LIME


Meaning of LIME in English

1. n. & v.

--n.

1. (in full quicklime) a white caustic alkaline substance (calcium oxide) obtained by heating limestone and used for making mortar or as a fertilizer or bleach etc.

2 BIRDLIME.

--v.tr.

1. treat (wood, skins, land, etc.) with lime.

2 archaic catch (a bird etc.) with birdlime.

Phrases and idioms:

lime water an aqueous solution of calcium hydroxide used esp. to detect the presence of carbon dioxide.

Derivatives:

limeless adj. limy adj. (limier, limiest).

Etymology: OE lim f. Gmc, rel. to LOAM 2. n.1 a a round citrus fruit like a lemon but greener, smaller, and more acid. b the tree, Citrus aurantifolia, bearing this.

2 (in full lime-juice) the juice of limes as a drink and formerly esp. as a cure for scurvy.

3 (in full lime-green) a pale green colour like a lime.

Etymology: F f. mod.Prov. limo, Sp. lima f. Arab. lima: cf. LEMON 3. n.1 (in full lime-tree) any ornamental tree of the genus Tilia, esp. T. europaea with heart-shaped leaves and fragrant yellow blossom. Also called LINDEN.

2 the wood of this.

Etymology: alt. of line OE lind LINDEN

Oxford English vocab.      Оксфордский английский словарь.