from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
- n. A highly poisonous metallic element having three allotropic forms, yellow, black, and gray, of which the brittle, crystalline gray is the most common. Arsenic and its compounds are used in insecticides, weed killers, solid-state doping agents, and various alloys. Atomic number 33; atomic weight 74.922; valence 3, 5. Gray arsenic melts at 817°C (at 28 atm pressure), sublimes at 613°C, and has a specific gravity of 5.73. See Table at element.
- n. Arsenic trioxide.
- adj. Of or containing arsenic, especially with valence 5.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
- n. A nonmetallic chemical element (symbol As) with an atomic number of 33.
- n. Arsenic trioxide.
- adj. Of, or containing arsenic with a valence of 5.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
- n. One of the elements, a solid substance resembling a metal in its physical properties, but in its chemical relations ranking with the nonmetals. It is of a steel-gray color and brilliant luster, though usually dull from tarnish. It is very brittle, and sublimes at 356° Fahrenheit. It is sometimes found native, but usually combined with silver, cobalt, nickel, iron, antimony, or sulphur. Orpiment and realgar are two of its sulphur compounds, the first of which is the true arsenicum of the ancients. The element and its compounds are active poisons. Specific gravity from 5.7 to 5.9. Atomic weight 75. Symbol As.
- n. Arsenious oxide or arsenious anhydride; -- called also arsenious acid, white arsenic, and ratsbane.
- adj. Pertaining to, or derived from, arsenic; -- said of those compounds of arsenic in which this element has its highest equivalence.
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A yellow mineral, called specifically yellow arsenic; the trisulphid of the element to which it has given its name; orpiment.
- n. Chemical symbol, As; atomic weight, 75. A chemical element having a grayish-white color, a metallic luster, and a specific gravity of 5.727.
- n. The popular name of arsenic trioxid (As2O3), the preparation of arsenic usually retailed in trade. See above.
- Containing arsenic; specifically, containing arsenic in smaller proportion than arsenious compounds. See arsenious.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- n. a white powdered poisonous trioxide of arsenic; used in manufacturing glass and as a pesticide (rat poison) and weed killer
- n. a very poisonous metallic element that has three allotropic forms; arsenic and arsenic compounds are used as herbicides and insecticides and various alloys; found in arsenopyrite and orpiment and realgar
The name arsenic comes from the Greek word arsenikon, which means orpiment.
Reed believes her son has reason to worry because "arsenic is poison."
However, the regulator, usually a lawyer, knows that arsenic is a poison.
Can we at least agree that a “regulator” can say that consuming arsenic is not “good” for someone?
The toxic compounds in arsenic are arsenate and arsenite.
Discovered in the southeastern U.S. by university researchers, this beautiful fern has a unique ability to soak up arsenic from the ground into its fronds, which may be clipped and disposed of safely.
Use the edenfern soil cleaner if you know arsenic is in the ground, or even 'just in case' - because whether or not arsenic is present, the fern serves as an attractive addition to a lawn or garden.
It's hard not to think of Iocane powder; but arsenic is a classic real example of a poison where mithridatism is possible, as with the (possibly exaggerated) Arsenic Eaters of Styria, 19th century Austrian peasants who habitually ate, as a tonic, normally lethal doses of arsenic.
The 31-year-old had three months earlier bought a "pennyworth" of arsenic from a local chemist explaining that she wanted it to "kill bugs."
Organic arsenic is fed to poultry to prevent bacterial infections and improve weight gain.