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red stuff

American  

noun

  1. a compound of oil and sesquioxide of iron used for polishing brass, steel, silver, etc.; crocus or rouge.


Etymology

Origin of red stuff

First recorded in 1840–50

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.

See Examples For:

Fires are uncontrollable when they exceed the firefighters' ability to "put the wet stuff onto the red stuff fast enough to put them out", bushfire consultant Roger Fenwick told AFP.

From Barron's Aug. 3, 2026

The spider has developed a special sense that allows it to detect blood and will choose small, blood-filled mosquitoes over larger ones that don't contain the red stuff.

From Salon Oct. 31, 2024

Red tape eventually was abandoned for white or undyed tape because of its tendency to bleed, but in its heyday, the government used vast amounts of the red stuff.

From Washington Post Jan. 16, 2023

"There are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of men and women with packs on their backs, squirting the hills, putting the wet stuff on the red stuff."

From Los Angeles Times Dec. 10, 2017

But the jet kept getting closer, and red stuff kept pouring out the bottom.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

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