brimstone

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   An old name for the element sulfur.

   The old chemistry text still referred to sulfur as brimstone.

2. 2
   noun

   The fire and sulfur of hell; damnation.

   The preacher warned of fire and brimstone for those who sinned.

Simplified etymology

Brimstone is an Old English name for sulphur and literally means “burning stone.” Its association with burning sulphur underlies the traditional phrase fire and brimstone for the torments of hell.

From Middle English brymston, brimston, bremston, forms of brinston, brenston, bernston, from Old English brynstān (“brimstone”, literally “burn-stone”), equivalent to brian + stone, or burn + stone. Cognate with Scots brunstane (“brimstone”), Icelandic brennisteinn (“sulfur / sulphur, brimstone”), German Bernstein (“amber”). Compare also brimfire. More at burn, stone. Although once a synonym for sulfur, the word is now largely restricted to poetic and Biblical usage.

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External links

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