Forms: 5– calker, 6 cawker, 7– caulker. [f. CAULK v. + -ER1.]
1. One whose work it is to caulk ships.
1495. Act. 11. Hen. VII., xxii. § 1. A maister Calker by the day iiijd.
1552. Huloet, Calkers betle, or malle to dryue in towe.
1611. Bible, Ezek. xxvii. 9. The ancients of Gebal, and the wise men thereof were in thee thy calkers. Ibid., 27. The mariners, and thy pilots, thy caulkers, and the occupiers of thy merchandise.
1653. H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., xvi. § 3. 55. One was a ship wright, and the other a Caulker.
1780. Coxe, Russ. Disc., 107. Old cordage fit for caulker’s use.
1802. Naval Chron., VII. 370. The … caulkers continued at their work.
† 2. A tool for caulking, ? a caulking-iron. Obs.
1543. Richmond. Wills (1853), 43. Iij payre of pynsowrs, vid. … ij cawkers, ijd.
1779. Naval Chron. (1799), I. 203. It … shivered two caulkers to pieces.
3. slang. A dram, a ‘drop’ of liquor. [? something ‘to keep out the wet.’]
1808. J. Mayne, Siller Gun, 89 (Jam.).
| The Magistrates wi’ loyal din, | |
| Tak aff their cau’kers. |
1832–53. Whistle-binkie (Sc. Songs), Ser. III. 89. Wi’ here tak’ a caulker, and there tak’ a horn.
a. 1854. J. Wilson, Trees. Neither you nor I … can be much the worse … of a caulker of whiskey.
4. slang. Anything surprising or incredible; cf. crammer.
