\Al"che*my\, n. [OF. alkemie, arquemie, F. alchimie, Ar.
al-k[=i]m[=i]a, fr. late Gr. ?, for ?, a mingling, infusion,
? juice, liquid, especially as extracted from plants, fr. ?
to pour; for chemistry was originally the art of extracting
the juices from plants for medicinal purposes. Cf. Sp.
alquimia, It. alchimia. Gr. ? is prob. akin to L. fundere to
pour, Goth. guitan, AS. ge['o]tan, to pour, and so to E.
fuse. See {Fuse}, and cf. {Chemistry}.]
1. An imaginary art which aimed to transmute the baser metals
   into gold, to find the panacea, or universal remedy for
   diseases, etc. It led the way to modern chemistry.
2. A mixed metal composed mainly of brass, formerly used for
   various utensils; hence, a trumpet. [Obs.]
         Put to their mouths the sounding alchemy. --Milton.
3. Miraculous power of transmuting something common into
   something precious.
         Kissing with golden face the meadows green, Gilding
         pale streams with heavenly alchemy.   --Shak.