Pumice
['pʌmɪs]
Definition
(noun.) a light glass formed on the surface of some lavas; used as an abrasive.
(verb.) rub with pumice, in order to clean or to smoothen.
Typed by Anatole--From WordNet
Definition
(n.) A very light porous volcanic scoria, usually of a gray color, the pores of which are capillary and parallel, giving it a fibrous structure. It is supposed to be produced by the disengagement of watery vapor without liquid or plastic lava. It is much used, esp. in the form of powder, for smoothing and polishing. Called also pumice stone.
Typed by Bush
Definition
n. a hard light spongy substance formed of lava from which gas or steam has escaped while hardening.—v.t. to polish or rub with pumice-stone—also Pū′micāte.—adjs. Pumi′ceous Pum′iciform of or like pumice.—ns. Pum′ice-stone (same as Pumice); Pū′my (Spens.) a pebble stone.
Typed by Judy
Examples
- The walls of the ditch were brilliant with yellow banks of sulphur and with lava and pumice-stone of many colors. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- Repeat until clean, then polish with pumice stone continually moistened with water as you proceed. William K. David. Secrets of Wise Men, Chemists and Great Physicians.
- Mr. Franklin scraped off all the nice varnish with pumice-stone, and made what he described as a surface to work on. Wilkie Collins. The Moonstone.
- The path led straight up a rugged sweep of loose chunks of pumice-stone, and for about every two steps forward we took, we slid back one. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- Drift, sand, rubble, boulders, come next; and finally volcanic products, like lava, ashes, pumice. Walter Libby. An Introduction to the History of Science.
Typist: Marcus