calibrate
KAL-uh-breyt
/ˈkælɪbreɪt/
To adjust or mark an instrument so that it can give correct, standardized readings.
Specifically implies adjusting an instrument against a known, trusted standard, rather than just repairing or cleaning it.
The story behind the word. The word originally referred to measuring the bore of a gun barrel to ensure bullets would fit. Over time, it evolved to mean standardizing any measuring instrument.
Word relationships
- adjust: Adjust is a general term for changing something, while calibrate specifically means adjusting to match a standard.
- misalign: To pull out of correct alignment or standard position.
Commonly confused with
- measure: To measure is to find the size or amount of something; to calibrate is to make sure the measuring tool itself is accurate.
Word family
- calibration (noun): The process of calibrating an instrument.
- calibrator (noun): A device used to calibrate other instruments.
Collocations
- calibrate a scale
- calibrate expectations
- carefully calibrate
Example sentences
- "Before starting the experiment, the lab technician had to calibrate the digital scale using a standard weight." Laboratory safety protocol
Memory hook
Think of a deli scale that needs to be set to zero using a standard one-pound weight (calibrating its balance). Aligning to a standard.
When not to use
Do not use for general repair work like fixing a broken table leg or patching a wall.
Fun facts
- The world's most precise clocks, atomic clocks, are calibrated using the natural vibrations of cesium atoms.
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