Historical Dictionary of Renaissance

ALCHEMY

Alchemy: translation

Science (or pseudoscience) that studied the transformation of physical substances from one nature to another and attempted to discover, regularize, and apply the relationships and procedures discovered through observation and experimentation to perform useful works, not only the transmutation of base metals into gold but also the production of chemical medicines. In a general way, it was a precursor of modern chemistry, and until at least the 18th century the distinction between genuine chemical reactions and alchemical transmutations was vague.
Alchemy was known in ancient times, often linked with jewellers and metallurgists; it passed from the ancients to medieval Arabic natural philosophers and from them, along with other Arabic science, to Christian scholars.Its theoretical foundation was belief in a hierarchical organization of the universe, a theory that seemed to support the idea that the material nature of one substance could be transformed into a different substance through some sort of manipulation. The whole field was given credibility by the vaguelyPlatonicidea that the entire universe, inorganic as well as organic, is alive.
Sometimes alchemists sought to apply spiritual forces (angelic or demonic) to facilitate their work, and in that case they were practicing something very close towitchcraft. Alchemists observedastrologicalsigns and sought to carry out their work when the influences of the stars would favor their goal. The desire for gold and other precious substances (such as gemstones) explains why individuals, even rulers, sometimes granted subsidies to alchemists who promised to increase their wealth.
Although making gold from base metals was the most common goal of alchemists, others sought to produce the "philosopher's stone," which supposedly had the power to heal disease, to prolong life, and to "perfect" metals. Similar medical and material advantage was believed to result from operations that produced the "quintessence" or fifth element. This fifth element was thought to possess great powers, including the power to cure disease and prolong life. Almost always, chemical learning was occult—that is, kept secret— and the alchemist normally claimed to have secret information that would ensure the success of his experiments even though others had failed. A particularly influential practitioner of alchemy was the unconventional physicianParacelsus.

  1. alchemy—мед.сущ. алхимия Англорусский медицинский словарь....Англо-русский медицинский словарь
  2. alchemy—алхмя...Analytical Chemistry (Eng-Ukr)
  3. alchemy—Alchemy translation Alchemy The art of transmuting baser metals into gold and silver dd Catholic Encyclopedia.Kevin Knight Alchemy Alchemy Catholic_Encyclopediau Alc...Catholic encyclopedia
  4. alchemy—Alchemy translationThe science and chemistry of the Middle Ages popularly known for the search for a means of turning base metal into gold and also for an elixir of life....Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases
  5. alchemy—alchemy translationSynonyms and related wordsaboutface assimilation assumption becoming bewitchery change changeover charm conversion divination enchantment fetishism fli...Moby Thesaurus
  6. alchemy—alchemy translationThe medieval combination of chemistry philosophy and secret lore aimed at transmuting base metals into gold by means of the philosophers stone and disc...Philosophy dictionary
  7. alchemy—[lkm]алхимия...Англо-русский большой универсальный переводческий словарь
  8. alchemy—алхимия...Англо-русский научно-технический словарь
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  11. alchemy—n алхимия...Англо-русский словарь Лингвистика-98
  12. alchemy—alchemy [lkm] nu алхимия...Англо-русский словарь Мюллера
  13. alchemy—сущ. алхимия...Англо-русский словарь общей лексики
  14. alchemy—n алхимия подтасовка результатов выборов голосования и т.п....Англо-русский словарь политической терминологии
  15. alchemy—n. алхимия...Англо-русский словарь редакция bed
  16. alchemy—алхимия...Англо-русский технический словарь
  17. alchemy—n...Англо-украинский словарь
  18. alchemy—алхмя...Англо-український словник
  19. alchemy—n алхмя....Англо-український словник Балла М.І.
  20. alchemy—[lkm] n. алхимия. магическая сила превращения возрождения и т. п.the alchemy of spring колдовство весны весеннее пробуждение природы...Новый большой англо-русский словарь
  21. alchemy—alchemy [lkm] ni . алхимия . магическая сила превращения возрождения и т. п.i the of spring колдовство весны весеннее пробуждение природы...Новый большой англо-русский словарь II
  22. alchemy—lkm n . алхимия . магическая сила превращения возрождения и т. п. the of spring колдовство весны весеннее пробуждение природы...Новый большой англо-русский словарь под общим руководством акад. Ю.Д. Апресяна