Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Phenol \Phe"nol\, n. [Gr. ? to show + -ol: cf. F. ph['e]nol.] (Chem.)
-
A white or pinkish crystalline substance, C6H5OH, produced by the destructive distillation of many organic bodies, as wood, coal, etc., and obtained from the heavy oil from coal tar.
Note: It has a peculiar odor, somewhat resembling creosote, which is a complex mixture of phenol derivatives. It is of the type of alcohols, and is called also phenyl alcohol, but has acid properties, and hence is popularly called carbolic acid, and was formerly called phenic acid. It is a powerful caustic poison, and in dilute solution has been used as an antiseptic.
-
Any one of the series of hydroxyl derivatives of which phenol proper is the type.
Glacial phenol (Chem.), pure crystallized phenol or carbolic acid.
Phenol acid (Chem.), any one of a series of compounds which are at once derivatives of both phenol and some member of the fatty acid series; thus, salicylic acid is a phenol acid.
Phenol alcohol (Chem.), any one of series of derivatives of phenol and carbinol which have the properties of both combined; thus, saligenin is a phenol alcohol.
Phenol aldehyde (Chem.), any one of a series of compounds having both phenol and aldehyde properties.
Phenol phthalein. See under Phthalein.
Wiktionary
n. an older name for phenol (C6H5OH)
WordNet
n. a toxic white soluble crystalline acidic derivative of benzene; used in manufacturing and as a disinfectant and antiseptic; poisonous if taken internally [syn: phenol, hydroxybenzene, oxybenzene, phenylic acid]
Usage examples of "carbolic acid".
The atomizer was full of carbolic acid to disinfect, and she would see to it that before this operation was over, it was empty.
He came to the old man's room freshly redolent of carbolic acid, and this time wearing a surgeon's gown, which in that year was as much of an innovation as the mask.
She had mixed the antiseptic the night before, one part of carbolic acid to one hundred parts of rainwater.
There was a faint odor of carbolic acid mixed with Mennen's talcum powder.
Gangrene, he told himself, and he realized now that the carbolic acid solution with which he had originally cleansed the bite wounds had aggravated the condition.
Jars of blessed distilled water cut with carbolic acid waited beside the tables, and more in sprayers along with iodine and mold-powder.
At the laboratory bench he learned to make up a compound of carbolic acid and formaldehyde (the whiff of which reminded him poignantly of nights with Zadok in Devmney's embalming parlour) and bottle it firmly against evaporation.
Three years later, in 1867, Joseph Lister would argue that germs could be combated by using carbolic acid as an antiseptic.
I was carried to the office above and restored with carbolic acid.
Milk, water, whisky, molasses, castor oil, camphene, carbolic acid--it is no use to go into particulars.
The carbolic acid is driven off by the heat of the kiln and forces a vent through the side of the brick.
He saw the mist of droplets settle on that blood-red bulge, saw the droplets turn white where they landed, saw them sink in as a splash of carbolic acid would sink in.