alkalescence (alkalesens)

[ cency. alkalescency (al-ka-les'en-si), n. A tendency to become alkaline; the quality of being slightly alkaline; the state of a substance in which alkaline properties begin to be developed or to be predominant. Ure. alkalescent (al-ka-les'ent), a. [ alkali (al'ka-li or -li), n.; pl. alkalis or alkalies (-liz or-liz). [ of various substances which have the following properties in common: solubility in water; the power of neutralizing acids and forming salts with them; the property of combining with fats to form soaps; corrosive action on animal and vegetable ti ue; the property of changing the tint of many vegetable coloring matters, as of litmus reddened by an acid to blue, or turmeric from yellow to brown. In its restricted and common sense the term is applied only to the hydrates of pota ium, sodium, lithium, cæsium, rubidium, and ammonium. In a more general sense it is applied to the hydrates of metals of the alkaline earths, barium, strontium, calcium, and magnesium, and to a large number of organic substances, both natural and artificial, described under alkaloid. Alkalis unite with saponifiable oils to form soap. Sometimes spelled alcali . Fixed alkalis, potash, soda, and lithia, in contra dist i net i on to ammonia , which is called volatile alkali . See am monia. alkali fer ous (al-ka-lif'e-rus), a. [ alkalifiable (al'ka-li-fi"a-bl), a. [ alkalify (al'ka-li-fi), v.; pret. and pp. alkalified, ppr. alkalifying. [ II. in trans. To become an alkali. alkali gen