Etymology From Old French abestos, from Latin asbestos, itself from Ancient Greek ἄσβεστος (ásbestos, “unquenchable, inextinguishable”), from ᾰ̓- (ă-, “not”) + σβέννῡμῐ (sbénnūmĭ, “to quench, quell”).
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Chemistry, Geography, Geology, Mineralogy, Natural sciences, Physical sciences Any of several fibrous mineral forms of magnesium silicate, used for fireproofing, electrical insulation, building materials, brake linings, chemical filters, suits, fireman's gloves, etc.
All types of asbestos are potentially carcinogenic when inhaled.
Asbestos insulation was once ubiquitous.
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Consul Baker, of Antung, China, states that valuable deposits of asbestos have been found in the vicinity of Kuantien, a small town lying about 45 miles northeast of Antung.[…]There are three mines now in operation, each employing about 30 workers. These workers, however, are mostly farmers who devote only their spare time to mining and use simply hammers and chisels and gather only the asbestos which lies near the surface.1913 February, “Asbestos Mines in China”, in Mines and Minerals, volume XXXIII, number 7, Scranton, PA, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 398, column 3:
Insulation against sound and changes in external temperature is given by a thickness of asbestos on the inside of the panels.1946 November and December, “New L.M.S.R. Royal Coaches”, in Railway Magazine, page 371:
Colloquial The supposed material composing part of the body that is impervious to heat, or by extension other unpleasant sensations; especially hot or spicy food.
She sipped the coffee; she always did have asbestos lips.2013 December 17, Tom Holt, When It's A Jar: YouSpace Book 2, Hachette UK, →ISBN:
They were exceptionally good and were accompanied by a chili sauce that had to be eaten with great caution unless you had an asbestos tongue but was nonetheless delicious.2014 May 29, Bernard Veale, Read My Lips, Andrews UK Limited, →ISBN:
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"Yikes!" I yelped. "This water is scalding!" Lena explained to me that she had asbestos hands. Since it was obvious that I did not have asbestos hands, I offered to dry rather than wash.2020 October 13, Valérie Falzo, Extraordinary Souls I Have Known, Covenant Books, Inc., →ISBN:
Dad plucks the steamed Chinese charcuterie out with his asbestos fingers, places it on the wooden circular chopping board and begins slicing it into bite-size pieces before returning it to the pot.2022 July 21, Angela Hui, Takeaway: Stories from a childhood behind the counter, Hachette UK, →ISBN:
Etymology From Old French abestos, from Latin asbestos, itself from Ancient Greek ἄσβεστος (ásbestos, “unquenchable, inextinguishable”), from ᾰ̓- (ă-, “not”) + σβέννῡμῐ (sbénnūmĭ, “to quench, quell”).
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To coat or line with asbestos.
“Be sure you have plenty of kindling before you begin. They are rather non-inflammable and well asbestosed, so to speak.”1919, The Saturday Evening Post, volume 192, page 93, column 4:
The latter department will be asbestosed without according to the idea of Professor Swain, whose deductions are that you should wear an overcoat in summer for the reason that what will keep out the cold will keep out the heat.1924, International Stereotypers' and Electrotypers’ Union Journal, volume 19, page 22, column 1:
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Q. And you considered asbestosing the interior as part of your job, is that correct? A. That’s right.1960, Records & Briefs, New York, page 538:
Though respectable ladies thought him a rake, He red-leaded Mrs. Brown’s gutter and spout And asbestosed the furnace for Mrs. Stout, And oh, the six weeks he spent refluing The winter home of Mrs. Hewing!1961, Midwest, page 11:
Compound (I) (1.5 g.) and benzaldehyde (1.1 g.) were refluxed in glacial acetic acid (30-35 ml.) in presence of fused sodium acetate (2.6 g.) on an asbestosed wire gauge for 3 hr.1966, Journal of the Indian Chemical Society, page 658:
The other day one of the men doing the asbestosing on the acid retorts fell in a sulphuric sedimentation tank.1969, Peter Such, Fallout, House of Anansi Press, page 62:
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To expose to asbestos; to cause to suffer asbestosis.
Lungs asbestosed / unable to breath^([sic]) / and so incapable / of producing for profit / sent away without delay / so a fresh lunged / could occupy / the vacant place.1990, The Nairobi Law Monthly, page 2, column 3:
Is Malcolm J. Miller’s South Carolina Sinking Fund partly immune, partly asbestosed, or what?1922, The Insurance Press, volume 54, page 6, column 3:
Whatever air’s asbestosing the prayers / Of this sparse April parlour must splutter / To dust until it dismantles itself.1992, Chapman, →ISBN, page 84:
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Not enough if you / garlanded me before twenty, / asbestosed me several times / around the conjugal fire.1995, Tejdeep, Caught in a Stampede, Sterling Publishers, →ISBN, page 110:
Like the house, I’d had my shiny youth of new love, my stuccoed divorce, my asbestosed fallout of pipe pain and dry-rot, my ill-conceived disco years, and my disastrous mid-life reno.2017, Karl Meade, Odd Jobs: Misadventures of the Copy-Cat Cat Burglars, FriesenPress, →ISBN: