tear gas
/ˈtɪɹ ɡæs/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.26 in modern English
8
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Any lachrymatory, non-lethal chemical compound that causes the eyes to sting and water and/or irritates the respiratory system, mostly used for controlling crowds during riots or as self-defense.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "The dispatches […] also exposed the blatant discrepancy between the west's professed values and actual foreign policies. Having lectured the Arab world about democracy for years, its collusion in suppressing freedom was undeniable as protesters were met by weaponry and tear gas made in the west, employed by a military trained by westerners."
- "The riot squad tear gassed the mob."
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈtɪɹ ɡæs/
- British English: /ˈtɪə ɡæs/