- a variant spelling of caulk
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
calk1
(kôk),USA pronunciation v.t., n.
calk2 (kôk),USA pronunciation n.
v.t.
- Building, Naval Termscaulk.
calk2 (kôk),USA pronunciation n.
- Also, calkin. a projection on a horseshoe to prevent slipping on ice, pavement, etc. See illus. under horseshoe.
- ClothingAlso, calker. a similar device on the heel or sole of a shoe to prevent slipping.
v.t.
- to provide with calks.
- to injure with a calk.
- perh. a back formation from calkin, taken as a verb calk + -in present participle suffix (Middle English -inde), confused with -ing2 1580–90
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
calk /kɔːk/ vb
calk /kɔːk/, calkin /ˈkɔːkɪn; ˈkæl-/ n
- a metal projection on a horse's shoe to prevent slipping
- to provide with calks
caulk or calk /kɔk/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Building, Naval Termsto fill or seal with a material the seams in (a window, ship's hull, etc.) to keep water or air out:He caulked the windows.
- Nautical, Naval Termsto fill or seal (a joint, etc.) with this material:She caulked the cracks in the tiles.
n. [uncountable]
- BuildingAlso, caulk•ing. a material used to caulk.
caulk
(kôk),USA pronunciation v.t.
n.
- Buildingto fill or close seams or crevices of (a tank, window, etc.) in order to make watertight, airtight, etc.
- Nautical, Naval Termsto make (a vessel) watertight by filling the seams between the planks with oakum or other material driven snug.
- Nautical, Naval Termsto fill or close (a seam, joint, etc.), as in a boat.
- Buildingto drive the edges of (plating) together to prevent leakage.
n.
- Latin, as above
- Old French cauquer to trample
- Latin calcāre to trample, tread on (verb, verbal derivative of calx heel), conflated with Middle English cauken
- 1350–1400
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
caulk, calk /kɔːk/ vb
- to stop up (cracks, crevices, etc) with a filler
- to pack (the seams) between the planks of the bottom of (a vessel) with waterproof material to prevent leakage
'calk' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):