n. & v. (US sulfur)
--n.
1. a a pale-yellow non-metallic element having crystalline and amorphous forms, burning with a blue flame and a suffocating smell, and used in making gunpowder, matches, and sulphuric acid, in the vulcanizing of rubber, and in the treatment of skin diseases.
Usage:
Symb.: S. b (attrib.) like or containing sulphur.
2 the material of which hell-fire and lightning were believed to consist.
3 any yellow butterfly of the family Pieridae.
4 a pale greenish yellow colour.
--v.tr.
1. treat with sulphur.
2 fumigate with sulphur.
Phrases and idioms:
sulphur candle a candle burnt to produce sulphur dioxide for fumigating. sulphur dioxide a colourless pungent gas formed by burning sulphur in air and used as a food preservative. sulphur spring a spring impregnated with sulphur or its compounds.
Derivatives:
sulphury adj.
Etymology: ME f. AF sulf(e)re, OF soufre f. L sulfur, sulp(h)ur