CALVING

To give birth to a calf

To assist in a cow's giving birth to a calf

To give birth to (a calf)

(especially of an ice shelf, a glacier, an ice sheet, or even an iceberg) to shed a large piece, e.g. an iceberg or a smaller block of ice (coming off an iceberg)

Example: "The glacier was starting to calve even as we watched."

(especially of an iceberg) to break off

Example: "The sea was dangerous because of icebergs calving off the nearby glacier."

(especially of an ice shelf, a glacier, an ice sheet, or even an iceberg) to shed (a large piece, e.g. an iceberg); to set loose (a mass of ice), e.g. a block of ice (coming off an iceberg)

Example: "The glacier was starting to calve an iceberg even as we watched."