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lye

lye

14 8.8
A very strong dangerous liquid that people use to clean and to make soap
  • noun
  • /laɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sosa cáustica
  • Leutefisk is cod fish that's been salted and soaked in lye for a week or so.
  • lye and ammonium

Examples

  • The book gives instructions on making the lye; it boils and is corrosive, so follow instructions carefully.

    Blog text (18)
  • Lye is dangerous.

  • This is lye, the crucial ingredient.

  • Then we added Lye and then we added bleach.

  • Lye is a key ingredient used in the process of making lye soap.

  • When preparing the vegetables, you must soak them in lye to ensure they are cleaned properly.

  • It is important to handle lye with care, as it can cause serious burns.

Synonyms

sodium hydroxide
vslye
  • Specialized
1 5.4

A strong white chemical people use to make soap and paper that can burn your skin

is a strongly alkaline cleaning solution mainly composed of that compound
alkali
vslye
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A substance that dissolves in water to make a strong base and turn litmus blue

is the specific strong alkaline cleaning solution used for soap making

Compounds

lye hominy
  • Specialized
9.9

Corn kernels soaked in lye water to remove their outer skins and soften them

How Alkaline

caustic potash
  • Specialized
1 7.0
lye
  • Specialized
14 8.8
washing soda
  • Specialized
15 3.7
neutrality
  • Specialized
5.3

Surface Forms

lye singular
lyes plural

Etymology

Lye comes from an old German word meaning 'washing water' or 'bath', which gives the image of a strong liquid used for cleaning. That's why lye today is a very strong alkaline liquid used for cleaning and for making soap.