cement

views updated

ce·ment / siˈment/ • n. a powdery substance made by calcining lime and clay, mixed with water to form mortar or mixed with sand, gravel, and water to make concrete. ∎  a soft glue that hardens on setting: rubber cement. ∎ fig. an element that unites a group of people. ∎ another term for concrete. ∎  a substance for filling cavities in teeth. ∎  (also cementum) Anat. a thin layer of bony material that fixes teeth to the jaw. ∎ Geol. the material that binds particles together in sedimentary rock.• v. [tr.] attach with cement: wooden posts were cemented into the ground. ∎ fig. settle or establish firmly: the two firms are expected to cement an agreement soon. ∎  Geol. (of a material) bind (particles) together in sedimentary rock.DERIVATIVES: ce·ment·er n.

More From encyclopedia.com