In 7 chimick, 8 chymick, 9 chemick. [f. prec.]

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  † 1.  trans. To transmute by or as by alchemy.

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1614.  W. B., Philosopher’s Banquet (ed. 2), A ij. They haue … Melted the earth, and Chimickt into gold.

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1720.  Welton, Suffer. Son of God, I. Pref. Chymick’d into a Strange Shape.

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  2.  Bleaching. To treat (cotton or linen) with solution of chloride of lime (see CHEMIC sb. 4). Hence Chemicking vbl. sb.

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1875.  Ure, Dict. Arts, I. 388. [Cotton cloth is] passed through chloride of lime, or chemicked. Ibid., 390. Directions [for bleaching linen] … 7. Wash well. 8. Chemick … 12. Chemick again.

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1884.  Times, 15 April, 8/4. The goods are submitted to the ‘chemicking’ process. Ibid. (1886), 26 Jan., 3. It [the cloth] then passes through the chemicking vat containing a solution of bleaching powder.

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