Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Nitroglycerin \Ni`tro*glyc"er*in\, Nitroglycerine
\Ni`tro*glyc"er*ine\(n[imac]`tr[-o]*gl[i^]s"[~e]r*[i^]n), n.
[Nitro- + glycerin.] (Chem.)
A liquid appearing like a heavy oil, colorless or yellowish,
and consisting of a mixture of several glycerin salts of
nitric acid, and hence more properly called glycerinnitrate; also called trinitroglycerin and glyceryltrinitrate. It is made by the action of nitric acid on
glycerin in the presence of sulphuric acid. It is extremely
unstable and terribly explosive. A very dilute solution is
used in medicine as a neurotic under the name of glonion.
[Written also nitroglycerine.]
[1913 Webster]
Note: A great number of explosive compounds have been
produced by mixing nitroglycerin with different
substances; as, dynamite, or giant powder,
nitroglycerin mixed with siliceous earth;
lithofracteur, nitroglycerin with gunpowder, or with
sawdust and nitrate of sodium or barium; Colonia
powder, gunpowder with nitroglycerin; dualin,
nitroglycerin with sawdust, or with sawdust and nitrate
of potassium and some other substances; lignose, wood
fiber and nitroglycerin.
[1913 Webster]
nitroglycerin
n : a heavy yellow poisonous oily explosive liquid obtained by
nitrating glycerol; used in making explosives and
medically as a vasodilator (trade names Nitrospan and
Nitrostat) [syn: nitroglycerine, trinitroglycerin, glyceryltrinitrate, Nitrospan, Nitrostat]
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