Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Medicine Tending to draw together or constrict tissues; styptic.
- adjective Sharp and penetrating; pungent or severe.
- noun A substance or preparation, such as alum, that draws together or constricts body tissues and is effective in stopping the flow of blood or other secretions.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Binding; contracting; constrictive; styptic.
- noun A substance which contracts the tissues and canals of the body, condensing the soft solids, and thereby checking or diminishing excessive discharges, as of blood.
- noun Formerly also
adstringent .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Drawing together the tissues; binding; contracting; -- opposed to
laxative - adjective Stern; austere.
- noun A medicine or other substance that produces contraction in the soft organic textures, and checks discharges of blood, mucus, etc.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
substance which draws tissue together, thusrestricting the flow ofblood . - adjective
Sharp ,caustic ,severe . - adjective medicine Having the
effect ofdrawing tissue together;styptic .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective sour or bitter in taste
- noun a drug that causes contraction of body tissues and canals
- adjective tending to draw together or constrict soft organic tissue
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word astringent.
Examples
-
You can also wipe your palms with cotton balls dipped in astringent, to remove unwanted body oils.
-
A far better film on a similar subject, and more astringent, is Shadow of A Doubt.
-
This ceremony is still practised occasionally in India, and Dr. Hang has tasted this sacred beverage, which he describes as astringent, bitter, intoxicating, and very disagreeable. [
Ten Great Religions An Essay in Comparative Theology James Freeman Clarke 1849
-
However oily your skin is, I would not recommend you to use skin tonic containing alcohol (often called astringent).
Skin Tonic - Get Natural Glow with Homemade Skin Tonics 2008
-
In close connection with this fact there stands also the so-called astringent effect of the milieu upon the individuals who are incapable of rising out of their environment, of stepping out of it.
Introduction to the Science of Sociology Robert Ezra Park 1926
-
Besides, when I'm prattling on about blueberries and cedar, it's always good to hear Kate's input, which invariably ranges from "astringent," to "I like that one," to "which is the most expensive?"
-
When I want to be fancy by having extra glow, I start with #1 (just for the fun tingly bits), and do the following: 2. Out of shower, I use a gentle "astringent" (they don't call it that) - Chantecaille's Rosewater.
Cosmetics That Work, And Skin Care Tips PeaceBang 2006
-
Eat a little of this quince-pie; it is very proper and convenient for the shutting up of the orifice of the ventricle of the stomach, because of a kind of astringent stypticity which is in that sort of fruit, and is helpful to the first concoction.
Five books of the lives, heroic deeds and sayings of Gargantua and his son Pantagruel 2002
-
Eat a little of this quince-pie; it is very proper and convenient for the shutting up of the orifice of the ventricle of the stomach, because of a kind of astringent stypticity which is in that sort of fruit, and is helpful to the first concoction.
Five books of the lives, heroic deeds and sayings of Gargantua and his son Pantagruel 2002
-
Casually dropping the word "astringent" belies skincare knowledge, setting off warning bells that perhaps this counselor is guiltier than he lets on.
StyleList 2010
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.