smelling salts

a preparation for smelling, essentially of ammonium carbonate with some agreeable scent, used as a stimulant and restorative.

Origin of smelling salts

First recorded in 1830–40

He produced a bottle of smelling-salts, which the younger woman at once applied to her friend's nostrils.

813 |Maurice Leblanc
When the storm broke she would be better; till then smelling-salts would not help her.

Daisy's Aunt |E. F. (Edward Frederic) Benson
The baroness hastily fetched her smelling-salts, and held them to the unconscious woman's nostrils.

The Nameless Castle |Maurus Jkai
Sir John comes home with your letter to me—boy, the smelling-salts!

Heralds of Empire |Agnes C. Laut

"It's made me positively ill," complained Mrs. Stuart, busy with her smelling-salts.

By Right of Conquest |Arthur Hornblow

smelling salts

a pungent preparation containing crystals of ammonium carbonate that has a stimulant action when sniffed in cases of faintness, headache, etc

smelling salts

[ smĕl′ĭng ]

Any of various preparations of ammonium carbonate and perfume, sniffed as a restorative or stimulant especially to relieve faintness and headache.