Recent Examples on the WebLike, laundry-soaked-in-lye-soap-and-beaten-over-river-rocks-and-cranked-through-a-wringer-daily-for-several-years worn down. Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2022 One baker rolled out the dough, made from cake flour, lye water, oil and golden syrup, then broke off pieces. Momo Chang, San Francisco Chronicle, 31 Aug. 2022 Last year, a hacker broke into the network of a water-treatment plant in Oldsmar, Fla., and changed a setting to increase the amount of lye in the water to a dangerous level. Catherine Stupp, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 The Northwestern scientists added PFAS molecules to a solution of lye and dimethyl sulfoxide and exposed them to temperatures of up to 248 degrees Fahrenheit. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 18 Aug. 2022 Several searches turned up human teeth, a meat grinder, a knife and 26 bottles of lye, which can be used to accelerate the breakdown of bodily tissue, according to court documents. Stephanie Pagones, Fox News, 30 July 2022 Here a workman lifts a drum from a boiling lye solution which has cleaned from it grease and dust particles, Parks’ original caption for the image which provides much more information and context about the dangerous, toxic nature of the work. Chadd Scott, Forbes, 8 June 2022 Sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda or lye, is one of the chemicals to be stored at the location. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 May 2022 Pretzels get their sheen and distinct texture from being dipped in a mild lye solution before being baked. The Conversation, oregonlive, 26 Apr. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Old English lēag; akin to Old High German louga lye, Latin lavare, lavere to wash, Greek louein
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of lye was before the 12th century