cosmoline

cosmoline

English

Etymology

Probably from cosmetic + Latin oleum (“oil”).

Noun

cosmoline (plural cosmolines)

1. (chemistry) A substance obtained from the residues of the distillation of petroleum, essentially the same as vaseline, but of somewhat stiffer consistency, and consisting of a mixture of the higher paraffins.

Verb

cosmoline (third-person singular simple present cosmolines, present participle cosmolining, simple past and past participle cosmolined)

1. To coat with cosmoline.
   • 1930, The R.O.T.C. Manual, Infantry: 1st-2nd year advanced, page 178:

     With the Model 1917 tripod, the pintle should be removed from the socket from time to time, wiped clean and lightly oiled or cosmolined where there is friction between it and the socket.

   • 1946, United States. Congress. Joint Committee on the Investigation of the Pearl Harbor Attack, Pearl Harbor Attack: Hearings, Seventy-ninth Congress:

     Now, as I understand it you testified that that would lead to the inference that they did not fear an attack and you said that they had the guns themselves there on the ships but they were cosmolined and could not fire.

   • 1966, Ulysses Lee, The Employment of Negro Troops, →ISBN, page 654:

     Its howitzers were turned in to "ordnance and to cosmoline" on the next day, for the war in Europe was ending.

   • 2003, John Rich, My Awakening, →ISBN:

     It told in English and German, how an American Ordinance worked, such as receiving the items, giving them numbers, assigning the storage locations, cleaning and cosmolining or applying grease to them.

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