mercury-in-glass thermometer
- noun
- /ˈmɜrkjʊri ɪn ɡlæs θərˈmɑːmɪtər/
:
termómetro de mercurio en vidrio
- The doctor used a mercury-in-glass thermometer to check the patient's temperature.
Examples
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Due to safety concerns, the mercury-in-glass thermometer is being replaced by digital alternatives.
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Older households often keep a mercury-in-glass thermometer for emergencies.
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The mercury-in-glass thermometer is very accurate.
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Do you have a mercury-in-glass thermometer at home?
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The doctor used a mercury-in-glass thermometer to check the patient's temperature.
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Older households often keep a mercury-in-glass thermometer for emergencies.
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Due to safety concerns, the mercury-in-glass thermometer is being replaced by digital alternatives.
Synonyms
74
3.0
A tool that tells you how hot or cold something is
1
4.4
A glass tube with mercury that rises to show temperature
A glass tube with mercury that measures body temperature
A tool that shows temperature in degrees Celsius
A device that shows temperature in degrees Fahrenheit
How Accurate
Surface Forms
Morphology
mercury-in-glass + thermometer
The phrase denotes a thermometer that contains mercury inside a glass tube; this is directly derivable from the constituents 'mercury', 'glass' and 'thermometer' and the compositional pattern 'X-in-Y'. Such noun-modifier constructions are cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the component words would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Mercury-in-glass thermometer comes from the real picture inside: a thin tube of glass holds shiny liquid mercury that rises when it gets warm and falls when it cools. That's why the name means a tool that 'shows temperature'.