AMMONIACS

AMMONIAC

Am*mo"ni*ac, Am`mo*ni"a*cal, a.

Definition: Of or pertaining to ammonia, or possessing its properties; as, an ammoniac salt; ammoniacal gas. Ammoniacal engine, an engine in which the vapor of ammonia is used as the motive force.

– Sal ammoniac Etym: [L. sal ammoniacus], the salt usually called chloride of ammonium, and formerly muriate of ammonia.

Am*mo"ni*ac ([or] Gum` am*mo"ni*ac , n. Etym: [L. Ammoniacum, Gr. Ammon; cf. F. ammoniac. See Ammonite.] (Med.)

Definition: The concrete juice (gum resin) of an umbelliferous plant, the Dorema ammoniacum. It is brought chiefly from Persia in the form of yellowish tears, which occur singly, or are aggregated into masses. It has a peculiar smell, and a nauseous, sweet taste, followed by a bitter one. It is inflammable, partially soluble in water and in spirit of wine, and is used in medicine as an expectorant and resolvent, and for the formation of certain plasters.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

24 January 2025

AGITATION

(noun) a state of agitation or turbulent change or development; “the political ferment produced new leadership”; “social unrest”


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Coffee Trivia

Coffee dates back to the 9th century. Goat herders in Ethiopia noticed their goats seem to be “dancing” after eating berries from a particular shrub. They reported it to the local monastery, and a monk made a drink out of it. The monk found out he felt energized and kept him awake at night. That’s how the first coffee drink was born.

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