(often used in paints and lacquers--produces headaches, nausea,
narcosis, central nervous system depression)

tol·u·ene   Pronunciation Key  (tly-n) also tol·u·ol (-ôl, -l, -l)
n.
A colorless flammable liquid, CH3C6H5, obtained from coal tar or petroleum and used in aviation fuel and other high-octane fuels, in dyestuffs, explosives, and as a solvent for gums and lacquers. Also called methylbenzene.

[tolu(from which it was originally obtained) + -ene.]

Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.


Toluene

\Tol"u*ene\, n. [Tolu + benzene.] (Chem.) A hydrocarbon, C6H5.CH3, of the aromatic series, homologous with benzene, and obtained as a light mobile colorless liquid, by distilling tolu balsam, coal tar, etc.; -- called also methyl benzene, phenyl methane, etc.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.


Toluene

n : a colorless flammable liquid obtained from petroleum or coal tar; used as a solvent for gums and lacquers and in high-octane fuels [syn: methylbenzene]
Source: WordNet ® 1.6, © 1997 Princeton University