Astringent

astringent
    adj 1: sour or bitter in taste [syn: {acerb}, {acerbic},
           {astringent}]
    2: tending to draw together or constrict soft organic tissue;
       "astringent cosmetic lotions" [ant: {nonastringent}]
    n 1: a drug that causes contraction of body tissues and canals
         [syn: {astringent}, {astringent drug}, {styptic}]
    

Astringent \As*trin"gent\ (-jent), a. [L. astringens, p. pr. of
   astringere: cf. F. astringent. See {Astringe}.]
   1. Drawing together the tissues; binding; contracting; --
      opposed to {laxative}; as, astringent medicines; a butter
      and astringent taste; astringent fruit.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Stern; austere; as, an astringent type of virtue.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Astringent \As*trin"gent\, n.
   A medicine or other substance that produces contraction in
   the soft organic textures, and checks discharges of blood,
   mucus, etc.
   [1913 Webster]

         External astringents are called styptics. --Dunglison.
   [1913 Webster]
    

90 Moby Thesaurus words for "astringent":
      Spartan, Spartanic, acerb, acerbic, acid, acidulous, acrid,
      acrimonious, alum, amaroidal, ascetic, asperous, austere,
      authoritarian, biting, bitter, bitter as gall, brisk, caustic,
      clamp, coarse, collapsible, compactable, compressible, compressor,
      constrictor, constringent, consumptive, contractible, contractile,
      contractional, contractive, contractor, cutting, deflationary,
      demanding, double-edged, dour, edged, escharotic, exacting,
      exigent, fierce, foldable, grim, hard, harsh, incisive, inclement,
      irritating, keen, meticulous, mordacious, mordant, mortified,
      nose-tickling, penetrating, piercing, pincer, piquant, poignant,
      puckery, pungent, restorative, rigorous, roborant, rough, rugged,
      scathing, severe, sharp, sour, stabbing, stern, stinging, strict,
      strident, stringent, styptic, styptic pencil, tart, tough,
      trenchant, ungentle, unsparing, vehement, violent, virulent, vise,
      vitriolic