also 9 callash.
[f. prec. n.]
trans. To furnish with a calash.
| 1807 W. Irving Salmagundi (1824) 32 Well callash'd without and well bolster'd within. |
▪ III. calash
obs. form of galosh.