charcoal
/ˈtʃɑːkəʊl
/noun [mass noun]
1A porous black solid, consisting of an amorphous form of carbon, obtained as a residue when wood, bone, or other organic matter is heated in the absence of air.When burnt, charcoal gives off carbon monoxide which can kill in a confined space....
- Carbon, in the forms of charcoal, graphite, and diamond, was one of the earliest elements known to man.
- He also proved that diamond and charcoal both consist of carbon atoms, so are chemically identical.
1.1Briquettes of charcoal used for barbecuing: lamb grilled on charcoal
1.2Charcoal used for drawing: a selection of works in pencil and charcoal [count noun]: with a thick charcoal he traced out the line of the front...
- They include such materials as soil, sand, rice flour, ash, white cement, charcoal or pigment, rubbed onto paper or canvas.
- These 60 drawings show Picasso's work on paper with pencil, charcoal, ink and gouache.
- Since then, Jayant has dabbled with oil on canvas, watercolour, charcoal, acrylic, clay and plaster of Paris.
1.3 [count noun] A drawing made with charcoal.On view until October 29, the exhibit presents 55 of the 300 known watercolors, pastels and charcoals by the late artist - many of which have never been seen before....
- His first two solo shows were a blizzard of styles, combining watercolours and charcoals, landscapes and portraits, and religious paintings crafted lovingly by a committed atheist.
- If a visitor familiar with the charcoals had come in not knowing this was a show of Weiss's prints, it would have become apparent only when she or he came face to face with the central image in Thoughts, a lithograph.
1.4A dark grey colour: charcoal cord trousers...
- The sky was a deep charcoal gray outside of the bus.
- In the distance, bare branches sketched a thin pencil outline against the charcoal gray sky.
- High cheekbones emphasized her straight nose, full lips, and stunning charcoal gray eyes.
Origin
Late Middle English: probably related to coal in the early sense 'charcoal'.