potash

plural potashes

1. countableuncountableThe water-soluble part of wood ash, used for making soap and glass and as a fertilizer (chemically speaking, an impure form of potassium carbonate (K₂CO₃) mixed with other potassium salts).
2. archaiccountableuncountablechemistryPotassium. Chiefly used in the names of compounds of the form "... of potash".

   permanganate of potash

   potassium permanganate

3. countableuncountableA class of potassium minerals, of similar applicability to potassium carbonate, such as being a fertilizer. (ie. potassium chloride, potassium hydroxide)

present singular third person potashes · participle present potashing · participle past potashed · past potashed

1. To treat with potassium.

   Gold ornaments are sand blasted or steel brushed nicely, then potashed,

   1915, Metal Finishing: Preparation, Electroplating, Coating

   3 more examples

   In order to ascertain the difference between the rapidity of pickling when the tin frames had been potashed and pickling without such treatment, two batches were used.

   1910, Platers' Guide: With which is Combined Brass World

   After removal from a worker bee they should be potashed in ten percent potassium hydroxide, washed, dehydrated, cleared, and mounted.

   1953, Nature Magazine, page 223

   For the extraction of the internal sclerites the aedeagus was potashed in cold saturated KOH solution for several hours and transferred to a vial of distilled water.

   2003, Senckenbergiana biologica, page 136

plural Potashes

1. A surname.