Search Result for "asbestos": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (1)

1. a fibrous amphibole; used for making fireproof articles; inhaling fibers can cause asbestosis or lung cancer;


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Asbestus \As*bes"tus\, Asbestos \As*bes"tos\ (?; 277), n. [L. asbestos (NL. asbestus) a kind of mineral unaffected by fire, Gr. ? (prop. an adj.) inextinguishable; 'a priv. + ? to extinguish.] (Min.) A variety of amphibole or of pyroxene, occurring in long and delicate fibers, or in fibrous masses or seams, usually of a white, gray, or green-gray color. The name is also given to a similar variety of serpentine. [1913 Webster] Note: The finer varieties have been wrought into gloves and cloth which are incombustible. The cloth was formerly used as a shroud for dead bodies, and has been recommended for firemen's clothes. Asbestus in also employed in the manufacture of iron safes, for fireproof roofing, and for lampwicks. Some varieties are called amianthus. --Dana.
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

asbestos n 1: a fibrous amphibole; used for making fireproof articles; inhaling fibers can cause asbestosis or lung cancer
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

43 Moby Thesaurus words for "asbestos": act drop, amianthus, asbestos board, asbestos curtain, backdrop, batten, border, cloth, coulisse, counterweight, curtain, curtain board, cyclorama, decor, drop, drop curtain, earth flax, fire break, fire curtain, fire line, fire resistance, fire retardant, fire wall, fireproofing, flat, flipper, hanging, mountain flax, rag, scene, scenery, screen, side scene, stage screw, tab, tableau, teaser, tormentor, transformation, transformation scene, wing, wingcut, woodcut
The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003):

asbestos adj. [common] Used as a modifier to anything intended to protect one from flame s; also in other highly flame-suggestive usages. See, for example, asbestos longjohns and asbestos cork award.
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):

asbestos Used as a modifier to anything intended to protect one from flames; also in other highly flame-suggestive usages. E.g., asbestos longjohns, asbestos cork award. [Jargon File] (1996-02-06)