gasket

[ gas-kit ]

noun

1. a rubber, metal, or rope ring, for packing a piston or placing around a joint to make it watertight.
2. Nautical. any of a number of light lines for securing a furled sail to a boom, gaff, or yard.

gasket

/ ˈɡæskɪt /

noun

1. a compressible packing piece of paper, rubber, asbestos, etc, sandwiched between the faces or flanges of a joint to provide a seal
2. nautical a piece of line used as a sail stop
3. blow a gasket slang.
   to burst out in anger

Word History and Origins

Origin of gasket¹

1615–25; perhaps < French garcette a plait of rope

Word History and Origins

Origin of gasket¹

C17 (in the sense: rope lashing a furled sail): probably from French garcette rope's end, literally: little girl, from Old French garce girl, feminine of gars boy, servant

Idioms and Phrases

see under blow a fuse .

Example Sentences

Another was out of service due to a blown head gasket.

From Los Angeles Times

Dad would blow a gasket if he knew I was considering using it, but I’m outta options here.

From Literature

Food safety experts and federal agencies use the terms “extraneous” or “foreign” materials to describe things like metal fragments, rubber gaskets and bits of bugs that somehow make it into packaged goods.

From Seattle Times

Whelton described a scenario in which pressure drops could lead to contaminated water backing up, sucking in smoke, soot, ash and vapors that penetrate plastics, gaskets and other materials to create a future problem.

From Seattle Times

He failed to install a new wax gasket to account for the extra thickness of the new laminate flooring.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• stopper