A substance used to treat leather or other materials before dyeing; aids in dyeing process.

Roget 428: color, hue, tint, tinge, dye, complexion, shade, tincture, cast, livery, coloration, glow, flush; tone, key.    pure color, positive color, primary color, primitive complementary color; three primaries; spectrum, chromatic dispersion; broken color, secondary color, tertiary color.    local color, coloring, keeping, tone, value, aerial perspective.    [Science of color] chromatics, spectrum analysis, spectroscopy; chromatism^†, chromatography^†, chromatology^†.    [instruments to measure color] prism, spectroscope, spectrograph, spectrometer, colorimeter (optical instruments) 445.    pigment, coloring matter, paint, dye, wash, distemper, stain; medium; mordant; oil paint etc. (painting) 556.    ... show more

Dutch: etsvocht, etswater

Harshly ironic or sinister:
— Fun ranging from slapstick clowning ... to savage mordant wit.

synonyms: black, grim.

Roget 392: pungent, strong; high-, full-flavored; high-tasted, high-seasoned; gamy, sharp, stinging, rough, piquant, racy; biting, mordant; spicy; seasoned etc. v.; hot, hot as pepper; peppery, vellicating^†, escharotic^†, meracious^†; acrid, acrimonious, bitter; rough etc. (sour) 397; unsavory etc. 395.    ... show more

Of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action.

synonyms: caustic, corrosive, erosive, vitriolic.

Roget 171: strong, energetic, forcible, active; intense, deep-dyed, severe, keen, vivid, sharp, acute, incisive, trenchant, brisk.    rousing, irritation; poignant; virulent, caustic, corrosive, mordant, harsh, stringent; double-edged, double-shotted^†, double-distilled; drastic, escharotic^†; racy etc. (pungent) 392.    potent etc. (powerful) 157; radioactive.    ... show more