trass

American  

[tras] / træs /

noun

1. a light-colored type of volcanic tuff used in making water-resistant cement and mortar.

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trass British  

/ træs /

noun

1. a variety of the volcanic rock tuff, used to make a hydraulic cement

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Etymology

Origin of trass

First recorded in 1790–1800; from Dutch trass, from earlier terass, tieras, tiras “brick dust, rubbish,” from French terrasse; see terrace ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

trass

When lime is used as a matrix, certain natural earths such as pozzuolana or trass, or, failing these, powdered bricks or tiles, may be used instead of sand with great advantage.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 7 "Columbus" to "Condottiere" by Various

Forests might be torn up by such a flood, and thus the occurrence of the numerous trunks of trees dispersed irregularly through the trass can be explained.

From The Student's Elements of Geology by Sir Charles Lyell

The tufaceous alluvium called trass, which has covered large areas in the Eifel, and choked up some valleys now partially re-excavated, is unstratified.

From The Student's Elements of Geology by Sir Charles Lyell

Generally speaking, they are only of local importance, their cheapness depending largely on the nearness and abundance of some suitable volcanic deposit of the trass or tufa class.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 6 "Celtes, Konrad" to "Ceramics" by Various

If, as is probable, this trass was formed during the period of volcanic eruptions, it may have originated in the manner of the moya of the Andes.

From The Student's Elements of Geology by Sir Charles Lyell