The beating down of standing corn by wind or storm. The word is derived from the Latincalamus (a stalk of corn). Hence, Cicero calls a storm Calamito’sa tempestas (a corn-levelling tempest).
“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 notgetout of the ear.”—Bacon.
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