to dehydrogenate especially by the action of oxygen
oxidizing
verb(ox-i-dize)
to change (a compound) by increasing the proportion of the electronegative part or change (an element or ion) from a lower to a higher positive valence : remove one or more electrons from (an atom, ion, or molecule)
oxidizing
noun(ox-i-dize)
a substance that oxidizes something especially chemically (as by accepting electrons)