a substance in a physical state in which it does not resist change of shape and will expand indefinitely to fill any container. If very high pressure is applied a gas may become liquid orsolid, otherwise its density tends towards that of the condensed phase
Compare liquid (sense 1), solid (sense 1)
2.
any substance that is gaseous at room temperature and atmospheric pressure
3.
any gaseous substance that is above its critical temperature and therefore not liquefiable by pressure alone
Compare vapour (sense 2)
4.
a.
a fossil fuel in the form of a gas, used as a source of domestic and industrial heat
See also coal gas, natural gas
b.
(as modifier)
a gas cooker
gas fire
5.
a gaseous anaesthetic, such as nitrous oxide
6. mining
firedamp or the explosive mixture of firedamp and air
7. the usual US, Canadian, and New Zealand word for petrol, See also gasoline
8. step on the gas
9.
a toxic or suffocating substance in suspension in air used against an enemy
10. informal
idle talk or boasting
11. slang
a delightful or successful person or thing
his latest record is a gas
12. US an informal name for flatus
verbWord forms: gases, gasses, gassing or gassed
13. (transitive)
to provide or fill with gas
14. (transitive)
to subject to gas fumes, esp so as to asphyxiate or render unconscious
15. (intransitive)
to give off gas, as in the charging of a battery
16. (transitive)
(in textiles) to singe (fabric) with a flame from a gas burner to remove unwanted fibres
17. (intransitive; foll byto) informal
to talk in an idle or boastful way (to a person)
18. (transitive) slang, mainly US and Canadian
to thrill or delight
Derived forms
gasless (ˈgasless)
adjective
Word origin
C17 (coined by J. B. van Helmont (1577–1644), Flemish chemist): modification of Greekkhaos atmosphere
Examples of 'gasses' in a sentence
gasses
It said none of the gasses in an airbag is usually regarded as toxic.
The Sun (2012)
Burning nylon releases noxious gasses and leaves a sticky mess on the land.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The halimeter works by measuring the concentration of sulphide gasses in parts per billion.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Apparently a spark ignited the gasses inside.
The Star (South Africa) (2005)
If we didn't, the trapped gasses would cause intestinal discomfort.
The Sun (2009)
Britain took the lead on targets for greenhouse gasses its businesses would become world leaders in the technology.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
However, ecologists said that the money would have been better spent on cutting greenhouse gasses.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
There are fumaroles to gawp at too — the vents through which rotten egg-smelling gasses hiss.
The Sun (2016)
In short, you have to misuse your nonstick pan very seriously before it emits those gasses.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
All related terms of 'gasses'
gas
Gas is a substance like air that is neither liquid nor solid and burns easily . It is used as a fuel for cooking and heating.
air gas
dry air charged with vapor from petroleum or some other hydrocarbon , used for lighting or heating
CS gas
CS gas is a gas which causes you to cry and makes breathing painful. It is sometimes used by the police to control a crowd which is rioting .
coal gas
a mixture of gases produced by the distillation of bituminous coal and used for heating and lighting: consists mainly of hydrogen , methane , and carbon monoxide
flue gas
the smoke in the uptake of a boiler fire: it consists mainly of carbon dioxide , carbon monoxide , and nitrogen
rare gas
any of the unreactive gaseous elements helium , neon , argon , krypton , xenon , and radon
tear gas
Tear gas is a gas that causes your eyes to sting and fill with tears so that you cannot see . It is sometimes used by the police or army to control crowds .
town gas
coal gas manufactured for domestic and industrial use
argonon
any of the unreactive gaseous elements helium, neon , argon , krypton , xenon , and radon
bottled gas
butane or propane gas liquefied under pressure in portable containers and used in camping stoves , blowtorches , etc
butane gas
a colourless flammable gaseous alkane that exists in two isomeric forms, both of which occur in natural gas. The stable isomer , n -butane, is used mainly in the manufacture of rubber and fuels (such as Calor Gas). Formula: C 4 H 10
Calor Gas
Calor gas is gas in liquid form which is sold in special containers so that people can use it in places which are not connected to the gas supply, such as tents or caravans .
ideal gas
a hypothetical gas which obeys Boyle's law exactly at all temperatures and pressures, and which has internal energy that depends only upon the temperature. Measurements upon real gases are extrapolated to zero pressure to obtain results in agreement with theories relating to an ideal gas, esp in thermometry
inert gas
any of the unreactive gaseous elements helium , neon , argon , krypton , xenon , and radon
mains gas
gas supplied to a building through pipes
marsh gas
a hydrocarbon gas largely composed of methane formed when organic material decays in the absence of air
nerve gas
Nerve gas is a poisonous gas used in war as a weapon .
noble gas
any of the unreactive gaseous elements helium , neon , argon , krypton , xenon , and radon
pepper gas
a defence spray agent derived from hot cayenne peppers , which causes temporary blindness and breathing difficulty , sometimes used to control riots
perfect gas
a hypothetical gas which obeys Boyle's law exactly at all temperatures and pressures, and which has internal energy that depends only upon the temperature. Measurements upon real gases are extrapolated to zero pressure to obtain results in agreement with theories relating to an ideal gas, esp in thermometry
poison gas
Poison gas is a gas that is poisonous and is usually used to kill people in war or to execute criminals .
sewage gas
gas given off in the digestion of sewage consisting of approximately 66 per cent methane and 34 per cent carbon dioxide
sewer gas
a mixture of toxic and non-toxic gases (mainly methane ) produced and collected in sewers by the decomposition of waste matter such as faeces or dirty water from homes and factories
shale gas
Shale gas is a natural gas that is removed from rock by forcing liquid and sand into the rock.
water gas
a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide produced by passing steam over hot carbon, used as a fuel and raw material
laughing gas
Laughing gas is a type of anaesthetic gas which sometimes has the effect of making people laugh uncontrollably.
mustard gas
Mustard gas is a gas which burns the skin and was used in war as a weapon .
natural gas
Natural gas is gas which is found underground or under the sea. It is collected and stored , and piped into people's homes to be used for cooking and heating .
nitrogen gas
a colourless odourless relatively unreactive gaseous element that forms 78 per cent (by volume ) of the air, occurs in many compounds, and is an essential constituent of proteins and nucleic acids: used in the manufacture of ammonia and other chemicals and as a refrigerant . Symbol: N; atomic no: 7; atomic wt: 14.00674; valency : 3 or 5; density : 1 ⁄ 2506 kg/m 3 ; melting pt: –210.00°C; boiling pt: –195.8°C
Pintsch gas
a gas obtained by the destructive distillation of petroleum , formerly used for lighting
producer gas
a mixture of carbon monoxide and nitrogen produced by passing air over hot coke , used mainly as a fuel
propane gas
a colourless flammable gaseous alkane found in petroleum and used as a fuel . Formula: CH 3 CH 2 CH 3
regular gas
unleaded gasoline or petrol , as for fuelling a vehicle, etc
semiwater gas
a mixed gas formed by passing steam and air over a carbon source
synthesis gas
a mixture of carbon dioxide , carbon monoxide , and hydrogen formerly made by using water gas and reacting it with steam to enrich the proportion of hydrogen for use in the synthesis of ammonia
electrolytic gas
a mixture of two parts of hydrogen and one part of oxygen by volume, formed by the electrolysis of water
greenhouse gas
Greenhouse gases are the gases which are responsible for causing the greenhouse effect. The main greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide .
North Sea gas
natural gas extracted from deposits beneath the North Sea
liquefied petroleum gas
a mixture of various petroleum gases, esp propane and butane , stored as a liquid under pressure and used as an engine fuel
LPG
LPG is a type of fuel consisting of hydrocarbon gases in liquid form. LPG is an abbreviation for 'liquefied petroleum gas'.
carbonic-acid gas
→ carbon dioxide
liquefied natural gas
a mixture of various gases , esp methane , liquefied under pressure for transportation and used as an engine fuel
LNG
liquefied natural gas
nitrous oxide
a colourless nonflammable slightly soluble gas with a sweet smell : used as an anaesthetic in dentistry and surgery . Formula: N 2 O
carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a gas. It is produced by animals and people breathing out, and by chemical reactions.