滑石

[ noun ]
a soft white compact talc used to mark cloth or to remove grease stains
<noun.substance>

French \French\ (fr[e^]nch), prop. a. [AS. frencisc, LL.
franciscus, from L. Francus a Frank: cf. OF. franceis,
franchois, fran[,c]ois, F. fran[,c]ais. See {Frank}, a., and
cf. {Frankish}.]
Of or pertaining to France or its inhabitants.

{French bean} (Bot.), the common kidney bean ({Phaseolus
vulgaris}).

{French berry} (Bot.), the berry of a species of buckthorn
({Rhamnus catharticus}), which affords a saffron, green or
purple pigment.

{French casement} (Arch.) See {French window}, under
{Window}.

{French chalk} (Min.), a variety of granular talc; -- used
for drawing lines on cloth, etc. See under {Chalk}.

{French cowslip} (Bot.) The {Primula Auricula}. See
{Bear's-ear}.

{French fake} (Naut.), a mode of coiling a rope by running it
backward and forward in parallel bends, so that it may run
freely.

{French honeysuckle} (Bot.) a plant of the genus {Hedysarum}
({H. coronarium}); -- called also {garland honeysuckle}.


{French horn}, a metallic wind instrument, consisting of a
long tube twisted into circular folds and gradually
expanding from the mouthpiece to the end at which the
sound issues; -- called in France {cor de chasse}.

{French leave}, an informal, hasty, or secret departure;
esp., the leaving a place without paying one's debts.

{French pie} [French (here used in sense of ``foreign'') +
pie a magpie (in allusion to its black and white color)]
(Zo["o]l.), the European great spotted woodpecker
({Dryobstes major}); -- called also {wood pie}.

{French polish}.
(a) A preparation for the surface of woodwork, consisting of
gums dissolved in alcohol, either shellac alone, or
shellac with other gums added.
(b) The glossy surface produced by the application of the
above.

{French purple}, a dyestuff obtained from lichens and used
for coloring woolen and silken fabrics, without the aid of
mordants. --Ure.

{French red} rouge.

{French rice}, amelcorn.

{French roof} (Arch.), a modified form of mansard roof having
a nearly flat deck for the upper slope.

{French tub}, a dyer's mixture of protochloride of tin and
logwood; -- called also {plum tub}. --Ure.

{French window}. See under {Window}.


Chalk \Chalk\ (ch[add]k), n. [AS. cealc lime, from L. calx
limestone. See {Calz}, and {Cawk}.]
1. (Min.) A soft, earthy substance, of a white, grayish, or
yellowish white color, consisting of calcium carbonate,
and having the same composition as common limestone.

2. (Fine Arts) Finely prepared chalk, used as a drawing
implement; also, by extension, a compound, as of clay and
black lead, or the like, used in the same manner. See
{Crayon}.

{Black chalk}, a mineral of a bluish color, of a slaty
texture, and soiling the fingers when handled; a variety
of argillaceous slate.

{By a long chalk}, by a long way; by many degrees. [Slang]
--Lowell.

{Chalk drawing} (Fine Arts), a drawing made with crayons. See
{Crayon}.

{Chalk formation}. See {Cretaceous formation}, under
{Cretaceous}.

{Chalk line}, a cord rubbed with chalk, used for making
straight lines on boards or other material, as a guide in
cutting or in arranging work.

{Chalk mixture}, a preparation of chalk, cinnamon, and sugar
in gum water, much used in diarrheal affection, esp. of
infants.

{Chalk period}. (Geol.) See {Cretaceous period}, under
{Cretaceous}.

{Chalk pit}, a pit in which chalk is dug.

{Drawing chalk}. See {Crayon}, n., 1.

{French chalk}, steatite or soapstone, a soft magnesian
mineral.

{Red chalk}, an indurated clayey ocher containing iron, and
used by painters and artificers; reddle.