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vitriol - 9 dictionary results

vit⋅ri⋅ol

[vi-tree-uhl] noun, verb, -oled, -ol⋅ing or (especially British) -olled, -ol⋅ling.
–noun
1. Chemistry. any of certain metallic sulfates of glassy appearance, as copper sulfate or blue vitriol, iron sulfate or green vitriol, zinc sulfate or white vitriol, etc.
2. oil of vitriol; sulfuric acid.
3. something highly caustic or severe in effect, as criticism.
–verb (used with object)
4. to treat with or as with vitriol, esp. sulfuric acid.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME < ML vitriolum, vitreolum, equiv. to L vitre(us) vitreous + -olum, neut. of -olus -ole 1
sulfuric acid  
n.  A highly corrosive, dense, oily liquid, H2SO4, colorless to dark brown depending on its purity and used to manufacture a wide variety of chemicals and materials including fertilizers, paints, detergents, and explosives. Also called oil of vitriol, vitriol.
vit·ri·ol   (vĭt'rē-ōl', -əl)   
n.  
    1. See sulfuric acid.
    2. Any of various sulfates of metals, such as ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, or copper sulfate.
  1. Bitterly abusive feeling or expression.
tr.v.   vit·ri·oled or vit·ri·olled, vit·ri·ol·ing or vit·ri·ol·ling, vit·ri·ols
To expose or subject to vitriol.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin vitriolum, from Late Latin vitreolum, neuter of vitreolus, of glass, from Latin vitreus; see vitreous.]

Vitriol

Vit"ri*ol\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. -oledor -olled; p. pr. & vb. n. -oling or -olling.] [From Vitriol, n.]

1. (Metal.) To dip in dilute sulphuric acid; to pickle.

2. To vitriolize. [Colloq.]

Vitriol

Vit"ri*ol\, n. [F. vitriol; cf. Pr. vitriol, vetriol, Sp. & Pg. vitriolo, It. vitriuolo; fr. L. vitreolus of glass, vitreus vitreous. See Vitreous.] (Chem.) (a) A sulphate of any one of certain metals, as copper, iron, zinc, cobalt. So called on account of the glassy appearance or luster. (b) Sulphuric acid; -- called also oil of vitriol. So called because first made by the distillation of green vitriol. See Sulphuric acid, under Sulphuric. [Colloq.]

Blue vitriol. See under Blue.

Green vitriol, ferrous sulphate; copperas. See under Green.

Oil of vitriol, sulphuric or vitriolic acid; -- popularly so called because it has the consistency of oil.

Red vitriol, a native sulphate of cobalt.

Vitriol of Mars, ferric sulphate, a white crystalline substance which dissolves in water, forming a red solution.

White vitriol, zinc sulphate, a white crystalline substance used in medicine and in dyeing. It is usually obtained by dissolving zinc in sulphuric acid, or by roasting and oxidizing certain zinc ores. Formerly called also vitriol of zinc.

vitriol 
c.1386, "sulphate of iron," from O.Fr. vitriol (13c.), from M.L. vitriolum "vitriol," from neut. of vitriolus, from L.L. vitreolus "of glass," from L. vitreus "of glass, glassy," from vitrium "glass" (see vitreous). So called from its glassy appearance in certain states. Meaning "bitter or caustic feelings" first attested 1769, in allusion to the corrosive properties of vitriol.

Main Entry: vit·ri·ol
Pronunciation: 'vi-trE-&l
Function: noun
1 : a sulfate of any of various metals (as copper, iron, or zinc)
2 : OIL OF VITRIOL

vitriol vit·ri·ol (vĭt'rē-ōl', -əl)
n.

  1. Any of various sulfates of metals, such as ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, or copper sulfate.
  2. See sulfuric acid.

vitriol   (vĭt'rē-ōl', -əl)  Pronunciation Key 
  1. A former name for sulfuric acid.
  2. Any of various sulfates of metals, such as ferrous sulfate (green vitriol), zinc sulfate, or copper sulfate (blue vitriol). See also blue vitriol.

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