vitrioling

Variant of vitriol

vitriol definition

vit·riol (vi′trē ôl′, -trē əl)

noun

    1. any of several sulfates of metals, as copper sulfate (blue vitriol), iron sulfate (green vitriol), or zinc sulfate (white vitriol)
    2. sulfuric acid
  2. sharpness or bitterness of feeling, as in speech or writing; venom

Etymology: ME < MFr < ML vitriolum, vitriol < LL vitreolus, glassy < L vitreus, glassy: from the glassy appearance

transitive verb vitrioled -·oled′ or vitriolled -·olled′, vitrioling -·ol′·ing or vitriolling -·ol′·ling

to treat with or as with vitriol

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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