1. a soft white limestone (calcium carbonate) formed from the skeletal remains of sea creatures.
▪ a substance (calcium sulfate) that is similar to chalk, made into white or colored sticks for writing or drawing.
▪ (in snooker, pool, etc.) a substance similar to chalk, rubbed on the tip of a cue in order to create friction and prevent miscueing: "play carefully and add chalk on the cue tip"
▪ a series of strata consisting mainly of chalk.
2. short for French chalk
verb
1. write or draw with chalk: "he chalked a message on the board"
▪ draw or write on (a surface) with chalk: "blackboards chalked with Japanese phrases"
▪ rub (something, especially a pool cue) with chalk.
Word OriginOld Englishcealc (also denoting lime), related to Dutch kalk and German Kalk, from Latin calx (see calx).
