Rupert's drop
English
Some Prince Rupert's drops.
Etymology
Named after Prince Rupert of the Rhine, nephew of Charles I, who brought them to England in 1660.
Noun
Rupert's drop (plural Rupert's drops)
- A glass bead created by dripping molten glass into cold water so it solidifies into a tadpole with a very tough head but a long fragile tail which, if damaged, causes the bead to disintegrate explosively.
Synonyms
- Prince Rupert's drop
- Prince Rupert's tear, Rupert's tear
- glass tear
- Dutch tear
Further reading
- Rupert's drop in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913