caulk
Americanverb (used with object)
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to fill or close seams or crevices of (a tank, window, etc.) in order to make watertight, airtight, etc.
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to make (a vessel) watertight by filling the seams between the planks with oakum or other material driven snug.
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to fill or close (a seam, joint, etc.), as in a boat.
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to drive the edges of (plating) together to prevent leakage.
noun
verb
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to stop up (cracks, crevices, etc) with a filler
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nautical to pack (the seams) between the planks of the bottom of (a vessel) with waterproof material to prevent leakage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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caulksimple
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caulkssimple
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have caulkedperfect
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has caulkedperfect
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are caulkingprogressive
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am caulkingprogressive
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is caulkingprogressive
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have been caulkingperfect progressive
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has been caulkingperfect progressive
Past
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caulkedsimple
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had caulkedperfect
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was caulkingprogressive
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were caulkingprogressive
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had been caulkingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of caulk
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin calcāre “to trample, tread on” (verb derivative of calx “heel”), conflated with Middle English cauken, from Old French cauquer “to trample,” from Latin calcāre, as above
Explanation
Caulk is a sealant. It comes in a tube and is used commonly by plumbers and carpenters trying to seal up cracks where air or water might push through. When a plumber caulks a tub, he's applying caulk to its seams to make it watertight. Caulk can be used to describe both the process of applying caulk and the sealant itself. The word caulk comes from the Old Northern French cauquer, meaning "to press down." After you lay the caulk down over the seam you press it down by either running your finger over it or using a specific tool to force the caulk to settle into the hole you're trying to cover.
Vocabulary lists containing caulk
Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 1
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The Birchbark House
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Dry
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Caulk, putty and other sealants are great for such cracks.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 3, 2023
The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the mother of the student filed the lawsuit Thursday against para-educator Noel Ball, Fayette Superintendent Manny Caulk and officials at Crawford Middle School.
From Washington Times • Aug. 23, 2019
“We understand there were some complaints in connection with one subcontractor on the restoration of Ravinia Apartments, and to our knowledge those complaints have been resolved,” Steve Caulk, an Interstate spokesman, wrote in an email.
From Salon • Aug. 25, 2018
Carl Caulk, the acting assistant director for judicial security for the United States Marshals Service, said that Mr. Bergrin’s trial presented unusual challenges.
From New York Times • Oct. 11, 2011
Caulk, Calk, kawk, v.t. to press oakum and untwisted rope into the seams of a ship to render it watertight.—ns.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
