asbestos
or as·bes·tus
Mineralogy. a fibrous mineral, either amphibole or chrysotile, formerly used for making incombustible or fireproof articles.
a fabric woven from asbestos fibers, formerly used for theater curtains, firefighters' gloves, etc.
Theater. a fireproof curtain.
Origin of asbestos
1Other words from asbestos
- as·bes·tine [as-bes-tin, az-], /æsˈbɛs tɪn, æz-/, as·bes·tous, adjective
- as·bes·toid, as·bes·toi·dal, adjective
- non·as·bes·tine, adjective
Words Nearby asbestos
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use asbestos in a sentence
In Philadelphia, for example, an investigation by the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Daily News found widespread problems in school buildings with asbestos, mold, rat droppings and lead paint.
Chicago reaches deal with teachers to reopen school buildings | Moriah Balingit | February 10, 2021 | Washington PostAn investigative series by the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Daily News in recent years documented extensive issues with asbestos and lead-tainted paint in school buildings.
Lawsuits, lockouts and strike threats: Fights to reopen classrooms reach a head in several school districts | Moriah Balingit | February 8, 2021 | Washington PostIn a normal year, that wouldn’t qualify as good news for too many industries outside of wax cylinder and asbestos sales.
As the work continued, asbestos repeatedly shook loose, triggering the attention of the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District.
Real Estate Debacles Loomed Large on Faulconer’s Watch | Lisa Halverstadt | December 10, 2020 | Voice of San DiegoRiney also demanded that the city provide notice of incidents involving exposure or presence of asbestos and details on related legal claims.
101 Ash Landlord Accuses City of Violations Beyond Missed Rent | Lisa Halverstadt | October 15, 2020 | Voice of San Diego
Winick says the cause was not HIV-related, but a particular kind of cancer caused by asbestos.
On a recent evening in Asbest, the sunset painted the sky in red and purple over the town and its enormous asbestos pit.
Russia’s Monotown of Asbest: The Town Asbestos Built | Anna Nemtsova | December 1, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTBecause the important point is what those rulings did not do: create a market for asbestos liability insurance.
Should People Be Forced to Buy Liability Insurance for their Guns? | Megan McArdle | December 28, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTAnd what they did was not limit asbestos insurance to "responsible asbestos owners", but destroy the market for insurance.
Should People Be Forced to Buy Liability Insurance for their Guns? | Megan McArdle | December 28, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTThis is the way that courts decided to handle asbestos claims in the 1980s.
Should People Be Forced to Buy Liability Insurance for their Guns? | Megan McArdle | December 28, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTOn the occasion referred to, some of our men, in their burrowing, threw out a considerable quantity of asbestos.
Asbestos | Robert H. JonesIndications of asbestos are found at most points throughout the whole serpentine formation.
Asbestos | Robert H. JonesIt is remarkably good, and some exceptionally fine asbestos has been got out here.
Asbestos | Robert H. JonesIn addition to asbestos, it is worthy of note that the whole of the Thetford district is rich in minerals.
Asbestos | Robert H. JonesAfter removal of the surface earth and rock, the proportion of refuse rock is about twenty-five tons to one of asbestos.
Asbestos | Robert H. Jones
British Dictionary definitions for asbestos
/ (æsˈbɛstɒs, -təs) /
any of the fibrous amphibole and serpentine minerals, esp chrysotile and tremolite, that are incombustible and resistant to chemicals. It was formerly widely used in the form of fabric or board as a heat-resistant structural material
(as modifier): asbestos matting
Origin of asbestos
1Derived forms of asbestos
- asbestine, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for asbestos
[ ăs-bĕs′təs ]
Any of several fibrous mineral forms of magnesium silicate. Asbestos is resistant to heat, flames, and chemical action. Some forms have been shown to cause lung diseases. For this reason, asbestos is no longer used to make insulation, fireproofing material, and brake linings.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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