calico
calico — noun
- calicosingular
- calicoesplural
1. A durable, heavy cotton cloth left in its natural off-white shade or undyed, use
A durable, heavy cotton cloth left in its natural off-white shade or undyed, used to make sample garments, bags, or sturdy everyday items.
The dressmaker sewed a calico toile to check the jacket's fit before cutting the silk.
used for making sample garments (toiles)
Ingrid packed her shopping into a plain calico bag.
calico + noun (calico bag)
Felix preferred calico work shirts for their toughness and low cost.
Adina cut four metres of white calico for the nursery curtains.
The theatre used cheap calico to make the backdrop for the school play.
- muslin
a lighter, finer plain-weave cotton fabric, used for similar purposes but not as heavy
- cotton duck
a heavier, coarser canvas fabric, stronger than calico
文法句型
calico + noun (calico dress, calico bag)
用法筆記
Uncountable when referring to the fabric in general; do not say 'a calico' for material. In sewing contexts, a calico toile is a practice version of a garment stitched from this inexpensive fabric.
常見錯誤
2. A cotton fabric with colourful patterns pressed onto its surface, used to make i
A cotton fabric with colourful patterns pressed onto its surface, used to make inexpensive clothing, curtains, cushion covers, and similar household articles.
Camila chose a floral calico to sew new kitchen curtains.
pattern + calico (floral calico)
The market stall sold bright calico scarves printed with birds.
adjective + calico (bright calico)
Lucas covered the sofa cushions in a blue star-patterned calico.
Trang bought printed calico to make cushion covers for the patio chairs.
Darius picked a red calico with small white flowers for the tablecloth.
- print fabric
a general term for any textile with a printed design, not limited to cotton
- chintz
a glazed cotton fabric with floral prints, more decorative and shiny than calico
文法句型
pattern + calico (floral calico)
adjective + calico (bright calico)
用法筆記
Countable when specifying a particular design ('a blue calico', 'several printed calicos'). Sense 2 differs from Sense 1 in that the fabric carries a printed pattern rather than being plain.
常見錯誤
3. Any domestic cat whose coat displays a patchwork of white, black, orange, and br
Any domestic cat whose coat displays a patchwork of white, black, orange, and brown colouring, creating a spotted tricolour look.
A calico cat with black and orange patches sat on the garden wall.
calico cat with [colour] patches
Joon's calico kitten had a white chest and a brown patch over one eye.
Reema read that almost all calico cats are female.
The calico curled up on the porch and slept in the afternoon sun.
Walid's neighbour owns a friendly calico that visits every morning for food.
- tricolour cat
a more general term for any cat with three coat colours
- tortoiseshell-and-white cat
another name for the same colour pattern, especially in British English
文法句型
calico cat
calico kitten
用法筆記
Calico describes a coat pattern, not a breed — many different breeds can show calico colouring. Over 99% of calico cats are female because the genes for coat colour are carried on the X chromosome.