1. (a.) Biting; caustic; sarcastic; severe\.

2. (a.) Serving to fix colors.

3. (n.) Any corroding substance used in etching.

4. (n.) 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.

5. (n.) Any sticky matter by which the gold leaf is made to adhere.

6. (v. t.) To subject to the action of, or imbue with, a mordant; as, to mordant goods for dyeing.

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