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chemistry|ˈkɛmɪstrɪ|
Forms: 7 chymistrie, chimistry, 7–9 chymistry, 8– chemistry.
[Of English formation: in 17th c. chymistrie, f. chymist (chemist) + -ry, ‘the art or practice of the chemist’; at first probably contemptuous, cf. palmistry, sophistry, casuistry, etc. For modern spelling, see chemic.]
†1. = alchemy. Obs.
1605Timme Quersit. i. i. 3 Those phylosophers which have written of chymistrie. 1652Gaule Magastrom. 360 A certain professor of Chymistry, which is a kinde of præstigious, covetous, cheating magick, would shew hands and feet of gold, etc. 1658–9T. Wall Charac. Enemies Ch. 27 The sinful sons of Adam..by a piece of the divel's chymistry turn their necessity into delight, and make their curse their blessing. 1788Gibbon Decl. & F. lii, The most eager search of Arabian chymistry was the transmutation of metals, and the elixir of immortal health.
†2. The practice of medicine after the ‘Chemical’ or Paracelsian, as opposed to the ‘Galenical’, method. Obs.
1674R. Godfrey Inj. & Ab. Physick 171 Perverse I say, for such as Purge and Vomit I can assure you deserve no better Name, and no little defame Chymistry. 1711F. Fuller Med. Gymn. 85 The great Plenty of generous Medicines, which Chymistry affords us.
3. That branch of physical science and research, which deals with the several elementary substances, or forms of matter, of which all bodies are composed, the laws that regulate the combination of these elements in the formation of compound bodies, and the various phenomena that accompany their exposure to diverse physical conditions.
Chemistry is thus at once a science and an art; the latter, called applied chemistry or practical chemistry, is that referred to by the earlier authors and explained in early dictionaries.
a. as an art or process.
1646Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. ii. i, This by the art of Chymistry is separable unto the operations whereof it is lyable. 1696Phillips, Chymistry, is an Art that performs its Operations upon all natural Bodies. 1721–1800Bailey, Chymistry, is the Anatomy of natural Bodies by Fire. 1755Johnson, Chymistry, an art whereby sensible bodies contained in vessels..are so changed, by means of certain instruments, and principally fire, that their several powers and virtues are thereby discovered, with a view to philosophy or medicine. 1800tr. Lagrange's Chem. I. 158 It may be employed..in the arts, in chemistry, or in medicine. 1856Emerson Eng. Traits, Relig. Wks. (Bohn) II. 96 The full heat of the Christianity which fermented Europe, and drew, like the chemistry of fire, a firm line between barbarism and culture.
(b) said of natural chemical processes.
1714Mandeville Fab. Bees (1733) II. 237 We make use of fermentation, and all the chymistry of nature. 1796Burke Corr. (1844) IV. 386 The cold-blooded reptile race, whose poison is exalted by the chemistry of their icy complexion. 1876J. Norris Rudim. Theol. i. 10 Plants by their curious chemistry preparing..food.
b. as a science.
This has many subdivisions: inorganic chemistry is that portion of the science which treats of inorganic bodies; organic chemistry treats of the substances found only in organic structures; agricultural chemistry is that portion of chemistry which bears upon agriculture.
1788Priestley Lect. Hist. v. xxxvi. 265 Application to medicine, chymistry, and natural philosophy. 1794Sullivan View Nat. II. 70 That the end of chymistry..was to discover and to be informed of the nature of bodies, and their action one upon another. 1799Med. Jrnl. I. 109 These memoirs [Lamarck's] exhibit a new theory of chemistry. 1813Sir H. Davy Agric. Chem. i. (1814) 4 Agricultural Chemistry has for its objects all those changes in the arrangements of matter connected with the growth..of plants. 1844Emerson New Eng. Reformers Wks. (Bohn) I. 261 Better than volumes of chemistry. 1851Helps Comp. Solit. xiii. (1874) 237 The fact made known to us by chymistry. 1877Thorpe Inorg. Chem. 19 Organic Chemistry is to-day defined to be that portion of the science which treats of..the carbon compounds.
4. fig. (Referring to the results attributed to alchemy or chemical action.) spec. an instinctual, apparently unanalysable, attraction or affinity between people or groups of people; the combination of personal characteristics that creates this.
a1600Queen Elizabeth in Hume Hist. Eng. (1806) III. xl. 366 If the furnace of affliction produced such good effects, she should ever after have the better opinion of her chemistry. 1656Artif. Handsomeness 18 How..can [you] by the Chimistry of your wits extract from these places any drop or quintessence of a morall command? 1827Pollok Course T. iii, With infernal chemistry to wring The last sweet drop from sorrow's cup of gall. 1847Emerson Repr. Men, Swedenborg Wks. (Bohn) I. 325 The world has a sure chemistry, by which it extracts what is excellent in its children. 1876Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. ii. xxviii. 210 We mortals have a strange, spiritual chemistry going on within us. 1898G. B. Shaw You never can Tell ii. 270 No, no, no. Not love: we know better than that. Let's call it chemistry... Well, youre attracting me irresistibly—chemically. 1974Globe & Mail (Toronto) 6 Dec. 6/2 Obviously, the chemistry is not perfect but it may be good enough to permit them to settle some of the irritants in the Canada–U.S. relationship. 1979R. Jaffe Class Reunion ii. xi. 218 Annabel..hadn't been to bed with her husband for two years, except to sleep. There just wasn't any chemistry between them anymore. 1983Guardian 27 June 13/5 It was a real collaboration... We discovered this chemistry between us. 1985Times 27 Apr. 6/7 Mr Mulroney's press secretary..said ‘an exciting chemistry’ existed between the two Prime Ministers. |