Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Capable of preventing infection by inhibiting the growth of infectious agents.
- adjective Devoid of infectious agents.
- adjective Of or associated with the use of antiseptics.
- adjective Devoid of enlivening or enriching qualities.
- adjective Free of disturbing or unpleasant features; sanitized.
- noun A substance that prevents infection by inhibiting the growth of infectious agents.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Pertaining to antisepsis; inimical to the growth and activity of the micro-organisms of disease, putrefaction, or fermentation.
- noun Anything which destroys the microorganisms of disease, putrefaction, or fermentation, or which restricts their growth and multiplication.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Counteracting or preventing putrefaction, or a putrescent tendency in the system; antiputrefactive.
- adjective that system of surgical practice which insists upon a systematic use of antiseptics in the performance of operations and the dressing of wounds.
- noun a substance which kills or retards the growth of microorganisms, especially when used for protection against infection; a substance which prevents or retards putrefaction, or destroys, or protects from, putrefactive organisms; as, carbolic acid, alcohol, cinchona, and many other agents sold commercially.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Of, or relating to
antisepsis , or the use ofantiseptics . - adjective Capable of
preventing microbial infection . - adjective Very
clean ;aseptic . - adjective Free of
unpleasantness ;sanitized orbowdlerized . - noun Any
substance thatinhibits thegrowth andreproduction ofmicroorganisms . Generally includes only those that are used on living objects (as opposed todisinfectants ) and aren't transported by the lymphatic system to destroy bacteria in the body (as opposed toantibiotics ).
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective thoroughly clean and free of or destructive to disease-causing organisms
- adjective devoid of objectionable language
- adjective freeing from error or corruption
- adjective clean and honest
- noun a substance that destroys micro-organisms that carry disease without harming body tissues
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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This, then, is what Tom Friedman — in antiseptic language designed to leave elite consciences undisturbed — would like to portray as successful American policy: Using the Iraqi people as bait to attract jihadists from around the region and distract them from attacking the American homeland.
Wonk Room » Friedman: America Successfully Used Iraqis As Bait 2009
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The best antiseptic is sunshine and the more the issue is discussed, better solutions begin presenting themselves.
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This, then, is what Tom Friedman — in antiseptic language designed to leave elite consciences undisturbed — would like to portray as successful American policy: Using the Iraqi people as bait to attract jihadists from around the region and distract them from attacking the American homeland.
Wonk Room 2009
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I actually love these juices in antiseptic packages, lychee, black currant, passionfruit.
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Pasteur had indeed already published by then his epoch-making work, which laid the foundations of bacteriology, and medical art had already gathered in one very beneficial fruit which stemmed from this work, namely the antiseptic method of treating wounds proposed by Lister.
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The fermentive action of the bile is trifling; it dissolves fats, to a certain extent, and is antiseptic, that is, it prevents putrefaction to which the chyme might be liable; it also seems to act as a natural purgative.
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It is antiseptic, that is, it prevents and removes putrifaction; for this purpose, it should be taken in a decoction internally and applied externally in poultice.
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In fact, what truly prevents Modi from taking the grand leap of his imagination — that is, remaking Gujarat into a kind of antiseptic global entrepôt, like Singapore and Dubai — is the ball-and-chain reality of the Indian landscape itself.
India’s New Face 2009
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In fact, what truly prevents Modi from taking the grand leap of his imagination — that is, remaking Gujarat into a kind of antiseptic global entrepôt, like Singapore and Dubai — is the ball-and-chain reality of the Indian landscape itself.
India’s New Face 2009
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African Americans, especially, have always used humor as a kind of antiseptic to heal past traumas that have seeped into the present.
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