Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun An instrument consisting of two hinged legs, used to measure thickness and distances.
- noun A large instrument having a fixed and a movable arm on a graduated stock, used for measuring the diameters of logs and similar objects.
- noun A vernier caliper.
- noun The assembly housing the brake pads in a disc brake.
- noun The assembly in certain bicycle brakes that forces the brake pads against the wheel rim.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun In forestry, an instrument for measuring the diameter of trees or logs.
- noun An instrument for measuring diameters; a caliber: commonly in the plural.
- To ascertain the diameter of (any cylindrical body) by means of calipers, or by a star-gage: as, to
culiper a gun.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Uncommon variant of
calipers . - noun automotive The part of a
disc brake that holds thebrake pads .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun an instrument for measuring the distance between two points (often used in the plural)
- verb measure the diameter of something with calipers
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
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Examples
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Step 5: Now that the brake caliper is removed, unscrew the debris covers, which are over the bolts that secure the brake pads to the caliper, with a flathead screwdriver.
How to Replace the Brakes on a Utility ATV Cassandra 2009
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Carefully remove the caliper from the rotor and hold it in your hand.
How to Replace the Brakes on a Utility ATV Cassandra 2009
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Using stolen alien technology passed down to Fenris by a 12th degree Masonic Knight, this caliper is used to ensure that our artillery cannons are crafted to the highest specifications.
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"A caliper is a precision instrument, so what good does it do you if it can't provide you precision?"
unknown title 2009
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Properly called caliper disc brakes: a type of brake that consists of a disc that rotates at wheel speed, straddled by a caliper that can squeeze the surfaces of the disc near its periphery.
Automotive News Blog at CARandDRIVER.com - Car News Resource 2009
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The caliper is a two-piece clamshell of forged magnesium.
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Maybe on the hand ala X-man Wolverine or on the back of the jersey, using bluetooth to activate the caliper which is powered by...
BSNYC Friday Fun Quiz! BikeSnobNYC 2009
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FYI, "caliper" is a measuring tool, usually in the plural -- calipers, like scissors.
HH Com 51 Miss Snark 2006
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The 36 isn't new - it appeared in 2008 - but the "caliper" system is quite interesting.
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Then pry the brake pads back (open the caliper up) and pump the brake lever one more time, being sure to hold the lever in.
Tip of the Day: Brake Bleeding Bubbles Cassandra 2009
reesetee commented on the word caliper
The thickness of a sheet of paper or card stock. Traditionally measured in points (thousandths of an inch), caliper is now measured in microns (micrometers).
November 6, 2007