mineral wool

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
mineral wool
    n 1: a light fibrous material used as an insulator [syn:
         {mineral wool}, {rock wool}]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Mineral \Min"er*al\, a.
   1. Of or pertaining to minerals; consisting of a mineral or
      of minerals; as, a mineral substance.
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   2. Impregnated with minerals; as, mineral waters.
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   {Mineral acids} (Chem.), inorganic acids, as sulphuric,
      nitric, phosphoric, hydrochloric, acids, etc., as
      distinguished from the {organic acids}.

   {Mineral blue}, the name usually given to azurite, when
      reduced to an impalpable powder for coloring purposes.

   {Mineral candle}, a candle made of paraffin.

   {Mineral caoutchouc}, an elastic mineral pitch, a variety of
      bitumen, resembling caoutchouc in elasticity and softness.
      See {Caoutchouc}, and {Elaterite}.

   {Mineral chameleon} (Chem.) See {Chameleon mineral}, under
      {Chameleon}.

   {Mineral charcoal}. See under {Charcoal}.

   {Mineral cotton}. See {Mineral wool} (below).

   {Mineral green}, a green carbonate of copper; malachite.

   {Mineral kingdom} (Nat. Sci.), that one of the three grand
      divisions of nature which embraces all inorganic objects,
      as distinguished from plants or animals.

   {Mineral oil}. See {Naphtha}, and {Petroleum}.

   {Mineral paint}, a pigment made chiefly of some natural
      mineral substance, as red or yellow iron ocher.

   {Mineral patch}. See {Bitumen}, and {Asphalt}.

   {Mineral right}, the right of taking minerals from land.

   {Mineral salt} (Chem.), a salt of a mineral acid.

   {Mineral tallow}, a familiar name for {hatchettite}, from its
      fatty or spermaceti-like appearance.

   {Mineral water}. See under {Water}.

   {Mineral wax}. See {Ozocerite}.

   {Mineral wool}, a fibrous wool-like material, made by blowing
      a powerful jet of air or steam through melted slag. It is
      a poor conductor of heat.
      [1913 Webster]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Wool \Wool\ (w[oo^]l), n. [OE. wolle, wulle, AS. wull; akin to
   D. wol, OHG. wolla, G. wolle, Icel. & Sw. ull, Dan. uld,
   Goth, wulla, Lith. vilna, Russ. volna, L. vellus, Skr.
   [=u]r[.n][=a] wool, v[.r] to cover. [root]146, 287. Cf.
   {Flannel}, {Velvet}.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. The soft and curled, or crisped, species of hair which
      grows on sheep and some other animals, and which in
      fineness sometimes approaches to fur; -- chiefly applied
      to the fleecy coat of the sheep, which constitutes a most
      essential material of clothing in all cold and temperate
      climates.
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   Note: Wool consists essentially of keratin.
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   2. Short, thick hair, especially when crisped or curled.
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            Wool of bat and tongue of dog.        --Shak.
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   3. (Bot.) A sort of pubescence, or a clothing of dense,
      curling hairs on the surface of certain plants.
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   {Dead pulled wool}, wool pulled from a carcass.

   {Mineral wool}. See under {Mineral}.

   {Philosopher's wool}. (Chem.) See {Zinc oxide}, under {Zinc}.
      

   {Pulled wool}, wool pulled from a pelt, or undressed hide.

   {Slag wool}. Same as {Mineral wool}, under {Mineral}.

   {Wool ball}, a ball or mass of wool.

   {Wool burler}, one who removes little burs, knots, or
      extraneous matter, from wool, or the surface of woolen
      cloth.

   {Wool comber}.
      (a) One whose occupation is to comb wool.
      (b) A machine for combing wool.

   {Wool grass} (Bot.), a kind of bulrush ({Scirpus Eriophorum})
      with numerous clustered woolly spikes.

   {Wool scribbler}. See {Woolen scribbler}, under {Woolen}, a.
      

   {Wool sorter's disease} (Med.), a disease, resembling
      malignant pustule, occurring among those who handle the
      wool of goats and sheep.

   {Wool staple}, a city or town where wool used to be brought
      to the king's staple for sale. [Eng.]

   {Wool stapler}.
      (a) One who deals in wool.
      (b) One who sorts wool according to its staple, or its
          adaptation to different manufacturing purposes.

   {Wool winder}, a person employed to wind, or make up, wool
      into bundles to be packed for sale.
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