▪ I. calaber, calabar
(ˈkæləbə(r))
Forms: 4–6 calabre, 5 calabere, 6 calubur, calober, callabre, calabrye, calliber, calloper, 6–7 callaber, 7 caliber, 9 calabar, 6– calaber.
[app. a. F. Calabre, Calabria, a province of Italy; but why so called is unknown.]
1. A kind of fur, apparently obtained from some foreign species of the squirrel; now, commercially, applied especially to the fur of the grey or Siberian Squirrel: also attrib. calaber pencil: an artist's colour-brush made of the hairs of this fur.
| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. vii. 257 His cloke of Calabre with knoppes of Gold. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour E ij, Gownes of moche fyn cloth and furred of calabre, letuce, and ermyn. 1532–3 Act 24 Hen. VIII, xiii, Any maner of furres, other then black cony, budge, grey cony, shankes, calaber, gray, fiche. 1556 Chron. Gr. Friars (1852) 59 The ij. day of June [1549]..alle the gray ammesse with the calober in Powlles ware put downe. 1555 Eden Decades W. Ind. (Arb.) 291 The people of Moscouia..haue ryche furres as Sabels, Marteines, Foynes, Calaber. 1583 Plat Diuerse Exper. (1594) 14 With a fine calaber pensill first dipped in y⊇ coppres water. 1588 Gifts to Queen in Nichols Progr. Q. Eliz., Furred thorough with mynnyover and calloper. a 1603 Fleetwood ibid. I. 355 We sitting in all our calabrye clokes of murrey, did geve the newe shereffs..theire othes. 1720 Stow's Surv. (ed. Strype 1754) II. v. viii. 255/1 Those Aldermen that have not been Mayors are to have their Cloaks furred with Calabre. 1832–52 M{supc}Culloch Dict. Comm., Calabar Skin, the Siberian squirrel skin. 1875 Ure Dict. Arts II. 516 Furs, Skins, and Pelts imported..1870..Squirrel or Calabar 150, 668. |
† 2. The animal itself. Obs.
| 1607 Cowell Interpr. s.v. Furre, Calaber is a little beast, in bigness about the quantitie of a squirell, of colour gray. a 1626 Middleton Love & Antiq. Wks. V. 289 Beasts bearing fur..Lamb..wolverin, caliber. 1721 in Bailey. |
▪ II. calaber
obs. f. calibre.