wood tar

American  

noun

1. a dark viscid product obtained from wood by distillation or by slow burning without flame, used in its natural state to preserve timber, rope, etc., or subjected to further distillation to yield creosote, oils, and a final residuum, wood pitch.

---

wood tar British  

noun

1. any tar produced by the destructive distillation of wood: used in producing tarred cord and rope and formerly in medicine as disinfectants and antiseptics

---

Etymology

Origin of wood tar

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

The place had a delightful smell of sea-beach, decaying wood, tar, and mystery.

From The Blue Lagoon: a romance by Stacpoole, H. De Vere (Henry De Vere)

Resin, sulphur, wood tar and other substances were also used as additions; each manufacturer kept his method secret, however, and simply pointed out by high sounding title in what manner his paper was composed.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 821, September 26, 1891 by Various

Both wood tar, well known under the name of creosote, and coal tar are powerful antiseptics.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 417, December 29, 1883 by Various

Thickened surfaces are best treated with wood tar, in the form of oil of cade ointment, or the "pix liquida" of the drug shops mixed with twice its amount of olive oil.

From The Home Medical Library, Volume II (of VI) by Winslow, Kenelm

A considerable trade is carried on, especially in wood, tar, hemp, pitch, hemp-seed-oil and cattle.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3 "Brescia" to "Bulgaria" by Various