philosophers wool

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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from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Zinc \Zinc\ (z[i^][ng]k), n. [G. zink, probably akin to zinn
   tin: cf. F. zinc, from the German. Cf. {Tin}.] (Chem.)
   An abundant element of the magnesium-cadmium group, extracted
   principally from the minerals zinc blende, smithsonite,
   calamine, and franklinite, as an easily fusible bluish white
   metal, which is malleable, especially when heated. It is not
   easily oxidized in moist air, and hence is used for sheeting,
   coating galvanized iron, etc. It is used in making brass,
   britannia, and other alloys, and is also largely consumed in
   electric batteries. Symbol Zn. Atomic number 30. Atomic
   weight 65.38. [Formerly written also {zink}.]
   [1913 Webster]

   {Butter of zinc} (Old Chem.), zinc chloride, {ZnCl2}, a
      deliquescent white waxy or oily substance.

   {Oxide of zinc}. (Chem.) See {Zinc oxide}, below.

   {Zinc amine} (Chem.), a white amorphous substance,
      {Zn(NH2)2}, obtained by the action of ammonia on zinc
      ethyl; -- called also {zinc amide}.

   {Zinc amyle} (Chem.), a colorless, transparent liquid,
      composed of zinc and amyle, which, when exposed to the
      atmosphere, emits fumes, and absorbs oxygen with rapidity.
      

   {Zinc blende} [cf. G. zinkblende] (Min.), a native zinc
      sulphide. See {Blende}, n.
   (a) .

   {Zinc bloom} [cf. G. zinkblumen flowers of zinc, oxide of
      zinc] (Min.), hydrous carbonate of zinc, usually occurring
      in white earthy incrustations; -- called also
      {hydrozincite}.

   {Zinc ethyl} (Chem.), a colorless, transparent, poisonous
      liquid, composed of zinc and ethyl, which takes fire
      spontaneously on exposure to the atmosphere.

   {Zinc green}, a green pigment consisting of zinc and cobalt
      oxides; -- called also {Rinmann's green}.

   {Zinc methyl} (Chem.), a colorless mobile liquid {Zn(CH3)2},
      produced by the action of methyl iodide on a zinc sodium
      alloy. It has a disagreeable odor, and is spontaneously
      inflammable in the air. It has been of great importance in
      the synthesis of organic compounds, and is the type of a
      large series of similar compounds, as zinc ethyl, zinc
      amyle, etc.

   {Zinc oxide} (Chem.), the oxide of zinc, {ZnO}, forming a
      light fluffy sublimate when zinc is burned; -- called also
      {flowers of zinc}, {philosopher's wool}, {nihil album},
      etc. The impure oxide produced by burning the metal,
      roasting its ores, or in melting brass, is called also
      {pompholyx}, and {tutty}.

   {Zinc spinel} (Min.), a mineral, related to spinel,
      consisting essentially of the oxides of zinc and
      aluminium; gahnite.

   {Zinc vitriol} (Chem.), zinc sulphate. See {White vitriol},
      under {Vitriol}.

   {Zinc white}, a white powder consisting of zinc oxide, used
      as a pigment.
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