stink-stone
Definition
- Noun:
- A type of limestone: "stink-stone" refers to a variety of limestone that emits a foul odor, typically when struck or broken, due to the presence of organic matter or minerals such as bitumen.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The geologist identified the rock as stink-stone because of the strong, unpleasant smell it released when hammered. (A limestone that produces a bad odor when fractured.)
- Miners often avoided stink-stone deposits, as the odor indicated the presence of decaying organic material. (A type of rock that smells due to its composition.)
Advanced Usage
- "stink-stone as a historical term": In older geology texts, "stink-stone" was sometimes used more broadly to describe any rock that emitted a foul smell when broken, but it is now primarily associated with certain limestones.
- The 19th-century naturalist noted that stink-stone was common in the region's quarries. (A historical reference to a specific rock type.)
Variants and Related Words
Stinkstone (n): an alternative spelling of "stink-stone," referring to the same type of limestone.
- Stinkstone is often found in sedimentary layers rich in organic debris. (A variant spelling of the same word.)
Stinky (adj): having a strong, unpleasant smell.
- The stinky rock was easily identified as stink-stone. (Describing the odor of the rock.)
Synonyms
Bituminous limestone: a limestone containing bitumen, which can cause a foul smell.
- The bituminous limestone in the quarry had a characteristic odor. (A more technical term for stink-stone.)
Fetid limestone: limestone that smells bad.
- Fetid limestone is another name for stink-stone. (A synonym emphasizing the odor.)
Related Idioms
- "To smell a stink-stone": an uncommon idiomatic expression meaning to detect something unpleasant or suspicious.
- When he heard the strange offer, he said he could smell a stink-stone. (To sense something wrong or off-putting.)
Phrasal Verbs
- (None directly associated with "stink-stone," as it is a noun with no common verb forms.)