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(), n.[OE. silver, selver, seolver, AS. seolfor, siolfur, siolufr, silofr, sylofr; akin to OS. silubar, OFries. selover, D. zilver, LG. sulver, OHG. silabar, silbar, G. silber, Icel. silfr, Sw. silfver, Dan. slv, Goth. silubr, Russ. serebro, Lith. sidabras; of unknown origin.] 1. (Chem.) A soft white metallic element, sonorous, ductile, very malleable, and capable of a high degree of polish. It is found native, and also combined with sulphur, arsenic, antimony, chlorine, etc., in the minerals argentite, proustite, pyrargyrite, ceragyrite, etc. Silver is one of the "noble" metals, so-called, not being easily oxidized, and is used for coin, jewelry, plate, and a great variety of articles. Symbol Ag (Argentum). Atomic weight 107.7. Specific gravity 10.5. Silver was known under the name of luna to the ancients and also to the alchemists. Some of its compounds, as the halogen salts, are remarkable for the effect of light upon them, and are used in photography. 2. Coin made of silver; silver mone Sil"ver a. 1. Of or pertaining to silver; made of silver; as, silver leaf; a silver cup. 2. Resembling silver. Specifically: (a) Bright; resplendent; white. "Silver hair." Shak. Others, on silver lakes and rivers, bathed Their downy breast. Milton. (b) Precious; costly. (c) Giving a clear, ringing sound soft and clear. "Silver voices." Spenser. (d) Sweet; gentle; peaceful. "Silver slumber." Spenser. American silver fir (Bot.), the balsam fir. See under Balsam. Silver age (Roman Lit.), the latter part (a. d. 14-180) of the classical period of Latinity, -- the time of writers of inferior purity of language, as compared with those of the previous golden age, so-called. Silver-bell tree (Bot.), an American shrub or small tree (Halesia tetraptera) with white bell-shaped flowers in clusters or racemes; the snowdrop tree. Silver bush (Bot.), a shrubby leguminous plant (Anthyllis Barba-Jovis) of Southern Europe, having silvery foliage. Silver chub (Zol.), the fallfish. Silver eel. (Zol.) (a) The Sil"ver (), v. t.[imp. & p. p.Silvered (); p. pr. & vb. n.Silvering.] 1. To cover with silver; to give a silvery appearance to by applying a metal of a silvery color; as, to silver a pin; to silver a glass mirror plate with an amalgam of tin and mercury. 2. To polish like silver; to impart a brightness to, like that of silver. And smiling calmness silvered o'er the deep. Pope. 3. To make hoary, or white, like silver. His head was silvered o'er with age. Gay. Sil"ver v. i.To acquire a silvery color. [R.] The eastern sky began to silver and shine. L. Wallace. スポンサード リンク
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