Chapter 84

Cor*po"re*al*ist (k&obreve;r*pō"r&esl;*al*&ibreve;st), n. One who denies the reality of spiritual existences; a materialist.

Some corporealists pretended . . . to make a world without a God. Bp. Berkeley.

Cor*po`re*al"i*ty (-?l"?-t?), n.: pl. Corporealities (-t&ibreve;z). The state of being corporeal; corporeal existence.

Cor*po"re*al*ly (k&obreve;r*pō"r&esl;*al*l&ybreve;), adv. In the body; in a bodily form or manner.

Cor*po"re*al*ness (-n?s), n. Corporeality; corporeity.

Cor`po*re"i*ty (k?r`p?-r?"?-t?), n. [LL. corporeitas: cf. F. corpor&?;it&?;.] The state of having a body; the state of being corporeal; materiality.

The one attributed corporeity to God. Bp. Stillingfleet.

Those who deny light to be matter, do not therefore deny its corporeity. Coleridge.

Cor*por"i*fy (k?r-p?r"?-f?), v. t. [L. corpus body + -fy: cf. F. corporifier.] To embody; to form into a body. [Obs.] Boyle.

Cor"po*sant (k?r"p?-z?nt), n. [It. corpo santo holy body.] St. Elmo's fire. See under Saint.

Corps (kōr, pl. kōrz), n. sing. & pl. [F., fr. L. corpus body. See Corpse.] 1. The human body, whether living or dead. [Obs.] See Corpse, 1.

By what craft in my corps, it cometh [commences] and where. Piers Plowman.

2. A body of men; esp., an organized division of the military establishment; as, the marine corps; the corps of topographical engineers; specifically, an army corps.

A corps operating with an army should consist of three divisions of the line, a brigade of artillery, and a regiment of cavalry. Gen. Upton (U. S. Tactics. )

3. A body or code of laws. [Obs.]

The whole corps of the law. Bacon.

4. (Eccl.) The land with which a prebend or other ecclesiastical office is endowed. [Obs.]

The prebendaries over and above their reserved rents have a corps. Bacon.

Army corps, or (French) Corps d'armÚe (k&osl;r` dńr`m&asl;"), a body containing two or more divisions of a large army, organized as a complete army in itself. -- ||Corps de logis (k&osl;r` de l&osl;`zh&esl;") [F., body of the house], the principal mass of a building, considered apart from its wings. -- Corps diplomatique (k&?;r d&?;`pl&?;`m&?;-t&?;k") [F., diplomatic body], the body of ministers or envoys accredited to a government.

Corpse (k˘rps), n. [OF. cors (sometimes written corps), F. corps, L. corpus; akin to AS. hrif womb. See Midriff, and cf. Corse, Corselet, Corps, Cuerpo.] 1. A human body in general, whether living or dead; -- sometimes contemptuously. [Obs.]

&fist; Formerly written (after the French form) corps. See Corps, n., 1.

2. The dead body of a human being; -- used also Fig.

He touched the dead corpse of Public Credit, and it sprung upon its feet. D. Webster.

Corpse candle. (a) A thick candle formerly used at a lich wake, or the customary watching with a corpse on the night before its interment. (b) A luminous appearance, resembling the flame of a candle, sometimes seen in churchyards and other damp places, superstitiously regarded as portending death. -- Corpse gate, the gate of a burial place through which the dead are carried, often having a covered porch; -- called also lich gate.

{ Cor"pu*lence (k?r"p?-lens), Cor"pu*len*cy (k?r"p?-len-s?), } n. [L. corpulentia: cf. F. corpulence.]

1. Excessive fatness; fleshiness; obesity.

2. Thickness; density; compactness. [Obs.]

The heaviness and corpulency of water requiring a great force to divide it. Ray.

Cor"pu*lent (-p?-lent), a. [L. corpulentus, fr. corpus: cf. F. corpulent. See Corpse.] 1. Very fat; obese.

2. Solid; gross; opaque. [Obs.] Holland.

Syn. -- Stout; fleshy; bulky; obese. See Stout.

Cor"pu*lent*ly, adv. In a corpulent manner.

||Cor"pus (-pŭs), n.; pl. Corpora (-p&osl;*r&adot;). [L.] A body, living or dead; the corporeal substance of a thing.

Corpus callosum (kăl*lō"sŭm); pl. Corpora callosa (-s&?;) [NL., callous body] (Anat.), the great band of commissural fibers uniting the cerebral hemispheres. See Brain. -- Corpus Christi (kr&ibreve;s"tī) [L., body of Christ] (R. C. Ch.), a festival in honor of the eucharist, observed on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. -- Corpus Christi cloth. Same as Pyx cloth, under Pyx. -- Corpus delicti (d&esl;*l&ibreve;k"tī) [L., the body of the crime] (Law), the substantial and fundamental fact of the comission of a crime; the proofs essential to establish a crime. -- Corpus luteum (lū"t&esl;*ŭm); pl. Corpora lutea (-&adot;). [NL., luteous body] (Anat.), the reddish yellow mass which fills a ruptured Graafian follicle in the mammalian ovary. -- Corpus striatum (str&isl;*ā"tŭm); pl. Corpora striata (-t&adot;). [NL., striate body] (Anat.), a ridge in the wall of each lateral ventricle of the brain.

Cor"pus*cle (-pŭs*s'l), n. [L. corpusculum, dim. of corpus.] 1. A minute particle; an atom; a molecule.

2. (Anat.) A protoplasmic animal cell; esp., such as float free, like blood, lymph, and pus corpuscles; or such as are imbedded in an intercellular matrix, like connective tissue and cartilage corpuscles. See Blood.

Virchow showed that the corpuscles of bone are homologous with those of connective tissue. Quain's Anat.

Red blood corpuscles (Physiol.), in man, yellowish, biconcave, circular discs varying from 1/3500 to 1/3200 of an inch in diameter and about 1/12400 of an inch thick. They are composed of a colorless stroma filled in with semifluid hŠmoglobin and other matters. In most mammals the red corpuscles are circular, but in the camels, birds, reptiles, and the lower vertebrates generally, they are oval, and sometimes more or less spherical in form. In Amphioxus, and most invertebrates, the blood corpuscles are all white or colorless. -- White blood corpuscles (Physiol.), rounded, slightly flattened, nucleated cells, mainly protoplasmic in composition, and possessed of contractile power. In man, the average size is about 1/2500 of an inch, and they are present in blood in much smaller numbers than the red corpuscles.

Cor*pus"cu*lar (k?r-p?s"k?-l?r), a. [Cf. F. corpusculaire.] Pertaining to, or composed of, corpuscles, or small particles.

Corpuscular philosophy, that which attempts to account for the phenomena of nature, by the motion, figure, rest, position, etc., of the minute particles of matter. -- Corpuscular theory (Opt.), the theory enunciated by Sir Isaac Newton, that light consists in the emission and rapid progression of minute particles or corpuscles. The theory is now generally rejected, and supplanted by the undulatory theory.

Cor*pus`cu*la"ri*an (-l?"r?-a]/>n), a. Corpuscular. [Obs.]

Cor*pus`cu*la"ri*an, n. An adherent of the corpuscular philosophy. Bentley.

Cor*pus"cule (k?r-p?s"k?l), n. A corpuscle. [Obs.]

Cor*pus"cu*lous (-k?-l?s), a. Corpuscular. Tyndall.

Cor*rade" (k?r-r?d"), v. t. [L. corradere, -rasum; cor- + radere to rub.] 1. To gnaw into; to wear away; to fret; to consume. [Obs.] Dr. R. Clerke.

2. (Geol.) To erode, as the bed of a stream. See Corrosion.

Cor*ra"di*al (k?r-r?"d?-a]/>l), a. Radiating to or from the same point. [R.] Coleridge.

Cor*ra"di*ate (k?r-r?"d?-?t), v. t. To converge to one point or focus, as light or rays.

Cor*ra`di*a"tion (k?r-r?`d?-?"sh?n), n. A conjunction or concentration of rays in one point. Bacom

Cor*ral" (k?r-r?l"; Sp. k?r-r?l"), n. [Sp., a yard, a yard for cattle, fr. corro a circle or ring, fr. L. currere to run. Cf. Kraal.] A pen for animals; esp., an inclosure made with wagons, by emigrants in the vicinity of hostile Indians, as a place of security for horses, cattle, etc.

Cor*ral", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Corraled (-r?ld" or -r?ld"); p. pr. & vb. n. Corralling.] To surround and inclose; to coop up; to put into an inclosed space; -- primarily used with reference to securing horses and cattle in an inclosure of wagons while traversing the plains, but in the Southwestern United States now colloquially applied to the capturing, securing, or penning of anything. Bartlett.

Cor*ra"sion (k?r-r?"zh?n), n. [See Corrade.] (Geol.) The erosion of the bed of a stream by running water, principally by attrition of the detritus carried along by the stream, but also by the solvent action of the water.

Cor*ra"sive (-s?v), a. Corrosive. [Obs.]

Corrasive sores which eat into the flesh. Holland.

Cor*rect" (k˘r*r&ebreve;kt"), a. [L. correctus, p. p. of corrigere to make straight, to correct; cor- + regere to lead straight: cf. F. correct. See Regular, Right, and cf. Escort.] Set right, or made straight; hence, conformable to truth, rectitude, or propriety, or to a just standard; not faulty or imperfect; free from error; as, correct behavior; correct views.

Always use the most correct editions. Felton.

Syn. -- Accurate; right, exact; precise; regular; faultless. See Accurate.

Cor*rect", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Corrected; p. pr. & vb. n. Correcting.] 1. To make right; to bring to the standard of truth, justice, or propriety; to rectify; as, to correct manners or principles.

This is a defect in the first make of some men's minds which can scarce ever be corrected afterwards. T. Burnet.

2. To remove or retrench the faults or errors of; to amend; to set right; as, to correct the proof (that is, to mark upon the margin the changes to be made, or to make in the type the changes so marked).

3. To bring back, or attempt to bring back, to propriety in morals; to reprove or punish for faults or deviations from moral rectitude; to chastise; to discipline; as, a child should be corrected for lying.

My accuser is my 'prentice; and when I did correct him for his fault the other day, he did vow upon his knees he would be even with me. Shak.

4. To counteract the qualities of one thing by those of another; -- said of whatever is wrong or injurious; as, to correct the acidity of the stomach by alkaline preparations.

Syn. -- To amend; rectify; emend; reform; improve; chastise; punish; discipline; chasten. See Amend.

{ Cor*rect"i*ble (-r?k"t?-b'l), Cor*rect"a*ble (-r?k"t?-b'l), } a. Capable of being corrected.

Cor*rect"i*fy (k?r-r?k"t?-f?), v. t. To correct. [Obs.]

When your worship's plassed to correctify a lady. Beau. & Fl.

Cor*rec"tion (k?r-r?k"sh?n), n. [L. correctio: cf. F. correction.] 1. The act of correcting, or making that right which was wrong; change for the better; amendment; rectification, as of an erroneous statement.

The due correction of swearing, rioting, neglect of God's word, and other scandalouss vices. Strype.

2. The act of reproving or punishing, or that which is intended to rectify or to cure faults; punishment; discipline; chastisement.

Correction and instruction must both work Ere this rude beast will profit. Shak.

3. That which is substituted in the place of what is wrong; an emendation; as, the corrections on a proof sheet should be set in the margin.

4. Abatement of noxious qualities; the counteraction of what is inconvenient or hurtful in its effects; as, the correction of acidity in the stomach.

5. An allowance made for inaccuracy in an instrument; as, chronometer correction; compass correction.

Correction line (Surv.), a parallel used as a new base line in laying out township in the government lands of the United States. The adoption at certain intervals of a correction line is necessitated by the convergence of of meridians, and the statute requirement that the townships must be squares. -- House of correction, a house where disorderly persons are confined; a bridewell. -- Under correction, subject to correction; admitting the possibility of error.

Cor*rec"tion*al (k?r-r?k"sh?n-a]/>l), a. [Cf. F. correctionnel.] Tending to, or intended for, correction; used for correction; as, a correctional institution.

Cor*rec"tion*er (-?r), n. One who is, or who has been, in the house of correction. [Obs.] Shak.

Cor*rect"ive (k?rr-r?k"t?v), a. [Cf. F. correctif.]

1. Having the power to correct; tending to rectify; as, corrective penalties.

Mulberries are pectoral, corrective of billious alkali. Arbuthnot.

2. Qualifying; limiting. "The Psalmist interposeth . . . this corrective particle." Holdsworth.

Cor*rect"ive, n. 1. That which has the power of correcting, altering, or counteracting what is wrong or injurious; as, alkalies are correctives of acids; penalties are correctives of immoral conduct. Burke.

2. Limitation; restriction. [Obs.] Sir M. Hale.

Cor*rect"ly (k?r-r?kt"l?), adv. In a correct manner; exactly; acurately; without fault or error.

Cor*rect"ness, n. The state or quality of being correct; as, the correctness of opinions or of manners; correctness of taste; correctness in writing or speaking; the correctness of a text or copy.

Syn. -- Accuracy; exactness; precision; propriety.

Cor*rect"or (k?r-r?kt"?r), n. [L.] One who, or that which, corrects; as, a corrector of abuses; a corrector of the press; an alkali is a corrector of acids.

Cor*rect"o*ry (-?-r?), a. Containing or making correction; corrective.

Cor*rect"ress (-r?s), n. A woman who corrects.

||Cor*reg"i*dor (k?r-r?j"?-d?r; Sp. k?r-r?`h?-d?r"), n. [Sp., orig., a corrector.] The chief magistrate of a Spanish town.

Cor"rei (k?r"r?), n. [Scot., perh. fr. Celt. cor a corner.] A hollow in the side of a hill, where game usually lies. "Fleet foot on the correi." Sir W. Scott.

Cor`re*lat"a*ble (k3r`r?-l?t"?-b'l), a. Such as can be correlated; as, correlatable phenomena.

Cor`re*late" (k&obreve;r`r&esl;*lāt" or k&obreve;r"r&esl;*lāt`), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Correlated; p. pr. & vb. n. Correlating.] [Pref. cor- + relate.] To have reciprocal or mutual relations; to be mutually related.

Doctrine and worship correlate as theory and practice. Tylor.

Cor`re*late", v. t. To put in relation with each other; to connect together by the disclosure of a mutual relation; as, to correlate natural phenomena. Darwin.

Cor"re*late (k?r"r?-l?t), n. One who, or that which, stands in a reciprocal relation to something else, as father to son; a correlative. South.

Cor`re*la"tion (-l?"sh?n), n. [LL. correlatio; L. cor- + relatio: cf. F. corrÚlation. Cf. Correlation.] Reciprocal relation; corresponding similarity or parallelism of relation or law; capacity of being converted into, or of giving place to, one another, under certain conditions; as, the correlation of forces, or of zymotic diseases.

Correlation of energy, the relation to one another of different forms of energy; -- usually having some reference to the principle of conservation of energy. See Conservation of energy, under Conservation. -- Correlation of forces, the relation between the forces which matter, endowed with various forms of energy, may exert.

Cor*rel"a*tive (k?r-r?l"?-t?v), a. [Cf. F. corrÚlatif.] Having or indicating a reciprocal relation.

Father and son, prince and subject, stranger and citizen, are correlative terms. Hume.

Cor*rel"a*tive, n. 1. One who, or that which, stands in a reciprocal relation, or is correlated, to some other person or thing. Locke.

Spiritual things and spiritual men are correlatives. Spelman.

2. (Gram.) The antecedent of a pronoun.

Cor*rel"a*tive*ly, adv. In a correlative relation.

Cor*rel"a*tive*ness, n. Quality of being correlative.

Cor`re*li"gion*ist (k?r`r?-l?j"?n-?st), n. A co-religion&?;ist.

Cor*rep"tion (k?r-r?p"sh?n), n. [L. correptio, fr. corripere to seize.] Chiding; reproof; reproach. [Obs.]

Angry, passionate correption being rather apt to provoke, than to amend. Hammond.

Cor`re*spond" (k?r`r?-sp?nd"), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Corresponded; p. pr. & vb. n. Corresponding.] [Pref. cor- + respond: cf. f. correspondre.] 1. To be like something else in the dimensions and arrangement of its parts; -- followed by with or to; as, concurring figures correspond with each other throughout.

None of them [the forms of Sidney's sonnets] correspond to the Shakespearean type. J. A. Symonds.

2. To be adapted; to be congruous; to suit; to agree; to fit; to answer; -- followed by to.

Words being but empty sounds, any farther than they are signs of our ideas, we can not but assent to them as they correspond to those ideas we have, but no farther. Locke.

3. To have intercourse or communion; especially, to hold intercourse or to communicate by sending and receiving letters; -- followed by with.

After having been long in indirect communication with the exiled family, he [Atterbury] began to correspond directly with the Pretender. Macaulay.

Syn. -- To agree; fit; answer; suit; write; address.

Cor`re*spond"ence (-sp?nd"ens), n. [Cf. F. correspondance.] 1. Friendly intercourse; reciprocal exchange of civilities; especially, intercourse between persons by means of letters.

Holding also good correspondence with the other great men in the state. Bacon.

To facilitate correspondence between one part of London and another, was not originally one of the objects of the post office. Macaulay.

2. The letters which pass between correspondents.

3. Mutual adaptation, relation, or agreement, of one thing to another; agreement; congruity; fitness; relation.

Cor`re*spond"en*cy (k$r`r?--sp?nd"en-s?), n.; pl. Correspondencies (-s&?;z). Same as Correspondence, 3.

The correspondencies of types and antitypes . . . may be very reasonable confirmations. S. Clarke.

Cor`re*spond"ent (-ent), a. [Cf. F. correspondant.] Suitable; adapted; fit; corresponding; congruous; conformable; in accord or agreement; obedient; willing.

Action correspondent or repugnant unto the law. Hooker.

As fast the correspondent passions rise. Thomson.

I will be correspondent to command. Shak.

Cor`re*spond"ent, n. 1. One with whom intercourse is carried on by letter. Macaulay.

2. One who communicates information, etc., by letter or telegram to a newspaper or periodical.

3. (Com.) One who carries on commercial intercourse by letter or telegram with a person or firm at a distance.

Cor`re*spond"ent*ly, adv. In a a corresponding manner; conformably; suitably.

Cor`re*spond"ing, a. 1. Answering; conformable; agreeing; suiting; as, corresponding numbers.

2. Carrying on intercourse by letters.

Corresponding member of a society, one residing at a distance, who has been invited to correspond with the society, and aid in carrying out its designs without taking part in its management.

Cor`re*spond"ing*ly, adv. In a corresponding manner; conformably.

Cor`re*spon"sive (-r?-sp?n"s?v), a. Corresponding; conformable; adapted. Shak. -- Cor`re*spon"sive*ly, adv.

Cor"ri*dor (k?r"r?-d?r or -d?r), n. [F., fr. Itt. corridpore, or Sp. corredor; prop., a runner, hence, a running or long line, a gallery, fr. L. currere to run. See Course.]

1. (Arch.) A gallery or passageway leading to several apartments of a house.

2. (Fort.) The covered way lying round the whole compass of the fortifications of a place. [R.]

Cor"rie (k?r"r?), n. Same as Correi. [Scot.] Geikie.

||Cor`ri*gen"dum (k?r`r?-j?n"d?m), n.; pl. Corrigenda (- d&?;). [L.] A fault or error to be corrected.

Cor"ri*gent (k?r"r?--jent), n. [L. corrigens, p. pr. of corrigere to correct.] (Med.) A substance added to a medicine to mollify or modify its action. Dunglison.

Cor`ri*gi*bil"i*ty (-j?-b?l"?-t?), n. Quality of being corrigible; capability of being corrected; corrigibleness.

Cor"ri*gi*ble (k?r"r?-j?-b'l), a. [LL. corribilis, fr. L. corrigere to correct: cf. F. corrigible. See Correrct.]

1. Capable of being set right, amended, or reformed; as, a corrigible fault.

2. Submissive to correction; docile. "Bending down his corrigible neck." Shak.

3. Deserving chastisement; punishable. [Obs.]

He was taken up very short, and adjudged corrigible for such presumptuous language. Howell.

4. Having power to correct; corrective. [Obs.]

The . . . .corrigible authority of this lies in our wills. Shak.

Cor"ri*gi*ble*ness, n. The state or quality of being corrigible; corrigibility.

Cor*ri"val (k?r-r?"val), n. A fellow rival; a competitor; a rival; also, a companion. [R.] Shak.

Cor*ri"val, a. Having rivaling claims; emulous; in rivalry. [R.] Bp. Fleetwood.

Cor*ri"val, v. i. & t. To compete with; to rival. [R.]

Cor*ri"val*ry (k?r-r?"val-r?), n. Corivalry. [R.]

Cor*ri"val*ship, n. Corivalry. [R.]

By the corrivalship of Shager his false friend. Sir T. Herbert.

Cor"ri*vate (k?r"r?-v?t), v. t. [L. corrivatus, p. p. of corrivare to corrivate.] To cause to flow together, as water drawn from several streams. [Obs.] Burton.

Cor`ri*va"tion (-v?"sh?n), n. [L. corrivatio.] The flowing of different streams into one. [Obs.] Burton.

Cor*rob"o*rant (k?r-r?b"?-rant), a. [L. corroborans, p. pr. See Corroborate.] Strengthening; supporting; corroborating. Bacon. -- n. Anything which gives strength or support; a tonic.

The brain, with its proper corroborants, especially with sweet odors and with music. Southey.

Cor*rob"o*rate (k?r-r?b"?-r?t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Corroborated (-r?`t?d); p. pr. & vb. n. Corroborating (-r?`t?ng). ] [L. corroboratus, p. p. of corroborare to corroborate; cor- + roborare to strengthen, robur strength. See Robust.] 1. To make strong, or to give additional strength to; to strengthen. [Obs.]

As any limb well and duly exercised, grows stronger, the nerves of the body are corroborated thereby. I. Watts.

2. To make more certain; to confirm; to establish.

The concurrence of all corroborates the same truth. I. Taylor.

Cor*rob"o*rate (-r?t), a. Corroborated. [Obs.] Bacon.

Cor*rob`o*ra"tion (k?r-r?b`?-r?"sh?n), n. [Cf. F. corroboration.] 1. The act of corroborating, strengthening, or confirming; addition of strength; confirmation; as, the corroboration of an argument, or of information.

2. That which corroborates.

Cor*rob"o*ra*tive (k?r-r?b"?-r?-t?v), a. [Cf. F. corroboratif.] Tending to strengthen of confirm.

Cor*rob"o*ra*tive, n. A medicine that strengthens; a corroborant. Wiseman.

Cor*rob"o*ra*to*ry (-t?-r?), a. Tending to strengthen; corroborative; as, corroboratory facts.

Cor*rode" (k?r-r?d") v. t. [imp. & p. p. Corroded; p. pr. & vb. n. Corroding.] [L. corrodere, - rosum; cor + rodere to gnaw: cf. F. corroder. See Rodent.]

1. To eat away by degrees; to wear away or diminish by gradually separating or destroying small particles of, as by action of a strong acid or a caustic alkali.

Aqua fortis corroding copper . . . is wont to reduce it to a green-blue solution. Boyle.

2. To consume; to wear away; to prey upon; to impair.

Cor*rode", v. i. To have corrosive action; to be subject to corrosion.

Corroding lead, lead sufficiently pure to be used in making white lead by a process of corroding.

Syn. -- To canker; gnaw; rust; waste; wear away.

Cor*rod"ent (k?r-r?"dent), a. [L. corrodens, p. pr. of corrodere.] Corrosive. [R.] Bp. King.

Cor*rod"ent, n. Anything that corrodes. Bp. King.

Cor*ro"di*ate (k?r-r?"d?-?t), v. t. [See Corrode.] To eat away by degrees; to corrode. [Obs.] Sandys.

Cor*ro`di*bil"i*ty (k?r-r?`d?-b?l"?-t?), n. The quality of being corrodible. [R.] Johnson.

Cor*rod"i*ble (k?r-r?"d?-b'l), a. Capable of being corroded; corrosible. Sir T. Browne.

Cor*ro`si*bil"i*ty (k?r-r?`s?-b?l"?-t?), n. Corrodibility. "Corrosibility . . . answers corrosiveness." Boyle.

Cor*ro"si*ble (k?r-r?"s?-b'l), a. Corrodible. Bailey.

Cor*ro"si*ble*ness, n. The quality or state of being corrosible. Bailey.

Cor*ro"sion (k?r-r?"zh?n), n. [LL. corrosio: cf. F. corrosion. See Corrode.] The action or effect of corrosive agents, or the process of corrosive change; as, the rusting of iron is a variety of corrosion.

Corrosion is a particular species of dissolution of bodies, either by an acid or a saline menstruum. John Quincy.

Cor*ro"sive (k?r-r?"s?v), a. [Cf. F. corrosif.] 1. Eating away; having the power of gradually wearing, changing, or destroying the texture or substance of a body; as, the corrosive action of an acid. "Corrosive liquors." Grew. "Corrosive famine." Thomson.

2. Having the quality of fretting or vexing.

Care is no cure, but corrosive. Shak.