intumescence

American  

[in-too-mes-uhns, -tyoo-] / ˌɪn tʊˈmɛs əns, -tyʊ- /

noun

1. a swelling up, as with congestion.

2. the state of being swollen.

3. a swollen mass.

---

intumescence British  

/ ˌɪntjʊˈmɛsəns /

noun

1. pathol a swelling up, as with blood or other fluid

2. pathol a swollen organ or part

3. chem the swelling of certain substances on heating, often accompanied by the escape of water vapour

---

Other Word Forms

• intumescent adjective

Etymology

Origin of intumescence

From French, dating back to 1650–60; intumesce, -ence

Example Sentences

The oxide is reduced with intumescence to the metallic state, and the bead becomes clear again.

From A System of Instruction in the Practical Use of the Blowpipe Being A Graduated Course Of Analysis For The Use Of Students And All Those Engaged In The Examination Of Metallic Combinations by Anonymous

Puff′iness, state of being puffy or turgid: intumescence; Puff′ing, the act of praising extravagantly.—adv.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various

Perhaps his admirers may answer, that my remark is but the ramification of envy, the intumescence of ill-nature, the exacerbation of 'gloomy malignity.'

From Deformities of Samuel Johnson, Selected from his Works by Anonymous

In the flame of reduction, and upon charcoal, it is reduced with intumescence to metallic lead, which is volatilized by a continued blast, and sublimates on charcoal, as mentioned above.

From A System of Instruction in the Practical Use of the Blowpipe Being A Graduated Course Of Analysis For The Use Of Students And All Those Engaged In The Examination Of Metallic Combinations by Anonymous

Notice whether the substance fuses with the bead, and if so, whether there is intumescence or not.

From A System of Instruction in the Practical Use of the Blowpipe Being A Graduated Course Of Analysis For The Use Of Students And All Those Engaged In The Examination Of Metallic Combinations by Anonymous

Related Words

• lump
• nodule
• wart