caustic

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Adjective 1.3.1 Synonyms 1.3.2 Quotations 1.3.3 Derived terms 1.3.4 Translations 1.4 Noun 1.4.1 Derived terms 1.4.2 Translations

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From the Greek καυστός, burnt, via the Latin causticus, burning.

[edit] Pronunciation

• AHD: kôs'tĭk or kŏs'tĭk
• IPA: /ˈkɔːstɪk/ or /ˈkɒstɪk/
• SAMPA: /"kO:stIk/ or /"kQstIk/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

  Rhymes: -ɔːstɪk

[edit] Adjective

caustic (comparative more caustic, superlative most caustic)

1. Capable of burning, corroding or destroying organic tissue
2. (of language etc) sharp, bitter, cutting, biting, sarcastic

[edit] Synonyms

• (capable of destroying tissue): acidic, biting, burning, corrosive, searing
• (severe, sharp): bitchy, biting, catty, mordacious, nasty, sharp, spiteful

[edit] Quotations

• 1843: "How now!" said Scrooge, caustic and cold as ever. — Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
• 1843: 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 — Charles Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit
• 1853: Madame Beck esteemed me learned and blue; Miss Fanshawe, caustic, ironic, and cynical — Charlotte Bronte, Villette
• 1857:The Secretary and the Assistant-Secretaries would say little caustic things about him to the senior clerks, and seemed somewhat to begrudge him his new honours. — Anthony Trollope, The Three Clerks
• 1886: this set of worthies, who were only too prone to shut up their emotions with caustic words. — Thomas Hardy, The Mayor of Casterbridge
• 1930s???: though he came too late / To join the martyrs, there was still a place / Among the tempters for a caustic tongue / / To test the resolution of the young / With tales of the small failings of the great — W.H.Auden, 'The Quest'

[edit] Derived terms

• caustic curve
• caustic potash
• caustic soda
• caustic surface

[edit] Translations

[edit] Noun

caustic (plural caustics)

1. Any substance or means which, applied to animal or other organic tissue, burns, corrodes, or destroys it by chemical action; an escharotic.
2. (optics, computer graphics) The envelope of reflected or refracted rays of light for a given surface or object.
3. (mathematics) The envelope of reflected or refracted rays for a given curve.
4. (informal, chemistry) caustic soda

[edit] Derived terms

• lunar caustic

[edit] Translations