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soft glass

soft glass

5.5
A type of glass that melts at a lower temperature and is easy to shape
  • noun
  • Specialized
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  • Many artists prefer soft glass for lampworking because it melts at a lower temperature.

Examples

  • Soda-lime glass is a common type of soft glass used in windows and bottles.

  • The laboratory switched from hard glass to soft glass tubing for certain experiments.

  • The artist prefers using soft glass for her sculptures.

  • Did you know that soft glasses can be shaped at lower temperatures?

  • Many artists prefer soft glass for lampworking because it melts at a lower temperature.

  • Soda-lime glass is a common type of soft glass used in windows and bottles.

  • The laboratory switched from hard glass to soft glass tubing for certain experiments.

Synonyms

glass
vssoft glass
785 1.0

A hard clear material made from sand used for windows and bottles

is a specific kind that works at lower temperatures and is easier to shape

Surface Forms

soft glass singular
soft glasses plural

Morphology

soft + glass

The phrase is partially compositional: a B1 learner who knows 'soft' and 'glass' can infer a glass-like material that is soft, so there is a transparent core. However, the specific scientific sense (an amorphous, glassy solid with slow relaxation, aging, and yielding) is technical and not fully predictable from everyday senses of the words, so prior subject-matter knowledge is needed.

Etymology

Soft glass comes from real glass that becomes soft at lower heat, so glassmakers can shape it more easily. That's why the name means 'glass that is easier to work with'.