a. Obs. [f. TARTAR sb.1 + -OUS; = F. tartareux.]
1. Of the nature of, consisting of, or containing tartar or argol.
1655–87. H. More, App. Antid. (1712), 215. The tartarous parts of Wine, that are driven outward to the sides of the vessel.
1658. R. White, trans. Digby’s Powd. Symp. (1660), 81. Tartarous lees, which fall to the bottom.
1710. T. Fuller, Pharm. Extemp., 214. By reason of a delicate Tartarous Acidity.
1768. Woman of Honor, II. 196. A jollitry, raised by a wretched tartarous wine.
2. Path. Said of indurations, inspissated fluids, phlegms, etc., attributed to the presence of tartar in the body. (Much employed in 17th and early 18th centuries by the followers of Paracelsus.)
1605. Timme, Quersit., I. xiii. 64. The oile of pepper doth attenuat … and cut tartarus matters in the body.
1657. Physical Dict., Tartarous matter, congealed hard substances of an acrimonious sharp nature…, being coagulated in the joynts, it’s the principal cause of the gout.
1718. Quincy, Compl. Disp., 123. In Tubercles and Tartarous Indurations of the Lungs.
1744. Berkeley, Siris, § 86. The asperity of tartarous salts, and the fiery acrimony of alkaline salts irritating and wounding the nerves, produce nascent passions and anxieties in the soul.
3. fig. Having elements of acerbity, unrefined, rough. rare. (? with play on TARTAR sb.2)
1601. B. Jonson, Poetaster, V. i. I iudge him of a rectified spirit,… refin’d From all the tartarous moodes of common men.
4. In early Chemistry: a. Of the appearance, consistency, or supposed character of tartar or argol.
1707. Curios. in Husb. & Gard., 66. Air … contains some … tartarous and metallick Parts. Ibid., 327. When the Fern was burnt, it was between dry and wet: thus the Salt was as it were Tartarous and Substantial.
b. Of the nature of or derived from tartar; tartarous acid, an earlier name of TARTARIC acid.
1790. Tartarous acid [see TARTRITE].
1794. G. Adams, Nat. & Exp. Philos., I. xii. 502. Obtained by distillation … from tartar, from all tartarous salts.
1812. Sir H. Davy, Chem. Philos., 121. The tartarous acid is entirely separated from lime, and the oxalic acid from oxide of lead, by quantities of sulphuric acid, merely sufficient to saturate the two bases.
Hence † Tartarousness, tartarous quality, acerbity. Obs.
1657. R. Ligon, Barbadoes, Index 84 a. The salt and tartarousnesse of this Temper, causes it to turn, as Milk does, when any soure or sharp liquor is put into it.
