Definition of 'gas'
Etymology 1
From (etyl) gas, a word coined by chemist . From (etyl) .
Noun
(uncountable|chemistry) Matter in a state intermediate between liquid and plasma that can be contained only if it is fully surrounded by a solid (or in a bubble of liquid) (or held together by gravitational pull); it can condense into a liquid, or can (rarely) become a solid directly.
* {{quote-magazine|year=2013|month=July-August|author= Lee S. Langston
|magazine=(American Scientist)
|title=
The Adaptable Gas Turbine
|passage=Turbines have been around for a long time—windmills and water wheels are early examples. The name comes from the Latin
turbo'', meaning ''vortex , and thus the defining property of a turbine is that a fluid or
gas turns the blades of a rotor, which is attached to a shaft that can perform useful work.}}
-
(countable|chemistry) A chemical element or compound in such a state.
-
(uncountable) A flammable gaseous hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon mixture (typically predominantly methane) used as a fuel, e.g. for cooking, heating, electricity generation or as a fuel in internal combustion engines in vehicles.
-
(countable) A hob on a gas cooker.
-
(US) Methane or other waste gases trapped in one's belly as a result of the digestive process.
-
(slang) A humorous or entertaining event or person.
-
(baseball) A fastball.
-
Synonyms
* (state of matter) vapor / vapour
* (digestive process) wind, fart (when gas is released) (qualifier)
Derived terms
* cooking with gas
* gas giant
* gaslight
(
rel-mid3)
* gasometer
* LP gas
* natural gas
(
rel-mid3)
* shale gas
(
rel-bottom)
See also
* fluid
* liquid
* solid
Verb
To kill with poisonous .
To talk, chat.
* {{quote-book|year=1899|author=(Stephen Crane)
|title=|chapter=1
|passage=[…] (it was the town's humour to be always
gassing of phantom investors who were likely to come any moment and pay a thousand prices for everything) — “[…] Them rich fellers, they don't make no bad breaks with their money. […]”}}
To emit gas.
-
Etymology 2
Shortening of (gasoline).
Noun
(-)
(uncountable|US) Gasoline; a derivative of petroleum used as fuel.
(US) gas pedal
Synonyms
* (gasoline) gasoline (US), petrol (British)
* See also .
Related terms
* gas-guzzler
* gasohol
* gas up
* gasoline
* hit the gas
Verb
(US) To give a vehicle more fuel in order to accelerate it.
- The cops are coming. Gas it!
(US) To fill (a vehicle's fuel tank) with fuel
Synonyms
* (accelerate) step on the gas, hit the gas
* (filll fuel tank) refuel
Etymology 3
Compare the slang usage of "a gas", above.
Adjective
(
-)
(Ireland|colloquial) comical, zany.
- Mary's new boyfriend is a gas man.
- It was gas when the bird flew into the classroom.
Usage notes
* This is common in speech, but rarely used in writing.
Anagrams
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