fīˈbreglass or (US) fīˈberglass noun

1. A synthetic fibre made of extremely fine filaments of molten glass, used in textile manufacture, in heat and sound insulation, and in reinforced plastics
2. Plastic reinforced with glass fibres

fibre optics singular noun

1. A technique using fibre-optic bundles (or fibre-optics bundles), fibre-optic cables (or fibre-optics cables), bundles of extremely thin flexible glass fibres suitably coated, used in optical instruments to transmit maximum light by total internal reflection, and giving images of maximum clarity, and designed, because of their flexibility, for seeing into otherwise inaccessible places
2. A technique using fibre-optic cables to transmit multiple simultaneous data messages over long distances

fiˈbre-optic adjective

fibre-optic transceiver noun

An electronic device which converts electrical data signals into light signals suitable for transmission down a fibre-optic cable and vice versa

fiˈbrescope or (US) fiˈberscope noun

A medical instrument using fibre-optic bundles that allows examination of internal structures, eg the alimentary canal

to the very fibre of one's being

Deeply or fundamentally

glass /gläs/

noun

1. A hard, amorphous, brittle substance, a bad conductor of electricity, usu transparent, made by fusing together one or more of the oxides of silicon, boron or phosphorus with certain basic oxides (eg sodium, magnesium, calcium, potassium), and cooling the product rapidly to prevent crystallization
2. An article made of or with glass, esp a drinking vessel, a mirror, a lens, the cover of a watch face, a weather glass, a telescope, etc
3. Such articles collectively
4. The quantity of liquid a glass holds
5. Any fused substance like glass, with a vitreous fracture
6. A rock, or portion of rock, without crystalline structure
7. (in pl) spectacles

adjective

Made of glass

transitive verb

1. To furnish or fit with glass
2. To reflect in glass
3. To put in, under, or behind glass (rare)
4. To glaze, cover with a glassy surface (obsolete)
5. To polish highly (rare)
6. To attack (someone) with a broken glass or bottle (informal)

glassˈen adjective (archaic)

Of or like glass

glassˈful noun (pl glassˈfuls)

As much as a glass will hold

glassˈify intransitive verb

To become glass or like glass

transitive verb

To cause to become glass or like glass

glassˈily adverb

glassine /-ēnˈ/ noun

A transparent, glazed, greaseproof paper, used for book covers

glassˈiness noun

glassˈlike adjective

glassˈy adjective

1. Like glass
2. (of eyes) expressionless

glassˈ-blower noun

glassˈ-blowing noun

The process of making glassware by inflating semi-molten glass

glass case noun

A display case made at least partly of glass

glass ceiling noun

An indistinct yet unmistakable barrier on the career ladder, through which certain categories of employees (usu women) find they can see but not progress

glass chin or glass jaw noun

A chin or jaw exceptionally vulnerable to punches, used chiefly of boxers

glassˈ-cloth noun

1. A cloth for drying glasses
2. A material woven from glass threads
3. A polishing cloth covered with powdered glass

glassˈ-coach noun (obsolete)

A coach (esp one for hire) having glazed windows

glass cockpit noun

An aircraft cockpit in which an array of glass-screened displays presents computer-generated information

glassˈ-crab noun

The transparent larva of the spiny lobster

glassˈ-cutter noun

1. A tool for cutting sheets of glass
2. A person who does cut-glass work

glassˈ-cutting noun

The act or process of cutting, shaping and ornamenting the surface of glass

glass eye noun

1. An artificial eye made of glass
2. (in pl) spectacles (obsolete)
3. A form of blindness in horses

glassˈ-faced adjective (Shakespeare)

Reflecting the sentiments of another, as in a mirror

glass fibre noun

Glass melted and then drawn out into extremely fine fibres, which are later to be spun, woven, etc (also called fibreglass)

glassˈ-gall noun

A scum formed on fused glass

glassˈ-gazing adjective (Shakespeare)

Addicted to looking in a mirror

glassˈ-grinding noun

The ornamenting of glass by rubbing with sand, emery, etc

glass harmonica noun

The musical glasses (see harmonica under harmony)

glassˈhouse noun

1. A house made of glass or largely of glass, esp a greenhouse
2. Military detention barracks (from one with a glass roof at Aldershot; slang)
3. A glass factory

glass jaw see glass chin above.

glassˈman noun

1. A maker or seller of glass
2. A beggar hawking glass as a pretext (historical)

glassˈ-painting noun

The art of producing pictures on glass by means of staining it chemically

glassˈpaper noun

Paper coated with finely pounded glass, used like sandpaper

glassˈ-rope noun

A siliceous sponge (genus Hyalonema) with a long anchoring tuft

glass snake noun

A legless lizard (genus Ophisaurus) with a brittle tail

glass soap noun

Manganese dioxide or other substance used by glass-makers to remove colouring from glass

glassˈware noun

Articles made of glass

glass wool noun

Glass spun into woolly fibres

glassˈwork noun

1. Furnishings or articles made of glass
2. (usu in pl) a glass factory

glassˈworker noun

glassˈwort noun

A name for plants of the genera Salicornia and Salsola yielding soda, once used in making glass

glassˈyheaded adjective (Tennyson)

With a shiny bald head

live in a glass house

To be open to attack or retort

musical glasses see harmonica under harmony

water or soluble glass

Sodium or potassium silicate