Astringent

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Astringent \As*trin"gent\ (-jent), a. [L. astringens, p. pr. of
     astringere: cf. F. astringent. See {Astringe}.]
     1. Drawing together the tissues; binding; contracting; --
        opposed to {laxative}; as, astringent medicines; a butter
        and astringent taste; astringent fruit.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. Stern; austere; as, an astringent type of virtue.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Astringent \As*trin"gent\, n.
     A medicine or other substance that produces contraction in
     the soft organic textures, and checks discharges of blood,
     mucus, etc.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           External astringents are called styptics. --Dunglison.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  astringent
       adj 1: sour or bitter in taste [syn: {acerb}, {acerbic}, {sharp}]
       2: tending to draw together or constrict soft organic tissue;
          "astringent cosmetic lotions" [ant: {nonastringent}]
       n : a drug that causes contraction of body tissues and canals
           [syn: {astringent drug}, {styptic}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  90 Moby Thesaurus words for "astringent":
     Spartan, Spartanic, acerb, acerbic, acid, acidulous, acrid,
     acrimonious, alum, amaroidal, ascetic, asperous, austere,
     authoritarian, biting, bitter, bitter as gall, brisk, caustic,
     clamp, coarse, collapsible, compactable, compressible, compressor,
     constrictor, constringent, consumptive, contractible, contractile,
     contractional, contractive, contractor, cutting, deflationary,
     demanding, double-edged, dour, edged, escharotic, exacting,
     exigent, fierce, foldable, grim, hard, harsh, incisive, inclement,
     irritating, keen, meticulous, mordacious, mordant, mortified,
     nose-tickling, penetrating, piercing, pincer, piquant, poignant,
     puckery, pungent, restorative, rigorous, roborant, rough, rugged,
     scathing, severe, sharp, sour, stabbing, stern, stinging, strict,
     strident, stringent, styptic, styptic pencil, tart, tough,
     trenchant, ungentle, unsparing, vehement, violent, virulent, vise,
     vitriolic