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Literary notes about Caliber (AI summary)

The word "caliber" in literature serves multiple roles, acting both as a precise measure of physical attributes and as a metaphor for quality or ability. In some passages, it is used literally to denote the physical dimensions of artillery and firearms—describing, for instance, a .45-caliber pistol or a ten-inch naval gun [1], [2]—and extending to measurements of missile sizes, gun ranges, and even the design of machinery [3], [4], [5]. In a more figurative sense, "caliber" is also employed to evaluate the worth and competence of individuals, suggesting that a person may or may not possess the necessary attributes or strength to achieve a particular task [6], [7]. Additionally, the term finds application in areas as diverse as anatomical descriptions and distinctions in performance, illustrating the adaptability of "caliber" as both a measurement and an appraisal of character or quality [8], [9].
  1. The pistol being a .45-caliber, I thought surely I would find him at work on the clue in Forty-fifth Street.
    — from Waifs and StraysPart 1 by O. Henry
  2. A 10-inch caliber naval gun on a railroad mount.
    — from Winning a Cause: World War Stories by John G. (John Gilbert) Thompson
  3. The guns range from 17.7-inch caliber down to 8.2-inch.
    — from Kelly Miller's History of the World War for Human Rights by Kelly Miller
  4. The caliber of the missiles. Millimeters.
    — from Gunshot Roentgenograms A Collection of Roentgenograms Taken in Constantinople During the Turko-Balkan War, 1912-1913, Illustrating Some Gunshot Wounds in the Turkish Army by Clyde S. (Clyde Sinclair) Ford
  5. A description of the only known gun is as follows: The round barrel with the rib on top is rifled and is caliber .490.
    — from Southern Derringers of the Mississippi Valley by Turner Kirkland
  6. “Young man, I figgered you was some swift, an' sure to make your mark on this river; but I reckon I missed your real caliber.
    — from The Lone Star Ranger: A Romance of the Border by Zane Grey
  7. He was absolutely dependent upon Doctor Forester, and he was not of the caliber to act rashly, go bravely out and face the hostile world.
    — from Deering of Deal; Or, The Spirit of the School by Latta Griswold
  8. When the healthy side is closed in this manner the breathing through the affected side will demonstrate a decreased caliber or an obstruction.
    — from Special Report on Diseases of the Horse by W. H. (William Heyser) Harbaugh
  9. So, too, with voices of different caliber, the coloratura, lyric and dramatic.
    — from Vocal Mastery Talks with Master Singers and Teachers, Comprising Interviews with Caruso, Farrar, Maurel, Lehmann, and Others by Harriette Brower

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