caulk
or calk
- to fill or close seams or crevices of (a tank, window, etc.) in order to make watertight, airtight, etc.
- to make (a vessel) watertight by filling the seams between the planks with oakum or other material driven snug.
- to fill or close (a seam, joint, etc.), as in a boat.
- to drive the edges of (plating) together to prevent leakage.
- Also caulk·ing [kaw-king] /ˈkɔ kɪŋ/. a material or substance used for caulking.
Origin of caulk
Related Words for caulking
padding, lining, covering, block, shutter, shut, packing, caulking, furring, lock, plug, clog, secure, fence, trammel, wall, dam, dike, blockadeExamples from the Web for caulking
Historical Examples of caulking
It might be managed, perhaps, and he decided to do the caulking as requested by Roberts.
The Trail of a SourdoughMay Kellogg Sullivan
When the ship's labouring forces the caulking out of her seams.
The Sailor's Word-BookWilliam Henry Smyth
I did a lot of caulking yesterday, but I suppose I missed that place.
The Riddle of the SandsErskine Childers
If a short bend fitting is used, the matter of caulking is difficult.
Elements of PlumbingSamuel Dibble
This fitting is threaded on one end and has a socket on the other to allow for caulking.
Elements of PlumbingSamuel Dibble
caulk
calk
- to stop up (cracks, crevices, etc) with a filler
- nautical to pack (the seams) between the planks of the bottom of (a vessel) with waterproof material to prevent leakage
Word Origin for caulk
Word Origin and History for caulking
caulk
late 14c., "to stop up crevices or cracks," from Old North French cauquer, from Late Latin calicare "to stop up chinks with lime," from Latin calx (2) "lime, limestone" (see chalk). Original sense is nautical, of making ships watertight. Related: Caulked; caulking. As a noun, "caulking material," by 1980 (caulking in this sense was used from 1743). Related: Caulker.