Word Study
nitroglycerin
CIDE DICTIONARY
nitroglycerin, n. [Nitro- + glycerin.].
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 ; also called trinitroglycerin and glyceryl trinitrate . 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 . [1913 Webster]
" 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." [1913 Webster]
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