lime [AS, lim] , 1. any of several oxides and hydroxides of calcium. The various kinds of lime have many uses, including the treatment of sewage, the purification of water and refining of sugar, and the manufacture of materials such as plaster and fertilizers. 2. a citrus fruit yielding a juice with a high ascorbic acid content. Lime juice was one of the first effective agents to be used in the treatment of scurvy. See also ascorbic acid, scurvy.
