What does alchemy mean

Crossword clues for alchemy

alchemy

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

alchemy

noun

EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES

▪ financial alchemy

EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS

▪ But it is a remarkable feat of alchemy indeed.

▪ For this reason, Bachelard refers ironically to Sartre's phenomenology as a belated form of alchemy.

▪ Here was perhaps the nearest thing to alchemy that had ever been seen in the field of politics.

▪ In particular in the sophisticated world of alchemy, the resonances of chemical and other truths were of the utmost importance.

▪ Newton had indeed been inspired by theories of sympathies and antipathies in alchemy and Hermetic philosophy.

▪ This leads him to focus on the twelfth century, and the mysteries connected with alchemy and the Order of the Temple.

▪ Varo collected pre-Columbian art, studied eastern religions and was fascinated by the occult and alchemy, in particular.

▪ You may be versed in necromancy, and steeped in alchemy, and schooled in the ancient cruel arts of your realm.

The Collaborative International Dictionary

Alchemy

Alchemy \Al"che*my\, n. [OF. alkemie, arquemie, F. alchimie, Ar. al-k[=i]m[=i]a, fr. late Gr. ?, for ?, a mingling, infusion, ? juice, liquid, especially as extracted from plants, fr. ? to pour; for chemistry was originally the art of extracting the juices from plants for medicinal purposes. Cf. Sp. alquimia, It. alchimia. Gr. ? is prob. akin to L. fundere to pour, Goth. guitan, AS. ge['o]tan, to pour, and so to E. fuse. See Fuse, and cf. Chemistry.]

An imaginary art which aimed to transmute the baser metals into gold, to find the panacea, or universal remedy for diseases, etc. It led the way to modern chemistry.
A mixed metal composed mainly of brass, formerly used for various utensils; hence, a trumpet. [Obs.]

Put to their mouths the sounding alchemy.
--Milton.
Miraculous power of transmuting something common into something precious.

Kissing with golden face the meadows green, Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy.
--Shak.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary

alchemy

mid-14c., from Old French alchimie (14c.), alquemie (13c.), from Medieval Latin alkimia, from Arabic al-kimiya, from Greek khemeioa (found c.300 C.E. in a decree of Diocletian against "the old writings of the Egyptians"), all meaning "alchemy." Perhaps from an old name for Egypt (Khemia, literally "land of black earth," found in Plutarch), or from Greek khymatos "that which is poured out," from khein "to pour," related to khymos "juice, sap" [Klein, citing W. Muss-Arnolt, calls this folk etymology]. The word seems to have elements of both origins.Mahn ... concludes, after an elaborate investigation, that Gr. khymeia was probably the original, being first applied to pharmaceutical chemistry, which was chiefly concerned with juices or infusions of plants; that the pursuits of the Alexandrian alchemists were a subsequent development of chemical study, and that the notoriety of these may have caused the name of the art to be popularly associated with the ancient name of Egypt. [OED]The al- is the Arabic definite article, "the." The art and the name were adopted by the Arabs from Alexandrians and thence returned to Europe via Spain. Alchemy was the "chemistry" of the Middle Ages and early modern times; since c.1600 the word has been applied distinctively to the pursuit of the transmutation of baser metals into gold, which, along with the search for the universal solvent and the panacea, were the chief occupations of early chemistry.

Wiktionary

alchemy

n. (label en uncountable) The ancient search for a universal panacea, and of the philosopher's stone, that eventually developed into chemistry.

WordNet

alchemy

n. a pseudoscientific forerunner of chemistry in medieval times
the way two individuals relate to each other; "their chemistry was wrong from the beginning -- they hated each other"; "a mysterious alchemy brought them together" [syn: chemistry, interpersonal chemistry]

Wikipedia

Alchemy (Yngwie Malmsteen album)

Alchemy is the fifth studio album by Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force and Malmsteen's eleventh album overall, released on 23 November 1999 through Pony Canyon (Japan) and Spitfire Records (United States).

Alchemy (disambiguation)

Alchemy was an early protoscientific practice and may also refer to:

Alchemy (microarchitecture)

The Alchemy (microarchitecture) is a low power microprocessor design developed by Alchemy Semiconductor implementing the MIPS32 instruction set by MIPS Technologies. The first and only processor implementing it is the Au1 Central processing unit.

Alchemy (novel)

Alchemy (released in 2004) is a novel for older children by the New Zealand author Margaret Mahy.

Alchemy (comics)

Alchemy (Thomas 'Jellybeans' Jones) is a fictional British mutant appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Alchemy, created by British comic book fan Paul Betsow, was the winning entry of a contest held by Marvel Comics for the best fan-created character. Marvel agreed to publish the winning character in an issue of New Mutants. However, Alchemy eventually first appeared in X-Factor (1st series) #41 instead.

Alchemy (video game)

Alchemy is a computer puzzle game from PopCap Games. This title can be played for free online at various websites minus some components, or a full version can be downloaded and unlocked for a fee. On mobile devices, the game can only be played if downloaded for a fee.

Alchemy (Leah Andreone album)

Alchemy is Leah Andreone's second full-length album. It contains the song "Lamentation", which was used on the FOX network television show So You Think You Can Dance.

Alchemy (Third Ear Band album)

Alchemy is an album released in 1969 by the Third Ear Band.

Alchemy (film)

Alchemy is a 2005 film starring Tom Cavanagh and Sarah Chalke. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2005. The film did not have a wide release in movie theaters, so its big public premiere was on television, on ABC Family on October 7, 2005. It was written and directed by Evan Oppenheimer.

Alchemy

Alchemy is a philosophical and protoscientific tradition practiced throughout Europe, Egypt and Asia. It aimed to purify, mature, and perfect certain objects. Common aims were chrysopoeia, the transmutation of " base metals" (e.g., lead) into " noble" ones (particularly gold); the creation of an elixir of immortality; the creation of panaceas able to cure any disease; and the development of an alkahest, a universal solvent. The perfection of the human body and soul was thought to permit or result from the alchemical magnum opus and, in the Hellenistic and western tradition, the achievement of gnosis. In Europe, the creation of a philosopher's stone was variously connected with all of these projects.

In English, the term is often limited to descriptions of European alchemy, but similar practices existed in the Far East, the Indian subcontinent, and the Muslim world. In Europe, following the 12th-century Renaissance produced by the translation of Arabic works on science and the Recovery of Aristotle, alchemists played a significant role in early modern science (particularly chemistry and medicine). Islamic and European alchemists developed a structure of basic laboratory techniques, theory, terminology, and experimental method, some of which are still in use today. However, they continued antiquity's belief in four elements and guarded their work in secrecy including cyphers and cryptic symbolism. Their work was guided by Hermetic principles related to magic, mythology, and religion.

Modern discussions of alchemy are generally split into an examination of its exoteric practical applications and its esoteric spiritual aspects, despite the arguments of scholars like Homyard and von Franz that they should be understood as complementary. The former is pursued by historians of the physical sciences who examine the subject in terms of protochemistry, medicine, and charlatanism. The latter interests historians of esotericism, psychologists, and some philosophers and spiritualists. The subject has also made an ongoing impact on literature and the arts. Despite this split, which von Franz believes has existed since the Western traditions' origin in a mix of Greek philosophy that was mixed with Egyptian and Mesopotamian technology, numerous sources have stressed an integration of esoteric and exoteric approaches to alchemy as far back as Bolus of Mendes's 3rd-century On Physical and Mystical Matters .

Alchemy (Richard Lloyd album)

Alchemy is the debut solo album of Television guitarist, Richard Lloyd. It was released in 1979, one year after the breakup of Television and the release of their second album, Adventure. Trouser Press called it "a gem of a solo album." Its title track was a minor New York FM radio hit.

Lloyd's backing band on the album featured a number of notable New York musicians, including guitarist James Mastro (later of the Bongos), Television bassist Fred Smith and drummer Vinny DeNunzio, formerly of the Feelies. Producer Michael Young later added guitar and synthesizer overdubs to some tracks, which Lloyd stated that he strenuously opposed at the time.

Alchemy (company)

Alchemy (formerly Millennium Entertainment) was an American independent global film distributor based in Los Angeles, California. The company acquired and distributed feature films, television series and specialty programming. Its former staff includes marketing and distribution specialist Brooke Ford and Andy Gruenberg.

Alchemy (event)

Alchemy is a burn event operated according to the 10 Principles of Burning Man held annually in the early fall. Alchemy was first held in 2007 and grew quickly to become the largest regional burn in the United States and second largest in the world in 2012. In 2013, the event cap was lowered by approximately 1,000. However the 2014 cap is set at 3,200 participants as was the 2015 cap.

Until 2016, Alchemy was held at Cherokee Farms, a private campground in La Fayette, Georgia, approximately 100 miles northwest of Atlanta. Alchemy 2016 will take place in Bowden, Georgia at Little Big Jam. This year's ticket cap is 2,700.

Alchemy and its sister event Euphoria are now managed by the Georgia non-profit Flashpoint Artists Initiative.

With the exception of a few contracted services, Alchemy and Flashpoint Artists Initiative are 100% volunteer managed.

Year

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Location

2007

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