Note: Silver was known under the name of luna to the ancients
and also to the alchemists. Some of its compounds, as
the halogen salts, are remarkable for the effect of
light upon them, and are used in photography.
2. Coin made of silver; silver money.
3. Anything having the luster or appearance of silver.
Note: Silver is used in the formation of many compounds of
obvious meaning; as, silver-armed, silver-bright,
silver-buskined, silver-coated, silver-footed,
silver-haired, silver-headed, silver-mantled,
silver-plated, silver-slippered, silver-sounding,
silver-studded, silver-tongued, silver-white. See
{Silver}, a.
{Black silver} (Min.), stephanite; -- called also {brittle
silver ore}, or {brittle silver glance}.
{Fulminating silver}. (Chem.)
(a) A black crystalline substance, {Ag2O.(NH3)2}, obtained
by dissolving silver oxide in aqua ammonia. When dry
it explodes violently on the slightest percussion.
(b) Silver fulminate, a white crystalline substance,
{Ag2C2N2O2}, obtained by adding alcohol to a solution
of silver nitrate. When dry it is violently explosive.
{German silver}. (Chem.) See under {German}.
{Gray silver}. (Min.) See {Freieslebenite}.
{Horn silver}. (Min.) See {Cerargyrite}.
{King's silver}. (O. Eng. Law) See {Postfine}.
{Red silver}, or {Ruby silver}. (Min.) See {Proustite}, and
{Pyrargyrite}.
{Silver beater}, one who beats silver into silver leaf or
silver foil.
{Silver glance}, or {Vitreous silver}. (Min.) See
{Argentine}.
2. Resembling silver. Specifically:
(a) Bright; resplendent; white. ``Silver hair.'' --Shak.
Others, on silver lakes and rivers, bathed Their
downy breast. --Milton.
(b) Precious; costly.
(c) Giving a clear, ringing sound soft and clear. ``Silver
voices.'' --Spenser.
(d) Sweet; gentle; peaceful. ``Silver slumber.''
--Spenser.
{American silver fir} (Bot.), the balsam fir. See under
{Balsam}.
{Silver age} (Roman Lit.), the latter part (a. d. 14-180) of
the classical period of Latinity, -- the time of writers
of inferior purity of language, as compared with those of
the previous golden age, so-called.
{Silver-bell tree} (Bot.), an American shrub or small tree
({Halesia tetraptera}) with white bell-shaped flowers in
clusters or racemes; the snowdrop tree.
{Silver bush} (Bot.), a shrubby leguminous plant ({Anthyllis
Barba-Jovis}) of Southern Europe, having silvery foliage.
{Silver chub} (Zo["o]l.), the fallfish.
{Silver eel}. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) The cutlass fish.
(b) A pale variety of the common eel.
{Silver fir} (Bot.), a coniferous tree ({Abies pectinata})
found in mountainous districts in the middle and south of
Europe, where it often grows to the height of 100 or 150
feet. It yields Burgundy pitch and Strasburg turpentine.
{Silver foil}, foil made of silver.
{Silver fox} (Zo["o]l.), a variety of the common fox ({Vulpes
vulpes}, variety {argenteus}) found in the northern parts
of Asia, Europe, and America. Its fur is nearly black,
with silvery tips, and is highly valued. Called also
{black fox}, and {silver-gray fox}.
{Silver gar}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Billfish}
(a) .
{Silver grain} (Bot.), the lines or narrow plates of cellular
tissue which pass from the pith to the bark of an
exogenous stem; the medullary rays. In the wood of the oak
they are much larger than in that of the beech, maple,
pine, cherry, etc.
{Silver grebe} (Zo["o]l.), the red-throated diver. See
Illust. under {Diver}.
{Silver hake} (Zo["o]l.), the American whiting.
{Silver leaf}, leaves or sheets made of silver beaten very
thin.
{Silver lunge} (Zo["o]l.), the namaycush.
{Silver moonfish}.(Zo["o]l.) See {Moonfish}
(b) .
{Silver moth} (Zo["o]l.), a lepisma.
{Silver owl} (Zo["o]l.), the barn owl.
{Silver perch} (Zo["o]l.), the mademoiselle, 2.
{Silver pheasant} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of
beautiful crested and long-tailed Asiatic pheasants, of
the genus {Euplocamus}. They have the tail and more or
less of the upper parts silvery white. The most common
species ({E. nychtemerus}) is native of China.
{Silver plate}, domestic utensils made of silver.
2. To polish like silver; to impart a brightness to, like
that of silver.
And smiling calmness silvered o'er the deep. --Pope.
3. To make hoary, or white, like silver.
His head was silvered o'er with age. --Gay.
The eastern sky began to silver and shine. --L.
Wallace.