beeswax

beeswax
    n 1: a yellow to brown wax secreted by honeybees to build
         honeycombs
    v 1: cover with beeswax; "Chris beeswaxed the kitchen table"
    

Wax \Wax\, n. [AS. weax; akin to OFries. wax, D. was, G. wachs,
   OHG. wahs, Icel. & Sw. vax, Dan. vox, Lith. vaszkas, Russ.
   vosk'.]
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   1. A fatty, solid substance, produced by bees, and employed
      by them in the construction of their comb; -- usually
      called {beeswax}. It is first excreted, from a row of
      pouches along their sides, in the form of scales, which,
      being masticated and mixed with saliva, become whitened
      and tenacious. Its natural color is pale or dull yellow.
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   Note: Beeswax consists essentially of cerotic acid
         (constituting the more soluble part) and of myricyl
         palmitate (constituting the less soluble part).
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   2. Hence, any substance resembling beeswax in consistency or
      appearance. Specifically: 
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      (a) (Physiol.) Cerumen, or earwax. See {Cerumen}.
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      (b) A waxlike composition used for uniting surfaces, for
          excluding air, and for other purposes; as, sealing
          wax, grafting wax, etching wax, etc.
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      (c) A waxlike composition used by shoemakers for rubbing
          their thread.
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      (d) (Zool.) A substance similar to beeswax, secreted by
          several species of scale insects, as the Chinese wax.
          See {Wax insect}, below.
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      (e) (Bot.) A waxlike product secreted by certain plants.
          See {Vegetable wax}, under {Vegetable}.
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      (f) (Min.) A substance, somewhat resembling wax, found in
          connection with certain deposits of rock salt and
          coal; -- called also mineral wax, and ozocerite.
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      (g) Thick sirup made by boiling down the sap of the sugar
          maple, and then cooling. [Local U. S.]
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      (h) any of numerous substances or mixtures composed
          predominantly of the longer-chain saturated
          hydrocarbons such as the paraffins, which are solid at
          room teperature, or their alcohol, carboxylic acid, or
          ester derivatives.
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   {Japanese wax}, a waxlike substance made in Japan from the
      berries of certain species of {Rhus}, esp. {Rhus
      succedanea}.

   {Mineral wax}. (Min.) See {Wax}, 2
      (f), above.

   {Wax cloth}. See {Waxed cloth}, under {Waxed}.

   {Wax end}. See {Waxed end}, under {Waxed}.

   {Wax flower}, a flower made of, or resembling, wax.

   {Wax insect} (Zool.), any one of several species of scale
      insects belonging to the family {Coccidae}, which secrete
      from their bodies a waxlike substance, especially the
      Chinese wax insect ({Coccus Sinensis}) from which a large
      amount of the commercial Chinese wax is obtained. Called
      also {pela}.

   {Wax light}, a candle or taper of wax.

   {Wax moth} (Zool.), a pyralid moth ({Galleria cereana}) whose
      larvae feed upon honeycomb, and construct silken galleries
      among the fragments. The moth has dusky gray wings
      streaked with brown near the outer edge. The larva is
      yellowish white with brownish dots. Called also {bee
      moth}.

   {Wax myrtle}. (Bot.) See {Bayberry}.

   {Wax painting}, a kind of painting practiced by the ancients,
      under the name of encaustic. The pigments were ground with
      wax, and diluted. After being applied, the wax was melted
      with hot irons and the color thus fixed.

   {Wax palm}. (Bot.)
      (a) A species of palm ({Ceroxylon Andicola}) native of the
          Andes, the stem of which is covered with a secretion,
          consisting of two thirds resin and one third wax,
          which, when melted with a third of fat, makes
          excellent candles.
      (b) A Brazilian tree ({Copernicia cerifera}) the young
          leaves of which are covered with a useful waxy
          secretion.

   {Wax paper}, paper prepared with a coating of white wax and
      other ingredients.

   {Wax plant} (Bot.), a name given to several plants, as:
      (a) The Indian pipe (see under {Indian}).
      (b) The {Hoya carnosa}, a climbing plant with polished,
          fleshy leaves.
      (c) Certain species of {Begonia} with similar foliage.

   {Wax tree} (Bot.)
      (a) A tree or shrub ({Ligustrum lucidum}) of China, on
          which certain insects make a thick deposit of a
          substance resembling white wax.
      (b) A kind of sumac ({Rhus succedanea}) of Japan, the
          berries of which yield a sort of wax.
      (c) A rubiaceous tree ({Elaeagia utilis}) of New Grenada,
          called by the inhabitants "arbol del cera."

   {Wax yellow}, a dull yellow, resembling the natural color of
      beeswax.
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Beeswax \Bees"wax`\, n.
   The wax secreted by bees, and of which their cells are
   constructed.
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