or CALIFER, properly denotes the diameter of any body: thus we say, two columns of the same caliber, the caliber of the bore of a gun, the caliber of a bullet, &c.

CALIBER-compasses, the name of an instrument, made either of wood, iron, steel, or brass: that used for measuring bullets consists of two branches, bending inwards, with a tongue fixed to one of them, and the other graduated in such a manner, that if the bullet be comprised by the ends of the two branches, and the tongue be applied to the graduated branch, it will show the weight of the bullet.