Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Corrosive?

\Cor*ro"sive\ (k?r-r?"s?v), a. [Cf. F. corrosif.] 1. Eating away; having the power of gradually wearing, changing, or destroying the texture or substance of a body; as, the corrosive action of an acid. ``Corrosive liquors.'' --Grew. ``Corrosive famine.'' --Thomson. 2. Having the quality of fretting or vexing. Care is no cure, but corrosive. --Shak. {Corrosive sublimate} (Chem.), mercuric chloride, {HgCl2}; so called because obtained by sublimation, and because of its harsh irritating action on the body tissue. Usually it is in the form of a heavy, transparent, crystalline substance, easily soluble, and of an acrid, burning taste. It is a virulent poison, a powerful antiseptic, and an excellent antisyphilitic; called also {mercuric bichloride}. It is to be carefully distinguished from calomel, the mild chloride of mercury.
\Cor*ro"sive\, n. 1. That which has the quality of eating or wearing away gradually. [Corrosives] act either directly, by chemically destroying the part, or indirectly by causing inflammation and gangrene. --Dunglison. 2. That which has the power of fretting or irritating. Such speeches . . . are grievous corrosives. --Hooker. -- {Cor*ro"sive*ly}, adv. -- {Cor*ro"sive*ness}, n.