Search Result for "vitriolic": 
Wordnet 3.0

ADJECTIVE (2)

1. harsh or corrosive in tone;
- Example: "an acerbic tone piercing otherwise flowery prose"
- Example: "a barrage of acid comments"
- Example: "her acrid remarks make her many enemies"
- Example: "bitter words"
- Example: "blistering criticism"
- Example: "caustic jokes about political assassination, talk-show hosts and medical ethics"
- Example: "a sulfurous denunciation"
- Example: "a vitriolic critique"
[syn: acerb, acerbic, acid, acrid, bitter, blistering, caustic, sulfurous, sulphurous, virulent, vitriolic]

2. of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action;
[syn: caustic, corrosive, erosive, vitriolic, mordant]



The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Vitriolic \Vit`ri*ol"ic\, a. [Cf. F. vitriolique.]
   1. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to vitriol; derived from, or
      resembling, vitriol; vitriolous; as, a vitriolic taste.
      Cf. Vitriol.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Biting, bitter or caustic; having or expressing strong and
      unpleasantly negative feelings; -- of speech or feelings;
      the vitriolic denunciations of opponents by partisan
      columnists.
      [PJC]

   Vitriolic acid (Old Chem.),
      (a) sulphuric acid. See Vitriol
      (b) . [Colloq.]
          [1913 Webster]


WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

vitriolic
    adj 1: harsh or corrosive in tone; "an acerbic tone piercing
           otherwise flowery prose"; "a barrage of acid comments";
           "her acrid remarks make her many enemies"; "bitter
           words"; "blistering criticism"; "caustic jokes about
           political assassination, talk-show hosts and medical
           ethics"; "a sulfurous denunciation"; "a vitriolic
           critique" [syn: acerb, acerbic, acid, acrid,
           bitter, blistering, caustic, sulfurous,
           sulphurous, virulent, vitriolic]
    2: of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of
       destroying or eating away by chemical action [syn: caustic,
       corrosive, erosive, vitriolic, mordant]