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ambergris
ambergris is a grey, light waxy, rather malodorous substance occasionally found floating in tropical seas in blackish lumps varying in weight from a few grams to a hundred kilograms. Each lump consists of concentric opaque waxy layers with colours ranging from grey to brownish yellow. Ambergris is probably regurgitated by sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus); in the days of whaling it was found in the guts of slaughtered whales. It commands a high price, being used in perfumes and also dissolved in hot alcohol, in expensive cocktails. See also marine pharmaceuticals.
www.netstrider.com/documents/ambergris/miscellany/ M. V. Angel |
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"ambergris." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ambergris." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-ambergris.html "ambergris." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-ambergris.html |
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ambergris
ambergris , waxlike substance originating as a morbid concretion in the intestine of the sperm whale. Lighter than water, it is found floating on tropical seas or cast up on the shore in yellow, gray, black, or variegated masses, usually a few ounces in weight, though pieces weighing several hundred pounds have been found. Ambergris has been greatly valued from earliest times. It is now used as a fixative in perfumes. Its active principle is ambrein, a crystalline alcohol with the empirical formula C 30 H 51 OH. |
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"ambergris." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ambergris." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-ambergri.html "ambergris." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-ambergri.html |
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ambergris
ambergris a wax-like substance that originates as a secretion in the intestines of the sperm whale, found floating in tropical seas. It is soft, black, and unpleasant-smelling when fresh, slowly becoming harder, paler, and sweeter-smelling, and used in perfume manufacture.
The word comes (in late Middle English) from Old French ambre gris ‘grey amber’, as distinct from ambre jaune ‘yellow amber’ (the resin). |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "ambergris." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "ambergris." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-ambergris.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "ambergris." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-ambergris.html |
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ambergris
ambergris wax-like substance found floating in tropical seas, and in the intestines of the sperm whale. XV. — (O)F. ambre gris ‘grey amber’; this is the orig. sense of amber (cf. preco), the word gris being added to distinguish the cetaceous secretion.
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T. F. HOAD. "ambergris." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "ambergris." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-ambergris.html T. F. HOAD. "ambergris." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-ambergris.html |
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ambergris
am·ber·gris / ˈambərˌgris; -ˌgrē(s)/ • n. a waxlike substance that originates as a secretion in the intestines of the sperm whale, found floating in tropical seas and used in perfume manufacture. |
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"ambergris." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ambergris." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-ambergris.html "ambergris." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-ambergris.html |
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ambergris
ambergris Musky, waxy solid formed in the intestine of a sperm whale. It is used in perfumes as a fixative for the scent.
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"ambergris." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ambergris." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-ambergris.html "ambergris." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-ambergris.html |
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ambergris
ambergris
•anis, apiece, Berenice, caprice, cassis, cease, coulisse, crease, Dumfries, fils, fleece, geese, grease, Greece, kris, lease, Lucrece, MacNeice, Matisse, McAleese, Nice, niece, obese, peace, pelisse, piece, police, Rees, Rhys, set piece, sublease, surcease, two-piece, underlease
•mantelpiece • headpiece • hairpiece
•tailpiece • Greenpeace
•chimney piece • frontispiece
•timepiece • codpiece • crosspiece
•mouthpiece • showpiece • earpiece
•masterpiece
•centrepiece (US centerpiece)
•altarpiece • workpiece • ambergris
•calabrese
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"ambergris." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ambergris." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-ambergris.html "ambergris." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-ambergris.html |
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