Mordant - Definition

adj 1: harshly ironic or sinister; "black humor"; "a grim joke";
"grim laughter"; "fun ranging from slapstick clowning ...
to savage mordant wit" [syn: black, grim, mordant]
2: of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of
destroying or eating away by chemical action [syn: caustic,
corrosive, erosive, vitriolic, mordant]
n 1: a substance used to treat leather or other materials before
dyeing; aids in dyeing process