Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A colorless, mobile, oily aldehyde, C2HCl3O, a penetrating lung irritant, used to manufacture DDT and chloral hydrate.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A colorless mobile liquid (CCl3.CHO), having an agreeable pungent smell and biting taste, first prepared by Liebig from chlorin and alcohol, afterward by Städeler by the action of chlorin on starch.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Chem.) A colorless oily liquid, CCl3.CHO, of a pungent odor and harsh taste, obtained by the action of chlorine upon ordinary or ethyl alcohol.
  • noun (Med.) Chloral hydrate.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A colourless narcotic liquid, trichloroacetaldehyde, CCl3CHO, obtained at first by the action of chlorine on alcohol and that, when treated with water, produces chloral hydrate.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[chlor(ine) + al(cohol).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Contracted from chlor(ine) and al(cohol)

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Examples

  • JEAN CASAREZ, COURT TV: The medical examiner says that she was taking a liquid sleeping medication called chloral hydrate in combination with anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs that she was taking.

    CNN Transcript Mar 26, 2007 2007

  • The thought of the chloral was the only spot of light in the dark prospect: she could feel its lulling influence stealing over her already.

    The House of Mirth Edith Wharton 1987

  • The thought of the chloral was the only spot of light in the dark prospect: she could feel its lulling influence stealing over her already.

    The House of Mirth Edith Wharton 1987

  • The thought of the chloral was the only spot of light in the dark prospect: she could feel its lulling influence stealing over her already.

    The House of Mirth Edith Wharton 1987

  • The thought of the chloral was the only spot of light in the dark prospect: she could feel its lulling influence stealing over her already.

    House of Mirth Edith Wharton 1899

  • No sooner had they left the room and locked me in than I tried so see how far down my throat my finger would go, and the chloral was allowed to try its effect elsewhere.

    Ten Days in a Mad-House 1887

  • You cannot basically put this kind of chloral hydrate undetected in a beverage because it has a very distinctive, unpleasant taste.

    CNN Transcript Mar 26, 2007 2007

  • Sedatives such as chloral hydrate may be used to quiet the animal.

    Common Diseases of Farm Animals R. A. Craig

  • The fashionable devotee, in order to counteract this, either stimulates the system with alcohol, or exorcises the "fidgets" by the use of sedatives, such as chloral or morphia.

    Religion and Lust or, The Psychical Correlation of Religious Emotion and Sexual Desire James Weir 1881

  • In his doctor’s bag Kingston had some chloral, which is a reputable narcotic when used in moderation.

    The Case of the Late Pig Allingham, Margery, 1904-1966 1937

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