chloroform
/'klɔrəfɔ:m/
Definition
Noun:
- A volatile liquid haloform (CHCl₃); formerly used as an anesthetic: Chloroform is a colorless, dense, sweet-smelling organic compound. Its primary historical use was as a general inhalation anesthetic during medical procedures, though this use has been largely discontinued due to safety concerns.
Verb:
- To anesthetize with chloroform: The action of administering chloroform to a person or animal to induce unconsciousness.
Usage Examples
Noun: The surgeon had a bottle of chloroform ready before the operation in the 19th century. The chemical formula for chloroform is CHCl₃.
Verb: In early medical practices, doctors would chloroform patients to perform surgery without pain. The kidnapper threatened to chloroform his victim.
Advanced Usage
- Historical Context: Chloroform's use as an anesthetic was pioneered in the mid-19th century. Its popularity declined due to the risk of fatal cardiac arrhythmia and the development of safer alternatives.
- Chemical and Industrial Use: Beyond medicine, chloroform is used as a solvent in laboratories and in the production of other chemicals. It is also a known environmental pollutant.
Variants and Related Words
- Chloroformed (verb, past tense/adjective): The state of having been anesthetized with chloroform.
- Chloroforming (verb, present participle/gerund): The act of administering chloroform.
Synonyms
- Anesthetic (noun): A substance that induces insensitivity to pain.
- Trichloromethane (noun): The systematic IUPAC name for chloroform.
- Put under (verb phrase): To anesthetize someone (general term).
Related Phrases
- "To put someone under chloroform": An older phrase meaning to anesthetize someone using chloroform.
- "Chloroform rag": A cloth soaked in chloroform, historically used to administer the anesthetic.
Notes on Meaning
- The noun form refers specifically to the chemical compound.
- The verb form is derived from the noun and is almost exclusively used in the context of administering the substance as an anesthetic, often with a connotation of force or crime in modern contexts (e.g., kidnapping). Its medical use is now historical.
Noun
-
a volatile liquid haloform (CHCl3); formerly used as an anesthetic
-
chloroform was the first inhalation anesthetic
-
Verb
-
anesthetize with chloroform
-
Doctors used to put people under by chloroforming them
-
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
Từ chứa "chloroform"
Từ có nhắc đến "chloroform"
