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caustic
caus·tic / ˈkôstik/ • adj. 1. able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action: a caustic cleaner. ∎ fig. sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way. ∎ fig. (of an expression or sound) expressive of such sarcasm: a caustic smile. 2. Physics formed by the intersection of reflected or refracted parallel rays from a curved surface. • n. 1. a caustic substance. 2. Physics a caustic surface or curve. DERIVATIVES: caus·ti·cal·ly / -ik(ə)lē/ adv. caus·tic·i·ty / kôˈstisətē/ n. |
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"caustic." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "caustic." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-caustic.html "caustic." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-caustic.html |
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caustic
caustic In optics, light focused by reflection from or refraction through a curved object. For example, when a magnifying glass is used to burn a piece of paper, the intense point of focused light at the paper's surface forms a caustic. Ray-tracing algorithms in computer graphics typically have difficulty correctly detecting and handling this phenomenon. An example might be the form of the sunlight on the bottom of a swimming pool when there are ripples on the surface of the water that focus the light into caustics.
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JOHN DAINTITH. "caustic." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN DAINTITH. "caustic." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O11-caustic.html JOHN DAINTITH. "caustic." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O11-caustic.html |
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caustic
caustic any strongly corrosive chemical substance, especially one that attacks organic matter. A caustic alkali is a metal hydroxide, especially that of an alkali metal; caustic soda is sodium hydroxide, and caustic potash is potassium hydroxide. Silver nitrate is another caustic substance; it is sometimes called lunar caustic. Most inorganic acids, e.g., sulfuric acid, are caustic, especially when concentrated. |
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"caustic." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "caustic." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-caustic.html "caustic." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-caustic.html |
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caustic
caustic corrosive XIV; fig. bitter XVIII. — F. caustique or L. causticus — Gr. kaustikós capable of burning, f. kaustós combustible, f. *kaf, base of kaíein burn; see -IC.
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T. F. HOAD. "caustic." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "caustic." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-caustic.html T. F. HOAD. "caustic." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-caustic.html |
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caustic
caustic (kaw-stik) n. an agent, such as silver nitrate, that destroys tissue. Caustic agents may be used to remove dead skin, warts, etc.
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"caustic." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "caustic." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-caustic.html "caustic." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-caustic.html |
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caustic
caustic
•achromatic, acrobatic, Adriatic, aerobatic, anagrammatic, aquatic, aristocratic, aromatic, Asiatic, asthmatic, athematic, attic, autocratic, automatic, axiomatic, bureaucratic, charismatic, chromatic, cinematic, climatic, dalmatic, democratic, diagrammatic, diaphragmatic, diplomatic, dogmatic, dramatic, ecstatic, emblematic, emphatic, enigmatic, epigrammatic, erratic, fanatic, hepatic, hieratic, hydrostatic, hypostatic, idiomatic, idiosyncratic, isochromatic, lymphatic, melodramatic, meritocratic, miasmatic, monochromatic, monocratic, monogrammatic, numismatic, operatic, panchromatic, pancreatic, paradigmatic, phlegmatic, photostatic, piratic, plutocratic, pneumatic, polychromatic, pragmatic, prelatic, prismatic, problematic, programmatic, psychosomatic, quadratic, rheumatic, schematic, schismatic, sciatic, semi-automatic, Socratic, somatic, static, stigmatic, sub-aquatic, sylvatic, symptomatic, systematic, technocratic, thematic, theocratic, thermostatic, traumatic
•anaphylactic, ataractic, autodidactic, chiropractic, climactic, didactic, galactic, lactic, prophylactic, syntactic, tactic
•asphaltic
•antic, Atlantic, corybantic, frantic, geomantic, gigantic, mantic, necromantic, pedantic, romantic, semantic, sycophantic, transatlantic
•synaptic
•bombastic, drastic, dynastic, ecclesiastic, elastic, encomiastic, enthusiastic, fantastic, gymnastic, iconoclastic, mastic, monastic, neoplastic, orgastic, orgiastic, pederastic, periphrastic, plastic, pleonastic, sarcastic, scholastic, scholiastic, spastic
•matchstick • candlestick • panstick
•slapstick • cathartic
•Antarctic, arctic, subantarctic, subarctic
•Vedantic • yardstick
•aesthetic (US esthetic), alphabetic, anaesthetic (US anesthetic), antithetic, apathetic, apologetic, arithmetic, ascetic, athletic, balletic, bathetic, cosmetic, cybernetic, diabetic, dietetic, diuretic, electromagnetic, emetic, energetic, exegetic, frenetic, genetic, Helvetic, hermetic, homiletic, kinetic, magnetic, metic, mimetic, parenthetic, pathetic, peripatetic, phonetic, photosynthetic, poetic, prophetic, prothetic, psychokinetic, splenetic, sympathetic, syncretic, syndetic, synthetic, telekinetic, theoretic, zetetic
•apoplectic, catalectic, dialectic, eclectic, hectic
•Celtic
•authentic, crescentic
•aseptic, dyspeptic, epileptic, nympholeptic, peptic, proleptic, sceptic (US skeptic), septic
•domestic, majestic
•cretic
•analytic, anchoritic, anthracitic, arthritic, bauxitic, calcitic, catalytic, critic, cryptanalytic, Cushitic, dendritic, diacritic, dioritic, dolomitic, enclitic, eremitic, hermitic, lignitic, mephitic, paralytic, parasitic, psychoanalytic, pyritic, Sanskritic, saprophytic, Semitic, sybaritic, syenitic, syphilitic, troglodytic
•apocalyptic, cryptic, diptych, elliptic, glyptic, styptic, triptych
•aoristic, artistic, autistic, cystic, deistic, distich, egoistic, fistic, holistic, juristic, logistic, monistic, mystic, puristic, sadistic, Taoistic, theistic, truistic, veristic
•fiddlestick
•dipstick, lipstick
•impolitic, politic
•polyptych • hemistich • heretic
•nightstick
•abiotic, amniotic, antibiotic, autoerotic, chaotic, demotic, despotic, erotic, exotic, homoerotic, hypnotic, idiotic, macrobiotic, meiotic, narcotic, neurotic, osmotic, patriotic, psychotic, quixotic, robotic, sclerotic, semiotic, symbiotic, zygotic, zymotic
•Coptic, optic, panoptic, synoptic
•acrostic, agnostic, diagnostic, gnostic, prognostic
•knobstick • chopstick • aeronautic
•Baltic, basaltic, cobaltic
•caustic • swordstick • photic • joystick
•psychotherapeutic, therapeutic
•acoustic • broomstick • cultic
•fustic, rustic
•drumstick • gearstick • lunatic
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"caustic." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "caustic." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-caustic.html "caustic." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-caustic.html |
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