| mordant | 1. Any corroding substance used in etching. 2. Any substance, as alum or copperas, which, having a twofold attraction for organic fibres and colouring matter, serves as a bond of union, and thus gives fixity to, or bites in, the dyes. 3. Any sticky matter by which the gold leaf is made to adhere. Origin: F, originally, biting. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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