Definition
nounMatter in an intermediate state 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 by deposition.
nounMatter in an intermediate state 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 by deposition., A flammable gaseous hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon mixture used as a fuel, e.g. for cooking, heating, electricity generation or as a fuel in internal combustion engines in vehicles, especially natural gas.
Sentence Examples
The reporter covered the gas explosion in Shibuya.
Gas is a little cheaper with self-service, now that deregulation is kicking in.
There are plans to lay a gas pipeline through the region.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰeh₂-der.
Ancient Greek χαῦνος (khaûnos)
Ancient Greek χάος (kháos)der.
Dutch gasbor.
English gas
Borrowed from Dutch gas, coined by chemist Jan Baptist van Helmont in Ortus Medicinae. Derived from Ancient Greek χάος (kháos, “chasm, void, empty space”); perhaps also inspired by geest (“breath, vapour, spirit”). Doublet of chaos. First attested in 1648.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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."
— 2013 July–August, Lee S. Langston, “The Adaptable Gas Turbine”, in American Scientist, archived from the original on 07 Sep 2013:
"But anyone with that many large brown birds aroost in his cranium and that much gas in his bottom was clearly not a well person."
— 2008, Nicholas Drayson, A Guide to the Birds of East Africa, page 72:
"Two more girls came in, one in bright pink stretch pants and the other in purple. “Man this place is a gas,” said pink."
— 1963 May, Gloria Steinem, “A Bunny's Tale”, in Show Magazine, archived from the original on 04 Oct 2017:
"No it really doesn't matter at all / Life's a gas / I hope it's going to last"
— 1971, Marc Bolan, “Life's a Gas”, in Electric Warrior, performed by T. Rex:
"Money, it's a gas. Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash."
— 1973 March 1, “Money” (track 6), in The Dark Side of the Moon, performed by Pink Floyd: