mordant
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Related to mordant: Mordant Dye
mor·dant
(môr′dnt)adj.
1.
a. Bitingly sarcastic: mordant satire.
b. Incisive and trenchant: an inquisitor's mordant questioning.
2. Bitingly painful.
3. Serving to fix colors in dyeing.
n.
1. A reagent, such as tannic acid, that fixes dyes to cells, tissues, or textiles or other materials.
2. A corrosive substance, such as an acid, used in etching.
tr.v. mor·dant·ed, mor·dant·ing, mor·dants
To treat with a mordant.
[French, from Old French, present participle of mordre, to bite, from Vulgar Latin *mordere, from Latin mordēre; see mer- in Indo-European roots.]
mor′dan·cy n.
mor′dant·ly adv.
mordant
(ˈmɔːdənt)adj
1. sarcastic or caustic
2. having the properties of a mordant
3. pungent
n
4. (Dyeing) a substance used before the application of a dye, possessing the ability to fix colours in textiles, leather, etc. See also lake21
5. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) an acid or other corrosive fluid used to etch lines on a printing plate
vb
(Dyeing) (tr) to treat (a fabric, yarn, etc) with a mordant
[C15: from Old French: biting, from mordre to bite, from Latin mordēre]
ˈmordancy n
ˈmordantly adv
mor•dant
(ˈmɔr dnt)adj.
1. sharply caustic or sarcastic; biting; cutting: mordant wit.
2. burning; corrosive.
3. having the property of fixing colors, as in dyeing.
n. 4. a substance used in dyeing to fix the coloring matter.
5. an acid or other corrosive substance used in etching.
v.t. 6. to impregnate or treat with a mordant.
[1425–75; late Middle English < Middle French, present participle of mordre to bite « Latin mordēre; see -ant]
mor′dan•cy, n.
mor′dant•ly, adv.
mordant
Past participle: mordanted
Gerund: mordanting
Imperative |
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mordant |
mordant |
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Noun | 1. | mordant - a substance used to treat leather or other materials before dyeing; aids in dyeing process chrome alum - a violet-colored salt used in hide tanning and as a mordant in dyeing antimony potassium tartrate, tartar emetic - a poisonous colorless salt used as a mordant and in medicine coloring material, colour, colouring material, color - any material used for its color; "she used a different color for the trim" sodium bichromate, sodium dichromate - a red-orange salt used as a mordant |
Adj. | 1. | mordant - harshly ironic or sinister; "black humor"; "a grim joke"; "grim laughter"; "fun ranging from slapstick clowning ... to savage mordant wit" sarcastic - expressing or expressive of ridicule that wounds |
2. | mordant - of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action destructive - causing destruction or much damage; "a policy that is destructive to the economy"; "destructive criticism" |