Forms: 7–9 zink, (7 zinke, 7–8 zinck), 8– zinc. [ad. G. zink (of obscure origin), whence also late 17th c. F. zinc († zinch, † zin, † zain), Sw., Da. zink, etc., mod.L. zincum.]
1. A hard bluish-white metal (commercially known as SPELTER), brittle at ordinary temperatures, but malleable and ductile between 200° and 230° F.; obtained from various ores, esp. the sulphide (BLENDE), the carbonate and silicate (CALAMINE, SMITHSONITE), and the red oxide (ZINCITE), and used for roofing, for coating or ‘galvanizing’ sheet-iron, and for numerous other purposes; it forms several alloys, of which the best known is that with copper called BRASS. Chemical symbol Zn; atomic weight 65.
1651. French, Distill., v. 139. Any sulphurous, and imperfect metall, as Iron, Copper, or Zinke.
1731–3. P. Shaw, Chem. Lect., xviii. (1755), 409. We took six Ounces of Copper, and melted it in a Wind-Furnace, added to it an Ounce of Zink.
1813. Sir H. Davy, Agric. Chem. ii. (1814), 48. Zinc is one of the most combustible of the common metals.
1871. Tyndall, Fragm. Sci. (1879), II. xiv. 344. The metal zinc may be burnt in oxygen.
1878. Browning, Poets of Croisic, viii. Zinc’s uncontrolled Flake-brilliance.
b. (with pl.) A plate of zinc used as the electro-positive metal in a voltaic battery, (Cf. ZINCODE.)
1876. Preece & Sivewright, Telegraphy, 29. If the zincs are scraped clean and the solution of sal-ammoniac kept up.
2. attrib. and Comb. a. attrib. Made or consisting of zinc, as zinc dish, filings, gauze, plate, wire; containing or made with zinc, as zinc amalgam, bath, lotion, ointment, ore, plaster; spec. in names of chemical compounds, as zinc carbonate, oxide, salt, etc.; pertaining to or used in connection with zinc, as zinc furnace. b. objective and instrumental, as zinc etching, printing; zinc-worker; zinc-lined, -roofed adjs. c. Spec. comb.: zinc-alum, -amide (see quots.); zinc-blende, native zinc sulphide = BLENDE; zinc-bloom [trans. G. zink-blüthe (Karsten, 1808)], hydrous carbonate of zinc, hydrozincite; zinc-dust, zinc in the form of fine powder (often mixed with zinc oxide and other impurities), obtained by grinding, or in the extraction of zinc from its ores, and used as a deoxidizing agent and as a paint (see zinc-grey); zinc-foil, thin sheet zinc; zinc-grey, (a) zinc-dust obtained by grinding in oil, used as a preservative paint for ironwork; (b) a color resembling that of zinc; zinc-iron, sb. an alloy of zinc and iron; adj. consisting of zinc and iron; zinc-plate = zinc-foil; zinc-powder = zinc-dust; zinc spar, an old name for native zinc carbonate (= CALAMINE, SMITHSONITE 2); zinc-spinel = GAHNITE (Dana, Min., 1868); zinc-sponge (see quot.); zinc-vitriol, sulphate of zinc, white vitriol (Jameson, Syst. Min., 1805, II. 35); zinc-white, oxide of zinc used as a white paint.
1851. Watts, trans. Gmelin’s Hand-bk. Chem., V. 46. Sulphate of Alumina and Zinc-oxide.—*Zinc-alum = ZnO, SO3 + Al2O3,3SO3 + 24 Aq.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 166. Dilute muriatic acid, containing some wine stone and *zinc amalgam.
1859. Watts, trans. Gmelin’s Hand-bk. Chem., XIII. 503. Action of Zinc-ethyl on Ammonia.… After a little while, *zinc-amide NH2Zn separates out.
1843. R. J. Graves, Syst. Clin. Med., xxvii. 339. During the year 1827, the venereal patients took on the whole 14 saline baths, 38 *zinc baths.
1842. T. Graham, Elem. Chem., 573. The principal ores of zinc are calamine … and *zinc blende. Ibid., 575. The mineral substance, *zinc bloom.
1851. Watts, trans. Gmelin’s Hand-bk. Chem., V. 9. The precipitated *zinc-carbonate is washed partly by subsidence and decantation, partly by pressure, and lastly on the filter.
1883. Hardwick’s Phot. Chem. (ed. 9), 330. *Zinc dishes must not be used.
1877. Jrnl. Chem. Soc., I. 468. Action of *Zinc-dust on the Chlorides of Sulpho-parabromobenzoic Acid.
1890. W. J. Gordon, Foundry, 216. In the *zinc-etching systems the gelatin is spread on the zinc.
1809. J. Murray, Syst. Chem. (ed. 2), III. 305. The concrete phosphoric acid, heated with *zinc-filings, is decomposed.
1850. Watts, trans. Gmelin’s Hand-bk. Chem., V. 4. To obtain zinc-plate, or *zinc-foil, the metal cast in a tabular form is heated in a boiling solution of common salt, and then passed between rollers.
1878. Ure’s Dict. Arts, IV. 1006. *Zinc Furnace for the Distillation of Zinc combined with Lead.
1844. H. Stephens, Bk. Farm, I. 214. The windows should be protected … with fly *zinc-gauze.
1881. Raymond, Mining Gloss., *Zinc-gray, see Zinc-dust.
1900. Westm. Gaz., 11 Jan., 3/2. Zinc grey is very much worn.
1849. Noad, Electricity (ed. 3), 177. The *zinc-iron circuit.
1868. Dana, Min. (ed. 5), 149. Kreittonnite, or Zinc-Iron Gahnite.
1882. Encycl. Brit., XIV. 385/2. The leather is rolled and compressed on a level *zinc-lined wooden bed.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VIII. 522. *Zinc lotions.
1843. R. J. Graves, Syst. Clin. Med., xxvi. 332. *Zinc ointment.
1808. *Zinc ore [see GAHNITE].
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 1330. The mineral genus called zinc-ore … is denser than either of the above.
1849. D. Campbell, Inorg. Chem., 223. Small quantities of iron and *zinc oxides.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VIII. 579. A simple *zinc plaster will be as much as the skin will tolerate.
1823. J. Badcock, Dom. Amusem., 126. A *zinc plate of ten inches was immersed in the liquid.
1881. Jrnl. Chem. Soc., XXXIX. 462. Two grams of the *zinc powder are weighed out.
1875. Ure’s Dict. Arts, III. s.v., *Zinc printing … can be applied with great advantage for certain purposes in the etching style, for maps, plans,… &c.
1899. E. A. Irving, in Blackw. Mag., Feb., 312/2. The *zinc-roofed bungalow.
1841. Brande, Chem. (ed. 5), 777. When hydroferrocyanic acid is added to a soluble *zinc-salt.
1881. Raymond, Mining Gloss., *Zinc-scum, the zinc-silver alloy skimmed from the surface of the bath in the process of desilverization of lead by zinc.
1905. Times, 6 July, 14/6. *Zinc sheets quiet at late rates.
1796. Kirwan, Elem. Min. (ed. 2), II. 236. *Zinc Spar.
1902. Encycl. Brit., XXVIII. 110/2. The deposition of pure zinc is beset with many difficulties,… unless the conditions are closely watched, it is liable to be thrown down in a spongy form…. Siemens and Halske have proposed the addition of oxidising agents such as free halogens, to prevent the formation of zinc hydride, to which they attribute the formation of *zinc-sponge.
1851. Watts, trans. Gmelin’s Hand-bk. Chem., V. 14. The solution of *zinc-sulphate is mixed with sal-ammoniac.
1868. Fownes’ Chem. (ed. 10), 398. Zinc sulphate … is used … as an emetic.
1849. Weale’s Dict. Terms, s.v., *Zinc white is valuable … in painting, on account of its durability both in oil and water.
1803. Med. Jrnl., X. 58. He placed the *zinc wire on the tongue.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, *Zinc worker and drawer, a preparer of zinc for making into wire.
