pewter
(noun) any of various alloys of tin with small amounts of other metals (especially lead)
Source: WordNet® 3.1
pewter (countable and uncountable, plural pewters)
An alloy of approximately 93–98% tin, 1–2% copper, and the balance of antimony.
(historical) An alloy of tin and lead.
Items made of pewter; pewterware.
A beer tankard made from pewter.
A dark, dull grey colour, like that of the metal.
(slang, dated) Prize money.
pewter (not comparable)
Of a dark, dull grey colour, like that of the metal.
pewter (third-person singular simple present pewters, present participle pewtering, simple past and past participle pewtered)
(transitive) To coat with pewter.
• pewtre, prewet
Source: Wiktionary
Pew"ter, n. Etym: [OE. pewtyr, OF. peutre, peautre, piautre: cf. D. peauter, piauter, It. peltro, Sp. & Pg. peltre, LL. peutreum, pestrum. Cf. Spelter.]
1. A hard, tough, but easily fusible, alloy, originally consisting of tin with a little lead, but afterwards modified by the addition of copper, antimony, or bismuth.
2. Utensils or vessels made of pewter, as dishes, porringers, drinking vessels, tankards, pots.
Note: Pewter was formerly much used for domestic utensils. Inferior sorts contain a large proportion of lead.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
23 November 2024
(adjective) concerned primarily with theories or hypotheses rather than practical considerations; “theoretical science”
The Boston Tea Party helped popularize coffee in America. The hefty tea tax imposed on the colonies in 1773 resulted in America switching from tea to coffee. In the lead up to the Revolutionary War, it became patriotic to sip java instead of tea. The Civil War made the drink more pervasive. Coffee helped energize tired troops, and drinking it became an expression of freedom.
