gassy

English

WOTD – 9 February 2019

Etymology

A gassy (sense 1.1) glass of raspberry soda

gas + -y. Doublet of chaotic.

Pronunciation

Adjective

gassy (comparative gassier, superlative gassiest)

  1. Having the nature of, or containing, gas.
    Synonyms: gaseous, (one sense) gasiferous, gaslike
    • 1889, J. W. Robertson, “Cheese-making for Beginners”, in Annual Report of the Department of Agriculture for the Province of Ontario, 1888. [], Toronto, Ont.: Printed by Warwick & Sons, [], →OCLC, page 55:
      In gassy curds, the condition that promotes the generation of gas, is opposed to the condition that favors the development of acid, and vice versa. Therefore, I believe the secret of making good cheese from gassy curds is to promote the development of lactic acid.
    • 1929 May, L[ee] C[lyde] Ilsley, Safeguarding Electrical Equipment Used in Gassy Mines: European Practice: II – Belgium (Information Circular (Department of Commerce, Bureau of Mines); 6135), Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, →OCLC, page 3:
      In gassy and slightly gassy mines, approved electrical equipment has been allowed. In mines subject to instantaneous outbursts of gas, no electrical apparatus has been permitted.
    • 1978, J. E. Matta, J. C. LaScola, Fred N. Kissel, “Methane Concentration above the Stored Pile”, in Methane Emissions from Gassy Coals in Storage Silos (Report of Investigations; 8269), Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, →OCLC, page 9:
      Prior to this investigation, it was thought that there might be a correlation between the coal gassiness and the average methane concentration above the coal surface. Higher methane concentrations might be observed for gassier coals. However, figure 5 shows no obvious correlation, probably because the gassier coals were stored in open-top silos where better air circulation reduces the methane concentration.
    • 1993, “Chapter XVII—Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Department of Labor (Continued)”, in Code of Federal Regulations: [Title] 29: Labor: Part 1926: Revised as of July 1, 1993: [], Washington, D.C.: Published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration []; U.S. Government Printing Office, →OCLC, subtitle B (Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued)), page 603, column 2:
      Underground construction operations shall be classified as gassy if: [] (iii) The underground construction operation is both connected to an underground work area which is currently classified as gassy and is also subject to a continuous course of air containing the flammable gas concentration.
    1. (specifically, of a beverage) Containing dissolved gas (usually carbon dioxide); fizzy.
      Synonyms: bubbly, (if the gas is carbon dioxide) carbonated, effervescent, sparkling; see also Thesaurus:effervescent
      Antonyms: flat, noncarbonated, (if the gas is carbon dioxide) uncarbonated, ungassy; see also Thesaurus:noneffervescent
      • 2009, Leonard Sweet, chapter 9, in So Beautiful: Divine Design for Life and the Church, Colorado Springs, Colo.: David C. Cook, →ISBN, part 1 (The Missional Life: God’s “Go”), page 67:
        USAmericans just couldn't bring themselves to order "gassy" drinks. But once the buzz changed from "gassy" to "sparkling," the biz hit the jackpot. Now even Coke wants to be known for not for selling "carbonated beverages," but "sparkling beverages."
    2. (specifically, of a person) Tending to burp; burpy.
      • 1999, Christopher Brookmyre, One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night, London: Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN; 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Grove Press, 2003, →ISBN:
        The Renault burst effortlessly through what turned out to be an anorexic privet, and immediately encountered something more substantial in the form of an astonished and transfixed Cheviot. McGregor heard a gassy – groan half-baa and half-burp – as the sheep was bounced into the air, the Renault bludgeoning onwards beneath.
      • 2003, William Arnold, Scott Auden, Lint! The Musical: A Musical in Two Acts, Cedar Rapids, Ia.: Heuer Publishing, →ISBN, act I, page 15:
        SONG #5: VILLAIN SONG [] THEY LOVE ME 'CAUSE I'M NASTY. / I'M BAD AS I CAN BE. / I'M MEAN, OBSCENE, AND (Burp.) GASSY, / BUT THEY ALL STILL LOVE ME.
      • 2003, Robert Needlman, “Comforting”, in Dr Spock’s Baby Basics, New York, N.Y.: Pocket Books, →ISBN, pages 191–192:
        If your baby seems gassy (which he might show by habitually fussing after meals and being relieved partially by a big burp), one cause might be swallowed air.
    3. (specifically, of a person) Tending to release flatus; flatulent.
      Synonyms: farty, flatulent
      • 2005, Larry A. Glanz, “Introduction”, in The Ultimate Book of Bathroom Etiquette and Humor, [Bloomington, Ind.]: Xlibris, →ISBN, page 19:
        [] Always go to the bathroom when feeling gassy and bloated, and never break wind in any public situation, especially not on hot dates!
      • 2010 September 2, Gary L. Tucker, “I’m Feelin’ Kinda Gassy”, in I’m Feelin’ Kinda Gassy: Fun Poetic Short Stories, [Bloomington, Ind.]: Trafford Publishing, published 8 November 2011, →ISBN, page 3:
        I could feel the pressure building but there was just no shielding / There were small explosions; hope nobody heard them / Followed by aroma; I tried to hold it in / I tried to hold it in but here we go again // Pass me the Gas-Free 'cause I'm feelin' kinda gassy / It may not be classy when I'm feelin' quite so raspy / Don't think I'm being passé when I say we all get gassy / So pass me the Gas-Free 'cause I'm feelin' kinda gassy
  2. (of food or drink) Tending to cause flatulence.
    Synonym: farty
    Beans are a gassy food.
    • 2013, Stan[ley A.] Cohen, “Breastfeeding is Almost as Simple as It Looks”, in What to Feed Your Baby: Cost-conscious Nutrition for your Infant, Lanham, Md.: Rowman 7 Littlefield Publishers, →ISBN, page 32:
      If your baby is colicky, and you are breastfeeding, sometimes you can relieve some of the baby's irritability by restricting your diet. Gassy foods, particularly gas-producing vegetables (such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms), and gassy drinks (sodas, beer, and champagne) upset many babies, so consider eliminating those first.
  3. (figuratively, informal) Tending to be long-winded or wordy, especially in a boastful and vain manner.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:verbose
    Antonyms: see Thesaurus:taciturn
    • 1873, David P[arshall] Mapes, “My Speech at the Pioneer Festival”, in History of the City of Ripon, and of Its Founder, David P. Mapes, with His Opinion of Men and Manners of the Day, Milwaukee, Wis.: Cramer, Aikens & Cramer, publishers and printers, →OCLC, page 150:
      [H]e went home [] and told them about his trip; how at Ripon he saw the gassiest man he had ever seen; an old steamboat captain by the name of Mapes; how I told him where we were going to have colleges, mills, stores, etc., [] the last time I saw him before he died he told me that he had seen all my gassy story carried out, and more too.
    • 1878, John Donkey [pseudonym; Thomas Dunn English], “[Gassy Congressmen]”, in Gasology: A Satire, Philadelphia, Pa.: John Donkey & Co., →OCLC, page 27:
      Oh, that we had gasometers to test, / What presidential candidate is best, / I mean the gassiest; for by such assay, / We might elect him in the shortest way, []

Derived terms

Translations

This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.