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limelight |
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limelight: see calcium oxide calcium oxide, chemical compound, CaO, a colorless, cubic crystalline or white amorphous substance. It is also called lime, quicklime, or caustic lime, but commercial lime often contains impurities, e.g., silica, iron, alumina, and magnesia. ..... Click the link for more information. . limelightEarly form of theatrical lighting. The incandescent calcium light invented by Thomas Drummond in 1816 was first employed in a theatre in 1837 and was widely used by the 1860s. Its soft, brilliant light enabled it to be focused for spotlighting and to create effects such as sunlight and moonlight. The expression “in the limelight” referred to the most desirable acting area on the stage, the front and centre, which was illuminated by limelights. Electric lighting replaced limelight in the late 19th century. limelight a. a type of lamp, formerly used in stage lighting, in which light is produced by heating lime to white heat b. brilliant white light produced in this way limelight [′līm‚līt] (engineering) A light source once used in spotlights; it consisted of a block of lime heated to incandescence by means of an oxyhydrogen flame torch. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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We can only assume that extreme care was taken to keep the limelights perfectly dry, because when calcium oxide comes into contact with even the slightest amount of moisture, it rapidly heats, bubbles and releases a large amount of high-temperature steam. |
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