antimonial, a. and n.
(æntɪˈməʊnɪəl)
[ad. mod.L. antimōniāl-is, f. antimōni-um: see antimony and -al1.]
A. adj.
1. Of or pertaining to antimony. antimonial cups, made of glass of antimony, to communicate emetic qualities to wine.
| 1605 Timme Quersit. i. xvi. 79 Spirits mercuriall, arsenical, and antimonial. a 1729 Blackmore (J.), Though antimonial cups prepar'd with art, Their force to wine through ages should impart. 1754 Lewis in Phil. Trans. XLVIII. 688 It increases the hardness of zinc, and the antimonial semi⁓metal, but not of bismuth. 1865 Daily Tel. 8 July, If his wife died under the effects of antimonial poison. |
2. Containing antimony in combination; as in the names of many minerals, e.g. antimonial arsenic, copper, nickel, ochre. antimonial wine: sherry containing tartar emetic (tartarated antimony).
| 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. 827/2 To forward the operation of the antimonial wine. 1788 Edinb. New Disp. (1791) 97 The antimonial caustic of the shops. 1875 Ure Dict. Arts I. 199 In the works where antimonial ores are smelted. |
B. n. A medicine containing antimony.
| 1727–51 Chambers Cycl., Antimonials are chiefly of an emetic tendency. 1754 Phil. Trans. XLVIII. 832 A physician, who prescrib'd antimonials, was expelled the faculty. 1875 H. Wood Therap. 512 Antimonials act as diuretics. |