mordant
/'mɔ:dənt/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Bitingly sarcastic or caustic: Describes humor, wit, or criticism that is sharply and harshly ironic, often in a way that is critical or cynical.
- Corrosive or biting in effect: In a technical sense, describes a substance, especially a strong acid, that is capable of corroding or destroying material by chemical action.
Noun:
- A fixing agent in dyeing: A substance, typically a metallic compound, used to treat materials like leather or fabric to set dyes, making them more vibrant and colorfast.
Examples of Usage
Adjective:
- The comedian was known for his mordant wit, which left the audience laughing and wincing simultaneously.
- Her mordant critique of the political system was both brilliant and unsettling.
- Acids like sulfuric acid have a mordant effect on many metals.
Noun:
- Alum is a common mordant used in traditional fabric dyeing to help the color bind to the fibers.
- Before applying the dye, the wool must be treated with a mordant.
Advanced Usage
"Mordant satire": A form of satire that is particularly sharp, bitter, and cutting in its criticism of society or human folly.
- The film is a masterpiece of mordant satire, exposing the absurdities of corporate culture.
"Mordant irony": A type of irony that is harsh, grim, or sinister in its contrast between expectation and reality.
- The mordant irony of the situation was not lost on him: he had become the very thing he swore to destroy.
Variants and Related Words
Mordantly (adverb): In a mordant manner.
- She commented mordantly on the state of modern art.
Mordancy (noun): The quality of being mordant; biting sharpness.
- The mordancy of his prose made him a feared critic.
Synonyms
- Adjective (for wit/criticism): Caustic, acerbic, trenchant, sardonic, biting, sarcastic.
- Adjective (for substance): Corrosive, erosive, corrosive.
- Noun: Fixative, dye fixative.
Related Phrases
- "Mordant humor": A specific type of humor characterized by its grim, cynical, and biting quality.
- His mordant humor was a defense mechanism against life's disappointments.
Related Idioms
While "mordant" itself is not typically the core of common idioms, it is a defining characteristic of certain types of expression: - To have a tongue dipped in vitriol: This idiom describes someone who speaks with a mordant, caustic sharpness. - Be careful what you say to the editor; she has a tongue dipped in vitriol.
Adjective
- of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action
- harshly ironic or sinister
- black humor
- a grim joke
- grim laughter
- fun ranging from slapstick clowning ... to savage mordant wit
Noun
- a substance used to treat leather or other materials before dyeing; aids in dyeing process