hartshorn

From hart +‎ -s- +‎ horn.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈhɑːtshɔːn/

hartshorn (plural hartshorns)

1. The antler of a hart, once used as a source of ammonia.
2. (dated) An aqueous solution of ammonia; smelling salts.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, chapter XIV, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. In Six Volumes, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: Printed by A[ndrew] Millar, […], OCLC 928184292, book IV:

     Sophia, who had tottered along with much difficulty, sunk down in her chair; but by the assistance of hartshorn and water, she was prevented from fainting away...

• spirits of hartshorn

hartshorn (third-person singular simple present hartshorns, present participle hartshorning, simple past and past participle hartshorned)

1. (transitive) To revive with hartshorn smelling salts.
   • Charles Dickens

     Accordingly, after a vast amount of moaning and crying up-stairs, and much damping of foreheads, and vinegaring of temples, and hartshorning of noses, and so forth […]