Oxidize

3 definitions found

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

  Oxidize \Ox"i*dize\ ([o^]ks"[i^]*d[imac]z), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
     {Oxidized} ([o^]ks"[i^]*d[imac]zd); p. pr. & vb. n.
     {Oxidizing}.] (Chem.)
     To combine with oxygen, or subject to the action of oxygen,
     or of an oxidizing agent. Specifically:
     (a) To combine with oxygen or with more oxygen; to add oxygen


         to; as, to oxidize nitrous acid so as to form nitric
         acid.
     (b) To remove hydrogen from (anything), as by the action of
         oxygen; as, to oxidize alcohol so as to form aldehyde.
     (c) To subject to the action of oxygen or of an oxidizing
         agent, so as to bring to a higher grade, as an -ous
         compound to an -ic compound; as, to oxidize mercurous
         chloride to mercuric chloride.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: In certain cases to oxidize is identical with to
           acidify; for, in nearly all cases, the more oxygen a
           substance contains the more nearly does it approximate
           to acid qualities; thus, by oxidation many elements, as
           sulphur, nitrogen, carbon, chromium, manganese, etc.,
           pass into compounds which are acid anhydrides, and thus
           practically in the acid state.
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  oxidize
       v 1: enter into a combination with oxygen or become converted
            into an oxide; "This metal oxidizes easily" [syn: {oxidise},
             {oxidate}]
       2: add oxygen to or combine with oxygen [syn: {oxidise}, {oxidate}]
          [ant: {deoxidize}, {deoxidize}]

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

  62 Moby Thesaurus words for "oxidize":
     acetify, acidify, acidulate, alkalify, alkalize, blaze, blister,
     borate, brand, burn, burn in, burn off, canker, carbonate, cast,
     catalyze, cauterize, char, chemical, chlorinate, coal, corrode,
     crack, cupel, eat, eat away, eat into, electrolyze, erode, ferment,
     flame, found, gnaw, homopolymerize, hydrate, hydrogenate,
     hydroxylate, isomerize, nibble away, nitrate, oxidate, parch,
     pepsinate, peroxidize, phosphatize, polymerize, pyrolyze, reduce,
     rust, scorch, sear, singe, solder, sulfate, sulfatize, sulfonate,
     swinge, torrefy, vesicate, vulcanize, weld, work