mordant

mordant
    adj 1: harshly ironic or sinister; "black humor"; "a grim joke";
           "grim laughter"; "fun ranging from slapstick clowning ...
           to savage mordant wit" [syn: {black}, {grim}, {mordant}]
    2: of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of
       destroying or eating away by chemical action [syn: {caustic},
       {corrosive}, {erosive}, {vitriolic}, {mordant}]
    n 1: a substance used to treat leather or other materials before
         dyeing; aids in dyeing process
    

Mordant \Mor"dant\, a. [F., p. pr. of mordere to bite; L.
   mordere. See {Morsel}.]
   1. Biting; caustic; sarcastic; keen; severe.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Dyeing & Calico Printing) Serving to fix colors.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Mordant \Mor"dant\, n. [F., originally, biting.]
   1. Any corroding substance used in etching.
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   2. (Dyeing & Calico Printing) Any substance, as alum or
      copperas, which, having a twofold attraction for organic
      fibers and coloring matter, serves as a bond of union, and
      thus gives fixity to, or bites in, the dyes.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. (Gilding) Any sticky matter by which the gold leaf is made
      to adhere.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Mordant \Mor"dant\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Mordanted}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Mordanting}.]
   To subject to the action of, or imbue with, a mordant; as, to
   mordant goods for dyeing.
   [1913 Webster]
    

110 Moby Thesaurus words for "mordant":
      Attic, acerb, acerbate, acerbic, acid, acidic, acidulent,
      acidulous, acrid, acrimonious, actual cautery, asperous,
      astringent, biting, bitter, brand, brand iron, branding iron,
      brilliant, caustic, cauter, cauterant, cauterizer, cautery, clever,
      corroding, corrosive, cutting, double-edged, driving, droll, edged,
      effective, electrocautery, escharotic, facetious, fierce, forceful,
      forcible, funny, gutsy, harsh, hot iron, humorous, humorsome,
      imperative, impressive, incisive, irritating, jesting, jocose,
      jocular, joking, joky, joshing, keen, keen-witted, lunar caustic,
      mordacious, moxa, nervous, nimble-witted, nose-tickling,
      penetrating, piercing, piquant, poignant, pointed,
      potential cautery, powerful, punchy, pungent, quick-witted, radium,
      rapier-like, rigorous, rough, salt, salty, scathing, scintillating,
      scorching, sensational, severe, sharp, sinewed, sinewy, slashing,
      smart, sour, sparkling, sprightly, stabbing, stinging, strident,
      striking, stringent, strong, tart, telling, trenchant, vehement,
      vigorous, violent, virulent, vital, vitriolic, whimsical,
      withering, witty