cyanide

[ sahy-uh-nahyd, -nid ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Also cy·a·nid [] Chemistry.
1. a salt of hydrocyanic acid, as potassium cyanide, KCN.
2. a nitrile, as methyl cyanide, C 2 H 3 N.

, cy·a·nid·ed, cy·a·nid·ing.

cyanide

/ ˈsaɪəˌnaɪd; ˈsaɪənɪd /

any salt of hydrocyanic acid. Cyanides contain the ion CN ^–and are extremely poisonous
another name (not in technical usage) for nitrile

cyanide

/ sī′ə-nīd′ /

Any of a large group of chemical compounds containing the radical CN, especially the very poisonous salts sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide. Cyanides are used to make plastics and to extract and treat metals.

Origin of cyanide¹

Nonetheless, Turing killed himself on June 7, 1954, in a deliberately prepared way, by eating a cyanide-laced apple.

An autopsy found highly toxic cyanide levels in the blood of the not-so-dearly departed.

He opted for the latter, and two years later, took his own life by ingesting cyanide.

Two years later, at the age of 41, the war hero ended his own life with cyanide.

Zyklon B, a gas used by the Nazis in the death camps, is a haunting example of the rapid lethality of one form, hydrogen cyanide.

On addition of potassium cyanide a transitory red color appeared which reappeared on shaking with air.

A portion was gently warmed with a few drops of a strong solution of potassium cyanide and two drops of sodium hydroxide.

To cleanse articles of silver, gold, bronze and brass use a saturated solution of cyanide of potassium.

As cyanide of potassium is a deadly poison, care must be taken not to have it touch any sore spot on the flesh.

Mercuric cyanide, as we have seen (p. 115), is exceptional in its exceedingly small capacity for ionization.

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