Blood

Description

The fluid which circulates through the heart, arteries, veins and capillaries of vertebrates. Blood contains plasma, blood cells, and platelets. It transports oxygen and nutrients to the bodies tissues and carries away waste substances. Because blood coagulates and becomes insoluble when exposed to air, it has been used as an adhesive (see glue blood glue) and paint binder since ancient times. Dried animal blood has also been used for fertilizers and as a nutrient.

Synonyms and Related Terms

sangre (Esp.); sang (Fr.); sangue (It)

Authority

• Richard S. Lewis, Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993

• Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia, Douglas M. Considine (ed.), Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1976

• Random House, Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998