spirit of hartshorn

American  

Or spirits of hartshorn

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless, pungent, suffocating, aqueous solution of about 28.5 percent ammonia gas: used chiefly as a detergent, for removing stains and extracting certain vegetable coloring agents, and in the manufacture of ammonium salts.

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Etymology

Origin of spirit of hartshorn

First recorded in 1675–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spirit of hartshorn

Spirit of hartshorn is counterfeited by mixing liquid caustic ammonia with the distilled spirit of hartshorn, to increase the pungency of its odour, and to enable it to bear an addition of water.

From A Treatise on Adulterations of Food, and Culinary Poisons Exhibiting the Fraudulent Sophistications of Bread, Beer, Wine, Spiritous Liquors, Tea, Coffee, Cream, Confectionery, Vinegar, Mustard, Pepper, Cheese, Olive Oil, Pickles, and Other Articles Employed in Domestic Economy by Accum, Friedrich Christian

The corridores, arcades, and even staircases of their most elegant palaces, are depositories of nastiness, and indeed in summer smell as strong as spirit of hartshorn.

From Travels through France and Italy by Smollett, T. (Tobias)

In slight cases of this kind, some think the continued free use of spirit of hartshorn, given internally, and applied externally to the affected parts, is the best remedy of any that is yet known.

From The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery, in all Its Various Branches, Adapted to the Use of Private Families by Eaton, Mary, fl. 1823-1849

The "drops" were a preparation of spirit of hartshorn, with other things; they were used in fainting, apoplexies, &c.

From The Tatler, Volume 1, 1899 by Aitken, George A.

For this purpose it should be continued till past the time of the expected cold fit, supported by moderate doses of wine-whey, with spirit of hartshorn, and moderate degrees of warmth.

From Zoonomia, Vol. II Or, the Laws of Organic Life by Darwin, Erasmus