Denature

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Denature \De*na"ture\, v. t. [De- + nature.]
     To deprive of its natural qualities; change the nature of.
     [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     2. to render (ethyl alcohol) unfit to drink by adding in
        toxic or unpalatable substances (such as benzene or


        pyridine) which nevertherless permit alcohol to be used as
        a solvent.
        [PJC]
  
     3. modify the tertiary structure of (a protein or nucleic
        acid) so as to reduce or destroy its characteristic
        biological activity.
  
     Note: Bioactive macromolecules such as enzymes or DNA may be
           denatured by heat, acid, alkali, or solvent treatment;
           the extent of such treatment required to denature a
           molecule varies with the specific compound. In some
           cases the denatured molecules may regain their original
           properties (renature) by other treatments. Denaturation
           may also cause a change in the physical properties of
           such molecules, e.g. proteins may become insoluble in
           water.
           [PJC]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Denature \De*na"ture\, v. i.
     To become denatured.
     [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  denature
       v 1: add nonfissionable material to (fissionable material) so as
            to make unsuitable for use in an atomic bomb
       2: modify (as a native protein) especially by heat, acid,
          alkali, or ultraviolet radiation so that all of the
          original properties are removed or diminished
       3: make (alcohol) unfit for drinking without impairing
          usefulness for other purposes

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  90 Moby Thesaurus words for "denature":
     accommodate, adapt, adjust, adulterate, alloy, alter, ameliorate,
     bastardize, better, break up, canker, change, cheapen, coarsen,
     confound, contaminate, convert, corrupt, cut, debase, debauch,
     defile, deflower, deform, degenerate, degrade, denaturalize,
     deprave, desecrate, despoil, devalue, dilute, distort, diversify,
     doctor, doctor up, fit, fortify, improve, infect, lace, meliorate,
     misuse, mitigate, modify, modulate, mutate, overthrow, pervert,
     poison, pollute, prostitute, qualify, ravage, ravish, re-create,
     realign, rebuild, reconstruct, redesign, refit, reform, remake,
     renew, reshape, restructure, revamp, revive, ring the changes,
     shift the scene, shuffle the cards, spike, subvert, taint,
     tamper with, turn the scale, turn the tables, turn the tide,
     turn upside down, twist, ulcerate, vary, violate, vitiate,
     vulgarize, warp, water, water down, work a change, worsen