Also 7 gallesh, calleche, calesh, galeche, 7–8 caleche, 9 calèche. [a. F. calèche, from Slavonic: Boh. kolésa, Pol. kołaska, dim. of kołasa ‘wheel-carriage,’ f. koło wheel: cf. Russ. kolaska calash, kolesó wheel. In Eng., after many eccentricities, the word settled down as calash; but the Fr. form calèche is frequent in modern writers in reference to the Continent or Canada.]
1. A kind of light carriage with low wheels, having a removable folding hood or top. In Canada, a two-wheeled, one-seated vehicle, usually without a cover, with a seat for the driver on the splashboard.
α. Form calèche, etc.
1666. Lond. Gaz., No. 104/1. The Pope … taking the air in a rich Caleche.
1673. Dryden, Marr. à la Mode, II. i. 22. I have been at your Lodgings, in my new Galeche.
1676. Etheredge, Man of Mode, III. ii. 42. Truly there is a bell-air in Galleshes as well as men.
1678. Butler, Hud., III. II. 144/871. Ladies hurried in Calleches, With Cornets at their Footmens Breeches.
1681. Dineley, Jrnl. Tour Irel., in Trans. Kilkenny Archæol. Soc., Ser. II. (1864), IV. 46. The Modell of a Calesh or Relune to be drawn with one Horse.
1702. Lond. Gaz., No. 3801/7. A Cannon Shot … carried away part of his Caleche.
1845. Gresley, Frank’s First Trip to Continent, 24. A calèche was called.
1866. Thoreau, Yankee in Canada, i. 10. The Canadians … were riding about in caleches.
β. Form calash.
1679. R. Mansell, Narr. Popish Plot, 43. Proposing first to go in his Calash, and pass for a French-man.
1711. F. Fuller, Med. Gymn., 43. The Motion [of a] … light Calash … at first may seem a little troublesome, and the Shocks too rude.
1849. Sir R. Wilson, Life (1862), I. iii. 129. Sleeping in the Calash.
2. The folding hood of such a carriage; also, the hood of a bathing machine, perambulator, etc.
1856. A. Smith, Mr. Ledbury, I. xv. 117. The calash of a … bathing-machine.
3. A woman’s hood made of silk, supported with whalebone or cane hoops, and projecting beyond the face. Formerly in common use.
1774. Westm. Mag., II. 352. Chip hats or calashes.
1791. Wesley, in Wks. (1872), VIII. 307. Give no ticket to any that wear calashes.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xxxix. That lady in her clogs and calash.
1852. Hawthorne, Blithedale Rom., II. xii. 212. Priscilla wore … a calash, which she had flung back from her head, leaving it suspended by the strings.
1867. Mrs. Gaskell, Cranford (1873), 52. Three or four ladies in calashes met at Miss Barker’s door. A calash … is a covering worn over caps not unlike the heads fastened on old-fashioned gigs.
4. attrib., as in calash-driver, -head, -top.
1822. Edin. Rev., XXXVII. 255. His sketch of the calash-driver.
1824. Scott, St. Ronan’s (1832), 233. [The vehicle] had a calash head.
