gasket

[ gas-kit ]

noun

1. a rubber, metal, or rope ring, for packing a piston or placing around a joint to make it watertight.
2. Nautical. any of a number of light lines for securing a furled sail to a boom, gaff, or yard.

gasket

/ ˈɡæskɪt /

noun

1. a compressible packing piece of paper, rubber, asbestos, etc, sandwiched between the faces or flanges of a joint to provide a seal
2. nautical a piece of line used as a sail stop
3. blow a gasket slang.
   blow a gasket to burst out in anger

Word History and Origins

Origin of gasket¹

1615–25; perhaps < French garcette a plait of rope

Word History and Origins

Origin of gasket¹

C17 (in the sense: rope lashing a furled sail): probably from French garcette rope's end, literally: little girl, from Old French garce girl, feminine of gars boy, servant

Idioms and Phrases

see under blow a fuse .

Example Sentences

Inspect gaskets on wood stoves and fireplace insertsIf you burn wood, you probably know to have a certified chimney sweeper clean the chimney and inspect the fireplace annually.

From Washington Post

Reaping turns in billowing powder, we stayed dry thanks to features like a long hemline, wrist gaskets, and waterproof zippers.

From Outside Online

Because Zoe is his sister, Connor thinks the letter is some sort of scheme on Evan’s part, a ploy to make him blow his gasket in public, as everyone always expects him to do.

From Time

The leakproof lids use a hinged locking system and rubber gasket to stay sealed and avoid spills.

From Popular-Science

Mostly, he looks like he’s just about to blow his gasket in general.

From Time

Soon after that his clash with Ben Affleck, who nearly blew a gasket, sparked a national debate over Islam.

From The Daily Beast

If an enrollee encounters an unexpected expense of replacing a head gasket or something like that, he might skip a payment.

From The Daily Beast

A thin rubber gasket should be placed between the cover and the casing to provide a water-tight joint.

From Project Gutenberg

Peaks, on the main topmast-stay, caught Howe in the very act of passing the gasket through the bight of the buntline.

From Project Gutenberg

Gasket lay, his head bowed over on the table and an arm flung forward.

From Project Gutenberg

This may be caused by leakage past the rotary valve, defective body gasket, or leakage by the feed valve or its case gasket.

From Project Gutenberg

The waterproof gasket stripped off easily, exposing the power leads, nerve wires and the weakened knee joint.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• stopper