Forms: 7 chymistrie, chimistry, 7–9 chymistry, 8– chemistry. [Of English formation: in 17th c. chymistrie, f. chymist (CHEMIST) + -RY, ‘the art or practice of the chemist’; at first probably contemptuous, cf. palmistry, sophistry, casuistry, etc. For modern spelling, see CHEMIC.]
† 1. = ALCHEMY. Obs.
1605. Timme, Quersit., I. i. 3. Those phylosophers which have written of chymistrie.
1652. Gaule, Magastrom., 360. A certain professor of Chymistry, (which is a kinde of præstigious, covetous, cheating Magick) would shew hands and feet of gold, [etc.].
1658–9. T. Wall, Charac. Enemies Ch., 27. The sinful sons of Adam … by a piece of the divel’s Chymistry, turn their necessity into delight, and make their curse their blessing.
1788. Gibbon, Decl. & F., lii. V. 429. The most eager search of Arabian chemistry was the transmutation of metals, and the elixir of immortal health.
† 2. The practice of medicine after the ‘Chemical’ or Paracelsian, as opposed to the ‘Galenical,’ method. Obs.
1674. R. Godfrey, Inj. & Ab. Physic, 171. Perverse I say, for such as Purge and Vomit I can assure you deserve no better Name, and no little defame Chymistry.
1711. F. Fuller, Med. Gymn., 85. The great Plenty of generous Medicines, which Chymistry affords us.
3. That branch of physical science and research, which deals with the several elementary substances, or forms of matter, of which all bodies are composed, the laws that regulate the combination of these elements in the formation of compound bodies, and the various phenomena that accompany their exposure to diverse physical conditions.
Chemistry is thus at once a science and an art; the latter, called applied or practical chemistry, is that referred to by the earlier authors and explained in early dictionaries.
a. as an art or process.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., II. i. This by the art of Chymistry is separable unto the operations whereof it is lyable.
1696. Phillips, Chymistry, is an Art that performs its Operations upon all natural Bodies.
1721–1800. Bailey, Chymistry, is the Anatomy of natural Bodies by Fire.
1755. Johnson, Chymistry, an art whereby sensible bodies contained in vessels … are so changed, by means of certain instruments, and principally fire, that their several powers and virtues are thereby discovered, with a view to philosophy or medicine.
1800. trans. Lagrange’s Chem., I. 158. It may be employed … in the arts, in chemistry, or in medicine.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, Relig., Wks. (Bohn), II. 96. The full heat of the Christianity which fermented Europe, and drew, like the chemistry of fire, a firm line between barbarism and culture.
(b) said of natural chemical processes.
1714. Mandeville, Fab. Bees (1729), II. 237. We make Use of Fermentation, and all the Chymistry of Nature, without thinking ourselves beholden to any thing, but our own Knowledge.
1796. Burke, Corr. (1844), IV. 386. The cold-blooded reptile race, whose poison is exalted by the chemistry of their icy complexion.
1876. J. Norris, Rudim. Theol., i. 10. Plants by their curious chemistry preparing … food.
b. as a science.
This has many subdivisions: Inorganic chemistry is that portion of the science which treats of inorganic bodies; Organic chemistry treats of the substances found only in organic structures; Agricultural chemistry is that portion of chemistry which bears upon agriculture.
1788. Priestley, Lect. Hist., V. xxxvi. 265. Application to medicine, chymistry, and natural philosophy.
1794. R. J. Sulivan, View Nat., II. 70. That the end of chymistry … was to discover and to be informed of the nature of bodies, and their action one upon another.
1799. Med. Jrnl., I. 109. These memoirs [Lamarck’s] exhibit a new theory of chemistry.
1813. Sir H. Davy, Agric. Chem., i. (1814), 4. Agricultural Chemistry has for its objects all those changes in the arrangements of matter connected with the growth … of plants.
1844. Emerson, New Eng. Reformers, Wks. (Bohn), I. 261. Better than volumes of chemistry.
1851. Helps, Comp. Solit., xiii. (1874), 237. The fact made known to us by chymistry.
1877. Thorpe, Inorg. Chem., 19. Organic Chemistry is to-day defined to be that portion of the science which treats of … the carbon compounds.
4. fig. (Referring to the results attributed to alchemy or chemical action.)
a. 1600. Q. Eliz., in Hume, Hist. Eng. (1806), III. xl. 366. If the furnace of affliction produced such good effects, she should ever after have the better opinion of her chemistry.
1656. Artif. Handsomeness, 18. How … can [you] by the Chimistry of your wits extract from these places any drop or quintessence of a morall command?
1827. Pollok, Course T., III. With infernal chemistry to wring The last sweet drop from sorrow’s cup of gall.
1847. Emerson, Repr. Men, Swedenborg, Wks. (Bohn), I. 325. The world has a sure chemistry, by which it extracts what is excellent in its children.
1876. Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., II. xxviii. 210. We mortals have a strange, spiritual chemistry going on within us.
