Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Ink \Ink\, n. [OE. enke, inke, OF. enque, F. encre, L. encaustum
   the purple red ink with which the Roman emperors signed their
   edicts, Gr. ?, fr. ? burnt in, encaustic, fr. ? to burn in.
   See {Encaustic}, {Caustic}.]
   1. A fluid, or a viscous material or preparation of various
      kinds (commonly black or colored), used in writing or
      printing.

            Make there a prick with ink.          --Chaucer.

            Deformed monsters, foul and black as ink. --Spenser.

   2. A pigment. See {India ink}, under {India}.

   Note: Ordinarily, black ink is made from nutgalls and a
         solution of some salt of iron, and consists essentially
         of a tannate or gallate of iron; sometimes indigo
         sulphate, or other coloring matter,is added. Other
         black inks contain potassium chromate, and extract of
         logwood, salts of vanadium, etc. Blue ink is usually a
         solution of Prussian blue. Red ink was formerly made
         from carmine (cochineal), Brazil wood, etc., but
         potassium eosin is now used. Also red, blue, violet,
         and yellow inks are largely made from aniline dyes.
         Indelible ink is usually a weak solution of silver
         nitrate, but carbon in the form of lampblack or India
         ink, salts of molybdenum, vanadium, etc., are also
         used. Sympathetic inks may be made of milk, salts of
         cobalt, etc. See {Sympathetic ink} (below).

   {Copying ink}, a peculiar ink used for writings of which
      copies by impression are to be taken.

   {Ink bag} (Zo["o]l.), an ink sac.

   {Ink berry}. (Bot.)
      (a) A shrub of the Holly family ({Ilex glabra}), found in
          sandy grounds along the coast from New England to
          Florida, and producing a small black berry.
      (b) The West Indian indigo berry. See {Indigo}.

   {Ink plant} (Bot.), a New Zealand shrub ({Coriaria
      thumifolia}), the berries of which uield a juice which
      forms an ink.

   {Ink powder}, a powder from which ink is made by solution.

   {Ink sac} (Zo["o]l.), an organ, found in most cephalopods,
      containing an inky fluid which can be ejected from a duct
      opening at the base of the siphon. The fluid serves to
      cloud the water, and enable these animals to escape from
      their enemies. See Illust. of {Dibranchiata}.

   {Printer's ink}, or {Printing ink}. See under {Printing}.

   {Sympathetic ink}, a writing fluid of such a nature that what
      is written remains invisible till the action of a reagent
      on the characters makes it visible.

Printing \Print"ing\, n.
   The act, art, or practice of impressing letters, characters,
   or figures on paper, cloth, or other material; the business
   of a printer, including typesetting and presswork, with their
   adjuncts; typography; also, the act of producing photographic
   prints.

   {Block printing}. See under {Block}.

   {Printing frame} (Photog.), a shallow box, usually having a
      glass front, in which prints are made by exposure to
      light.

   {Printing house}, a printing office.

   {Printing ink}, ink used in printing books, newspapers, etc.
      It is composed of lampblack or ivory black mingled with
      linseed or nut oil, made thick by boiling and burning.
      Other ingredients are employed for the finer qualities.
      --Ure.

   {Printing office}, a place where books, pamphlets, or
      newspapers, etc., are printed.

   {Printing paper}, paper used in the printing of books,
      pamphlets, newspapers, and the like, as distinguished from
      writing paper, wrapping paper, etc.

   {Printing press}, a press for printing, books, newspaper,
      handbills, etc.

   {Printing wheel}, a wheel with letters or figures on its
      periphery, used in machines for paging or numbering, or in
      ticket-printing machines, typewriters, etc.; a type wheel.

Source : WordNet®

printing ink
     n : a semi-solid quick drying ink made especially for use in
         printing [syn: {printer's ink}]