rosin

(räzən)

noun

the hard, brittle resin, light-yellow to almost black in color, remaining after oil of turpentine has been distilled from crude turpentine or obtained from chemically treated pine stumps: it is used in making varnish, inks, soaps, insulation, etc., and is rubbed on violin bows to prevent slipping on the strings, or on the hands to prevent slipping on gymnastic equipment, etc.

Origin: ME, altered < MFr, resine, resin

transitive verb

to rub with rosin

Related Forms:

See rosin in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
A translucent yellowish to dark brown resin derived from the stumps or sap of various pine trees and used to increase sliding friction, as on the bows of certain stringed instruments, and to manufacture a wide variety of products including varnishes, inks, linoleum, adhesives, and soldering compounds.
transitive verb ros·ined, ros·in·ing, ros·ins
To coat or rub with rosin.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , variant of resin; see resin

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Related Forms:

  • rosˈin·y adjective

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