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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



135 words match “VOLATILE”

VOLATILE a. 4 definitions
hearted; easily affected by circumstances; airy; lively; hence, changeable; fickle; as, a volatile temper. You are as giddy and volatile as ever. Swift. Volatile alkali. (Old Chem.) See under Alkali. -- Volatile liniment, a liniment composed of sweet oil and ammonia, so called from the readiness with which the latter…
VOLATILENESS; VOLATILITY n.
Quality or state of being volatile; disposition to evaporate; changeableness; fickleness.
ABIETENE n.
A volatile oil distilled from the resin or balsam of the nut pine (Pinus sabiniana) of California.
ABSTRACT v.
To separate, as the more volatile or soluble parts of a substance, by distillation or other chemical processes. In this sense extract is now more generally used.
ABSTRACTION n.
A separation of volatile parts by the act of distillation. Nicholson.
ACETONE n.
A volatile liquid consisting of three parts of carbon, six of hydrogen, and one of oxygen; pyroacetic spirit, -- obtained by the distillation of certain acetates, or by the destructive distillation of citric acid, starch, sugar, or gum, with quicklime.
ACROLEIN n.
A limpid, colorless, highly volatile liquid, obtained by the dehydration of glycerin, or the destructive distillation of neutral fats containing glycerin. Its vapors are intensely irritating. Watts.
AIR n.
Symbolically: Something unsubstantial, light, or volatile. "Charm ache with air." Shak. He was still all air and fire. Macaulay . [Air and fire being the finer and quicker elements as opposed to earth and water.]
ALDEHYDE n.
A colorless, mobile, and very volatile liquid obtained from alcohol by certain of oxidation.
ALKALI n.
to blue. Fixed alkalies, potash and soda. -- Vegetable alkalies. Same as Alkaloids. -- Volatile alkali, ammonia, so called in distinction from the fixed alkalies.
ALMOND n.
fixed oil expressed from sweet or bitter almonds. -- Oil of bitter almonds, a poisonous volatile oil obtained from bitter almonds by maceration and distillation; benzoic aldehyde. -- Imitation oil of bitter almonds, nitrobenzene. -- Almond tree (Bot.), the tree bearing the almond. -- Almond willow (Bot.), a willow…
AMMONIA n.
s compound of hydrogen and nitrogen, NH3, with a pungent smell and taste: -- often called volatile alkali, and spirits of hartshorn.
AMYL NITRITE n.
A yellowish oily volatile liquid, C5H11NO2, used in medicine as a heart stimulant and a vasodilator. The inhalation of its vapor instantly produces flushing of the face.
AMYLENE n.
One of a group of metameric hydrocarbons, C5H10, of the ethylene series. The colorless, volatile, mobile liquid commonly called amylene is a mixture of different members of the group.
ANETHOL n.
A substance obtained from the volatile oils of anise, fennel, etc., in the form of soft shining scales; -- called also anise camphor. Watts.
ASPIC n.
A European species of lavender (Lavandula spica), which produces a volatile oil. See Spike.
ATTAR n.
A fragrant essential oil; esp., a volatile and highly fragrant essential oil obtained from the petals of roses. [Also written otto and ottar.]
AUTOMOBILE n.
treet or roadway. Automobiles are usually propelled by internal combustion engines (using volatile inflammable liquids, as gasoline or petrol, alcohol, naphtha, etc.), steam engines, or electric motors. The power of the driving motor varies from about 4 to 50 H. P. for ordinary vehicles, ranging from the run-about to t…
BALSAM n.
A resin containing more or less of an essential or volatile oil.
BENZENE n.
A volatile, very inflammable liquid, C6H6, contained in the naphtha produced by the destructive distillation of coal, from which it is separated by fractional distillation. The name is sometimes applied also to the impure commercial product or benzole, and also, but rarely, to a similar mixed product of petroleum. Benz…
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