Caustic curve(Optics), a curve to which the ray of light, reflected or refracted by another curve, are tangents, the reflecting or refracting curve and the luminous point being in one plane. — Caustic lime. See under Lime. — Caustic potash, Caustic soda(Chem.), the solid hydroxides potash, KOH, and soda, NaOH, or solutions of the same. — Caustic silver, nitrate of silver, lunar caustic. — Caustic surface(Optics), a surface to which rays reflected or refracted by another surface are tangents. Caustic curves and surfaces are called catacaustic when formed by reflection, and diacaustic when formed by refraction.

Syn. — Stinging; cutting; pungent; searching.

Caustic
(Cau"stic), n. [L. causticum See Caustic, a.]

1. Any substance or means which, applied to animal or other organic tissue, burns, corrodes, or destroys it by chemical action; an escharotic.

2. (Optics) A caustic curve or caustic surface.

Caustically
(Caus"tic*al*ly), adv. In a caustic manner.

Causticily
(Caus*tic"i*ly) n.

1. The quality of being caustic; corrosiveness; as, the causticity of potash.

2. Severity of language; sarcasm; as, the causticity of a reply or remark.

Causticness
(Caus"tic*ness) n. The quality of being caustic; causticity.

Cautel
(Cau"tel) n. [F. cautèle, L. cautela, fr. cavere to be on one's guard, to take care.]

1. Caution; prudence; wariness. [Obs.] Fulke.

2. Craft; deceit; falseness. [Obs.] Shak.

Cautelous
(Cau"te*lous) a. [F. cauteleux, LL. cautelosus. See Cautel.]

1. Caution; prudent; wary. [Obs.] "Cautelous, though young." Drayton.

2. Crafty; deceitful; false. [Obs.] Shak.

— Cau"te*lous*ly, adv. — Cau"te*lous*ness, n. [Obs.]

Cauter
(Cau"ter) n. [F. cautère, L. cauterium, fr. Gr. a branding iron, fr. to burn. Cf. Caustic, Cautery.] A hot iron for searing or cauterizing. Minsheu.

Cauterant
(Cau"ter*ant) n. A cauterizing substance.

Causewayed to Caviling

Causewayed
(Cause"wayed Cau"seyed) a. Having a raised way (causeway or causey); paved. Sir W. Scott. C. Bronté.

Causidical
(Cau*sid"i*cal) a. [L. causidicakis; causa a cause in law + dicare to say.] Pertaining to an advocate, or to the maintenance and defense of suits.

Caustic
(Caus"tic Caus"tic*al) a. [L. caustucs, Ge. fr. to burn. Cf. Calm, Ink.]

1. Capable of destroying the texture of anything or eating away its substance by chemical action; burning; corrosive; searing.

2. Severe; satirical; sharp; as, a caustic remark.

  By PanEris using Melati.

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