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The Collaborative International Dictionary
matrass

matrass \ma*trass"\, n. [F. matras; perh. so called from its long narrow neck; cf. OF. matras large arrow, L. materis, mataris, matara, a Celtic javelin, pike; of Celtic origin.] (Chem.) A round-bottomed glass flask having a long neck; a bolthead.

matrass

Bolthead \Bolt"head`\, n.

  1. (Chem.) A long, straight-necked, glass vessel for chemical distillations; -- called also a matrass or receiver.

  2. The head of a bolt.

Wiktionary
matrass

n. 1 (context obsolete English) A bolt for a crossbow 2 (context obsolete chemistry English) A bolthead flask

Wikipedia
Matrass

A matrass (mod. Latin matracium) is a glass vessel with a round or oval body and a long narrow neck, used in chemistry as a digester or distiller. The Florence flask of commerce is frequently used for this purpose. The word is possibly identical with an old name matrass ( Fr. materas, matelas) for the bolt or quarrel of a cross-bow. If so, some identity of shape is the reason for the application of the word; bolthead is also used as a name for the vessel. Another connection is suggested with the Arabic matra, a leather bottle.

Usage examples of "matrass".

It was a small matrass, as one of the elder chemists would have called it, containing a fluid, and hermetically sealed.

If it were so, that the father or the goodman of the house had a matrass or flock-bed, and thereto a sack of chaff to rest his head upon, he thought himself to be as well lodged as the lord of the town, so well were they contented.

On the table where Lady Appleton worked sat all manner of equipment for distillation -- alembic, pelican, matrass -- as well as empty jars, pots, and other vessels made of stoneware, ceramic, glass, horn, pewter, and iron.

And in this welter of spoiled treasure were the great conjuring books hurled amid the ruin of retorts and aludels of glass and lead and silver, sand-baths, matrasses, spatulae, athanors, and other instruments innumerable of rare design, tossed and broken on the chamber floor.

Notwithstanding these precautions, his Prussian majesty, to guard as much as could be against every possible event, sent a great number of gunners and matrasses from Pomerania to Memel, with three regiments of his troops, to reinforce the garrison of that place.

Everywhere, in the gloom, there were vats, cupels, furnaces, alembics, and matrasses of unhuman form, bulking and towering colossally to the pigmy eyes of Maal Dweb.

And in this welter of spoiled treasure were the great conjuring books hurled amid the ruin of retorts and aludels of glass and lead and silver, sand-baths, matrasses, spatulae, athanors, and other instruments innumerable of rare design, tossed and broken on the chamber floor.