1. to seal seams or cracks (especially in a ship's hull) with caulking material
Usage: nautical; also spelled 'caulks'
2. to provide (a shoe or boot) with calks (metal spikes or points on the sole)
Usage: chiefly North American

1. plural of calk; metal spikes or points attached to the sole of a shoe or boot for traction on ice or slippery surfaces
Usage: also spelled 'caulks'

Examples

• The shipwright calks the wooden seams to prevent water from leaking in.
• Workers calks their boots before walking on the icy dock.
• The horse's hooves were fitted with calks for better grip on the frozen ground.
• She calks the gaps in the old boat hull with oakum and pitch.
• Loggers wear boots with calks to stay safe on slippery logs.
• The blacksmith forges calks for winter horseshoes.