Forms: 5 caulke, kalke, 5–7 calke, 7 calck(e, kauk, (chalk), 8 cawke, 7– caulk, calk. [In 15th c. calke, caulke (the same word as CAUK v.), a. OF. cauquer to tread, to press or squeeze in with force, to tent a wound:—L. calcāre to tread, stamp, press close together, press in. The prevailing spelling for a century back has been caulk, though dictionaries retain calk from Johnson.]
1. trans. To stop up the seams of (a ship, etc.) by driving in oakum, or the like, melted pitch or resin being afterwards poured on, so as to prevent leaking.
a. 1500[?]. Chester Plays, I. (1843), 47. I will goe gaither slyche The shippe for to caulke and pyche.
1552. Huloet, Botes or shyppes calked with towgh.
1555. Eden, Decades W. Ind., IV. viii. (Arb.), 174. To calke shyppes.
1578. T. N., trans. Conq. W. India, 313. The Vergantines were calked with Towe and cotten woll.
1611. Beaum. & Fl., Scornf. Ladie, III. i. (1635), D 4. You smell as if you were new calkt.
a. 1618. Raleigh, Royal Navy, 27. Ocum wherewith they Calke the seams of the Ships.
1638–48. G. Daniel, Eclog., v. 334. How kauk’d & trim’d ye Ship may be.
1697. Dampier, Voy. (1698), I. x. 295. In the South Seas the Spaniards do make Oakam to chalk their Ships, with the husk of the Coco-nut.
1708. J. C., Compl. Collier (1845), 24. Like as a Ship or Vessel is Cawked on the Ocean.
1718. Steele, Fish-pool, 181. Were her hold … well caulked down.
1779. Forrest, Voy. N. Guinea, 283. The vessel wanting to be fresh calked.
1801. in Nicolas, Disp. Nelson (1845), IV. 417. They have been caulked and fitted for service.
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, xxix. 325. Wherever smoke was seen coming out, we caulked and pasted.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., II. xxv. 247. They [boats] were to be calked and swelled.
1869. Sir E. J. Reed, Shipbuild., ii. 45. The butts of the plates can be efficiently caulked before the angle-iron is secured to the bottom.
2. To stop up the crevices of (windows, etc.).
1609. B. Jonson, Sil. Wom., I. i. (1620), B 5. The windores close shut, and calk’d.
1725. Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Fruitery, Windows … ought to have very good double Sashes made of Paper and well caulk’d.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 73. The windows are caulked up against winter.
1884. Gilmour, Mongols, iv. 41. These houses … are log-built, the seams being caulked with moss.
fig. 1777. Sheridan, Sch. Scand., II. ii. The widow Ochre caulks her wrinkles.
3. Naut. slang. a. trans. To stop, ‘shut up.’ b. intr. To sleep.
1836. E. Howard, R. Reefer, lxx. I can’t sleep, Rattlin, and tarnation glad am I to see that you can’t caulk either.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., 173. Caulk, to lie down on deck and sleep, with clothes on.
1881. W. C. Russell, Ocean Free-Lance, II. 131. To caulk his banter, I asked him [etc.].
