turpentine
C1Technical, Artistic, Industrial
Definition
Meaning
A volatile, flammable, strong-smelling oil distilled from pine resin, used primarily as a solvent and thinner for oil-based paints and varnishes.
Can refer to the crude oleoresin from pine trees before distillation; in older medical contexts, it was used as a topical counter-irritant or taken internally as a vermifuge.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Strongly associated with painting, woodworking, and industrial solvents. The smell is distinctive and often described as pungent or sharp. The name is also used for similar solvents derived from other conifers.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor orthographic preference for 'turpentine' as the universal term. 'Turps' as a colloquial short form is common in both, perhaps slightly more so in UK/Australian contexts.
Connotations
In both, it evokes DIY, painting, workshops, and artists' studios. In historical contexts, may recall unpleasant medical treatments.
Frequency
Low-frequency in general discourse, but common in specific domains like painting, wood finishing, and chemistry.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
thin [paint] with turpentineclean [brushes] in turpentinethe studio reeked of turpentineapply a turpentine-soaked clothVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms. The phrase 'spirits of turpentine' is a technical term, not an idiom.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in procurement for painting contractors or art supply manufacturers.
Academic
Used in chemistry (terpenes), art history (describing artists' materials), and industrial history.
Everyday
Almost exclusively in contexts involving painting, DIY, or cleaning paint brushes.
Technical
Common in paint and coating specifications, wood finishing manuals, and safety data sheets (SDS).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Rarely used as a verb. Archaic: 'to turpentine' meant to treat or saturate with turpentine.
American English
- Rarely used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not used as an adverb.
American English
- Not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The turpentine smell clung to his overalls.
- A turpentine-based cleaner.
American English
- The turpentine odor filled the garage.
- A turpentine solution.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We need turpentine to clean the paint brushes.
- The paint is thick; add a little turpentine.
- Always use turpentine in a well-ventilated room because the fumes are strong.
- After painting, she soaked the brushes in a jar of turpentine.
- Traditional oil painters often prefer gum turpentine over modern substitutes for its clarity and drying properties.
- The conservator carefully removed the old varnish using cotton swabs dipped in turpentine.
- The industrial synthesis of camphor begins with the fractional distillation of turpentine to isolate pinene.
- His studio was a familiar chaos of canvases, the air thick with the astringent scent of linseed oil and turpentine.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'TURPENTINE THINS PAINT' – both start with T and P.
Conceptual Metaphor
TURPENTINE IS A PURIFIER/CLEANSER (cleans brushes, strips old finishes).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'скипидар' (skippedar) which is the direct translation but carries a stronger, often unpleasant, medicinal association in Russian due to its historical use in folk remedies.
Common Mistakes
- Pronouncing it as 'turpen-teen'. Spelling it as 'turpantine' or 'terpentine'. Confusing it with 'mineral spirits' or 'white spirit', which are petroleum-based substitutes.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary modern use of turpentine?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Turpentine is distilled from pine tree resin, while white spirit (mineral spirits in the US) is a petroleum distillate. They are used for similar purposes but have different properties and smells.
It is flammable, and its vapors can be irritating to the eyes, skin, and respiratory system. It should be used with proper ventilation and skin protection, and stored away from heat sources.
Artists use it to thin oil paints, clean brushes and palettes, and create washes or underpaintings. It evaporates completely, leaving only the paint binder (oil) behind.
'Turps' is a common informal shortening of 'turpentine', used especially in Australia and the UK (e.g., 'pass the turps').