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silver

1. (Science: chemistry, element) A soft white metallic element, sonorous, ductile, very malleable, and capable of a high degree of polish. It is found native, and also combined with sulphur, arsenic, antimony, chlorine, etc, in the minerals argentite, proustite, pyrargyrite, ceragyrite, etc. Silver is one of the noble metals, so-called, not being easily oxidized, and is used for coin, jewelry, plate, and a great variety of articles. Symbol ag (argentum). Atomic weight 107.7. Specific gravity 10.5.

Silver was known under the name of luna to the ancients and also to the alchemists. Some of its compounds, as the halogen salts, are remarkable for the effect of light upon them, and are used in photography.

2. Coin made of silver; silver money.

3. Anything having the luster or appearance of silver.

4. The colour of silver.

Silver is used in the formation of many compounds of obvious meaning; as, silver-armed, silver-bright, silver-buskined, silver-coated, silver-footed, silver-haired, silver-headed, silver-mantled, silver-plated, silver-slippered, silver-sounding, silver-studded, silver-tongued, silver-white. See Silver, black silver See argentine.

Origin: OE. Silver, selver, seolver, AS. Seolfor, siolfur, siolufr, silofr, sylofr; akin to OS. Silubar, OFries. Selover, D. Zilver, LG. Sulver, OHG. Silabar, silbar, G. Silber, Icel. Silfr, Sw. Silfver, Dan. Solv, Goth. Silubr, Russ. Serebro, Lith. Sidabras; of unknown origin.

1. Of or pertaining to silver; made of silver; as, silver leaf; a silver [[c 73e up]].

2. Resembling silver. Specifically: bright; resplendent; white. Silver hair. Others, on silver lakes and rivers, bathed Their downy breast. (milton)

Precious; costly.

Giving a clear, ringing sound soft and clear. Silver voices. .

sweet; gentle; peaceful. Silver slumber. .

(Science: botany) American silver fir, A lepisma.