Caustics

Caustics (plural of caustic) refers to substances capable of burning or corroding organic tissue by chemical action. This destructive property is due to their high acidity or alkalinity. Beyond their literal chemical effects, the term can also describe sharp, critical, or sarcastic remarks, reflecting a figurative 'burning' effect on emotions or sensibilities. They are often used in industrial processes for cleaning, etching, and chemical reactions, or used in medical procedures. The term highlights a corrosive or damaging quality, whether applied to physical substances or forms of communication.

Caustics meaning with examples

• The factory worker accidentally spilled a large volume of caustics on the floor. His quick actions and clean up averted any harm to others, but it quickly destroyed the floor. It ate through his shoes! Such care must be used when handling these chemicals, even though we depend on caustics to make products.
• During the debate, the politician's caustics remarks targeted his opponent's history, quickly getting under the other side's skin. His words were intentionally provocative to the point of being aggressive. They cut through the other person's arguments like acid, leaving little room for counter-arguments.
• The doctor used caustics to remove the wart from the patient’s foot. The strong chemical action required careful application to prevent collateral damage to the surrounding skin. Despite the procedure, the patient recovered, as the medical caustics took away the wart.
• The chemistry experiment involved the reaction of various caustics. The lab assistant meticulously measured each reactant, and the experiment successfully demonstrated their corrosive properties. The assistant had to wear protective gear while mixing the substances. The experiments also showcased the need for safety.
• The comedian used caustics in his stand-up routine, which some found brilliant and witty while others found cruel. He used sarcasm to describe political figures, which evoked laughter, as well as some sighs. Some people found his caustics to be a little too mean, while others thought he was very funny.