noun
pl. gases or gas′ses- the fluid form of a substance in which it can expand indefinitely and completely fill its container; form that is neither liquid nor solid; vapor
- any mixture of flammable gases used for lighting, heating, or cooking
- any gas, as nitrous oxide, used as an anesthetic
- any substance, as phosgene, intentionally dispersed through the atmosphere, as in war, to act as a poison, irritant, or asphyxiant
- any gaseous substance formed by decaying or decomposing matter
- a gaseous substance formed in the bowels, stomach, etc. during digestion
- a condition resulting from indigestion in which such gas causes abdominal bloating, flatulence, etc.
- Informal gasoline
- Informal energy, power, force, drive, etc.: by game's end, the players had run out of gas
- Slang
- idle or boastful talk
- something or someone that is very pleasing, exciting, amusing, etc.: the movie was a gas
- Mining a mixture of firedamp with air, that explodes if ignited
Origin of gas
ModL, altered by Van Helmont (1577-1644), Belgian chemist (with g- pronounced, as in Du, as a voiced fricative) from Classical Greek chaos, air (see chaos), term used by Paracelsustransitive verb
gassed, gas′sing- to supply with gas
- to subject to the action of gas
- to injure or kill by gas, as in war
- Slang to thrill, delight, amuse greatly, etc.
- to give off gas
- Slang to talk in an idle or boastful way
of, using, or operated by gas
gas Idioms
gas up
Informal to put gasoline into the tank of (a vehicle)
step on the gas
- Informal to press on the accelerator of an automobile
- Slang to hurry; move or act faster
