calf
gb/kˈæf/ us/kˈæf/
A2
Engels
~ 7400
Betekenissen
0 betekenissen
Zelfstandig naamwoord
A2
entity
1
young cow or bull
A baby cow, male or female.
Gebruikspatroon:
a calf on [a farm]
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners often confuse the plural form. The plural of "calf" is "calves", not "calfs". Some also use "calf" for any baby farm animal, but it is used mainly for cows (and, more generally, for some other large animals in a different sense).
Synoniemen
young cow (General description; does not clearly include young bulls, while "calf" includes both.)
|
juvenile bovine (More technical and formal; often used in scientific or farming contexts.)
Antoniemen
adult cow (Refers to a fully grown animal, the opposite life stage of a calf.)
Woordcombinaties
newborn calf
|dairy calf
|beef calf
|cow and calf
|calf pen
|rear calves
Thema's
animals
|farming
|food
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Voorbeelden
- The cow gave birth to a healthy calf during the night.
- Farmers keep the youngest calves in a separate pen to watch them closely.
- Each spring, dozens of calves are born on that ranch.
- The vet came to check on a sick calf in the barn.
- They raise beef calves for meat and sell them at market.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- The cow has a small calf.
- We saw many calves on the farm.
- The farmer feeds milk to the calf.
- The calf stays close to its mother.
- A new calf was born yesterday.
Zelfstandig naamwoord
B1
entity
2
back of the lower leg
The soft, round part on the back of your lower leg, between your knee and your ankle.
Gebruikspatroon:
the calf of [someone]'s leg
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners sometimes confuse "calf" with other leg parts like "thigh" or "ankle". The calf is only the back of the lower leg. Also, the plural is "calves", not "calfs".
Synoniemen
lower leg (back) (Describes the general area; less specific and not a set anatomical term like "calf".)
Antoniemen
shin (Refers to the front of the lower leg, which contrasts with the calf at the back.)
Woordcombinaties
calf muscle
|tight calves
|pull a calf muscle
|stretch your calves
|calf cramp
|do calf raises
Thema's
body
|health
|sports
|core_vocabulary
Voorbeelden
- My left calf cramped up halfway through the race.
- She massaged his calves after the long hike.
- He felt a sharp pain shoot through his right calf.
- These boots are too tight around my calves.
- Strong calf muscles help protect your knees when you run.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- My calf hurts when I walk.
- I stretch my calves before I play soccer.
- She has very strong calf muscles.
- He rubbed his calf after the long run.
- These socks are tight on my calves.
Zelfstandig naamwoord
B2
entity
3
young of some large mammals
A baby of some big animals, for example an elephant, a whale, or a seal.
Gebruikspatroon:
a calf of [a large mammal]
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners may think "calf" is only for cows. In fact, it is also used for the young of some other large animals like elephants and whales. However, for many animals (like dogs or cats) you should use words like "puppy" or "kitten" instead.
Synoniemen
baby [animal] (Very general and informal; you must name the animal (for example, "baby elephant") instead of using the more specific term "calf".)
Antoniemen
adult (Describes a fully grown animal, the opposite life stage of a calf.)
Woordcombinaties
elephant calf
|whale calf
|dolphin calf
|seal calf
Thema's
animals
|science
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Voorbeelden
- We watched an elephant calf walking under its mother for protection.
- The whale calf surfaced next to its mother and sprayed water into the air.
- Park rangers monitor each bison calf during the first weeks of life.
- The seal calf struggled on the rocks while its mother called from the water.
- Documentaries often show a dolphin calf learning to hunt with the pod.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- The elephant calf stays close to its mother.
- We saw a whale calf near the boat.
- A dolphin calf swam beside the group.
- The park protects every bison calf.
- The seal calf waited while the mother hunted.
Zelfstandig naamwoord
technical
C1
entity
4
leather from a calf
Soft leather made from the skin of a young cow, used for good shoes and bags.
Gebruikspatroon:
a pair of [color] calf shoes
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners may confuse this use of "calf" with the animal itself. In fashion and materials, "calf" by itself can mean high‑quality leather made from a calf’s skin. The word "calfskin" is often clearer for learners.
Synoniemen
calfskin (More explicit and slightly more technical; clearly refers to the skin or leather, not the animal itself.)
Antoniemen
synthetic leather (Man‑made material that imitates leather, contrasting with real calf leather.)
Woordcombinaties
calf leather
|black calf shoes
|soft calf
|calf handbag
Thema's
fashion
|materials
|clothing
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Voorbeelden
- He wore polished brown calf shoes with his suit.
- The handbag is made from soft Italian calf.
- Calf leather is prized for its smooth texture and durability.
- These boots come in suede and full‑grain calf.
- The book was bound in dark blue calf with gold lettering.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- She bought black calf shoes for work.
- This bag is made of soft calf leather.
- Calf is more expensive than normal leather.
- The book has a cover of brown calf.
- These boots are real calf, not plastic.
Grammatica
Lemmavorm
calf
IPA
GB/kˈæf/
US/kˈæf/
Lettergrepen en klemtoon
calf (1 lettergreep)
Stress on 1st syllable (calf)
Woordvormen
Noun
- Base: calf
- Plural: calf, calves
Woordfamilie
Forms
calves
noun
Core family
calve
verb
Related words
veal
noun
Advanced or less common
calving
noun
calfskin
noun
Uitdrukkingen
calf muscle
1/kˈæf mˈʌsəl/
fixed phrase
muscle at back of lower leg
The main muscle on the back of the lower part of your leg.
Voorbeelden
- I injured my calf muscle during the football match.
- Strong calf muscles help you jump higher.
- She goes to the gym to work on her calf muscles.
calf raise
1/kˈæf ɹˈeɪz/
fixed phrase
exercise for calf muscles
An exercise where you stand and lift your heels up and down to make your calf muscles stronger.
Voorbeelden
- Do three sets of ten calf raises to strengthen your lower legs.
- She finishes every workout with a long set of calf raises.
- Calf raises can be done on a step to increase the range of motion.
cow and calf
1/kˈaʊ ˈænd kˈæf/
fixed phrase
mother cow with her calf
A mother cow and her baby calf together.
Voorbeelden
- The farmer moved the cow and calf to a safer field.
- We saw a cow and calf standing by the river.
- The vet checked every cow and calf in the herd.
kill the fatted calf
1/kˈɪl ðə fˈætd kˈæf/
idiom
literary
celebrate with a special feast
To celebrate in a big way, especially with a special meal, when someone comes home or when there is very good news.
Voorbeelden
- When their son returned from overseas, they killed the fatted calf and invited the whole family.
- The company killed the fatted calf after winning the major contract.
- They are ready to kill the fatted calf if she agrees to come home for the holidays.
make calves' eyes at someone
1/mˈeɪk kˈævz ˈaɪz ˈæt sˈʌmwˌʌn/
idiom
informal
look at someone with longing
To look at someone in a very loving or admiring way, so that everyone can see you like them.
Voorbeelden
- He kept making calves' eyes at her all evening.
- She sat in the corner making calves' eyes at the new teacher.
- Teenagers were making calves' eyes at each other across the room.
pull a calf muscle
1/pˈʊl ə kˈæf mˈʌsəl/
fixed phrase
injure your calf muscle
To hurt your calf muscle by using it too hard or in a sudden way.
Voorbeelden
- He pulled a calf muscle while sprinting in the last lap.
- If you do not warm up properly, you can easily pull a calf muscle.
- She had to stop playing tennis after pulling a calf muscle.