Polemical - English meaning

adjective

(especially of a comment or style of speaking) sharp and forthright.

Usage examples:

His acerbic wit

adjective

Used to describe something that is spoken or written in a way that is direct, clever, and cruel

Usage examples:

The letters show the acerbic wit for which parker was both admired and feared.

noun

A substance with particular chemical properties including turning litmus red, neutralizing alkalis, and dissolving some metals; typically, a corrosive or sour-tasting liquid of this kind.

Usage examples:

Trees were exposed to mixtures of heavy metals, acids, and overdoses of nutrients

adjective

Containing acid or having the properties of an acid; having a ph of less than 7.

Usage examples:

Acid soils

noun

Any of various chemical substances that can produce salts, some of which are able to damage whatever they touch

Usage examples:

The salad dressing has an acid taste.

adjective

(of insects and certain other animals) able to wound the skin with a sting or fangs.

Usage examples:

A cream to ward off biting insects

verb

(of a person or animal) use the teeth to cut into or through something.

Usage examples:

He bit off a piece of cheese

noun

A bite-sized piece of food; a small snack, appetizer, or canapé.

Usage examples:

The hotel bar serves cocktails and delicious bitings

adjective

Having a sharp, pungent taste or smell; not sweet.

Usage examples:

Raw berries have an intensely bitter flavour

noun

Beer that is strongly flavoured with hops and has a bitter taste, brewed by top fermentation.

Usage examples:

A pint of bitter

adjective

Having a slightly stinging, strong taste, not salty or sweet

Usage examples:

The coffee was bitter., losing the election was a bitter disappointment., she has no bitterness abo…

adjective

Able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action.

Usage examples:

A caustic cleaner

noun

A caustic substance.

Usage examples:

Spent grain, yeast, ethanol, and acids and caustics used for cleaning are all sent out to be used f…

adjective

Strongly critical

Usage examples:

A caustic remark

adjective

Tending to cause corrosion.

Usage examples:

The corrosive effects of salt water

noun

A corrosive substance.

Usage examples:

That is an enormous range of substances and, as has already been pointed out, it includes explosive…

adjective

A corrosive substance causes damage by chemical action

Usage examples:

A highly corrosive acid, the corrosive influence of racism

adjective

Expressing adverse or disapproving comments or judgements.

Usage examples:

I was very critical of the previous regime

adjective

Of the greatest importance

Usage examples:

Critical industries, what happens in the next 48 hours is critical., he was admitted to metropolita…

adjective

Extremely important to the progress or success of something

Usage examples:

Critical to/for sth logistics and distribution are critical to an e-commerce venture's success., cr…

noun

The action of cutting something.

Usage examples:

The cutting of the cake

adjective

Capable of cutting something.

Usage examples:

The cutting blades of the hedge trimmer

verb

Make an opening, incision, or wound in (something) with a sharp-edged tool or object.

Usage examples:

He cut his toe on a sharp stone

adjective

Showing or feeling opposition or dislike; unfriendly.

Usage examples:

A hostile audience

adjective

Characterized by enmity or ill will

adjective

Showing strong dislike; unfriendly

Usage examples:

Her parents were openly hostile to me., the nevada desert is one of the most hostile regions in ame…

adjective

Having or showing eagerness or enthusiasm.

Usage examples:

A keen gardener

verb

Wail in grief for a dead person.

Usage examples:

The body of johnny was taken by his own people who keened over him

noun

An irish funeral song accompanied by wailing in lamentation for the dead.

noun

A speech or piece of writing expressing a strongly critical attack on or controversial opinion about someone or something.

Usage examples:

His polemic against the cultural relativism of the sixties

adjective

A strong verbal or written attack on someone or something.

Usage examples:

His polemic against the cultural relativism of the sixties

noun

A piece of writing or a speech in which a person argues forcefully for or against someone or something

Usage examples:

A series of polemical essays

adjective

Having a sharply strong taste or smell.

Usage examples:

The pungent smell of frying onions

adjective

(of a smell or taste) very strong, sometimes in an unpleasant way

Usage examples:

Pungent odors

adjective

Marked by or given to using irony in order to mock or convey contempt.

Usage examples:

Making sarcastic comments

adjective

Using remarks that clearly mean the opposite of what you say, in order to hurt someone's feelings or to humorously criticize something

Usage examples:

A sarcastic comment/remark, are you being sarcastic?

adjective

Grimly mocking or cynical.

Usage examples:

Starkey attempted a sardonic smile

adjective

Witheringly scornful; severely critical.

Usage examples:

She launched a scathing attack on the prime minister

verb

Harm; injure.

Usage examples:

He was barely scathed

adjective

Severely critical and unkind

Usage examples:

He delivered a scathing attack on the president.

adjective

(of an object) having an edge or point that is able to cut or pierce something.

Usage examples:

Cut the cake with a very sharp knife

adverb

Precisely (used after an expression of time).

Usage examples:

The meeting starts at 7.30 sharp

noun

A musical note raised a semitone above natural pitch.

Usage examples:

Choices in successive levels expand to all notes, then sharps and flats.

adjective

Having a sting; capable of wounding or piercing with a sting.

Usage examples:

A swarm of stinging insects

verb

Wound or pierce with a sting.

Usage examples:

He was stung by a jellyfish

noun

An open pastry case containing a sweet or savoury filling.

Usage examples:

An apple tart

verb

Dress or make oneself up in order to look attractive.

Usage examples:

I tarted myself up for the night

adjective

Sharp or acid in taste.

Usage examples:

A tart apple

adjective

Vigorous or incisive in expression or style.

Usage examples:

The white paper makes trenchant criticisms of health authorities

adjective

(of something said or written) forcefully and effectively expressed, and often in few words

Usage examples:

I enjoy reading murray’s trenchant comments on the relationship between sports and society.

adjective

(of an animal, especially a snake) secreting venom; capable of injecting venom by means of a bite or sting.

Usage examples:

A leading expert on venomous snakes

adjective

A venomous snake, insect, etc., produces venom (= a poisonous liquid that can be put into another animal's body by biting or stinging)

Usage examples:

Possible hazards include mosquitoes, sandflies, and venomous snakes., the florida cottonmouth snake…

adjective

(of a disease or poison) extremely severe or harmful in its effects.

Usage examples:

A virulent strain of influenza

adjective

(of a disease) dangerous and spreading quickly, or (of poison) having an effect very quickly

Usage examples:

A virulent strain of flu, virulent speech, several newspapers mounted virulent attacks.

adjective

A virulent disease or poison is dangerous and spreads or affects people very quickly

Usage examples:

A particularly virulent strain of flu has recently claimed a number of lives in the region.

adjective

Filled with bitter criticism or malice.

Usage examples:

Vitriolic attacks on the politicians

adjective

Readily expressing anger or irritation.

Usage examples:

He had a waspish tongue

adjective

Likely to make sharp, slightly cruel remarks; having a slightly angry and unpleasant manner

Usage examples:

She had a waspish tongue which could hurt.