ground glass

/'graundglɑ:s/
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Thân thiện
ground glass

The photographer looks through the ground glass of the camera to focus the image.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • Particulate glass made by grinding and used as an abrasive: This refers to glass that has been crushed into fine particles, often used for polishing, smoothing surfaces, or in industrial processes.
    • Glass that diffuses light due to a rough surface produced by abrasion or etching: This refers to a sheet of glass whose surface has been intentionally roughened, making it translucent rather than transparent. It scatters light, providing privacy or reducing glare.
Usage Examples

  • Noun (Abrasive Material):

    • The craftsman used ground glass to polish the stone sculpture.
    • Ground glass is a common ingredient in some industrial abrasives.

  • Noun (Diffusing Glass):

    • The bathroom window is made of ground glass for privacy.
    • The light fixture has a ground glass shade to soften the illumination.
Advanced Usage
  • "Ground glass appearance": A term used in medical imaging (e.g., chest X-rays) to describe a specific pattern that resembles the surface of ground glass, often indicating certain lung conditions.
    • The CT scan showed a ground glass opacity in the patient's lungs.
Variants and Related Words

  • Frosted glass: A similar type of glass with a translucent, non-transparent surface, often created by acid etching or sandblasting instead of mechanical grinding.

    • The office doors are made of frosted glass.

  • Abrasive powder: A general term for fine particulate materials, like ground glass, used for grinding or polishing.

Synonyms
  • Pumice powder (for the abrasive sense): A natural abrasive made from volcanic rock.
  • Opal glass or diffused glass (for the translucent glass sense): Glass designed to scatter light.
Related Phrases
  • Ground glass screen: A component in some older optical devices, like cameras or projectors, used for focusing an image.
    • The photographer examined the image on the ground glass screen of the view camera.
Related Idioms

(Note: There are no common idioms that use the exact term "ground glass." It is primarily a technical term.)

ground glass

The photographer looks through the ground glass of the camera to focus the image.

Noun
  1. particulate glass made by grinding and used as an abrasive
  2. glass that diffuses light due to a rough surface produced by abrasion or etching