- Silver
- Silver Sil"ver (s[i^]l"v[~e]r), n. [OE. silver, selver,
seolver, AS. seolfor, siolfur, siolufr, silofr, sylofr; akin
to OS. silubar, OFries. selover, D. zilver, LG. sulver, OHG.
silabar, silbar, G. silber, Icel. silfr, Sw. silfver, Dan.
s["o]lv, Goth. silubr, Russ. serebro, Lith. sidabras; of
unknown origin.]
1. (Chem.) A soft white metallic element, sonorous, ductile,
very malleable, and capable of a high degree of polish. It
is found native, and also combined with sulphur, arsenic,
antimony, chlorine, etc., in the minerals argentite,
proustite, pyrargyrite, ceragyrite, etc. Silver is one of
the ``noble'' metals, so-called, not being easily
oxidized, and is used for coin, jewelry, plate, and a
great variety of articles. Symbol Ag (Argentum). Atomic
weight 107.7. Specific gravity 10.5.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Silver was known under the name of luna to the ancients and also to the alchemists. Some of its compounds, as the halogen salts, are remarkable for the effect of light upon them, and are used in photography. [1913 Webster]
2. Coin made of silver; silver money. [1913 Webster]
3. Anything having the luster or appearance of silver. [1913 Webster]
4. The color of silver. [1913 Webster]
Note: Silver is used in the formation of many compounds of obvious meaning; as, silver-armed, silver-bright, silver-buskined, silver-coated, silver-footed, silver-haired, silver-headed, silver-mantled, silver-plated, silver-slippered, silver-sounding, silver-studded, silver-tongued, silver-white. See {Silver}, a. [1913 Webster]
{Black silver} (Min.), stephanite; -- called also {brittle silver ore}, or {brittle silver glance}.
{Fulminating silver}. (Chem.) (a) A black crystalline substance, {Ag2O.(NH3)2}, obtained by dissolving silver oxide in aqua ammonia. When dry it explodes violently on the slightest percussion. (b) Silver fulminate, a white crystalline substance, {Ag2C2N2O2}, obtained by adding alcohol to a solution of silver nitrate; -- also called {fulminate of silver}. When dry it is violently explosive.
{German silver}. (Chem.) See under {German}.
{Gray silver}. (Min.) See {Freieslebenite}.
{Horn silver}. (Min.) See {Cerargyrite}.
{King's silver}. (O. Eng. Law) See {Postfine}.
{Red silver}, or {Ruby silver}. (Min.) See {Proustite}, and {Pyrargyrite}.
{Silver beater}, one who beats silver into silver leaf or silver foil.
{Silver glance}, or {Vitreous silver}. (Min.) See {Argentine}. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
