glair

American  

[glair] / glɛər /

Or glaire

noun

1. 

   the white of an egg.

2. a glaze or size made of egg white.

3. any viscous substance like egg white.

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verb (used with object)

1. to coat with glair.

glair British  

/ ɡlɛə /

noun

1. white of egg, esp when used as a size, glaze, or adhesive, usually in bookbinding

2. any substance resembling this

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verb

1. (tr) to apply glair to (something)

Other Word Forms

• glairiness
  noun
• glairy
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of glair

1300–50; Middle English glaire < Old French: white of an egg < Vulgar Latin *clāria; compare Latin clārus clear

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

glair

Where the leather is rubbed or decayed, rub a little paste with the finger into the parts affected, to fill up the broken grain, otherwise the glair would sink in and turn it black.

From Notes and Queries, Number 235, April 29, 1854 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Various

Then plenty of glair is applied and the gold quickly and truly laid on.

From Practical Bookbinding by Paul Adam

Crawling up the sides, the Snails imprisoned in my apparatus sometimes reach the top, which is closed with a glass pane, and fix themselves to it by means of a speck of glair.

From The Glow-Worm and Other Beetles by Alexander Teixeira de Mattos

In opening and shutting, any coat of glair or varnish that has become hard will crack, and expose the leather of the joint and back.

From Bookbinding, and the Care of Books A handbook for Amateurs, Bookbinders & Librarians by Noel Rooke

Crawling up the sides, the Snails imprisoned in my apparatus sometimes reach the top, which is closed with a glass pane, and fix themselves to it with a speck of glair.

From The Wonders of Instinct Chapters in the Psychology of Insects by Alexander Teixeira de Mattos

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