Part 291

<i>Lovelace.</i>

<h1>Alchemy</h1> <Xpage=37>

<hw>Al"che*my</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[OF. <ets>alkemie</ets>, <ets>arquemie</ets>, F. <ets>alchimie</ets>, Ar. <ets>al-k\'c6m\'c6a</ets>, fr. late Gr. <?/, for <?/, a mingling, infusion, <?/ juice, liquid, especially as extracted from plants, fr. <?/ to pour; for chemistry was originally the art of extracting the juices from plants for medicinal purposes. Cf. Sp. <ets>alquimia</ets>, It. <ets>alchimia</ets>. Gr. <?/ is prob. akin to L. <ets>fundere</ets> to pour, Goth. <ets>guitan</ets>, AS. <ets>ge\'a2tan</ets>, to pour, and so to E. <ets>fuse</ets>. See <er>Fuse</er>, and cf. <er>Chemistry</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>An imaginary art which aimed to transmute the baser metals into gold, to find the panacea, or universal remedy for diseases, etc. It led the way to modern chemistry.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A mixed metal composed mainly of brass, formerly used for various utensils; hence, a trumpet.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>Put to their mouths the sounding <b>alchemy</b>. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Miraculous power of transmuting something common into something precious.</def>

<blockquote>Kissing with golden face the meadows green, Gilding pale streams with heavenly <b>alchemy</b>. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<mhw><h1>Alchymic, a., Alchymist, n., Alchymistic, a., Alchymy</h1> <Xpage=37>

<hw>Al*chym"ic</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt>, <hw>Al"chy*mist</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt>, <hw>Al`chy*mis"tic</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt>, <hw>Al"chy*my</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt></mhw> <def>See <er>Alchemic</er>, <er>Alchemist</er>, <er>Alchemistic</er>, <er>Alchemy</er>.</def>

<h1>Alco</h1> <Xpage=37>

<hw>Al"co</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>A small South American dog, domesticated by the aborigines.</def>

<h1>Alcoate, Alcohate</h1> <Xpage=37>

<hw><hw>Al"co*ate</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <hw>Al"co*hate</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>,<hw> <tt>n.</tt> <def>Shortened forms of <er>Alcoholate</er>.</def>

<h1>Alcohol</h1> <Xpage=37>

<hw>Al"co*hol</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>alcool</ets>, formerly written <ets>alcohol</ets>, Sp. <ets>alcohol</ets> alcohol, antimony, galena, OSp. <ets>alcofol</ets>; all fr. Ar. <ets>al</ets>-<ets>kohl</ets> a powder of antimony or galena, to paint the eyebrows with. The name was afterwards applied, on account of the fineness of this powder, to highly rectified spirits, a signification unknown in Arabia. The Sp. word has bot meanings. Cf. <er>Alquifou</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>An impalpable powder.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>The fluid essence or pure spirit obtained by distillation.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Boyle.</i>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Pure spirit of wine; pure or highly rectified spirit (called also <altname>ethyl alcohol</altname>); the spirituous or intoxicating element of fermented or distilled liquors, or more loosely a liquid containing it in considerable quantity. It is extracted by simple distillation from various vegetable juices and infusions of a saccharine nature, which have undergone vinous fermentation.</def>

<note>&hand; As used in the U. S. "Pharmacop&oe;ia, <i>alcohol</i> contains 91 per cent by weight of ethyl alcohol and 9 per cent of water; and <i>diluted alcohol</i> (proof spirit) contains 45.5 per cent by weight of ethyl alcohol and 54.5 per cent of water.</note>

<p><b>4.</b> <fld>(Organic Chem.)</fld> <def>A class of compounds analogous to vinic alcohol in constitution. Chemically speaking, they are hydroxides of certain organic radicals; <as>as, the radical ethyl forms common or <stype>ethyl alcohol</stype> (<chform>C2H5OH</chform>); methyl forms <stype>methyl alcohol</stype> (<chform>CH3.OH</chform>) or <stype>wood spirit</stype>; amyl forms <stype>amyl alcohol</stype> (<chform>C5H11.OH</chform>) or <stype>fusel oil</stype>, etc.</as></def>

<h1>Alcoholate</h1> <Xpage=37>

<hw>Al"co*hol*ate</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>alcolaie</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Chem.)</fld> <def>A crystallizable compound of a salt with alcohol, in which the latter plays a part analogous to that of water of crystallization.</def>

<i>Graham.</i>

<h1>Alcoholature</h1> <Xpage=37>

<hw>Al`co*hol"a*ture</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>alcoolature</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Med.)</fld> <def>An alcoholic tincture prepared with fresh plants.</def>

<i>New Eng. Dict.</i>

<h1>Alcoholic</h1> <Xpage=37>

<hw>Al`co*hol"ic</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>alcolique</ets>.]</ety> <def>Of or pertaining to alcohol, or partaking of its qualities; derived from, or caused by, alcohol; containing alcohol; <as>as, <ex>alcoholic</ex> mixtures; <ex>alcoholic</ex> gastritis; <ex>alcoholic</ex> odor.</as></def>