释义 |
petre|ˈpiːtə(r)| Also 7 peeter, 7–9 peter. [In sense 1, abbreviation of saltpetre; in sense 2, ad. L. petra, Gr. πέτρα rock.] 1. = saltpetre. (Now only technical colloq.)
1594[see c below]. 1626Bacon Sylva §120 A Mixture of Petre and Sulphur without Coale. 1644Nye Gunnery (1670) 6 Certainly if Gunpowder were only made of peter, that would be more strong than powder made of peter, Coal and Brimstone. 1667T. Henshaw in Phil. Trans. II. 470 To see whether it will shoot into Chrystals of Peeter. 1869Blackmore Lorna D. i, The fire of candle lays hold of the peter with a spluttering noise and a leaping. †b. Also petre-salt. Obs.
1708Brit. Apollo No. 78. 2/1 The Peter-salt is that which is chrystalliz'd last, is fix'd as Sea-salt. 1728Woodward Meth. Fossils 36 note, Nitre, while..in its native State, is call'd Petre-Salt; when refin'd, Salt-Petre. 1763Museum Rust. I. 53 To let the lye drain off from the petre-salt. c. attrib., as † petre man, a manufacturer of saltpetre (obs.).
1594Plat Jewell-ho. i. 47 That salt, whereof the Peter men doo gather a bushell or two at the most, from thirty tunnes of earth. †2. oil of petre: rock-oil, petroleum. Obs.
1653Walton Angler viii. 172 A small piece of Scarlet..soked in, or annointed with Oyl of Peter, called by some, Oyl of the Rock. 1697Phil. Trans. XIX. 544 There is likewise Distilled from this Stone, an Oil which may be used for Oil of Petre. 1741Compl. Fam.-Piece i. i. 58 Take red and unsophistical Oil of Petre, and anoint therewith..the Part affected. |