Forms: 5 cals, 5–7 calce, 7 callixe, calxe, 8 calix, 7– calx. Pl. calces (formerly also calxes). [L. calx, calc-em lime; applied in an extended sense to substances produced in the same way as quick-lime.]
1. A term of the alchemists and early chemists for a powder or friable substance produced by thoroughly burning or roasting (‘calcining’) a mineral or metal, so as to consume or drive off all its volatile parts, as lime is burned in a kiln.
The calx was formerly taken as the essential substance or ‘alcohol’ of the crude mineral after all the grosser parts had been dispelled. The ‘calx’ of a metal was supposed to be the result of the expulsion of ‘phlogiston’; in reality it was usually the metallic oxide, but in some cases the metal itself in a state of sublimation.
c. 1460. Bk. Quintessence, 7. Caste … cals of … gold … in wiyn … and ȝe schule haue ȝoure licour … bettir gilt.
1605. Timme, Quersit., I. xiii. 56. The black feces … being reduced … into a calxe. Ibid., II. v. 123. Put fire thereunto … untill the earth … is well calcined … Divide this thy callixe.
1610. B. Jonson, Alch., II. v. Sub. How do you sublime him? Fac. With the calce of Egg-shells.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 268. Calcination is solution of bodies into Calx or Alcool.
1670. Phil. Trans., V. 2042. Nor reduced into a calx but by a strong fire, by which it will turn into a substance like unslaked lime.
a. 1691. Boyle, Wks., I. 719. All brought into calces or powders that are white.
1756. C. Lucas, Ess. Waters, I. 3. Lead by calcination loses its phlogiston, and becomes a red calx or mineral earth. Ibid. Metals deprived of it [phlogiston] are reduced to calces.
1781. J. T. Dillon, Trav. Spain, 233. Metallic calxes.
1791. Hamilton, Berthollet’s Dyeing, I. I. I. i. 7. Oxygen may be separated from some oxyds or metallic calces.
1812. Sir H. Davy, Chem. Philos., 23. Having ascertained the increase of weight of lead during its conversion into calx.
1822. Imison, Sc. & Art, II. 20. The calx of tin, now the oxide of tin.
fig. 1799. Southey, Nondescr., ii. Wks. III. 63. Some mass for the poor souls that bleach, And burn away the calx of their offences In that great Purgatory crucible.
† 2. Sometimes in Latin sense ‘lime’: esp. in calx vive, calcevive (L. calx viva, F. chaux vive) quick-lime. Obs.
1581. Styward, Mart. Discipl., I. 12. They ought to haue … Calx viue, Lint seede Oile, [etc.].
1641. French, Distill., v. (1651), 129. Make a strong Lixivium of Calx vive.
1652. Ashmole, Theat. Chem. Brit., 116. Our true Calcevive … our Ferment of our Bread.
1834. Brit. Husb., I. 439. Calx is lime combined with acids.
3. Eton School slang. [Another L. sense of calx, ‘the goal, anciently marked with lime or chalk.’] The goal-line (at foot-ball).
1864. Daily Tel., 1 Dec., 3/3. The Collegers were over-weighted all through, and the Oppidans managed to get the ball down into their calx several times.
