From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
gas
n 1: the state of matter distinguished from the solid and liquid
states by: relatively low density and viscosity;
relatively great expansion and contraction with changes
in pressure and temperature; the ability to diffuse
readily; and the spontaneous tendency to become
distributed uniformly throughout any container
2: a fluid in the gaseous state having neither independent
shape nor volume and being able to expand indefinitely
3: a volatile flammable mixture of hydrocarbons (hexane and
heptane and octane etc.) derived from petroleum; used
mainly as a fuel in internal-combustion engines [syn:
gasoline, gasolene, petrol]
4: a state of excessive gas in the alimentary canal [syn:
flatulence, flatulency]
5: a pedal that controls the throttle valve; "he stepped on the
gas" [syn: accelerator, accelerator pedal, {gas
pedal}, throttle, gun]
6: a fossil fuel in the gaseous state; used for cooking and
heating homes [syn: natural gas]
v 1: attack with gas; subject to gas fumes; "The despot gassed
the rebellious tribes"
2: show off [syn: boast, tout, swash, shoot a line,
brag, blow, bluster, vaunt, gasconade]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Gas \Gas\ (g[a^]s), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gassed (g[a^]st); p.
pr. & vb. n. Gassing.]
1. (Textiles) To singe, as in a gas flame, so as to remove
loose fibers; as, to gas thread.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
2. To impregnate with gas; as, to gas lime with chlorine in
the manufacture of bleaching powder.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
3. to expose to a poisonous or noxious gas "The protest
threatened to become violent, and the police gassed the
demonstrators to force them to disperse."
[PJC]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Gas \Gas\ (g[a^]s), n.; pl. Gases (g[a^]s"[e^]z). [Invented by
the chemist Van Helmont of Brussels, who died in 1644.]
1. An a["e]riform fluid; -- a term used at first by chemists
as synonymous with air, but since restricted to fluids
supposed to be permanently elastic, as oxygen, hydrogen,
etc., in distinction from vapors, as steam, which become
liquid on a reduction of temperature. In present usage,
since all of the supposed permanent gases have been
liquified by cold and pressure, the term has resumed
nearly its original signification, and is applied to any
substance in the elastic or a["e]riform state.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Popular Usage)
(a) A complex mixture of gases, of which the most
important constituents are marsh gas, olefiant gas,
and hydrogen, artificially produced by the destructive
distillation of gas coal, or sometimes of peat, wood,
oil, resin, etc. It gives a brilliant light when
burned, and is the common gas used for illuminating
purposes.
(b) Laughing gas.
(c) Any irrespirable a["e]riform fluid.
[1913 Webster]
3. same as gasoline; -- a shortened form. Also, the
accelerator pedal of a motor vehicle; used in the term "
step on the gas".
[PJC]
4. the accelerator pedal of a motor vehicle; used in the term
" step on the gas".
[PJC]
5. Same as natural gas.
[PJC]
6. an exceptionally enjoyable event; a good time; as, The
concert was a gas. [slang]
[PJC]
Note: Gas is often used adjectively or in combination; as,
gas fitter or gasfitter; gas meter or gas-meter, etc.
[1913 Webster]
Air gas (Chem.), a kind of gas made by forcing air through
some volatile hydrocarbon, as the lighter petroleums. The
air is so saturated with combustible vapor as to be a
convenient illuminating and heating agent.
Gas battery (Elec.), a form of voltaic battery, in which
gases, especially hydrogen and oxygen, are the active
agents.
Gas carbon, Gas coke, etc. See under Carbon, Coke,
etc.
Gas coal, a bituminous or hydrogenous coal yielding a high
percentage of volatile matters, and therefore available
for the manufacture of illuminating gas. --R. W. Raymond.
Gas engine, an engine in which the motion of the piston is
produced by the combustion or sudden production or
expansion of gas; -- especially, an engine in which an
explosive mixture of gas and air is forced into the
working cylinder and ignited there by a gas flame or an
electric spark.
[1913 Webster]
From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (19 Sep 2003) [foldoc]:
gas
GNU assembler
From Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) [jargon]:
gas
[as in `gas chamber']
1. interj. A term of disgust and hatred, implying that gas should be
dispensed in generous quantities, thereby exterminating the source of
irritation. "Some loser just reloaded the system for no reason! Gas!"
2. interj. A suggestion that someone or something ought to be flushed
out of mercy. "The system's getting wedged every few minutes. Gas!"
3. vt. To flush (sense 1). "You should gas that old crufty
software."
4. [IBM] n. Dead space in nonsequentially organized files that was
occupied by data that has since been deleted; the compression
operation that removes it is called degassing (by analogy, perhaps,
with the use of the same term in vacuum technology).
5. [IBM] n. Empty space on a disk that has been clandestinely
allocated against future need.