calving

Everyday

1. The birth of a calf, especially on a farm. tree →
2. The breaking off of ice from the edge of a glacier or ice sheet into the sea, making icebergs. tree →

In the lessons

In farm life, «calving season» is the busy time when many calves are born, and farmers help if there is trouble. In geography and climate science, calving makes icebergs; more calving can show glaciers are melting faster. Phrases: «calving season», «calving glacier».

Examples

• It is calving season on the dairy farm. tree →
• The vet came to help with a difficult calving. tree →
• Calving at the glacier made a huge splash. tree →
• Scientists measure calving to see how fast ice sheets shrink. tree →
• During calving, the farmer checks the cows at night. tree →
• The noise of calving ice sounded like thunder. tree →

Note

The -ing form of «calve», also used as a noun. Drop the e: calve → calving. The l is silent: «KAHV-ing».