Crucible

Crucible
Crucible Cru"ci*ble (kr[udd]"s[i^]*b'l), n. [LL. crucibulum a hanging lamp, an earthen pot for melting metals (cf. OF. croisel, creuseul, sort of lamp, crucible, F. creuset crucible), prob. of German origin; cf. OHG. kr[=u]sul, LG. kr["u]sel, hanging lamp, kroos, kruus, mug, jug, jar, D. kroes cup, crucible, Dan. kruus, Sw. krus, E. cruse. It was confused with derivatives of L. crux cross (cf. {Crosslet}), and crucibles were said to have been marked with a cross, to prevent the devil from marring the chemical operation. See {Cruse}, and cf. {Cresset}.] 1. A vessel or melting pot, composed of some very refractory substance, as clay, graphite, platinum, and used for melting and calcining substances which require a strong degree of heat, as metals, ores, etc. [1913 Webster]

2. A hollow place at the bottom of a furnace, to receive the melted metal. [1913 Webster]

3. A test of the most decisive kind; a severe trial; as, the crucible of affliction. [1913 Webster]

{Hessian crucible} (Chem.), a cheap, brittle, and fragile, but very refractory crucible, composed of the finest fire clay and sand, and commonly used for a single heating; -- named from the place of manufacture. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • crucible — ► NOUN 1) a container in which metals or other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures. 2) a situation of severe trial, or in which different elements interact to produce something new. ORIGIN Latin crucibulum night lamp,… …   English terms dictionary

  • crucible — [kro͞o′sə bəl] n. [ML crucibulum, lamp, crucible, prob. < Gmc, as in OE cruce, pot, jug, MHG kruse, earthen pot (see CRUSE) + L suffix ibulum (as in thuribulum, censer), but assoc. by folk etym. with L crux, CROSS, as if lamp burning before… …   English World dictionary

  • Crucible — Crucible, The a play by Arthur ↑Miller which describes how innocent women were charged with being ↑witches and cruelly punished by a court of law in ↑Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. This play was written in 1953 to show how similar the Salem Witch… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • crucible — early 15c., from M.L. crucibulum melting pot for metals, originally night lamp. First element might be M.H.G. kruse earthen pot. Or perhaps from L. crux on some fancied resemblance to a cross. Used of any severe test or trial since 1640s …   Etymology dictionary

  • Crucible — For other uses, see Crucible (disambiguation). A modern crucible used in the production of silicon ingots via the Czochralski process A crucible is a container used for metal, glass, and pigment production as well as a number of modern laboratory …   Wikipedia

  • Crucible — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Crucible est le nom  : du deuxième album studio du groupe de Heavy Metal américain Halford : Crucible d un groupe américain de néo prog :… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • crucible — [[t]kru͟ːsɪb(ə)l[/t]] crucibles 1) N COUNT A crucible is a pot in which metals or other substances can be melted or heated up to very high temperatures. 2) N SING: oft N of n Crucible is used to refer to a situation in which something is tested… …   English dictionary

  • crucible — [ kru:sɪb(ə)l] noun 1》 a container in which metals or other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures. 2》 a situation in which people or things are severely tested, often interacting to produce something new: a relationship… …   English new terms dictionary

  • crucible — UK [ˈkruːsəb(ə)l] / US [ˈkrusəb(ə)l] noun [countable] Word forms crucible : singular crucible plural crucibles 1) science a container used for heating substances or melting metals at very high temperatures 2) an environment that is very dangerous …   English dictionary

  • crucible — noun Etymology: Middle English corusible, from Medieval Latin crucibulum earthen pot for melting metals Date: 15th century 1. a vessel of a very refractory material (as porcelain) used for melting and calcining a substance that requires a high… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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