Word: gas Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰeh₂-der. Ancient Greek χαῦνος (khaûnos) Ancient Greek χάος (kháos)der. Dutch gasbor. English gas Borrowed from Dutch gas, coined by chemist Jan Baptist van Helmont in Ortus Medicinae. Derived from Ancient Greek χάος (kháos, “chasm, void, empty space”); perhaps also inspired by geest (“breath, vapour, spirit”). Doublet of chaos. First attested in 1648. Pronunciation: /ɡæs/, /ɡɛəs/, /ɡæz/, /ɡɛəz/ 1. Matter in an intermediate state between liquid and plasma that can be contained only if it is fully surrounded by a solid (or in a bubble of liquid, or held together by gravitational pull); it can condense into a liquid, or can (rarely) become a solid directly by deposition. Labels: physical, uncountable Example: A lot of gas had escaped from the cylinder. Example: Turbines have been around for a long time—windmills and water wheels are early examples. The name comes from the Latin turbo, meaning vortex, and thus the defining property of a turbine is that a fluid or gas turns the blades of a rotor, which is attached to a shaft that can perform useful work. 2. Matter in an intermediate state between liquid and plasma that can be contained only if it is fully surrounded by a solid (or in a bubble of liquid, or held together by gravitational pull); it can condense into a liquid, or can (rarely) become a solid directly by deposition. Labels: physical, uncountable Example: Gas-fired power stations have largely replaced coal-burning ones. 3. Matter in an intermediate state between liquid and plasma that can be contained only if it is fully surrounded by a solid (or in a bubble of liquid, or held together by gravitational pull); it can condense into a liquid, or can (rarely) become a solid directly by deposition. Labels: physical, uncountable Example: The artillery fired gas shells into the enemy trenches. 4. A chemical element or compound in such a state. Labels: countable, physical Example: The atmosphere is made up of a number of different gases. 5. A hob on a gas cooker. Labels: countable Example: She turned the gas on, put the potatoes on, then lit the oven. 6. Methane or other waste gases trapped in one's belly as a result of the digestive process; flatus. Labels: uncountable Example: My tummy hurts so bad – I have gas. Example: But anyone with that many large brown birds aroost in his cranium and that much gas in his bottom was clearly not a well person. 7. The supply of natural gas, as a utility. Labels: attributive, countable, often, uncountable 8. A humorous or entertaining event, person, or thing. Labels: countable, dated, slang, uncountable Example: Two more girls came in, one in bright pink stretch pants and the other in purple. “Man this place is a gas,” said pink. Example: No it really doesn't matter at all / Life's a gas / I hope it's going to last 9. Frothy or boastful talk; chatter. Labels: countable, slang, uncountable Example: Bang, little boy, stop with the gas / Little T, man he chats up his ass 10. A fastball. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: The closer threw him nothing but gas. 11. Arterial or venous blood gas. Labels: colloquial, countable, uncountable