caustic
noun
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L317825 on Wikidata ↗adjective
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L335216 on Wikidata ↗Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈkɔːstɪk/ / /ˈkɒstɪk/
adj
Etymology: From the Latin causticus (“burning”), from Ancient Greek καυστικός (kaustikós, “burning”), from καυστός (kaustós, “burnt”) + -ικός (-ikós).
- Capable of burning, corroding or destroying organic tissue.
- Sharp, bitter, cutting, biting, and sarcastic in a scathing way.
“"How now!" said Scrooge, caustic and cold as ever.”
“The bargain was not concluded as easily as might have been expected though, for Scadder was caustic and ill-humoured, and cast much unnecessary opposition in the way”
noun
Etymology: From the Latin causticus (“burning”), from Ancient Greek καυστικός (kaustikós, “burning”), from καυστός (kaustós, “burnt”) + -ικός (-ikós).
- Any substance or means which, applied to animal or other organic tissue, burns, corrodes, or destroys it by chemical action; an escharotic.
“The association of the heavenly bodies with known metals and also with human organs and destinies goes back to ancient Chaldea, the land of astrologers. In Chaucer’s words: ‘The seven bodies eek, lo hear anon. Sol gold is, and Luna silver we declare; Mars yron, Mercurie is quyksilver; Saturnian leed; and Jubitur is tyn, and Venus coper, by my fathers kyn.’ […] Corresponding names were bestowed upon salts of these metals by the alchemists, and some of them have persisted down to the present day. Some examples are lunar caustic (silver nitrate); vitriol of Venus (copper sulphate); sugar of Saturn (lead acetate); and vitriol of Mars, or Martial vitriol (ferrous sulphate).”
- The envelope of reflected or refracted rays of light for a given surface or object.
- The envelope of reflected or refracted rays for a given curve.
- Caustic soda.