leadish

English

Alternative forms

• ledish (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English ledissh, ledisch, equivalent to lead +‎ -ish.

Adjective

leadish (comparative more leadish, superlative most leadish)

1. (rare) Resembling or containing lead (the metal)
   • 1696, Gideon Harvey, A Treatise of the Small-pox and Measles, page 93:

     Those that are pale, signify feebleness of the spirits; those that are deep red, and inflamed, are worse; greenish, worse; violet or leadish, worse and worse; the black, worst of all.

   • 1755, James Hernandez, A philosophical and practical essay on the gold and silver mines of Mexico and Peru, page 28:

     The rich Ore is refined by melting in the Guayras, as having the most Lead, which causes it to run; and the Indians, to make it melt the better, put into the Furnace what they call Soroche, being a very Leadish Ore.

   • 1822, The New Monthly, volume 6, page 406:

     The upper part of the tail is about seven feet, and lower about three feet; the skin is of a leadish colour, and will sharpen a knife like a stone.

   • 1998, Journal of Ichthyology - Volume 38, Issues 5-9, page 548:

     In living fish, there is a long, weakly defined stripe of leadish color, three-quarters of the eye diameter, which continues along the body at the level of the upper part of the eyes

   • 2006, Nicholas Shakespeare, “Introduction”, in Bruce Chatwin, editor, In Patagonia:

     He spoke shortly after proposing a champagne toast to 'La Patagonie et L'Araucanie libre!' surrounded by his court in exile, amongst whom In Patagonia had gone down like a leadish balloon.

Anagrams

• halides, shailed