laughing-gas
Definition
- Noun:
- Nitrous oxide: "laughing-gas" is a common name for nitrous oxide (N₂O), a colourless, sweet-tasting gas used as a mild anaesthetic and analgesic, especially in dentistry. It is called "laughing-gas" because inhaling it can cause euphoria, laughter, or a giddy sensation.
Usage Examples
- (Nitrous oxide used for anaesthesia.)
- (The euphoric effect of nitrous oxide.)
Advanced Usage
"to be under laughing-gas": to be anaesthetized or affected by nitrous oxide.
- She was under laughing-gas during the tooth extraction and felt no pain. (She was sedated with nitrous oxide.)
"laughing-gas party": a historical or informal gathering where nitrous oxide is inhaled recreationally for its euphoric effects.
- In the 19th century, laughing-gas parties were popular among the wealthy. (Social events involving nitrous oxide inhalation.)
Variants and Related Words
- Laughing (adj): producing laughter or amusement.
- The clown's laughing antics delighted the children. (Amusing actions.)
- Gas (n): a substance in a form that expands to fill any container; a vapour.
- The gas from the cylinder was released slowly. (A gaseous substance.)
Synonyms
- Nitrous oxide: the chemical name for laughing-gas.
- Sweet air: an old-fashioned term for nitrous oxide due to its sweet taste.
Related Idioms
- To have a laugh: to enjoy oneself or share amusement (not directly related to laughing-gas, but shares the root "laugh").
- We had a laugh at the party. (We enjoyed ourselves.)
Phrasal Verbs
- Laugh off: to dismiss something as unimportant or amusing.
- He laughed off the criticism. (He ignored or treated it lightly.)
Note: "Laughing-gas" is a compound noun and is used as a single term. It does not have phrasal verbs or idioms that directly incorporate it, but related expressions are listed for context.