caul

caul

Anatomy

1. a portion of the amniotic sac sometimes covering a child's head at birth

2. a large fold of peritoneum hanging from the stomach across the intestines; the large omentum

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

Caul

(religion, spiritualism, and occult)

A thin membrane that envelopes the fetus; part of the amnion. Some children are born with it still attached, covering the head. This is often referred to as being "born with the veil." It was, for many hundreds of years, believed to have magical properties, in particular the power to save a person from drowning. This was probably because it, in effect, saved the fetus from drowning in the womb. Consequently, many sailors would seek out a Witch who could sell them a caul as an amulet to carry on their voyages.

Many believe that a person born with a caul also possesses special powers, such as divination and healing. Some even believe that all Witches are born with the caul. The Romans considered the caul an omen of good luck.

In Jewish tradition, the caul protects from storm demons—another reason for sailors' interest in it.

Charles Dickens refers to the caul in David Copperfield when David says, "I was born with a caul, which was advertised for sale, in the newspapers, at the low price of fifteen guineas."

The Witch Book: The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, Wicca, and Neo-paganism © 2002 Visible Ink Press®. All rights reserved.

caul

[kȯl]

(engineering)

A sheet of metal or other material that is heated and used to equalize pressure during fabricating plywood, shaping surface veneer, and hot-pressing composite materials.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

caul

A flat sheet of metal or wood used as a protective layer of plywood, particleboard, fiber-board, etc., during the forming, pressing, and shaping operations.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.