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Alchemy - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
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Alchemy : (noun)
1: a pseudoscientific forerunner of chemistry in medieval times
2: the way two individuals relate to each other; "their
chemistry was wrong from the beginning -- they hated each
other"; "a mysterious alchemy brought them together" [syn:
chemistry, interpersonal chemistry]
Based on WordNet 2.0
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Alchemy : \Al"che*my\, n. [OF. alkemie, arquemie, F. alchimie, Ar.
al-k[=i]m[=i]a, fr. late Gr. ?, for ?, a mingling, infusion,
? juice, liquid, especially as extracted from plants, fr. ?
to pour; for chemistry was originally the art of extracting
the juices from plants for medicinal purposes. Cf. Sp.
alquimia, It. alchimia. Gr. ? is prob. akin to L. fundere to
pour, Goth. guitan, AS. ge['o]tan, to pour, and so to E.
fuse. See Fuse, and cf. Chemistry.]
1. An imaginary art which aimed to transmute the baser metals
into gold, to find the panacea, or universal remedy for
diseases, etc. It led the way to modern chemistry.
2. A mixed metal composed mainly of brass, formerly used for
various utensils; hence, a trumpet. [Obs.]
Put to their mouths the sounding alchemy. --Milton.
3. Miraculous power of transmuting something common into
something precious.
Kissing with golden face the meadows green, Gilding
pale streams with heavenly alchemy. --Shak.
Based on WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003)
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