mordacious

/mɔ:'deiʃəs/

Thân thiện

The puppy is mordacious and chews on a wooden toy.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Given to biting; having a tendency to bite: Describes a person, animal, or thing that is prone to bite.
   • Bitingly sarcastic or caustic; characterized by sharp, cutting criticism: Describes language, wit, or remarks that are harshly critical or sarcastic, intended to wound.

Usage

• The primary sense of "mordacious" describes a literal propensity to bite. Its secondary, more common figurative sense describes speech or writing that is sharply critical, sarcastic, or wounding, similar to a verbal bite.
• It is a formal and somewhat rare word, often used in literary or academic contexts to describe particularly sharp criticism.

Examples

• Literal sense (given to biting):
  • The mordacious dog had to be muzzled during the vet visit.
  • They warned us that the species of turtle was surprisingly mordacious.
• Figurative sense (caustic, sarcastic):
  • The critic's mordacious review left the author devastated.
  • Her mordacious wit made her both feared and admired in political circles.

Advanced Usage

• "Mordacious satire": Satire that is exceptionally sharp, biting, and critical.
  • The playwright was known for his mordacious satire of social conventions.
• "Mordacious commentary": Commentary that is designed to sting or wound with its sharpness.
  • The journalist's mordacious commentary on the election sparked widespread debate.

Variants and Related Words

• Mordacity (n): The quality of being mordacious; biting sharpness, especially in speech or writing.
  • The mordacity of his essays was legendary.
• Mordant (adj): (More common synonym) Having or showing a sharp or critical quality; biting.
  • She delivered her critique with mordant humor.

Synonyms

• Biting: Sharp and penetrating, as criticism.
• Caustic: Severely critical or sarcastic.
• Sarcastic: Marked by or given to using irony in order to mock or convey contempt.
• Trenchant: Vigorously effective and articulate; sharply perceptive.
• Acerbic: Sharp and forthright, especially in speech.

Antonyms

• Gentle: Mild in temperament or behavior.
• Kind: Having a friendly, generous, or considerate nature.
• Complimentary: Expressing praise or admiration.
• Bland: Lacking strong features or characteristics and therefore uninteresting.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• While "mordacious" itself is not typically used in common idioms, it relates to the conceptual idiom of "biting criticism" or "cutting remarks," which describe harsh, hurtful comments.
  • He is incapable of giving feedback without resorting to biting criticism.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. biting or given to biting
   • they deliberately gave me a skittish and mordacious mount
2. capable of wounding
   • a barbed compliment
   • a biting aphorism
   • pungent satire

Từ đồng nghĩa

• barbed
• biting
• nipping
• pungent