calf: English has two distinct words calf, both of Germanic origin. Calf ‘young cow’ goes back to Old English cealf, descendant of a prehistoric West Germanic *kalbam, which also produced German kalb and Dutch kalf. Calf of the leg [14] was borrowed from Old Norse kálfi, of unknown origin.
calf (n.1)
"young cow," Old English cealf (Anglian cælf) "young cow," from Proto-Germanic *kalbam (cognates: Middle Dutch calf, Old Norse kalfr, German Kalb, Gothic kalbo), perhaps from PIE *gelb(h)-, from root *gel- "to swell," hence, "womb, fetus, young of an animal." Elliptical sense of "leather made from the skin of a calf" is from 1727. Used of icebergs that break off from glaciers from 1818.
calf (n.2)
fleshy part of the lower leg, early 14c., from Old Norse kalfi, source unknown; possibly from the same Germanic root as calf (n.1).
双语例句
1. The snow, except where it drifted, was only calf-deep.
除了吹得堆积起来的地方，雪只有小腿肚深。
来自柯林斯例句
2. I rubbed the velvety grooves inside the calf's ears.
我摩挲着小牛耳朵里面柔软的凹槽。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Hillsden was complain-ing of cramp in his calf muscles.