alcohol 
trituration or sublimation, then to essence, 
quintessence, or spirit, esp. the rectified spir- 
its of wine, and finally used as at present ; < Ar. 
id-k/ili'l, < al, the, + koh'l, the fine powder of an- 
timony used in the East to paint the eyebrows, 
<kalmla, stain, paint.] 1. A liquid, ethyl hy- 
drate, C 2 H 5 OH, formed by the fermentation of 
aqueous sugar-solutions, or by the destructive 
distillation of organic bodies, as wood. .1 wj, 
or pure alcohol is a colorless mobile liquid, of a pleasant 
spirituous smell and burning taste, of specific gravity .7!):i 
at 60 F., and boiling at 173 F. It is Inflammable, and 
burns without smoke or residue, the products of combus- 
tion )>eing carbon dioxid and water. At very low tem- 
peratures it becomes viscid, but does not congeal above 
2011, and for this reason is used for filling thermometers 
to register low temperatures. It mixes with water in all 
proportions, is a general solvent for organic principles, 
bases, resins, oils, etc., and as such lias extensive use in the 
arts and in medicine. Different grades of alcohol are some- 
times designated in trade according to the source from 
which they are derived, as ijrain-alcohol, prepared from 
maize or other grain ; root-alcohol, from potatoes and beets; 
motm-alcohol, which is made in large quantity from reindeer- 
moss and Iceland moss in Norway, Sweden, and Russia. 
Alcohol is a powerful stimulant and antiseptic, and in some 
dilute form is used as an intoxicating beverage among all 
races and conditions of people. Proof spirit contains 49.3 
per cent, by weight of pure alcohol or 57.1 per cent, by 
volume. Underproof and overproof are designations of 
weaker and stronger solutions. Distilled liquors or ardent 
spirits, whisky, brandy, gin, etc., contain 40 to 50 pel- 
cent, of absolute alcohol, wines from 7 or 8 to 20, ale and 
porter from 5 to 7, and beer from 2 to 10. 
2. In popular usage, any liquor containing this 
spirit. 3. In organic diem., the general name 
of a series of compounds which may be regarded 
as derived from the normal hydrocarbons by re- 
placing hydrogen with the group OH, or hydro x- 
yl, and which correspond to the hydroxids of 
the metals. Such compounds are classed as primary, 
secotidary, or tertiary alcohols, according to their constitu- 
tion and the products of their decomposition. Primary 
alcohols are regarded as containing the group CHoOH, and 
by oxidation yield aldehyde and ultimately an acid of the 
same carbon series. Secondary alcohols are regarded as 
containing the group CHOH, and by oxidation do not yield 
aldehyde, but a ketone, which on further oxidation breaks 
up into two acids of a lower carbon series. Tertiary alco- 
hols are regarded as having the group COH, and break up 
at once on oxidation into two acids of a lower carbon series. 
4f. An impalpable powder. 
If the same salt shall be reduced into alcohol as the 
chymists speak, or an impalpable powder, the particles and 
intercepted spaces will be extremely lessened. Boyle. 
Amyllc alcohol (CsHijO), also called hydrate of amyl, 
a general name applicable to eight isomenc alcohols hav- 
ing the formula given. The most common, inactive amyl 
alcohol, is a transparent colorless liquid, with a strong, 
offensive odor, derived from the fermentation of starchy 
matters. It is the chief constituent of fusel-oil, a pro- 
duct of fermentation in distilleries, which is contained in 
crude spirit, and whose presence, even in small quantity, 
injures the quality of the spirit. Anhydrous alcohol, 
alcohol entirely free from water. Caustic alcohol, so- 
dium ethylate, C2H 5 NaO, or sodium alcoholate, a product 
formed by adding sodium to absolute alcohol. It forms a 
white powder, which in contact with water or moist ani- 
mal tissue decomposes into alcohol and caustic soda. It is 
used in medicine as a caustic. Cresylic alcohol. See 
cresylic. Methyllc or methyl alcohol, or wood-alco- 
hol, alcohol obtained by the destructive distillation of 
wood. When pure it is a colorless mobile liquid (CH : .OH), 
with an odor and taste like ordinary alcohol (ethyl hydrate, 
C2H 6 OH ; see above), though the commercial article has a 
strong pyroligneous smell. It is inflammable. It is a by- 
product in the manufacture of charcoal and is used in the 
arts as a solvent for resins, also in the manufacture of 
aniline dyes. Also called irood-spirit, methal, and hydrate 
of methyl. 
alcoholate (al'ko-hol-at), n. [< alcohol + -afel.] 
A compound in which a hydrogen atom of al- 
cohol is replaced by an alkali metal, as potas- 
sium alcoholate, or ethylate, CoH B OK, formed, 
with evolution of hydrogen, when metallic po- 
tassium is dissolved in alcohol. Sometimes 
contracted to alcoate, alcohate. 
alcoholature (al-ko-hol'a-tur), n. [< F. alcoola- 
ture : see alcohol.] An alcoholic tincture pre- 
pared with fresh plants. N. E. D. 
alcohol-engine (al'ko-hol-en"jin), n. A motor 
employing the vapor of alcohol in place of steam. 
alcoholic (al-ko-hol'ik), a. 1. Pertaining to or 
of the nature of alcohol. 2. Containing or us- 
ing alcohol : as, an alcoholic thermometer. 
alcoholicity (al"ko-hol-is'i-ti), n. [< alcoholic 
+ -ity.] Alcoholic quality. 
Some brandy is added to the wine, by which its alcohol- 
icity rises to about 29 per cent, of proof spirit. 
Ure, Diet., IV. 950. 
alcoholisable, etc. See alcoholizable, etc. 
alcoholism (al'ko-hol-izm), n. [< alcohol + 
-ism.] In patliol., the effects of excessive use 
of alcoholic drinks. They are distinguished as acute, 
resulting from the consumption of a large amount of 
alcoholic drink at once or within a short period, and 
chronic, resulting from its habitual consumption in smaller 
quantities. 
alcoholizable (al'ko-hol-I*za-bl), a. [< alcohol- 
ize + -able.] Capableof yielding or of being con- 
verted into alcohol. Also spelled alcoholisable. 
133 
alcoholization (al"ko-hol-i-za'shon), H. 1. 
The act of rectifying spirit till it is wholly de- 
prived of impurities. 2. Saturation with alco- 
hol, or exposure to its action. 3f. The act of 
reducing a substance to an impalpable powder. 
Phillips, 1678. 4. Same as alcoholism. 
Also spelled alcoholisation. 
alcoholize (al'ko-hol-iz), v. t. ; pret. and pp. al- 
coholized, ppr. alcoholizing. [< alcohol + -ize.~\ 
1. To convert into alcohol: rectify (spirit) till 
it is wholly purified. 2. To saturate with al- 
cohol ; expose to the influence or subject to the 
effects of alcohol. 
The gum will not penetrate any part which is still alco- 
holized. W. B. Carpenter, Micros., 191. 
3f. To reduce to an impalpable powder. Phil- 
lips, 1706; Johnson. 
Also spelled alcoholise. 
alcoholometer (al"ko-hol-om'e-ter), n. [< al- 
cohol + Gr. /jirpov, measure.] An instrument 
for determining, by means of a graduated scale, 
the percentage, either by weight or by volume, 
of pure alcohol in any liquid. Sometimes con- 
tracted to alcohometer and aleoometer. 
alcoholometrical (al"ko-hol-o-met'ri-kal), . 
Relating to the alcoholometer or to alcoholome- 
try: as, alcoholometrical tables. Sometimes 
contracted to alcoometrical. 
alcoholometry (al"ko-hol-om'e-tri), n. [< al- 
coholometer.] The process of estimating the 
percentage of pure or absolute alcohol in a 
spirituous liquid. Sometimes contracted to al- 
cootnetry. 
alcohometer (al-ko-hom'e-ter), n. See alcohol- 
ometer. 
Alcoidese (al-koi'de-e), n. pi. [NL., < Alca + 
-oidece.] A superfamily of birds, composed of 
the Alcida; or auks and the Urinatoridai or 
loons, and placed in the order Cecomorpha:. 
aleoometer (al-ko-om'e-ter), n. See alcohol- 
ometer. 
alcoometrical (al"ko-o-met'ri-kal), a. See alco- 
holometrical. 
Alcoran (al'ko-ran or al-ko-ran'), n. [< ME. 
alkaron, alkarbwi, < OF. alcoran, mod. F. alco- 
ran = Sp. alcoran = Pg. alcorao = It. alcorano, 
< Ar. al-qordn, al-qurdn, lit. the book, < al, the, 
+ qordn, qurdn : see Koran.] Same as Koran. 
Also spelled Alkoran. 
Alcoranic (al-ko-ran'ik), a. Relating to the 
Koran or to Mohammedanism. Also spelled 
A Ikoranie. 
Alcoranish (al-ko-rau'ish), a. [< Alcoran + 
-ishl.] Same as Alcoranic. Also spelled Al- 
koranish. 
Alcoranist (al-ko-ran 'ist), n. [< Alcoran + 
-ist.] A Mussulman who adheres strictly to the 
letter of the Koran, rejecting all comments. 
The Persians are generally Alcoranists ; the Turks, Arabs, 
and Tatars admit a multitude of traditions. Also spelled 
Alkoranitit. 
Alcora porcelain. Seeporcelain. 
alcornoque (al-k6r-no'ka), n. [Sp. Pg. alcor- 
noque (> It. alcornoch, the cork-tree); origin 
uncertain. Cf. Sp. Pg. alcorque, cork soles or 
clogs, cork, Sp. corcho, Pg. corcha, cork; but 
no etymological connection can be made out.] 
The bark of a Brazilian leguminous tree, Soic- 
dichia virgilioides, formerly used as a remedy for 
phthisis. Also written alcornoco American al- 
comoque, the bark of several species of Byrxonima, used 
in tanning. European alcornoque, the bark of the 
smaller branches of the cork-oak, Quercus suber. 
alcove (al'kov or al-kov'), n. [< F. alcove, < It. 
alcova, alcovo = OF. aucube, tent, = Pr. alcuba, 
< Sp. alcova, now alcoba, = Pg. alcova, a recess, 
< Ar. al-qobbah, < al, the, + qobbah, a vault, 
a vaulted space, dome, tent, alcove, < qubba, 
vault, arch, dome. No connection with E. cove 1 .] 
A covered recess. Specifically (a) In the strictest 
sense, any recessed bay or small room attached to a larger 
one, having a coved or vaulted ceiling. (6) Most commonly, 
a recess in a room for the reception of a bed, one of the re- 
cesses or separate compartments for books in a library- 
building, a niche for a seat or statue, etc. (c) An arched 
or covered seat in a garden, or any natural recess, as a 
clear space in a grove or wood, a small bay, a place nearly 
inclosed by rocks or hills, and the like. [In this use, chiefly 
poetical.] 
On mossy banks, beneath the citron grove, 
The youthful wand'rers found a wide alcove. 
Falconer, Shipwreck. 
alcumistt, alcumyt. Former spellings of al- 
chemist, alchemy. 
alcyon (al'si-on), . and a. [L.,< Gr. aTiKvuv, the 
kingfisher ; also written erroneously aAKvuv, > L. 
halcyon, > E. halcyon, the form now usual : see 
halcyon.] I. . 1. An old or poetical name of 
the kingfisher. Commonly written halcyon. 2. 
[cap.] A genus of kingfishers: same as Halcyon, 
Alcyonidiidae 
2. 3. The specific name of the belted king- 
fisher of North America, Ceryle alcyon. 4. A 
general name of the kingfishers of the genus 
Halcyon and others of the subfamily Daceloni- 
tue : as, the vfooti-alcyoitis, tree-a/cyons, etc. 
II. a. Same as halcyon. 
Alcyonaria (aFsi-o-na'ri-a), n. pi. [NL., < 
Alcyonium + -aria.] An order of actinozoan 
corals, or, as some hold, a subclass of coralli- 
genous Actinozoa, distinguished in this use 
from Zoantharia, the other subclass of Actinozoa 
(which contains the sea-anemones, etc. ), by hav- 
ing pinnately fringed instead of simple tenta- 
cles, arranged around the mouth like the rays of 
a starfish, whence the alternative name Aste- 
roida. The tentacles of Alcyonaria are in one series of 
8, instead of 6 or a multiple of 6, whence the alternative 
name Octocoralla, the sea-anemones being known as Hexa- 
coralla. For the same reason, the Alcyonaria are also 
termed Octactiniae. The corallum, when present, is ex- 
ternal, spicular, or with a sclerobasic axis, but occasion- 
ally thecal or tubular. The polyps are connected by the 
ccenosarc, through which permeate prolongations of the 
body -cavity of each, thus permitting a free circulation of 
fluids. There is sometimes an outer skeleton, either with 
or without a central sclerobasic axis. The corallum is 
rarely thecal, never presenting traces of septa. (Pascoe.) 
These compound organisms are found only in deep water, 
and, except the sea-pens, are fixed* to some foreign body. 
The subclass or order is divided into several orders or sub- 
orders, of which are : (a) the Alcyoniacetz. having a lea- 
thery contractile ectoderm a group including the so- 
Alcyana ria. 
i, Sea-fan (Rhipidofrorgia flabtltum} ; 3, Sea-pen (Pennatula 
phosphorea) ; 3, Cornularia rnf&sa. 
called dead men's fingers ; (b) the Gorgoniaceae, or sea-fans, 
which are branched calcareous or horny corals ; (c) the Isi- 
dacete, which are alternately calcareous and horny; (rf) 
the Tubiporacece, or organ-pipe corals, which are tubular ; 
and (e) the Pennatulacece, or sea-pens. See these words. 
Some species have the appearance of sponges, others re- 
semble fans, feathers, stars, etc. Also called Halcyonoida. 
alcyonarian (al"si-o-na'ri-an), a. and n. [< 
Alcyonaria + -an.] I. a. Relating or pertain- 
ing to the order or to a member of the order 
Alcyonaria. Equivalent terms are halcyonoid 
and asteroidal. 
II. n. One of the Alcyonaria (which see). 
Various forms of alcyonarianx, a special group of corals, 
were found at considerable depths. Science, IV. 171. 
Also written halcyonarian. 
Alcyone (al-sl'6-ne), n. [L., < Gr. 'A%Kv6vt;, in 
myth, the daughter of ^5olus and wife of Ceyx, 
a Thessalian king ; she was changed into a king- 
fisher and her husband into a sea-bird. See 
alcyon.] 1. A greenish star of magnitude 3.0, 
the brightest of the Pleiades, n Tauri. See 
cut under Pleiades. 2. In ornith., a genus of 
kingfishers, of the family Alcedinidai, subfamily 
Dacelonina;, related to the genus Ceyx, both be- 
ing distinguished by the rudimentary condition 
of the inner front toe. Also written Salcyone. 
Alcyonella (aFsi-o-nel'a), n. [NL., as Alcyo- 
n(ium) + dim. -ella.] A genus of fresh-water 
Polyzoa, or so-called ascidian zoophytes, related 
to Plumatella, Fredericelki, and Cristatella, of the 
family Plnmatellida;. A. stagnomm is of a greenish- 
black color, and is found in stagnant water. The species 
were formerly regarded as plants. Also written Halcyo- 
nella. 
Alcyoniaceae (al"si-on-i-a'se-e), n. pi. [NL., < 
Alcyonium + -acea;.] An order of Alcyonaria 
(which see) considered as a subclass, it is char- 
acterized by having a leathery contractile ectoderm with 
calcareous spicules, but no scleroba&is ; the polypary is at- 
tached to some foreign object, and bears some resemblance 
to a sponge. The order consists of the families Alcyoniida? 
and Cornulariidce, to which some authorities add Telea- 
tidcB. See Alcyoniidw. Also written Halcyoniacece. 
alcyonic (al-si-on'ik), a. [< Alcyonium + -ic.] 
Pertaining to the Aleyoniida;. Also written 
halcyonic. 
Alcyonidiidae (al"si-on-i-dl'i-de), n. pi. [NL., 
< Alcyonidium 4- -idai.] A family of I'olyzoa, or 
so-called ascidian zoophytes, belonging to the 
infundibulate order (Gymnol&mata) of that 
class, the mouth having no epistome. The family 
forms with the VexiculariidtK a group or suborder which 
