mordax

mordax, ācis, adj. [mordeo], biting, given to biting, snappish ( poet. and in postAug. prose).

I.

Lit.:

canis,

Plaut. Bacch. 5, 2, 27: equus, Labeo ap. Gell. 4, 2:

asinus,

App. M. 8, p. 213 init.: Memmius, Auct. ap. Cic. de Or. 2, 59, 240.— Poet.:

fibula,

Sid. Carm. 5, 18.—

B.

Transf., stinging, sharp, biting, pungent:

urtica,

stinging, Ov. A. A. 2, 417:

arista mordacior hordeo,

Plin. 18, 7, 10, § 61:

mordacissima marga,

id. 17, 8, 4, § 45:

mordaci icta ferro Pinus,

biting, deepcutting, Hor. C. 4, 6, 9:

pumex,

Ov. A. A. 1, 506:

pulvis,

corrosive, Plin. 15, 29, 37, § 123:

fel,

biting, sharp, Ov. P. 3, 3, 106:

acetum,

sharp, pungent, Pers. 5, 86:

sucus,

Plin. 25, 8, 50, § 89.—

II.

Trop., biting, disposed to bite.

A.

Of persons:

Cynicus,

biting, snarling, Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 18:

lividus et mordax,

id. S. 1, 4, 93.—

B.

Of inanim. and abstr. things:

carmen,

Ov. Tr. 2, 563:

invidia,

Phaedr. 5 prol. 8:

verum,

Pers. 1, 107:

sollicitudines,

biting, carking, Hor. C. 1, 18, 4:

belle interim subicitur pro eo, quod neges, aliud mordacius,

a more stinging assertion, Quint. 6, 3, 74.—Hence, adv.: mordācĭter, bitingly ( poet. and postclass. prose), Macr. S. 7, 3, 8.— Comp.:

neque enim in nobis febris alias partes mordacius impellit, sed per omnia pari aequalitate discurrit,

Sen. Q. N. 6, 15, 3:

limā mordacius uti,

more sharply, Ov. P. 1, 5, 19:

scribere,

Lact. 5, 2, 12.