22C:096
Computation, Information, and Description

Department of Computer Science
The University of Iowa

Survey of Mathematical Techniques

The Self-Incrimination Principle

Definition of "arsenic"

Not to be confused with "antimony." To be confused with Arsenio.

From Webster's New World Dictionary.

arsenic
1. a silvery-white, brittle, very poisonous chemical element, compounds of which are used in making insecticides, medicines, etc. 2. loosely, arsenic trioxide, a very poisonous compound of arsenic: it is a white, tasteless powder.

From the Oxford English Dictionary.

arsenic, sb.[1] Forms: 4-5 arsnek, arsenyk, arcenyk, arsynek, 6 arsenik, arsnecke, 6-8 arsenick(e, 7 arsnic, -nike, 7-8 arsnick, 7-arsenic; also in Lat. form. [a. OFr. arsenic (14th c. in Littre), ad. L. arsenicum (arrenicum), a. Gr. pocvik v ( ppcvik v) `yellow orpiment,' subst. use of ppcvik s adj. `masculine, male.']
1 Name of one of the chemical elements, and of some of its compounds, which are violent poisons.
a orig. A bright yellow mineral (hence also distinguished as yellow arsenic), found native, and as a product of art, properly called ORPIMENT (auri pigmentum of the Romans, pocvik v of the Greeks), which is chemically the trisulphide of arsenic (As[2]S[3]), and is used as a pigment under the name of King's Yellow. C. 1386 CHAUCER Chan. Yem. Prol. & T. 245 Arsnek [v.r. arsenyk(e, arcenyk, arsynek], sal armoniak, and brimstoon. 1398 TREVISA Barth. De P.R. XIX. xxx. (1495) 878 Arsenicum hyghte Auripigmentum for the colour of golde and is gaderyd in Pontus. 1567 MAPLET Gr. Forest 10 The stone Arsenick..which also they call the golden earth. 1601 HOLLAND Pliny II. 521 As for Arsenicke..that which is best of this kind, resembleth burnished gold in colour. 1634 R. H. Salerne Regim. 158 Auripigmentum which some Arsenicke call.
b Formerly, sometimes extended to the disulphide (As[2]S[2]), a native mineral and product of art, commonly known as REALGAR, or ruby sulphur, formerly also as red orpiment, and red arsenic (the oavoap kn, sandaraca of the Greeks and Romans). 1591 PERCIVALL Sp. Dict., Rejalgar, poison, arsenicke, or ratsebane. 1599 THYNNE Animadv. 36 This Resalgar is that whiche by some is called Ratisbane, a kynde of poysone named Arsenicke. 1751 CHAMBERS Cycl. s.v., There are divers kinds of Arsenic. Orpiment is called native or yellow arsenic..Red arsenick is a preparation of the white or crystalline Arsenic.
c in pop. use: A white mineral substance, native (as ARSENOLITE) and manufactured, originally distinguished as white arsenic, which is chemically the trioxide of arsenic (As[2]O[3]). flowers of arsenic: the same substance sublimed. 1605 TIMME Quersit. I. vii. 26 White sublimate and arsnic..foster and hide most burning and deadly fire. 1672 DAVENANT Wits (1673) 193 Arsnick my Girl to strengthen thy Aunts Broth. 1675 News fr. Ring-Cross 3 Another time putting white Arsenick into her broth. 1727-51 CHAMBERS Cycl. s.v., Arsenic is made by sublimation from cobalt. 1788-9 HOWARD Encycl. s.v., White arsenic, or arsenic strictly so called..is a most violent poison to all animals. 1813 SIR H. DAVY Agric. Chem. ii. (1814) 49 Arsenic may be procured by heating the powder of common white arsenic of the shops strongly in a Florence flask with oil. 1863 WATTS Dict. Chem. I. 374 The Tyrolese peasants are said to swallow arsenic in considerable quantities. 1877 ROSCOE, etc. Chem. (1881) I. 516 White arsenic or the trioxide is first distinctly spoken of by Geber, who states that he obtained it by roasting the sulphide of arsenic. d Chem. and Min. The element: a very brittle semi-metallic substance, of steel-grey lustrous colour, crystallizing in rhombohedrons, and volatilizing without fusion, with an odour of garlic. It forms a link between the metals, and non-metallic bodies: see ANTIMONY. Symbol As. native arsenic: the above element occurring as a mineral. antimonial a.: a native alloy of arsenic with antimony. 1812 SIR H. DAVY Chem. Philos. 453 A metal sublimes, and condenses in the upper part of the vessel, which is arsenic. 1837-68 DANA Min. 18 Native arsenic commonly occurs in veins in crystalline rocks and the older schists. 1863 WATTS Dict. Chem. I. 360 Native arsenic forms botryoidal, kidney-shaped, spherical and conchoidal masses. 1869 ROSCOE Elem. Chem. 163 Arsenic closely resembles phosphorus in its chemical properties. 1879 Academy 27 Dec. 467 Arsenic is definitely regarded as a non-metal.
e fig. Poison. 1598 SYLVESTER Du Bartas 69 Neither in Golden Platters doth he lick For sweet ambrosia deadly arsenick. C. 1630 DRUMM. OF HAWTH. Wks. 1711, 33 Since hell disgorg'd her baneful arsenick.
2 attrib. = Of arsenic, arsenical; esp. in Chem. in systematic names of compounds, as arsenic trihydride = trihydride of arsenic, pentoxide, disulphide. arsenic bloom, arsenic trioxide in native crystals, arising from the oxidation of elementary arsenic. arsenic glass, the same in a vitreous mass obtained from the powder by re-sublimation. 1656 EVELYN Mem. (1857) I. 333 Deprived of their sulphur and arsenic malignity. 1799 G. SMITH Laboratory I. 218 Add eight or ten ounces of arsenic glass. 1860 ROSCOE (title) On the alleged practice of Arsenic eating in Styria. 1881 ROSCOE ( Chem. I. 528 The reasons which the arsenic-eaters give for the practice. 1881 ROSCOE ( Chem., I. 528 An antidote against arsenic poisoning.
'arsenic, sb.[2] Herb. Obs. Arsesmart.
1552 HULOET, Arsenicke herbe, Artonicum. 1570 LEVINS Manip., Arnsnick, herb, artonicum. 1585 Nomenclator 126 Water-pepper or arsenicke: some call it kill-ridge or culerage.
arsenic, a. Chem. [f. ARSENIC sb.[1], the ending being identified with -IC in nitric, phosphoric.]
Of or belonging to arsenic; in Chem. applied to compounds in which arsenic combines as a pentad. arsenic anhydride = arsenic pentoxide. 1801 CHENEVIX in Phil. Trans. XCI. 219 It was found to contain arsenic acid. 1876 HARLEY Mat. Med. 295 Arsenic Anhydride is the highest state of oxydation of the metal. 1881 ROSCOE &c., Chem. I. 530 The salts of arsenic acid, or the arsenates, are isomorphous with the phosphates.

Last modified: 19 December 1996 Maintained by Michael J. O'Donnell, email: [] odonnell@cs.uchicago.edu