octanen.
/ˈɒkteɪn/, U.S. /ˈɑkˌteɪn/ 1. Chemistry. Any of a series of saturated hydrocarbons (alkanes) with the formula C8H18; esp. (also n-octane) the unbranched isomer, CH3(CH2)6CH3, a volatile liquid present in petroleum spirit. Cf. isooctane n.
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society > occupation and work > materials > fuel > chemical fuel > [noun] > liquid
naphthec1384
naphtha1543
paraffin1851
kerosene1854
octylene1857
shale-oil1857
coal oil1859
gasoline1863
octane1867
octene1868
octyne1877
gas1878
liquid fuel1889
petrol1895
mazut1897
white fuel1901
diesel oil1905
autogas1908
juice1909
sauce1918
power kerosene1919
petroil1921
ethyl1923
lox1923
kero1930
isooctane1932
high-octane1933
hi-octane1933
Calor1936
pool petrol1939
super1939
pool1940
derv1948
platformate1949
mixture1952
diesel1953
Mapp gas1962
gasohol1971
super unleaded1975
synoil1976
synjet1979
biodiesel1986
Orimulsion1987
the world > matter > chemistry > organic chemistry > hydrocarbons > [noun] > alkanes > straight-chained by number of carbon atoms > eight
octane1867
1867 A. W. Hofmann in Proc. Royal Soc. 1866–7 15 58 According to this principle the following names are formed:..Octane, (C8 H18)0.
1906 Proc. Royal Soc. A. 78 262 The opalescence was always seen, but notes of its position and character were only made with a few substances—isopentane and normal pentane, hexane, and octane.
1930 Science 26 Sept. p. xiv/1 It has only recently been discovered that heptane, in connection with octane.., can be used for the laboratory measurement of the knock of different gasolines.
1947 A. H. Warth Chem. & Technol. Waxes ii. 17 Each saturated straight-chain hydrocarbon has a corresponding acid... For example, n-octane yields n-caprylic acid (n-C8H16O2).
1991 Langmuir 7 2941/2 Solubility data for hydrocarbon gases ranging from methane to octane.
2. An octane number (see Compounds 2). Usually with prefixed numeral, as 105 octane, or with adjective.Earliest in high-octane adj. 1.
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society > occupation and work > materials > fuel > chemical fuel > [noun] > liquid > properties of
cetane number1871
octane1931
octane number1931
knock rating1932
startability1933
octane rating1936
1931 Oakland (Calif.) Tribune 7 Dec. 18 (caption) Scientifically regulated combustion did it—the same principle that gives high Octane ‘Standard’ Gasoline its extra punch in your motor.
1935 Oil & Gas Jrnl. 4 July 16/1 Until this spring, 87 octane gasoline was the highest quality used for commercial take-offs.
1938 I. Till in W. Hamilton et al. Price & Price Policies iv. 123 An increase in octane to 80 or more may effect a noticeable increase in the price of gasoline without yielding commensurate benefits.
1949 Our Industry (Anglo-Iranian Oil Co.) (ed. 2) viii. 217 Testing engines... A low octane fuel should be used.
1973 J. Leasor Host of Extras vii. 136 Adrenalin surged round my body like 105 octane petrol.
1992 Pilot (BNC) June 44 The 135 hp engine was used to operating on 80 octane fuel but we had been using 130 octane avgas.
1998 Bloomington (Indiana) Voice 23 July 6/4 Change the pulleys, remove the governors,..experiment with different fuel octanes.
3. figurative. Originally U.S. Power, vigour, excitement; ‘oomph’. Cf. earlier high-octane adj. 2.
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the world > action or operation > ability > [noun]
speed971
mightOE
ferec1175
evenc1225
powerc1300
possibilityc1385
actualitya1398
actualnessa1398
mowing?a1425
virtuality1483
cana1500
canning1549
reach1556
capability1587
strain1593
capableness1594
ablesse1598
fathoma1616
dacity1636
factivitya1643
capacity1647
range1695
span1805
quality1856
faculty1859
octane1989
1989 J. Tyman Inside Out ii. 133 I watched her getting ready for her octane boost. ‘How long have you been fixing?’ ‘Five, six years now.’
1991 San Francisco Chron. 15 Mar. e1/1 HBO splurged $9 million to shoot it in Budapest, where $9 million has enough extra octane to buy a hunk of sets and costumes.
1996 Plow Snowboarding Mag. Dec. 134/2 Last year's event was full of octane, spills, thrills and chills.
2001 N.Y. Times Mag. 2 Dec. 87/2 People were suffused with the Judeo-Christian octane of individual destiny.
Compounds
C1.
a.
octane-booster n.
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1971 New Scientist 5 Aug. 323/1 Those spokesmen of the oil industry who have been arguing that alkyl lead (added to petrol as an octane-booster..) is not a health hazard.
1992 MotorHome Feb. 90/2 If any sign of engine ping or preignition occurs while traveling in Mexico, add the Moroso octane booster to help improve performance.
octane quality n.
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1959 R. J. Hengstebeck Petroleum Processing i. 3 The octane quality of a gasoline may be rated differently by different engines.
1978 Trends in Oil & Gas Refining (Shell Internat. Petroleum Co.) 3 In a simple refinery there are few secondary units—perhaps..a catalytic reformer (for the improvement of octane quality of motor gasoline).
b.
octane-scented adj.
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1946 R.A.F. Jrnl. May 151 Newly-arrived from the octane-scented atmosphere of Station life and full of inspiration.
C2.
octane number n. a number indicating the anti-knock properties of a motor or aviation fuel, equal (for numbers below 100) to the percentage by volume of isooctane in an isooctane/n-heptane mixture of equivalent performance, or (for numbers above 100) to the number of millilitres of tetraethyl lead per gallon of isooctane required to give an equivalent performance; cf. research octane number n. at research n.1 Compounds 3.
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society > occupation and work > materials > fuel > chemical fuel > [noun] > liquid > properties of
cetane number1871
octane1931
octane number1931
knock rating1932
startability1933
octane rating1936
1931 Automobile Engineer Aug. 308/3 Lead tetra-ethyl is the only other practical alternative to cracked spirits as a means of raising the anti-knock value of motor spirit to an octane number of 70 or more.
1972 D. J. Patterson & N. A. Henein Emissions from Combustion Engines ii. 63 The octane number of the fuels on the market is about 94 for regular gasoline and 100 for premium gasoline.
1975 Chem. Week (Nexis) 24 Sept. On the plus side: methanol is a high-octane fuel. Its RON (research octane number) has been variously reported between 106 and 115.
1992 Sci. Amer. Apr. 6/1 Octane numbers are very deceptive;..the power goes up much faster than the numbers. Triptane, with a power output of 50 percent more than 100 octane fuel, would actually have an octane number of about 110.
octane rating n. = octane number n.
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society > occupation and work > materials > fuel > chemical fuel > [noun] > liquid > properties of
cetane number1871
octane1931
octane number1931
knock rating1932
startability1933
octane rating1936
1936 A. R. Burns Decline of Competition x. 474 (note) Group 3 tank-car price per gallon of U.S. motor gasoline of 60 to 64 octane rating.
1972 Daily Tel. 15 Mar. 11/7 Lead has been used in growing quantities to raise the octane rating of petrol, allowing modern engines to make more efficient use of the fuel.
1996 Sci. Amer. Jan. 7/1 The newly discovered process, ‘Hydroforming’ doubled the octane rating of many low-grade gasolines, and guaranteed our war-time airplanes..vast quantities of high-octane gasoline.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1867