Corrosive

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. That which has the quality of eating or wearing away gradually. [Corrosives] act either directly, by chemically destroying the part, or indirectly by causing inflammation and gangrene. Dunglison.

2. That which has the power of fretting or irritating. Such speeches . . . are grievous corrosives. Hooker. -- Cor*ro"sive*ly, adv. -- Cor*ro"sive*ness, n.

Part of speech: adjective (a.)

1. Eating away; having the power of gradually wearing, changing, or destroying the texture or substance of a body; as, the corrosive action of an acid. "Corrosive liquors." Grew. "Corrosive famine."Thomson.

2. Having the quality of fretting or vexing. Care is no cure, but corrosive. Shak. Corrosive sublimate (Chem.), mercuric chloride, HgCl2; so called because obtained by sublimation, and because of its harsh irritating action on the body tissue. Usually it is in the form of a heavy, transparent, crystalline substance, easily soluble, and of an acrid, burning taste. It is a virulent poison, a powerful antiseptic, and an exellent antisyphilitic; called also mercuric bichloride. It is to be carefully distinguished from calomel, the mild chloride of mercury.