caustic

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caus·tic

(kô′stĭk)

adj.

1. Capable of burning, corroding, dissolving, or eating away by chemical action.

2. Sarcastic or cutting; biting: "The caustic jokes ... deal with such diverse matters as political assassination, talk-show hosts, medical ethics" (Frank Rich).

3. Given to making caustic remarks: a caustic TV commentator.

1. A caustic material or substance.

2. A hydroxide of a light metal.

3. The enveloping surface formed by light rays reflecting or refracting from a curved surface, especially one with spherical aberration.

[Middle English caustik, from Latin causticus, from Greek kaustikos, from kaustos, from kaiein, kau-, to burn.]

caus′ti·cal·ly adv.

caus·tic′i·ty (kô-stĭs′ĭ-tē) n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

caustic

(ˈkɔːstɪk)

adj

1. (Chemistry) capable of burning or corroding by chemical action: caustic soda.

2. sarcastic; cutting: a caustic reply.

3. (General Physics) of, relating to, or denoting light that is reflected or refracted by a curved surface

4. (General Physics) Also called: caustic surface a surface that envelops the light rays reflected or refracted by a curved surface

5. (General Physics) Also called: caustic curve a curve formed by the intersection of a caustic surface with a plane

6. (Chemistry) chem a caustic substance, esp an alkali

[C14: from Latin causticus, from Greek kaustikos, from kaiein to burn]

ˈcaustical adj

ˈcaustically adv

causticity, ˈcausticness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

caus•tic

(ˈkɔ stɪk)

adj.

1. capable of burning, corroding, or destroying living tissue.

2. severely critical or sarcastic: a caustic remark.

3. a caustic substance, as potassium hydroxide.

[1350–1400; Middle English < Latin causticus < Greek kaustikós=kaust(ós) burnt, v. adj. of kaíein to burn + -ikos -ic]

caus′ti•cal•ly, adv.

caus•tic′i•ty (-ˈstɪs ɪ ti) n.

caustic

Describes an alkaline substance which burns or corrodes organic material

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	caustic - any chemical substance that burns or destroys living tissue chemical compound, compound - (chemistry) a substance formed by chemical union of two or more elements or ingredients in definite proportion by weight lye - a strong solution of sodium or potassium hydroxide silver nitrate - a nitrate used in making photographic emulsions; also used in medicine as a cautery and as a topical antibacterial agent
Adj.	1.	caustic - harsh or corrosive in tone; "an acerbic tone piercing otherwise flowery prose"; "a barrage of acid comments"; "her acrid remarks make her many enemies"; "bitter words"; "blistering criticism"; "caustic jokes about political assassination, talk-show hosts and medical ethics"; "a sulfurous denunciation"; "a vitriolic critique" acid, blistering, vitriolic, sulfurous, sulphurous, acrid, acerb, acerbic, bitter, virulent unpleasant - disagreeable to the senses, to the mind, or feelings ; "an unpleasant personality"; "unpleasant repercussions"; "unpleasant odors"
	2.	caustic - of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action corrosive, erosive, mordant, vitriolic destructive - causing destruction or much damage; "a policy that is destructive to the economy"; "destructive criticism"

caustic

adjective

1. burning, corrosive, corroding, astringent, vitriolic, acrid, mordant This substance is caustic; use gloves when handling it.

2. sarcastic, biting, keen, cutting, severe, stinging, scathing, acrimonious, pungent, vitriolic, trenchant, mordant He was well known for his abrasive wit and caustic comments.
sarcastic loving, kind, pleasing, soft, sweet, gentle, pleasant, mild, soothing, bland, agreeable, temperate

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

caustic

adjective

So sharp as to cause mental pain:

acerbic, acid, acidic, acrid, astringent, biting, corrosive, cutting, mordacious, mordant, pungent, scathing, sharp, slashing, stinging, trenchant, truculent, vitriolic.

Translations

حارِقٌ، لاسِعٌلاذِعٌ، جارِحٌ، ساخِرٌ

žíravýjízlivýsarkastickýsžíravýžíravina

ætsendebidendetærende

beißend gallig kaustisch scharf

σκωπτικός

ivallinenpurevasyövyttävä

caustique mordant

ætiefnistingandi, meinyrtur

caustico caustica erosivo nitido

kandžiaikaustinis

assdzēlīgskodīgs

etsende kaustisk

едкий колкий колкость

leptavýžieravý

acı ve dokunaklıkostikyakıcı

刻薄的腐蚀性的

caustic

[ˈkɔːstɪk]

A. ADJ

1. (Chem) → cáustico

2. (fig) [remark etc] → mordaz, sarcástico

B. CPD caustic soda N → sosa f cáustica

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

caustic

[ˈkɔːstɪk] adj [wit, remark] → caustique

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

caustic

adj (Chem) → ätzend, kaustisch; (fig) → ätzend; remark → bissig; he was very caustic about the project → er äußerte sich sehr bissig über das Projekt

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

caustic

[ˈkɔːstɪk] adj (Chem) (fig) → caustico/a

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

caustic

(ˈkoːstik) adjective

1. burning by chemical action. caustic soda.

2. (of remarks) bitter or sarcastic. caustic comments.

ˈcaustically adverb

caus·tic

a. cáustico-a.

caustic

adj cáustico

References in classic literature ?

There were two things to be done then-- first, to replace the absorbed oxygen; secondly, to destroy the expired carbonic acid; both easy enough to do, by means of chlorate of potassium and caustic potash.

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The young count, witty and caustic, passed all the world in review; the queen herself was not spared, and Cardinal Mazarin came in for his share of ridicule.

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Proud flesh, as they called it, came up in my knees, and was burned out with caustic; and when at last it was healed, they put a blistering fluid over the front of both knees to bring all the hair off; they had some reason for this, and I suppose it was all right.

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Would he obtain air by chemical means, in getting by heat the oxygen contained in chlorate of potash, and in absorbing carbonic acid by caustic potash?

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I am very amiable and have a caustic wit," continued Prince Andrew, "and at Anna Pavlovna's they listen to me.

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They are both present passions of mine, and I may say of the 'Dona Perfecta' of Galdos that no book, if I except those of the greatest Russians, has given me a keener and deeper impression; it is infinitely pathetic, and is full of humor, which, if more caustic than that of Valdes, is not less delicious.

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Her new clothes were the subject of caustic comment.

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She was indolent, passive, the caustic even called her dull; but dressed like an idol, hung with pearls, growing younger and blonder and more beautiful each year, she throned in Mr.

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De Wardes, irritated at finding himself dragged away in so abrupt a manner by this Englishman, had sought in his subtle mind for some means of escaping from his fetters; but no one having rendered him any assistance in this respect, he was absolutely obliged, therefore, to submit to the burden of his own evil thoughts and caustic spirit.

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But Captain Nicholl hastened to remedy this state of things, by placing on the floor several receivers containing caustic potash, which he shook about for a time, and this substance, greedy of carbonic acid, soon completely absorbed it, thus purifying the air.

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His arguments, it is true, were merely an elaboration of those with which he had favored some of us already; but they were pointed by a concise exposition of the several definite principles they represented, and barbed with a caustic rhetoric quite admirable in itself.

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"Poor youth!" said Doctor Clarke; and, moved by a deep sense of human weakness, a smile of caustic humor curled his lip even then.

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