'Volatile oils' definitions:
Definition of 'Volatile oils'
From: GCIDE
- Volatile \Vol"a*tile\, a. [F. volatil, L. volatilis, fr. volare to fly, perhaps akin to velox swift, E. velocity. Cf. Volley.]
- 1. Passing through the air on wings, or by the buoyant force of the atmosphere; flying; having the power to fly. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
- 2. Capable of wasting away, or of easily passing into the aeriform state; subject to evaporation. [1913 Webster]
- Note: Substances which affect the smell with pungent or fragrant odors, as musk, hartshorn, and essential oils, are called volatile substances, because they waste away on exposure to the atmosphere. Alcohol and ether are called volatile liquids for a similar reason, and because they easily pass into the state of vapor on the application of heat. On the contrary, gold is a fixed substance, because it does not suffer waste, even when exposed to the heat of a furnace; and oils are called fixed when they do not evaporate on simple exposure to the atmosphere. [1913 Webster]
- 3. Fig.: Light-hearted; easily affected by circumstances; airy; lively; hence, changeable; fickle; as, a volatile temper. [1913 Webster]
- You are as giddy and volatile as ever. --Swift. [1913 Webster]
- Volatile alkali. (Old Chem.) See under Alkali.
- Volatile liniment, a liniment composed of sweet oil and ammonia, so called from the readiness with which the latter evaporates.
- Volatile oils. (Chem.) See Essential oils, under Essential. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'volatile oils'
From: GCIDE
- Essential \Es*sen"tial\ ([e^]s*s[e^]n"sjal), a. [Cf. F. essentiel. See Essence.]
- 1. Belonging to the essence, or that which makes an object, or class of objects, what it is. [1913 Webster]
- Majestic as the voice sometimes became, there was forever in it an essential character of plaintiveness. --Hawthorne. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Hence, really existing; existent. [1913 Webster]
- Is it true, that thou art but a name, And no essential thing? --Webster (1623). [1913 Webster]
- 3. Important in the highest degree; indispensable to the attainment of an object; indispensably necessary. [1913 Webster]
- Judgment's more essential to a general Than courage. --Denham. [1913 Webster]
- How to live? -- that is the essential question for us. --H. Spencer. [1913 Webster]
- 4. Containing the essence or characteristic portion of a substance, as of a plant; highly rectified; pure; hence, unmixed; as, an essential oil. "Mine own essential horror." --Ford. [1913 Webster]
- 5. (Mus.) Necessary; indispensable; -- said of those tones which constitute a chord, in distinction from ornamental or passing tones. [1913 Webster]
- 6. (Med.) Idiopathic; independent of other diseases. [1913 Webster]
- Essential character (Biol.), the prominent characteristics which serve to distinguish one genus, species, etc., from another.
- Essential disease, Essential fever (Med.), one that is not dependent on another.
- Essential oils (Chem.), a class of volatile oils, extracted from plants, fruits, or flowers, having each its characteristic odor, and hot burning taste. They are used in essences, perfumery, etc., and include many varieties of compounds; as lemon oil is a terpene, {oil of bitter almonds} an aldehyde, oil of wintergreen an ethereal salt, etc.; -- called also volatile oils in distinction from the fixed or nonvolatile. [1913 Webster]