Chemical Processing Terms

verb to dry out thoroughly; remove the moisture from

• The arid climate caused the plant to desiccate and wither away.
• Leaving your skin out in the sun too long can desiccate it.
• If you don't water your plants, they'll totally desiccate.
• The lack of creativity in his writing seemed to desiccate his once vibrant imagination.

verb to make pregnant; to fertilize an egg

• The scientist was able to impregnate the egg with the sperm in the lab.
• Did you hear that John accidentally impregnated his girlfriend?
• I can't believe he impregnated her after just one night!
• The artist's work seemed to impregnate the viewer with a sense of wonder.

adjective stubborn or unmanageable, resistant to treatment or control

• The patient's condition was refractory to the standard treatment options.
• No matter what we tried, the stain on the carpet was refractory to all cleaning products.
• I can't believe how refractory my computer is acting today, it won't even turn on!
• Her refractory attitude towards change made it difficult for the team to implement new ideas.

noun A material used to absorb energy from a moving object, especially in spacecraft during reentry into the atmosphere.

• The spacecraft's heat shield is designed to act as an ablator, protecting it from the intense heat of reentry.
• The ablator on the rocket helps prevent it from getting too hot during launch.
• Make sure the ablator is in good condition before takeoff, or we could be in trouble.
• In a stressful situation, she acted as an emotional ablator, shielding her friends from the negativity around them.