Crossword clues for paraffin
paraffin
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Paraffin \Par"af*fin\ (p[a^]r"[a^]f*f[i^]n), Paraffine \Par"af*fine\ (p[a^]r"[a^]f*f[i^]n or p[a^]r"[a^]f*f[=e]n), n. [F. paraffine, fr. L. parum too little + affinis akin. So named in allusion to its chemical inactivity.] (Chem.) A white waxy substance, resembling spermaceti, tasteless and odorless, and obtained from coal tar, wood tar, petroleum, etc., by distillation. It is used in candles, as a sealing agent (such as in canning of preserves), as a waterproofing agent, as an illuminant and as a lubricant. It is very inert, not being acted upon by most of the strong chemical reagents. It was formerly regarded as a definite compound, but is now known to be a complex mixture of several higher hydrocarbons of the methane or marsh-gas series; hence, by extension, any substance, whether solid, liquid, or gaseous, of the same chemical series; thus gasoline, coal gas and kerosene consist largely of paraffins.
Note: In the present chemical usage this word is spelled paraffin, but in commerce it is commonly spelled paraffine.
Native paraffin. See Ozocerite.
Paraffin series. See Methane series, under Methane.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1838, from German Paraffin, coined c.1830 by German chemist Karl von Reichenbach (1788-1869), who first obtained it as a waxy substance from wood tar, irregularly from Latin parum "not very, too little," probably related to parvus "little, small" (see parvi-) + affinis "associated with" (see affinity).\n
\nSo called because paraffin is chemically not closely related to other substances. The liquid form (originally parafin oil) Reichenbach called eupion, but this was the standard meaning of paraffin in English by 1860.
Wiktionary
alt. 1 (context British English) A petroleum based thin and colorless fuel oil, (kerosene in US English). 2 (context chemistry English) Any member of the alkane hydrocarbons. 3 paraffin wax. n. 1 (context British English) A petroleum based thin and colorless fuel oil, (kerosene in US English). 2 (context chemistry English) Any member of the alkane hydrocarbons. 3 paraffin wax. vb. To impregnate or treat with paraffin
WordNet
n. from crude petroleum; used for candles and for preservative or waterproof coatings [syn: paraffin wax]
a non-aromatic saturated hydrocarbon with the general formula CnH(2n+2) [syn: methane series, alkane series, alkane]
British usage [syn: paraffin oil]
Wikipedia
Paraffin may refer to:
"Paraffin" is the first single by the trip hop/ industrial band Ruby, from their debut album Salt Peter. It was released in the United States on November 7, 1995, by the WORK/ Creation record labels. The single would chart in the United Kingdom but not in the U.S.
Usage examples of "paraffin".
Without the slightest hesitation, as though it were the most natural thing in the world, he pours paraffin over the wood.
Of paraffin we had a good supply: twenty-two and a half gallons divided among three sledges.
At the same time we built a great cairn, and left there a can of 17 litres of paraffin, two packets of matches -- containing twenty boxes -- and an account of our expedition.
As possibly our whole South Polar Expedition would depend on the motor doing its work properly, the result of this was that the projected cruise was cut short, and after a lapse of three weeks our course was set for Bergen, where we changed the oil for refined paraffin, and at the same time had the motor thoroughly overhauled.
Thus it was with every imaginable thing -- from barrels of paraffin and new-born pups to writing materials and charts.
Mandra glanced around quickly, her expression angry in the light of the paraffin lamp.
The tiny skylight and a paraffin lamp hanging by a chain in the center of the mom afforded the only illumination.
Clouds shredded to let the sun break through here and there, but despite the lightening of the sky, the cabin was murky, and the odor of paraffin hung in the air.
The throng opened for her and she crossed the veranda and entered the large room which was crowded with many men, and lit by the smoky paraffin lamps that hung from the ceiling.
There were at least two acres of hastily erected tukuLs, made of sapling frames covered with a range of material from thatch to flattened paraffin cans.
Around it were tethered scores of the wild, shaggy ponies and the interior was lit by smoky paraffin lamps and crowded with rank upon rank of squatting warriors.
On the fifth day, having reached the limits of forbearance, he had turned the herd and tried to break back through their line, and they had been there to head him off, the tiny upright sticklike figures, so deceptively frail and yet so deadly, springing up from the yeHow grass, barring his escape to the south, flapping blankets and beating on empty paraffin tins, until his courage failed and the old bull turned back, and led his herds once more down the rugged escarpment towards the great river.
Vusamanzi had taken a cheap storm lantern from a shelf in the rock above his head and was filling the base with paraffin from the bottle he had carried in his pouch.
You have food and water and firewood and blankets and paraffin for the lanterns, there is no need for you to go out.
Craig slept for a few hours and then by the light of the paraffin lantern began modifying the oxygen equipment for use underwater.