Search the Dictionary

giving off usually in some stages of the process more or less offensive odors; to become decomposed by a natural process; to putrefy; to decay. Fixed like a plant on his peculiar spot, To draw nutrition, propagate, and rot. Pope.

stone as it comes from the quarry; also, a quarryman's term for the upper fragmentary and decomposed portion of a mass of stone; brash. Brande & C.

A layer of clay or decomposed rock along the wall of a vein. See Gouge, n., 4. Raymond.

Not capable of being decomposed into anything more simple or ultimate by any means at present known; elementary; thus, atoms are regarded as simple bodies. Cf. Ultimate, a.

A white to gray volcanic tufa, formed of decomposed trachytic cinders; -- sometimes used as a cement. Hence, a coarse sort of plaster or mortar, durable in water, and used to line cisterns and other reservoirs of water. [Formerly written also tarras, tarrace, terras.]

Decomposed, or resolved into parts; having the form destroyed.

in the same proportion as in the light coming directly from the sun, without having been decomposed, as by passing through a prism. See the Note under Color, n., 1. (b) A kind of firework which gives a brilliant white illumination for signals, etc. -- White lime, a solution or preparation of lime for whitewashing; wh…