Nota: La traducción de esta entrada está actualmente en revisión de calidad, por lo que parte del contenido se muestra temporalmente solo en inglés.
Esta entrada aún no se ha traducido a tu idioma, así que se muestra el original a continuación.
lye
Lye is a highly caustic chemical substance, and its usage in a sentence typically carries a connotation of danger or industrial potency. In a domestic context, it is most frequently associated with traditional soapmaking or the heavy-duty cleaning of drains, where its ability to dissolve organic matter is the primary focus.
Because it is a chemical solution, it is treated as a mass noun. It does not have a plural form in standard usage, as one does not refer to multiple "lyes" unless discussing different chemical compositions of the substance in a technical laboratory setting.
Meanings
Examples
Be careful not to get any lye on your skin because it causes severe chemical burns.
The traditional recipe for soap requires a precise mixture of fats and lye.
I need to buy some lye to clear the clog in the kitchen drain.
Pretzel dough is dipped in a lye solution to give it that characteristic brown crust.
They used to make lye by leaching water through wood ashes in a large barrel.
Wear protective goggles when handling lye to avoid splashes in your eyes.
Is this lye concentrated or has it already been diluted with water?
The chemist carefully added the lye to the beaker to neutralize the acid.