fixed ah-
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
An old name of carbonic acid gas, given to it by Dr. Joseph Black (1728-99) because it existed in carbonate of magnesia in a fixed state.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “fixed ah-” mean?
An old name of carbonic acid gas, given to it by Dr. Joseph Black (1728-99) because it existed in carbonate of magnesia in a fixed state.
Is “fixed ah-” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.