n A calculating table or frame; an instrument for performing
arithmetical calculations by balls
sliding on wires, or
counters in grooves, the lowest line representing units, the second line, tens, etc.
(defdate|First attested in the late 17th century.)[(reference-book | last =| first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | editor =Brown, Lesley | others = | title = The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary | origdate = | origyear = 1933| origmonth = | url = | format = | accessdate = | accessyear = | accessmonth = | edition = 5th | date = | year =2003| month = | publisher =Oxford University Press | location =Oxford, UK | language = | id = | doi = | isbn =978-0-19-860575-7 | lccn = | ol = | pages =2| chapter = | chapterurl = | quote =)]