ALCATRAS, al'ka-tras, _n._ a name applied loosely to several large ocean
birds, as the pelican, gannet, frigate-bird, and even the albatross. [Sp.
_alcatraz_, a white pelican.]
ALCHEMY, ALCHYMY, al'ki-mi, _n._ the infant stage of chemistry, as
astrology was of astronomy.--A chief pursuit of the alchemists was to
transmute the other metals into gold, and to discover the elixir of
life.--_adj._ ALCHEM'IC--_n._ AL'CHEMIST, one skilled in alchemy. [Ar.
_Al-k[=i]m[=i][=a]_--_al_, the, and _k[=i]m[=i][=a]_--late Gr.
_ch[=e]meia_, 'transmution,' prob. as specially an Egyptian art, from
_Khem_, the native name of Egypt; confused with Gr. _ch[=u]meia_, pouring,
from _chein_, to pour, hence the old spellings _alchymy_, _chymistry_.]
ALCOHOL, al'k[=o]-hol, _n._ pure spirit, a liquid generated by the
fermentation of sugar and other saccharine matter, and forming the
intoxicating element of fermented liquors.--_adj._ ALCOHOL'IC, of or like
alcohol.--_n._ ALCOHOLIS[=A]'TION.--_v.t._ AL'COHOLISE, to convert into
alcohol, or saturate with it: to rectify.--_n._ AL'COHOLISM, a term
employed to denote the symptoms of disease produced by alcoholic
poisoning.--ABSOLUTE ALCOHOL, alcohol entirely free from water. [Ar.
_al-koh'l_--_al_, the, _koh'l_, fine powder of antimony used in the East to
stain the eyelids.]
ALCOHOLOMETER, al-k[=o]-hol-om'e-t[.e]r, _n._ an instrument for
ascertaining the strength of spirits.--_n._ ALCOHOLOM'ETRY, the process of
such measurement. [ALCOHOL and METER.]