hydrocyanic acid
Americannoun
noun
"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-
An aqueous solution of hydrogen cyanide, having a characteristic smell of bitter almonds.
-
Also called prussic acid
Etymology
Origin of hydrocyanic acid
First recorded in 1810–20
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The researchers also demonstrated that their laser can effectively detect hydrogen cyanide gas in the air, a substance commonly referred to as "hydrocyanic acid."
From Science Daily
Kyiv, he claimed, was violating the international Chemical Weapons Convention with a variety of substances with the assistance of Western countries, including the psychochemical warfare agent BZ as well as hydrocyanic acid and cyanogen chloride.
From BBC
It said no deaths from mechanical injuries were visible and all symptoms were characteristic of a chemical weapons attack, particularly choking agents and organophosphorus agents or hydrocyanic acid.
From Reuters
West advises dilute hydrocyanic acid, and many writers agree with him, ranking it next to belladonna.
From Project Gutenberg
Dr. Behr tells us that the foliage, in withering, develops hydrocyanic acid, the odor of which is quite perceptible.
From Project Gutenberg
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.