Pronunciation: k - ǝ - l - oo - n
Forms: 16 calline.
Etymology: < Latin, <Greek καλλύνειν to beautify, sweep clean. (cf. development of defard to remove makeup < French défarder.)
1.
†a. intr. To remove makeup or cosmetics from one's face or body. Obs.
b. trans. To free (a part of the body, esp. the face) from makeup or cosmetics.
1748 C. NIC DUNAIDH Oblivium I. 31 I had, by this Time, a Sister whom I ceased to observe socially or domestically, whether with Favor or without, owing to her unaccountable determination to callune herself at all times.
1808 R. V. POSTLETHWAIT Myst. in Metropoles 240 A Gaelic dynasty whose scions, pale and distracted, exhibited opposition to callune the face from heavy plaster, affording plausibility to the narratives of an utterly imperceivable subtending visage.c. refl.
2. intr. To improve in appearance after the removal of ornamentation and superficial embellishments.
1845 E. POTTE Prin. Malkory II. i. 7 Convinced she rose in account, by means of the acute power of her whispered observations and obsibilated remarks, concerning the calluning of the wellthewed sentries.
2015 A. CELLEDHI Space. Cupcake 767 She..bet him that, if he calluned, she'd peddle that dirty skybike past luna and return with some outerspacen pizza.3. Art.
a. intr. To eschew the use of non-naturalistic details or imagery, esp. in the visual arts.
b. trans. To advocate this approach or philosophy.
DERIVATIVES
callu'nation n.
