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Thursday 30 August 2012

Entry: cyanitic (adj.)

In context: "...drank a big class of Nestlé's Quik laced with the sodium cyanide his Dad kept around for ink for drafting, drinks cyanitic Quik in his family's home's redecorated kitchen..."

Definition: I can't find this inflection anywhere, but presumably from cyanide (n.): A simple compound of cyanogen with a metal or an organic radical, as potassium cyanide (KCy), an extremely poisonous crystalline solid.


Other: I was wondering what cyanide tastes like, since I've heard almonds in the past.  I found this interesting story/myth on straightdope:

I heard in school from my teacher that no one knows what hydrogen cyanide tastes like, it's so poisonous. She said one scientist, being already on deathbed, proceeded to taste it, pen and paper in hand. But once he tasted the stuff, he died before he could write more than "S". Sweet? Salty? Sour? 

(From user Busy Scissors)

SNOOT score: 1
 
Page: 436

Source: Oxford English Dictionary   

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