Gases

a gas that is burned with oxygen to produce a flame that can cut metal

a poisonous gas with a strong unpleasant smell, or the gas dissolved in water. It is used in products used for cleaning things.

argon (noun)

a chemical element which is a gas that does not produce a chemical reaction when mixed with other substances. Its symbol is Ar and it is sometimes used in electric lights.

biomethane (noun)

methane gas that is produced by rotting organic matter

butane (noun)

a type of gas in liquid form that is used as a fuel

Calor gas (British)

British a type of gas sold in large metal containers and used as fuel when you are camping or in buildings where there is no gas supply

carbon (noun)

chemistry the gases carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide

carbon dioxide (noun)

a gas without colour or smell, produced when you breathe out or when substances containing carbon are burnt. The fact that the earth is getting hotter because of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is called the greenhouse effect.

carbon monoxide (noun)

a poisonous gas with no colour or smell, produced by the engines of vehicles

CFC (noun)

chlorofluorocarbon: a gas used in fridges and in some aerosol containers. CFCs are not often used any more because they damage the ozone layer of the Earth’s atmosphere.

chlorine (noun)

a chemical element that is a strong-smelling gas. Its symbol is Cl and it is often used for killing bacteria in water.

chlorofluorocarbon (noun)

a CFC

CS gas (noun)

a gas used by the police for controlling crowds of people. It hurts your eyes and makes it difficult for you to breathe.

ethane (noun)

a gas that has no colour and no smell and burns very easily. It is obtained from petroleum and natural gas and is used as a fuel.

ethene (noun)

a gas obtained from petroleum and natural gas. It is used in making polythene and other chemicals and to make fruit ripen (=become ready to eat or use).

fluorine (noun)

a chemical element that is a poisonous yellow gas

formaldehyde (noun)

a gas with no colour and a strong smell, used mixed with water for preserving dead things in a laboratory

fumes (noun)

smoke or gas that has an unpleasant smell, especially harmful smoke or gas

gas (noun)

science a substance such as air that is neither a solid nor a liquid

gas (noun)

a gas used for harming or killing people, or for affecting their behaviour

greenhouse gas (noun)

a gas that stops heat from escaping from the atmosphere and causes the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.

helium (noun)

a chemical element which is a gas that is lighter than air. Its symbol is He and it is often used for lifting large balloons.

hydrogen (noun)

a chemical element which is a colourless odourless gas that is lighter than air. Its symbol is H.

hyperbaric (adjective)

a hyperbaric gas is at a higher pressure than it normally is

krypton (noun)

a chemical element that is a colourless gas. Its symbol is Kr and it is used in some types of electric light.

laughing gas (noun)

informal the gas nitrous oxide used in the past by doctors and dentists to prevent people feeling pain during a medical operation

leak (noun)

an amount of liquid or gas that comes out of a hole or crack in something

leakage (noun)

an amount of gas or liquid that leaks from something

marsh gas (noun)

a gas that is produced when plants in an area of wet land decay and consists mainly of methane

methane (noun)

a gas with no colour or smell that is used as a fuel

miasma (noun)

literary a cloud of unpleasant gas or smoke

mustard gas (noun)

a poisonous gas that burns your skin, eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, used especially in the First World War

natural gas (noun)

a gas that is found inside the earth and that can be used for heating or cooking

neon (noun)

a chemical element with the symbol Ne. It is a gas that shines brightly when electricity flows through it, and is used in lights and signs.

neon (noun)

using neon

nerve gas (noun)

a poisonous gas that damages people’s nerves and can kill them, used as a weapon in war

nitrogen (noun)

a chemical element that is a colourless odourless gas. It exists in large quantities in the air that we breathe and its symbol is N.

nitrogen dioxide (noun)

a very poisonous brown gas often found in smog and exhaust from vehicles

nitrous oxide (noun)

a gas used in the past by doctors and dentists to prevent people feeling pain during a medical operation

noble gas (noun)

a gas that does not react with other substances, from the group of gases that includes helium and neon

oxyacetylene (noun)

a mixture of oxygen and a gas called acetylene, used as a fuel for making a very hot flame that cuts metal

oxygen (noun)

a chemical element that is a colourless odourless gas, and that all animals depend on to breathe. Its symbol is O.

ozone (noun)

chemistry a kind of oxygen that exists high in the Earth’s atmosphere

plasma (noun)

science a substance similar to a gas that has almost no electric charge

poison gas (noun)

gas used for killing or harming people

propane (noun)

a hydrocarbon gas obtained from natural gas or petroleum, used as a fuel for cooking and heating

propellant (noun)

a gas used for forcing a substance out of a spray can when you push the button on top

radon (noun)

a chemical element that is a rare radioactive gas. Its symbol is Rn.

sarin (noun)

a poisonous gas used as a weapon by some terrorists

shale gas (noun)

gas produced from shale, used for heating, cooking, etc

sulphur dioxide (noun)

a poisonous gas with a strong smell, used in industry and often a cause of air pollution

tear gas (noun)

a gas that makes your eyes sting, used especially by the police to control violent crowds

water vapour (noun)

water in the form of a gas

xenon (noun)

a chemical element that is a colourless odourless gas. It is used for making some kinds of electric lights and its symbol is Xe.

Synonyms and antonyms of Gases in British Thesaurus