| amadou | A spongy, combustible substance, prepared from fungus (Boletus and Polyporus) which grows on old trees; German tinder; punk. It has been employed as a styptic by surgeons, but its common use is as tinder, for which purpose it is prepared by soaking it in a strong solution of niter. Origin: F. Amadou tinder, prop. Lure, bait, fr. Amadouer to allure, caress, perh. Fr. Icel. Mata to feed, which is akin to E. Meat. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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