benzine

American  

[ben-zeen, ben-zeen] / ˈbɛn zin, bɛnˈzin /

Also benzin

noun

1. a colorless, volatile, flammable, liquid mixture of various hydrocarbons, obtained in the distillation of petroleum, and used in cleaning, dyeing, etc.

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benzine British  

/ ˈbɛnziːn, ˈbɛnzɪn, bɛnˈziːn /

noun

1. a volatile mixture of the lighter aliphatic hydrocarbon constituents of petroleum See ligroin petroleum ether

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Etymology

Origin of benzine

First recorded in 1850–55; benz- + -ine ²

Example Sentences

They wanted the gasoline — the benzine — that was leaking out of the plane and ran toward them with buckets to collect the fuel.

From New York Times • Dec. 17, 2021

Supreme Court in 2013 of polluting groundwater in the area with toxic benzine, has sponsored the cleanup as part of its corporate social responsibility campaign.

From Slate • Jan. 3, 2014

The smell of benzine wafts up from the water trough.

From Slate • Jan. 3, 2014

Stamp-men tweeze their treasures to avoid smudging, wear, tear; to hold them up to the light or pick them out of benzine baths in search of watermarks.

From Time Magazine Archive

The contacts should be cleaned with a little benzine if they are covered with oil or caked grease.

From Gas-Engines and Producer-Gas Plants A Practice Treatise Setting Forth the Principles of Gas-Engines and Producer Design, the Selection and Installation of an Engine, Conditions of Perfect Operation, Producer-Gas Engines and Their Possibilities, the Care of Gas-Engines and Producer-Gas Plants, with a Chapter on Volatile Hydrocarbon and Oil Engines by Mathot, R. E.