intumescent
/,intju:'mesnt/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Swollen or enlarged, especially due to internal pressure or fluid accumulation: Describes something that has become abnormally distended, puffed up, or expanded, often as a result of inflammation, gas, or fluid.
Usage and Examples
General Usage:
- The intumescent material expanded when exposed to heat, forming a protective char layer.
- After the allergic reaction, her lips became intumescent and required medical attention.
Scientific/Technical Context:
- Intumescent coatings are used in fire protection as they swell to insulate the underlying material.
- The doctor noted the intumescent tissue around the wound, indicating infection.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- "Intumescent" vs. "Swollen": While both indicate enlargement, "intumescent" often carries a more technical or formal connotation, particularly describing a of swelling or expansion, sometimes by design (e.g., in engineering or materials science). "Swollen" is more general and common in everyday medical descriptions.
- As a Descriptor for Materials: Frequently used in engineering and chemistry to describe substances that expand significantly when heated, often for safety applications.
Variants and Related Words
- Intumescence (noun): The process or state of swelling up or becoming enlarged.
- The intumescence of the joint was a clear symptom of arthritis.
- Tumescent (adjective): Slightly swollen or distended; often used in medical contexts (e.g., tumescent anesthesia).
- Tumid (adjective): Swollen, enlarged; can also mean pompous or bombastic in style.
Synonyms
- Swollen
- Distended
- Bloated
- Puffy
- Tumescent
- Engorged (specifically with fluid)
Antonyms
- Deflated
- Shrunken
- Contracted
- Flat
Adjective
- abnormally distended especially by fluids or gas
- hungry children with bloated stomachs
- he had a grossly distended stomach
- eyes with puffed (or puffy) lids
- swollen hands
- tumescent tissue
- puffy tumid flesh