caus´ti|cal|ly

caus´ti|cal|ly
caus|tic «KS tihk», adjective, noun.
–adj.
1. that burns or destroys flesh; corrosive. Lye is caustic soda or caustic potash.
2. Figurative. very critical or sarcastic; stinging; biting: »

The speaker gave a caustic answer to the man who interrupted with a silly question. The coach's caustic remarks made the football players angry.

 SYNONYM(S): satirical, mordant, scathing.
3. in optics: a) of or denoting a curved surface to which are tangent all the rays of light proceeding from a fixed point and reflected or refracted by a curved surface. A caustic surface by reflection is called a catacaustic surface; that by refraction a diacaustic surface. b) of or denoting the curve formed by a plane section of such a surface.
–n.
1. a substance that burns or destroys flesh; corrosive substance: »

My warts were burned away by the caustic put on them.

2. (in optics) a caustic curve or surface.
╂[< Latin causticus < Greek kaustikós < kaíein burn]
–caus´ti|cal|ly, adverb.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • caus|ti|cal — «KS tuh kuhl», adjective. = caustic. (Cf. ↑caustic) …   Useful english dictionary

  • caus|tic — «KS tihk», adjective, noun. –adj. 1. that burns or destroys flesh; corrosive. Lye is caustic soda or caustic potash. 2. Figurative. very critical or sarcastic; stinging; biting: »The speaker gave a caustic answer to the man who interrupted with a …   Useful english dictionary

  • caus — cata·caus·tic; caus·a·ble; caus·er; caus·tic·i·ty; caus·ti·ci·za·tion; caus·ti·cize; caus·ti·ciz·er; con·caus·al; caus·al; caus·a·tive; caus·tic; dia·caus·tic; en·caus·tic; caus·al·ly; caus·a·tive·ly; caus·a·tiv·i·ty; caus·ti·cal·ly; caus·tic·ly; …   English syllables

  • cal — abi·o·log·i·cal; adre·no·cor·ti·cal; aero·bi·o·log·i·cal; aero·chem·i·cal; aero·log·i·cal; aero·med·i·cal; aero·nau·ti·cal; aero·phys·i·cal; aero·tech·ni·cal; aes·thet·i·cal·ly; afo·cal; ag·a·tho·kak·o·log·i·cal; ag·nat·i·cal·ly;… …   English syllables

  • caustically — caus·ti·cal·ly …   English syllables

  • caustic — caus•tic [[t]ˈkɔ stɪk[/t]] adj. 1) capable of burning, corroding, or destroying living tissue 2) severely critical or sarcastic: a caustic remark[/ex] 3) a caustic substance, as potassium hydroxide • Etymology: 1350–1400; ME < L causticus < …   From formal English to slang

  • caustic — 1. Chemically exerting an effect resembling a burn. 2. An agent producing this effect. 3. Denoting a solution of a strong alkali; e.g., c. soda, NaOH. SYN: pyrotic (2). [G. kaustikos, fr. kaio, to burn] * * * caus·tic kȯ stik …   Medical dictionary

  • encaustic — en•caus•tic [[t]ɛnˈkɔ stɪk[/t]] adj. 1) fia painted with wax colors fixed with heat, or with any process in which colors are burned in 2) fia a work of art produced by an encaustic process • Etymology: 1650–60; < L encausticus < Gk… …   From formal English to slang

  • encaustically — en·caus·ti·cal·ly …   English syllables

  • a — acar·a·pis; ac·a·ri·a·sis; ac·a·ri·a·sis; ac·a·ri·na; ac·a·ri·nar·i·um; ac·a·rine; ac·a·ri·nol·o·gy; ac·a·ri·no·sis; ac·a·ro·ce·cid·i·um; ac·a·roid; ac·a·rol·o·gist; ac·a·rol·o·gy; ac·a·ro·pho·bia; ac·a·rus; acat·a·lep·sy; acat·a·lex·is;… …   English syllables

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