drying oil

American  

noun

1. any of a group of oily, organic liquids occurring naturally, as linseed, soybean, or dehydrated castor oil, or synthesized, that when applied as a thin coating absorb atmospheric oxygen, forming a tough, elastic layer.

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drying oil British  

noun

1. one of a number of animal or vegetable oils, such as linseed oil, that harden by oxidation on exposure to air: used as a base for some paints and varnishes

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Etymology

Origin of drying oil

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

Father Nieuwland shook his head, decided it might be good for drying oil or possibly sheep dip.

From Time Magazine Archive

But at length a drying oil is mentioned in connection with works of art by Aetius, a medical writer of the fifth century.

From On the Old Road Vol. 1 (of 2) A Collection of Miscellaneous Essays and Articles on Art and Literature by Ruskin, John

Like all bituminous earths, it needs the strongest drying oil.

From Field's Chromatography or Treatise on Colours and Pigments as Used by Artists by Salter, Thomas

It is not a drying oil, and therefore cannot be used for paint, but burns freely in lamps and is useful for oiling machinery.

From The Commercial Products of the Vegetable Kingdom Considered in Their Various Uses to Man and in Their Relation to the Arts and Manufactures; Forming a Practical Treatise & Handbook of Reference for the Colonist, Manufacturer, Merchant, and Consumer, on the Cultivation, Preparation for Shipment, and Commercial Value, &c. of the Various Substances Obtained From Trees and Plants, Entering into the Husbandry of Tropical and Sub-tropical Regions, &c. by Simmonds, P. L.

The solution of asphaltum in turpentine, united with drying oil by heat, or the bitumen torrefied and ground in linseed or drying-oil, acquires a firmer texture, but becomes less transparent and dries with difficulty.

From Field's Chromatography or Treatise on Colours and Pigments as Used by Artists by Salter, Thomas