a. [ad. mod.L. ūrīnōs-us (whence It. and Pg. urinoso, It. and Sp. orinoso), f. L. ūrīna URINE sb.1 Cf. prec., F. urineux (1611), and the earlier MERDURINOUS a.]
1. Possessing or partaking of the essential properties of urine.
In frequent use from c. 1670 to c. 1700.
1644. G. Plattes, in Hartlib’s Legacy (1655), 217. 1. Nitrous Salt, 2. Urinous Salt, in which are comprehended, 3. all Dungs, Horns, Shreads, and the like.
1663. Boyle, Usef. Exp. Nat. Philos., II. 200. What an Acid Menstruum dissolves, an Alcalizate, or an Urinous will precipitate. Ibid., 201. Volatile and Urinous Spirits, as Spirits of Urine it self.
1698. W. King, trans. Sorbière’s Journ. Lond., 33. As Meat rots, it becomes more Urinous and Salt.
1708. J. Keill, Anim. Secretion, 74. Lime does strongly attract Urinous Salts.
1763. W. Lewis, Comm. Phil.-Techn., 95. A mixture of the vitriolic acid with the same urinous spirit.
1819. Rees’ Cycl., XXXVII. s.v., Urinous Salts are the same with what we otherwise call alkaline salts, or alkalies.
b. Characteristic or suggestive of that of urine.
In frequent use from c. 1800.
1670. H. Stubbe, Plus Ultra, 135. The former in that mixture lost its urinous smell.
1677. Plot, Oxfordsh., 38. A salt of a urinous tast.
1742. Lond. & Country Brew., III. (ed. 2), 235. It will certainly give the Beer … an urinous Taste.
1758. Ann. Reg., Extraord. Adv., 280/2. A urinous volatile effluvia came from the prison.
1786. Phil. Trans., LXXVI. 136. An exceeding sharp urinous smell.
1813. J. Thomson, Lect. Inflam., 355. The urinous smell of the perspiration.
1837. Whittock, Bk. Trades (1842), 179. Soap … would give the liquor a ‘urinous’ taste.
1863. W. O. Markham, trans. Anal. Urine, etc. 291. The ‘urinous-odour’ (as it is called) of patients, depending chiefly upon the presence of this salt.
c. Obtained or derived from urine. rare–1.
1663. Boyle, Usef. Exp. Nat. Philos., II. v. vii. 180. By tempering the Urinous extract with a convenient quantity of good Wood Ashes.
2. Of fluids, etc.: Of the nature of urine.
1669. W. Simpson, Hydrol. Chym., 74. Which should separate from the blood an urinous latex.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Urine, The serous or urinous Parts [are there] secreted [from the blood].
1753. N. Torriano, Midwifry, 22. Which second Evacuation some have supposed … to have been urinous.
1788. trans. Swedenborg’s Wisd. Angels, § 341. Excrementitious and stercoraceous, rancid and urinous matters.
1847–9. Todd’s Cycl. Anat., IV. 462/1. A urinous fluid was passed off from the stomach by vomiting.
1850. Mayne, Expos. Lex., Uridrosis,… urinous sweat.
1876. W. Roberts, Urin. & Renal Dis., III. viii. (ed. 3), 487. Sometimes the organic urinous matters only exist in traces.
3. Marked by the presence or prevalence of urine.
1783. trans. Swedenborg’s Wisd. Angels, § 341. Wherefore those Hells have their Names from thence, and some are called … stercoraceous, some urinous, and so on.
1851. S. Noble, trans. Swedenborg’s Heaven & Hell, § 488. Those who have applied divine truths to promote their own loves,… love urinous substances and places.
Hence Urinousness, ‘urinous quality.’
1727. Bailey (vol. II.).
