white-leadv.
/ˌwʌɪtˈlɛd/, U.S. /ˌ(h)waɪtˈlɛd/ Now chiefly historical.
transitive. To cover, impregnate, or treat with white lead (white lead n. 1).
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > industry > working with specific materials > working with metal > work with metal [verb (transitive)] > coat or cover with metal > with specific metal
tin1398
leadc1440
ironc1450
lay1472
copper1530
braze1552
silverize1605
foliate1665
plate1686
whiten1687
foil1714
blanch1729
quicken1738
amalgam1789
quick1790
aluminize1791
plate1791
zincify1801
platinize1825
resilver1832
galvanize1839
electroplate1843
zinc1843
electro-silver1851
platinate1858
electrotin1859
white-lead1863
palladiumize1864
white-metal1864
brassc1865
nickelize1865
nickel-plate1872
nickel1875
stopper1884
electro1891
sherardize1904
steel1911
stellite1934
flame-plate1954
steel-face1961
1863 W. C. Baldwin Afr. Hunting i. 12 White-leaded and varnished the boat, and made a sail.
1909 Internat. Molders' Jrnl. 45 629/2 It is essential..that these two parts shall exactly fit, and this is accomplished by white leading the parts.
1934 Pop. Mech. Aug. 286/2 All joints must be white leaded before being fastened permanently.
1993 E. W. Sager Ships & Memories iii. 58 (caption) This man is white-leading the stays.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2015; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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