Diamonds definitions and example sentences on Wordnik

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Definitions (53)

American Heritage Dictionary (11)

noun An extremely hard, highly refractive crystalline form of carbon that is usually colorless and is used as a gemstone and in abrasives, cutting tools, and other applications.
noun A piece of jewelry containing such a gemstone.
noun A figure with four equal sides forming two inner obtuse angles and two inner acute angles; a rhombus or lozenge.

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Century Dictionary (34)

Adamant; steel, or some imaginary substance of extreme hardness or impenetrability. Then zeal, whose substance is ethereal, arming in complete diamond, ascends his flery chariot. Milton.
A precious stone, distinguished from all others by being combustible and by its extreme hardness, as well as by its superior refractive and dispersive power. It consists of pure or nearly pure carbon, leaving only a very small quantity of ash when burned. Its specific gravity is about 3½ its crystalline form is the isometric, and it cleaves readily in planes parallel to the faces of the regular octahedron. Natural crystals are found in a great variety of forms belonging to the isometric system. The crystalline planes of the diamond have this peculiarity, that they are frequently more or less convex, instead of being flat, as those of crystals usually are. The range of color of the diamond is extensive, but hues of light yellow, or straw-color, and brown are of most common occurrence. Diamonds of a decided color, such as green, blue, or even red, are found, but they are extremely rare; only one deep-red diamond is known. A diamond is of the first water when it is without flaw or tint of any kind. The value of the gem increases in an increasing ratio with its weight up to a moderate size; beyond that there is no fixed value. A first-water diamond of one carat being considered worth $100, one of two carats would be held at $300, and one of ten at $11,000. The most desirable form in which the diamond may be cut is called the brilliant. (See cuts under brilliant.) Diamonds formerly came chiefly from India, and later from Brazil; the present principal source of supply is southern Africa, where they are found associated with a peculiar rock of unequivocal volcanic origin. In all other diamantiferous regions diamonds have been found only in the surface detrital material (gravel and sand), or else, rarely, in rock of fragmental origin. See bort. Thei ben so harde, that no man may pollysche hem: and men clepen hem Dyamandes in that Contree, and Hamese in another Contree. Mandeville, Travels, p. 157. Give me the ring of mine you had at dinner; Or, for my diamond, the chain you promis'd. Shak., C. of E., iv. 3.
A geometrical figure bounded by four equal straight lines forming two acute and two obtuse angles; a rhomb; a lozenge; specifically, such a figure printed in red on a playing-card.

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"I think the diamonds are all jammed into this pipe, sir," he said. — Mystery14 – Mystery of the Strange Messages, The
Tell me the rest of it The man who bumped into me on the Rue de Rivoli and took possession of the diamonds was a Russian named Boris Kempov. — EQMM, August 2005
You know how the diamonds were abstracted from the house Yes," said Brett. — The Albert Gate Mystery Being Further Adventures of Reginald Brett, Barrister Detective
It had been broken up, and some of the diamonds were already sold; others were being sold in London by Captain de la Motte, who had gone thither for the purpose, and who prudently remained there The Cardinal was acquitted, amid intense public joy and acclamation, which must have been gall and wormwood to the Queen. — The Historical Nights' Entertainment First Series
He had not been able to hear what was said, but from their manner he inferred that the diamonds were the sole subject of conversation. — The Mask A Story of Love and Adventure

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