Tin

Tin (?), n. [As. tin; akin to D. tin, G. zinn, OHG. zin, Icel. & Dan. tin, Sw. tenn; of unknown origin.] 1. (Chem.) An elementary substance found as an oxide in the mineral cassiterite, and reduced as a soft white crystalline metal, malleable at ordinary temperatures, but brittle when heated. It is not easily oxidized in the air, and is used chiefly to coat iron to protect it from rusting, in the form of tin foil with mercury to form the reflective surface of mirrors, and in solder, bronze, speculum metal, and other alloys. Its compounds are designated as stannous, or stannic. Symbol Sn (Stannum). Atomic weight 117.4.

2. Thin plates of iron covered with tin; tin plate.

3. Money. [Cant] Beaconsfield.

Block tin (Metal.), commercial tin, cast into blocks, and partially refined, but containing small quantities of various impurities, as copper, lead, iron, arsenic, etc.; solid tin as distinguished from tin plate; -- called also bar tin. -- Butter of tin. (Old Chem.) See Fuming liquor of Libavius, under Fuming. -- Grain tin. (Metal.) See under Grain. -- Salt of tin (Dyeing), stannous chloride, especially so called when used as a mordant. -- Stream tin. See under Stream. -- Tin cry (Chem.), the peculiar creaking noise made when a bar of tin is bent. It is produced by the grating of the crystal granules on each other. -- Tin foil, tin reduced to a thin leaf. -- Tin frame (Mining), a kind of buddle used in washing tin ore. -- Tin liquor, Tin mordant (Dyeing), stannous chloride, used as a mordant in dyeing and calico printing. -- Tin penny, a customary duty in England, formerly paid to tithingmen for liberty to dig in tin mines. [Obs.] Bailey. -- Tin plate, thin sheet iron coated with tin. -- Tin pyrites. See Stannite.

Tin (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tinned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Tinning.] To cover with tin or tinned iron, or to overlay with tin foil.