| E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898. |
| | | Calam’ity. | | |
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The beating down of standing corn by wind or storm. The word is derived from the Latin calamus (a stalk of corn). Hence, Cicero calls a storm Calamito’sa tempestas (a corn-levelling tempest). | 1 |
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“Another ill accident is drought, and the spoiling of the corn; inasmuch as the word ‘calamity’ was first derived from calamus (stalk), when the corn could not get out of the ear.”—Bacon. |
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