as|bes|tos

as|bes|tos
as|bes|tos «as BEHS tuhs, az-», noun, adjective.
–n.
1. a substance that does not burn or conduct heat. It usually comes in fibers that can be made into a fabric like cloth or felt. Asbestos is a mineral, a silicate of calcium and magnesium.
2. a fireproof fabric made of these mineral fibers. Asbestos is resistant to both heat and chemical reaction. It was formerly used in brake linings, cloth, paint, insulating and roofing materials, and fire-resistant clothing.
–adj.
of or containing asbestos: »

asbestos gloves. Some workers wear asbestos suits for protection from fire.

╂[< Old French asbestos < Latin < Greek ásbestos unquenchable (originally applied to quicklime) < a- not + sbennýnai quench]

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • as·bes·tos — /æsˈbɛstəs/ noun [noncount] : a soft gray mineral that does not burn, that was used especially as a building material in the past, and that can cause serious diseases of the lungs when people breathe its dust …   Useful english dictionary

  • tos — au·tos·co·py; ca·tos·to·mid; ca·tos·to·mus; cer·a·tos·to·ma·ta·ce·ae; cer·a·tos·to·mel·la; cho·le·cys·tos·to·my; cryp·tos·ter·ol; cus·tos; cy·tos·po·ra; cy·tos·po·ri·na; cy·tos·to·mal; dar·tos; en·ceph·a·lar·tos; eu·arc·tos; Fri·tos;… …   English syllables

  • bes — as·bes·tic; as·bes·ti·form; as·bes·tine; as·bes·toid; as·bes·to·sis; bes; bes·sel; bes·sel s; bes·se·mer; bes·se·mer·ize; bes·sy; bes·ti·al·i·ty; bes·tial·ize; bes·tial·ly; bes·ti·a·rist; bes·ti·ary; bes·ti·culture; ca·bes·tro; cer·col·a·bes;… …   English syllables

  • asbestos — as·bes·tos …   English syllables

  • asbestos — The commercial product, after mining and processing, obtained from a family of fibrous hydrated silicates divided mineralogically into amphiboles (amosite, anthrophyllite, and crocidolite) and serpentines (chrysotile); it is virtually insoluble… …   Medical dictionary

  • asbestos — as•bes•tos [[t]æsˈbɛs təs, æz [/t]] n. 1) mir a fibrous mineral, either amphibole or chrysotile, formerly used for making incombustible or fireproof articles and in building insulation 2) a fabric woven from asbestos fibers, formerly used for… …   From formal English to slang

  • Asbestos — Asbestus As*bes tus, Asbestos As*bes tos (?; 277), n. [L. asbestos (NL. asbestus) a kind of mineral unaffected by fire, Gr. ? (prop. an adj.) inextinguishable; a priv. + ? to extinguish.] (Min.) A variety of amphibole or of pyroxene, occurring in …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Asbestus — As*bes tus, Asbestos As*bes tos (?; 277), n. [L. asbestos (NL. asbestus) a kind of mineral unaffected by fire, Gr. ? (prop. an adj.) inextinguishable; a priv. + ? to extinguish.] (Min.) A variety of amphibole or of pyroxene, occurring in long and …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • asbestos — as|bes|tos [æsˈbestəs] n [U] [Date: 1600 1700; : Latin; Origin: Greek, lime (= type of white powder which, when water is added to it, seems to burn) , from asbestos that cannot be put out , from sbennynai to put out a fire ] a grey mineral that… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • asbestos — as|bes|tos [ æs bestəs, æz bestəs ] noun uncount a substance that does not burn easily that was used in building materials in the past. It is now known to cause cancer and is no longer used …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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