benzine

American  

[ben-zeen, ben-zeen] / ˈbɛn zin, bɛnˈzin /

Also benzin

noun

1. a colorless, volatile, flammable, liquid mixture of various hydrocarbons, obtained in the distillation of petroleum, and used in cleaning, dyeing, etc.

---

benzine British  

/ ˈbɛnziːn, ˈbɛnzɪn, bɛnˈziːn /

noun

1. a volatile mixture of the lighter aliphatic hydrocarbon constituents of petroleum See ligroin petroleum ether

---

Etymology

Origin of benzine

First recorded in 1850–55; benz- + -ine ²

Example Sentences

They wanted the gasoline — the benzine — that was leaking out of the plane and ran toward them with buckets to collect the fuel.

From New York Times • Dec. 17, 2021

The smell of benzine wafts up from the water trough.

From Slate • Jan. 3, 2014

Supreme Court in 2013 of polluting groundwater in the area with toxic benzine, has sponsored the cleanup as part of its corporate social responsibility campaign.

From Slate • Jan. 3, 2014

Darkness was coming on; their benzine was almost gone.

From Time Magazine Archive

“Solvent naphtha” or 160-degree benzol is a product obtained from the distillation of coal tar, differing from benzine, a product obtained from the distillation of petroleum.

From Paint Technology and Tests by Gardner, Henry A.