Argon

4 definitions found

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

  Noble \No"ble\, a. [Compar. {Nobler}; superl. {Noblest}.] [F.
     noble, fr. L. nobilis that can be or is known, well known,
     famous, highborn, noble, fr. noscere to know. See {know}.]
     1. Possessing eminence, elevation, dignity, etc.; above
        whatever is low, mean, degrading, or dishonorable;
        magnanimous; as, a noble nature or action; a noble heart.


        [1913 Webster]
  
              Statues, with winding ivy crowned, belong
              To nobler poets for a nobler song.    --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Grand; stately; magnificent; splendid; as, a noble
        edifice.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Of exalted rank; of or pertaining to the nobility;
        distinguished from the masses by birth, station, or title;
        highborn; as, noble blood; a noble personage.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Noble is used in the formation of self-explaining
           compounds; as, noble-born, noble-hearted, noble-minded.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     {Noble gas} (Chem.), a gaseous element belonging to group
        VIII of the periodic table of elements, not combining with
        other elements under normal reaction conditions;
        specifically, {helium}, {neon}, {argon}, {krypton},
        {xenon}, or {radon}; also called {inert gas}.
  
     {Noble metals} (Chem.), silver, gold, and platinum; -- so
        called from their resistance to oxidation by air and to
        dissolution by acids. Copper, mercury, aluminium,
        palladium, rhodium, iridium, and osmium are sometimes
        included.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Syn: Honorable; worthy; dignified; elevated; exalted;
          superior; sublime; great; eminent; illustrious;
          renowned; stately; splendid; magnificent; grand;
          magnanimous; generous; liberal; free.
          [1913 Webster]

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

  Argon \Ar"gon\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ?, neut. of ? inactive; ? priv.
     + ? work.] (Chem.)
     A colorless, odorless gas occurring in the air (of which it
     constitutes 0.93 per cent by volume), in volcanic gases,
     etc.; -- so named on account of its inertness by Rayleigh and
     Ramsay, who prepared and examined it in 1894-95. Symbol, A;
     at. wt., 39.9. Argon is condensible to a colorless liquid
     boiling at -186.1[deg] C. and to a solid melting at
     -189.6[deg] C. It has a characteristic spectrum. No compounds
     of it are known, but there is physical evidence that its
     molecule is monatomic. Weight of one liter at 0[deg] C. and
     760 mm., 1.7828 g.
     [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  argon
       n : a colorless and odorless inert gas; one of the six inert
           gases; comprises approximately 1% of the earth's
           atmosphere [syn: {Ar}, {atomic number 18}]

From Elements database 20001107 [elements]:

  argon
  Symbol: Ar
  Atomic number: 18
  Atomic weight: 39.948
  Monatomic noble gas. Makes up 0.93% of the air. Colourless, odorless. Is
  inert and has no true compounds. Lord Rayleigh and Sir william Ramsey
  identified argon in 1894.