Hypertext Webster Gateway: "nitroglycerin"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Nitroglycerin \Ni`tro*glyc"er*in\, n. [Nitro- + glycerinn.]
(Chem.)
A liquid appearing like a heavy oil, colorless or yellowish,
and consisting of a mixture of several glycerin salts of
nitric acid, and hence more properly called {glycerin
nitrate}. It is made by the action of nitric acid on glycerin
in the presence of sulphuric acid. It is extremely unstable
and terribly explosive. A very dilute solution is used in
medicine as a neurotic under the name of {glonion}. [Written
also {nitroglycerine}.]
Note: A great number of explosive compounds have been
produced by mixing nitroglycerin with different
substances; as, dynamite, or giant powder,
nitroglycerin mixed with siliceous earth;
lithofracteur, nitroglycerin with gunpowder, or with
sawdust and nitrate of sodium or barium; Colonia
powder, gunpowder with nitroglycerin; dualin,
nitroglycerin with sawdust, or with sawdust and nitrate
of potassium and some other substances; lignose, wood
fiber and nitroglycerin.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
nitroglycerin
n : a heavy yellow poisonous oily explosive liquid obtained by
nitrating glycerol; used in making explosives and
medically as a vasodilator (trade names Nitrospan and
Nitrostat) [syn: {nitroglycerine}, {trinitroglycerin}, {glyceryl
trinitrate}, {Nitrospan}, {Nitrostat}]
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