gas

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /gæs/

• Audio (US)

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Noun

Singular gas

Plural gases or gasses

1. (uncountable) A gas is a substance, such as air, that is not liquid or solid.
   • Synonyms: vapour and vapor

   The sun is a giant ball of gas.

   The carbon dioxide gas in Coke and other soft drinks gives them their bubbles.

   The workers appear to have been killed by a poisonous gas.

2. (uncountable) Gas is a substance such as methane, ethane, propane, or butane that is burned for heat or to make electricity.
   • Synonym: petrol

   Our house has gas-fired central heating.

   In the winter, we pay more for gas and electricity.

   Alberta's economy is based largely on oil and gas.

3. (uncountable) In North America, gas is short for gasoline, a liquid that is used by cars.
   • Synonyms: petrol and petroleum

   A small car like mine holds about 40 litres of gas.

4. (uncountable) In North America, the gas is the gas pedal (accelerator) in a car or truck.

   We're in a hurry, so hit the gas.

5. (uncountable) In North America, if you have gas, you have the need to fart or burp a lot.

Related words

• greenhouse gas
• natural gas
• gas station
• laughing gas

Verb

Plain form gas

Third-person singular gases

Past tense gassed

Past participle gassed

Present participle gassing

Plain form gas

Third-person singular gasses

Past tense gassed

Past participle gassed

Present participle gassing

1. (transitive) If you gas a person or animal, you poison it or put it to sleep with gas.

   The mice were gassed and then cut open to examine any changes.

   My friend was gassed at the dentist before getting his tooth pulled.

2. (transitive) If you gas up a vehicle, you put fuel in it.

   As soon as the planes land, we gas them up and they're ready to go again.