*salt*

n. [ L. basaltes (an African word), a dark and hard species of marble found in Ethiopia: cf. F. basalte. ] 1. (Geol.) A rock of igneous origin, consisting of augite and triclinic feldspar, with grains of magnetic or titanic iron, and also bottle-green particles of olivine frequently disseminated. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ It is usually of a greenish black color, or of some dull brown shade, or black. It constitutes immense beds in some regions, and also occurs in veins or dikes cutting through other rocks. It has often a prismatic structure as at the Giant's Causeway, in Ireland, where the columns are as regular as if the work of art. It is a very tough and heavy rock, and is one of the best materials for macadamizing roads. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An imitation, in pottery, of natural basalt; a kind of black porcelain. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. basaltique. ] Pertaining to basalt; formed of, or containing, basalt; as basaltic lava. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Basalt + -form. ] In the form of basalt; columnar. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Basalt + -oid. ] Formed like basalt; basaltiform. [ 1913 Webster ]

Salt which has been obtained from sea water, by evaporation in shallow pits or basins, by the heat of the sun; the large crystalline salt of commerce. Bacon. Ure. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who makes crude potash, or black salts. [ 1913 Webster ]

Crude potash. De Colange. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A sort of salt, finely granulated, formed out of the bittern or leach brine. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. to remove the salt from (a solution of salt). This term is used in a more general sense than desalinate, which usually refers to the removal of common salt (sodium chloride) from a water solution, such as sea water. Desalt is commonly used to refer to any laboratory or industrial process in which any salt may be removed from a mixture of substances dssolved in a solvent, usually water. It is thus used as a method of purification in chemical processes. The methods for desalting are very varied.
Syn. -- desalinate, desalinize. [ PJC ]

n. A dealer in salted or dried meats, pickles, sauces, etc., and in the materials used in pickling, salting, and preserving various kinds of food Hence drysalters usually sell a number of saline substances and miscellaneous drugs. Brande & C. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The articles kept by a drysalter; also, the business of a drysalter. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ or . (Med.) Sulphate of magnesia having cathartic qualities; -- originally prepared by boiling down the mineral waters at Epsom, England, -- whence the name; afterwards prepared from sea water; but now from certain minerals, as from siliceous hydrate of magnesia. [ 1913 Webster ]

it>or /mhw>. [ G. glaubersalz, from Glauber, a German chemist who discovered it. See Glauberite. ] Sulphate of soda, a well-known cathartic. It is a white crystalline substance, with a cooling, slightly bitter taste, and is commonly called “salts.” [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ It occurs naturally and abundantly in some mineral springs, and in many salt deposits, as the mineral mirabilite. It is manufactured in large quantities as an intermediate step in the “soda process, ” and also for use in glass making. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ A translation of G. haarsalz. ] (Min.) A variety of native Epsom salt occurring in silky fibers. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Hydro-, 1 + salt. ] (Chem.) (a) A salt supposed to be formed by a hydracid and a base. (b) An acid salt. [ R. ] (c) A hydrous salt; a salt combined with water of hydration or crystallization. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Table salt to which an inorganic iodide compound has been added as a nutritional supplement to prevent goiter. [ PJC ]

v. t. To alter wrongly; esp., to alter for the worse. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Med.) A basic sulphate of iron; -- so named from Monsel, a Frenchman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Oxy- (a) + salt. ] (Chem.) A salt of an oxyacid, as a sulphate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) A term formerly given to the salts supposed to be formed respectively by neutralizing acids with certain peroxides. [ Obsoles. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Proto- + salt. ] (Chem.) A salt derived from a protoxide base. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. psauter, sauter, OF. sautier, psaltier, F. psautier, from L. psalterium. See Psaltery. ] 1. The Book of Psalms; -- often applied to a book containing the Psalms separately printed. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Specifically, the Book of Psalms as printed in the Book of Common Prayer; among the Roman Catholics, the part of the Breviary which contains the Psalms arranged for each day of the week. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (R. C. Ch.) A rosary, consisting of a hundred and fifty beads, corresponding to the number of the psalms. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to the psalterium. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Psalteria [ L., a psaltery. ] (Anat.) (a) The third stomach of ruminants. See Manyplies. (b) The lyra of the brain. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Psalteries [ OE. sautrie, OF. psalterie, F. psaltérion, L. psalterium psaltery, psalter, from Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_;. See Psalm, Psalter. ] A stringed instrument of music used by the Hebrews, the form of which is not known. [ 1913 Webster ]

Praise the Lord with harp; sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Ps. xxxiii. 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. sealt; akin to OS. & OFries. salt, D. zout, G. salz, Icel., Sw., & Dan. salt, L. sal, Gr. &unr_;, Russ. sole, Ir. & Gael. salann, W. halen, of unknown origin. Cf. Sal, Salad, Salary, Saline, Sauce, Sausage. ] 1. The chloride of sodium, a substance used for seasoning food, for the preservation of meat, etc. It is found native in the earth, and is also produced, by evaporation and crystallization, from sea water and other water impregnated with saline particles. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, flavor; taste; savor; smack; seasoning. [ 1913 Webster ]

Though we are justices and doctors and churchmen . . . we have some salt of our youth in us. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Hence, also, piquancy; wit; sense; as, Attic salt. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A dish for salt at table; a saltcellar. [ 1913 Webster ]

I out and bought some things; among others, a dozen of silver salts. Pepys. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A sailor; -- usually qualified by old. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Around the door are generally to be seen, laughing and gossiping, clusters of old salts. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Chem.) The neutral compound formed by the union of an acid and a base; thus, sulphuric acid and iron form the salt sulphate of iron or green vitriol. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Except in case of ammonium salts, accurately speaking, it is the acid radical which unites with the base or basic radical, with the elimination of hydrogen, of water, or of analogous compounds as side products. In the case of diacid and triacid bases, and of dibasic and tribasic acids, the mutual neutralization may vary in degree, producing respectively basic, neutral, or acid salts. See Phrases below. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Fig.: That which preserves from corruption or error; that which purifies; a corrective; an antiseptic; also, an allowance or deduction; as, his statements must be taken with a grain of salt. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ye are the salt of the earth. Matt. v. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. pl. Any mineral salt used as an aperient or cathartic, especially Epsom salts, Rochelle salt, or Glauber's salt. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. pl. Marshes flooded by the tide. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Above the salt,
Below the salt, phrases which have survived the old custom, in the houses of people of rank, of placing a large saltcellar near the middle of a long table, the places above which were assigned to the guests of distinction, and those below to dependents, inferiors, and poor relations. See Saltfoot. [ 1913 Webster ] His fashion is not to take knowledge of him that is beneath him in clothes. He never drinks below the salt. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ] --
Acid salt (Chem.) (a) A salt derived from an acid which has several replaceable hydrogen atoms which are only partially exchanged for metallic atoms or basic radicals; as, acid potassium sulphate is an acid salt. (b) A salt, whatever its constitution, which merely gives an acid reaction; thus, copper sulphate, which is composed of a strong acid united with a weak base, is an acid salt in this sense, though theoretically it is a neutral salt. --
Alkaline salt (Chem.), a salt which gives an alkaline reaction, as sodium carbonate. --
Amphid salt (Old Chem.), a salt of the oxy type, formerly regarded as composed of two oxides, an acid and a basic oxide. [ Obsolescent ] --
Basic salt (Chem.) (a) A salt which contains more of the basic constituent than is required to neutralize the acid. (b) An alkaline salt. --
Binary salt (Chem.), a salt of the oxy type conveniently regarded as composed of two ingredients (analogously to a haloid salt), viz., a metal and an acid radical. --
Double salt (Chem.), a salt regarded as formed by the union of two distinct salts, as common alum, potassium aluminium sulphate. See under Double. --
Epsom salts. See in the Vocabulary. --
Essential salt (Old Chem.), a salt obtained by crystallizing plant juices. --
Ethereal salt. (Chem.) See under Ethereal. --
Glauber's salt or
Glauber's salts. See in Vocabulary. --
Haloid salt (Chem.), a simple salt of a halogen acid, as sodium chloride. --
Microcosmic salt. (Chem.). See under Microcosmic. --
Neutral salt. (Chem.) (a) A salt in which the acid and base (in theory) neutralize each other. (b) A salt which gives a neutral reaction. --
Oxy salt (Chem.), a salt derived from an oxygen acid. --
Per salt (Old Chem.), a salt supposed to be derived from a peroxide base or analogous compound. [ Obs. ] --
Permanent salt, a salt which undergoes no change on exposure to the air. --
Proto salt (Chem.), a salt derived from a protoxide base or analogous compound. --
Rochelle salt. See under Rochelle. --
Salt of amber (Old Chem.), succinic acid. --
Salt of colcothar (Old Chem.), green vitriol, or sulphate of iron. --
Salt of hartshorn. (Old Chem.) (a) Sal ammoniac, or ammonium chloride. (b) Ammonium carbonate. Cf. Spirit of hartshorn, under Hartshorn. --
Salt of lemons. (Chem.) See Salt of sorrel, below. --
Salt of Saturn (Old Chem.), sugar of lead; lead acetate; -- the alchemical name of lead being Saturn. --
Salt of Seignette. Same as Rochelle salt. --
Salt of soda (Old Chem.), sodium carbonate. --
Salt of sorrel (Old Chem.), acid potassium oxalate, or potassium quadroxalate, used as a solvent for ink stains; -- so called because found in the sorrel, or Oxalis. Also sometimes inaccurately called salt of lemon. --
Salt of tartar (Old Chem.), potassium carbonate; -- so called because formerly made by heating cream of tartar, or potassium tartrate. [ Obs. ] --
Salt of Venus (Old Chem.), blue vitriol; copper sulphate; -- the alchemical name of copper being Venus. --
Salt of wisdom. See Alembroth. --
Sedative salt (Old Med. Chem.), boric acid. --
Sesqui salt (Chem.), a salt derived from a sesquioxide base or analogous compound. --
Spirit of salt. (Chem.) See under Spirit. --
Sulpho salt (Chem.), a salt analogous to an oxy salt, but containing sulphur in place of oxygen. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Salter superl. Saltest. ] [ AS. sealt, salt. See Salt, n. ] 1. Of or relating to salt; abounding in, or containing, salt; prepared or preserved with, or tasting of, salt; salted; as, salt beef; salt water. “Salt tears.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Overflowed with, or growing in, salt water; as, a salt marsh; salt grass. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Fig.: Bitter; sharp; pungent. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have a salt and sorry rheum offends me. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Fig.: Salacious; lecherous; lustful. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

Salt acid (Chem.), hydrochloric acid. --
Salt block, an apparatus for evaporating brine; a salt factory. Knight. --
Salt bottom, a flat piece of ground covered with saline efflorescences. [ Western U.S. ] Bartlett. --
Salt cake (Chem.), the white caked mass, consisting of sodium sulphate, which is obtained as the product of the first stage in the manufacture of soda, according to Leblanc's process. --
Salt fish. (a) Salted fish, especially cod, haddock, and similar fishes that have been salted and dried for food. (b) A marine fish. --
Salt garden, an arrangement for the natural evaporation of sea water for the production of salt, employing large shallow basins excavated near the seashore. --
Salt gauge, an instrument used to test the strength of brine; a salimeter. --
Salt horse, salted beef. [ Slang ] --
Salt junk, hard salt beef for use at sea. [ Slang ] --
Salt lick. See Lick, n. --
Salt marsh, grass land subject to the overflow of salt water. --
Salt-marsh caterpillar (Zool.), an American bombycid moth (Spilosoma acraea which is very destructive to the salt-marsh grasses and to other crops. Called also woolly bear. See Illust. under Moth, Pupa, and Woolly bear, under Woolly. --
Salt-marsh fleabane (Bot.), a strong-scented composite herb (Pluchea camphorata) with rayless purplish heads, growing in salt marshes. --
Salt-marsh hen (Zool.), the clapper rail. See under Rail. --
Salt-marsh terrapin (Zool.), the diamond-back. --
Salt mine, a mine where rock salt is obtained. --
Salt pan. (a) A large pan used for making salt by evaporation; also, a shallow basin in the ground where salt water is evaporated by the heat of the sun. (b) pl. Salt works. --
Salt pit, a pit where salt is obtained or made. --
Salt rising, a kind of yeast in which common salt is a principal ingredient. [ U.S. ] --
Salt raker, one who collects salt in natural salt ponds, or inclosures from the sea. --
Salt sedative (Chem.), boracic acid. [ Obs. ] --
Salt spring, a spring of salt water. --
Salt tree (Bot.), a small leguminous tree (Halimodendron argenteum) growing in the salt plains of the Caspian region and in Siberia. --
Salt water, water impregnated with salt, as that of the ocean and of certain seas and lakes; sometimes, also, tears. [ 1913 Webster ] Mine eyes are full of tears, I can not see;
And yet salt water blinds them not so much
But they can see a sort of traitors here. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] --
Salt-water sailor, an ocean mariner. --
Salt-water tailor. (Zool.) See Bluefish. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Salted; p. pr. & vb. n. Salting. ] 1. To sprinkle, impregnate, or season with salt; to preserve with salt or in brine; to supply with salt; as, to salt fish, beef, or pork; to salt cattle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To fill with salt between the timbers and planks, as a ship, for the preservation of the timber. [ 1913 Webster ]

To salt a mine, to artfully deposit minerals in a mine in order to deceive purchasers regarding its value. [ Cant ] --
To salt away,
To salt down, to prepare with, or pack in, salt for preserving, as meat, eggs, etc.; hence, colloquially, to save, lay up, or invest sagely, as money. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To deposit salt as a saline solution; as, the brine begins to salt. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. saltus, fr. salire to leap. ] The act of leaping or jumping; a leap. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. saltans, p. pr. of saltare to dance, v. intens. fr. salire to leap: cf. F. sautant. See Sally, v. ] 1. Leaping; jumping; dancing. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Her.) In a leaping position; springing forward; -- applied especially to the squirrel, weasel, and rat, also to the cat, greyhound, monkey, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. See Saltarello. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ It., fr. L. saltare to jump. ] A popular Italian dance in quick 3-4 or 6-8 time, running mostly in triplets, but with a hop step at the beginning of each measure. See Tarantella. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ See Saltant. ] To leap or dance. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. saltatio: cf. F. saltation. ] 1. A leaping or jumping. [ 1913 Webster ]

Continued his saltation without pause. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Beating or palpitation; as, the saltation of the great artery. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Biol.) An abrupt and marked variation in the condition or appearance of a species; a sudden modification which may give rise to new races. [ 1913 Webster ]

We greatly suspect that nature does make considerable jumps in the way of variation now and then, and that these saltations give rise to some of the gaps which appear to exist in the series of known forms. Huxley. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. ] (Zool.) A division of Orthoptera including grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Relating to leaping; saltatory; as, saltatorial exercises. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) (a) Same as Saltatorious. (b) Of or pertaining to the Saltatoria. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of leaping; formed for leaping; saltatory; as, a saltatorious insect or leg. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. saltatorius. See Saltant, and cf. Saltire. ] Leaping or dancing; having the power of, or used in, leaping or dancing. [ 1913 Webster ]

Saltatory evolution (Biol.), a theory of evolution which holds that the transmutation of species is not always gradual, but that there may come sudden and marked variations. See Saltation. --
Saltatory spasm (Med.), an affection in which pressure of the foot on a floor causes the patient to spring into the air, so as to make repeated involuntary motions of hopping and jumping. J. Ross. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) An Australian plant (Atriplex nummularia) of the Goosefoot family. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A mixture of salt, coarse meal, lime, etc., attractive to pigeons. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. saltsaler; salt + F. salière saltcellar, from L. sal salt. See Salt, and cf. Salary. ] Formerly a large vessel, now a small vessel of glass or other material, used for holding salt on the table. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who makes, sells, or applies salt; one who salts meat or fish. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A building or place where salt is made by boiling or by evaporation; salt works. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A large saltcellar formerly placed near the center of the table. The superior guests were seated above the saltfoot. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Sea-green in color. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The European dab. [ 1913 Webster ]