a. and sb. [f. ALKALI, as if ad. L. *alkalēscent-em, pr. pple. of an inceptive *alkalēscĕre, analogous to acēscĕre to become sour, etc. Cf. mod. Fr. alcalescent.]
A. adj. Becoming or tending to become alkaline; of a character incipiently or slightly alkaline.
1732. Arbuthnot, Rules of Diet, 255. All Animal Diet is Antiacid or Alkalescent.
1756. C. Lucas, Ess. Waters, I. 186. Medicines which are chiefly alcaline or alcalescent.
1821. Shelley, Lett. (1852), II. 259. Nothing but alcalescent water.
B. sb. An alkalescent substance.
1750. Pringle, in Phil. Trans., XLVI. 555. Carrots, Turneps, Garlick … and Colewort, were tried (as Alcalescents).
