A white powdery substance used to prevent hands slipping from holds when climbing, or losing grip in weight-lifting or gymnastics, sometimes but not always limestone-chalk, often magnesium carbonate (MgCO3).
To make white, as if with chalk; to make pale; to bleach.
Origin
From Middle English chalk, chalke, from Old English cealc, borrowed from Latin calx ("limestone"), again borrowed from Ancient Greek χάλιξ ("pebble"). calx and cauk.
Modern English dictionary
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