| 释义 |
mordacity|mɔːˈdæsɪtɪ|
[ad. F. mordacité, ad. L. mordācitās, f. mordāc-, mordax: see mordacious a. and -ity.]
1. Propensity to biting.
a1677Barrow Serm. v. Wks. 1687 I. 65 He hath little of the Serpent (none of..its rancorous venom, of its keen mordacity). 1824in Spirit Pub. Jrnls. (1825) 406 We all know the vivacity, or mordacity, with which the veriest cur resents an outrage offered to his tail.
2. ‘Biting’ or mordant quality.
†a. Of material substances: Causticity, pungency, penetrating power, etc. Obs.
1601Holland Pliny II. 83 It goeth into..collyries or eye⁓salues, by reason of a certain subtil mordacitie and penetratiue qualitie that it hath. 1651Biggs New Disp. §301 Most medicines do depone all their acrimony and mordacity. 1699Evelyn Acetaria 57 The young..Roots..affording a very grateful mordacity. 1725Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Sallet, The Mordacity thus allay'd, be sure to make the Mortar very clean before you stamp any thing else in it.
b. Mordancy in speech.
c1630C. More Life Sir T. More i. 24 He ieasteth, but without mordacitie. 1660Waterhouse Arms & Arm. 168 But for all these speeches of anger and mordacity, London has bin and I hope yet will be London. 1823D'Israeli Cur. Lit. Ser. ii. II. 329 [Lenglet du Fresnoy] His mordacity, his sarcasm.., contribute to his reader's amusement more than comports with his graver tasks. 1846Poe L. Osborn Wks. 1864 III. 55 Its mordacity cannot be gainsaid. |