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View synonyms for asbestos

asbestos

or as·bes·tus

[ as-bes-tuhs, az- ]

noun

  1. Mineralogy. a fibrous mineral, either amphibole or chrysotile, formerly used for making incombustible or fireproof articles.
  2. a fabric woven from asbestos fibers, formerly used for theater curtains, firefighters' gloves, etc.
  3. Theater. a fireproof curtain.


asbestos

/ -təs; æsˈbɛstɒs /

noun

    1. any of the fibrous amphibole and serpentine minerals, esp chrysotile and tremolite, that are incombustible and resistant to chemicals. It was formerly widely used in the form of fabric or board as a heat-resistant structural material
    2. ( as modifier )

      asbestos matting



asbestos

/ ăs-bĕstəs /

  1. Any of several fibrous mineral forms of magnesium silicate. Asbestos is resistant to heat, flames, and chemical action. Some forms have been shown to cause lung diseases. For this reason, asbestos is no longer used to make insulation, fireproofing material, and brake linings.


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Derived Forms

  • asˈbestine, adjective

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Other Words From

  • as·bes·tine [as-, bes, -tin, az-], as·bestous adjective
  • as·bestoid asbes·toidal adjective
  • nonas·bestine adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of asbestos1

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin, from Greek: literally, “unquenched, inextinguishable” from a- a- 6 + sbestós “quenched, extinguished” (from sbennýnai “to quench”); replacing Middle English asbeston, albeston, from Middle French, from Latin

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Word History and Origins

Origin of asbestos1

C14 (originally applied to a mythical stone the heat of which could not be extinguished): via Latin from Greek: from asbestos inextinguishable, from a- 1+ sbennunai to extinguish

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Example Sentences

In Philadelphia, for example, an investigation by the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Daily News found widespread problems in school buildings with asbestos, mold, rat droppings and lead paint.

An investigative series by the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Daily News in recent years documented extensive issues with asbestos and lead-tainted paint in school buildings.

In a normal year, that wouldn’t qualify as good news for too many industries outside of wax cylinder and asbestos sales.

As the work continued, asbestos repeatedly shook loose, triggering the attention of the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District.

Riney also demanded that the city provide notice of incidents involving exposure or presence of asbestos and details on related legal claims.

Winick says the cause was not HIV-related, but a particular kind of cancer caused by asbestos.

On a recent evening in Asbest, the sunset painted the sky in red and purple over the town and its enormous asbestos pit.

Because the important point is what those rulings did not do: create a market for asbestos liability insurance.

And what they did was not limit asbestos insurance to "responsible asbestos owners", but destroy the market for insurance.

This is the way that courts decided to handle asbestos claims in the 1980s.

On the occasion referred to, some of our men, in their burrowing, threw out a considerable quantity of asbestos.

Indications of asbestos are found at most points throughout the whole serpentine formation.

It is remarkably good, and some exceptionally fine asbestos has been got out here.

In addition to asbestos, it is worthy of note that the whole of the Thetford district is rich in minerals.

After removal of the surface earth and rock, the proportion of refuse rock is about twenty-five tons to one of asbestos.

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