VITRIOL (vitriolled, vitriolling)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: vitriolled    , vitriolling   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does vitriol mean? 

• VITRIOL (noun)
  The noun VITRIOL has 2 senses:

1. (H2SO4) a highly corrosive acid made from sulfur dioxide; widely used in the chemical industry

2. abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill will

  Familiarity information: VITRIOL used as a noun is rare.

• VITRIOL (verb)
  The verb VITRIOL has 2 senses:

1. expose to the effects of vitriol or injure with vitriol

2. subject to bitter verbal abuse

  Familiarity information: VITRIOL used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• VITRIOL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(H2SO4) a highly corrosive acid made from sulfur dioxide; widely used in the chemical industry

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

oil of vitriol; sulfuric acid; sulphuric acid; vitriol

Hypernyms ("vitriol" is a kind of...):

acid (any of various water-soluble compounds having a sour taste and capable of turning litmus red and reacting with a base to form a salt)

Meronyms (substance of "vitriol"):

atomic number 16; S; sulfur; sulphur (an abundant tasteless odorless multivalent nonmetallic element; best known in yellow crystals; occurs in many sulphide and sulphate minerals and even in native form (especially in volcanic regions))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "vitriol"):

battery acid; electrolyte acid (dilute sulfuric acid used in storage batteries)

Derivation:

vitriolic (of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill will

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

invective; vitriol; vituperation

Hypernyms ("vitriol" is a kind of...):

abuse; contumely; insult; revilement; vilification (a rude expression intended to offend or hurt)

Derivation:

vitriolic (harsh or corrosive in tone)

• VITRIOL (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Expose to the effects of vitriol or injure with vitriol

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "vitriol" is one way to...):

subject (cause to experience or suffer or make liable or vulnerable to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 2

Meaning:

Subject to bitter verbal abuse

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "vitriol" is one way to...):

assail; assault; attack; lash out; round; snipe (attack in speech or writing)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody