Enter a clue or pattern or both:

The Clue

Lactic or xanthic (4 letter answer)

The Answer

ACID

Tags


Notes

The answer ACID is seen frequently, appearing about once every 70 puzzles.

Related Clues

Amino ___
Astringent
Biting
Caustic
Citric ___
Fatty ___
Lsd
Mordant
Nasty
Nitric ___
___ reflux
Sarcastic
Sour
Tart
Vinegar, for one
Aspirin, e.g.
Battery fluid
Certain test
Etcher's fluid
Etcher's need
Etching chemical
Folic, e.g.
Kind of rain
Kind of test
One kind of test
Nasty, as a comment
Nitric or boric
Part of DNA
Sharp and biting
Type of rain
Type of test
Aqua fortis
Cause of much bellyaching?
It's not basic
Kind of wit or test
Mordant for Durer or Hogarth
Target of milk of magnesia
Inspiration for Hunter S. Thompson
This turns litmus red

Definition

ACID as a noun:

1. any of various water-soluble compounds having a sour taste and capable of turning litmus red and reacting with a base to form a salt
2. (acid, back breaker, battery-acid, dose, dot, Elvis, loony toons, Lucy in the sky with diamonds, pane, superman, window pane, Zen) = street name for lysergic acid diethylamide

ACID as an adjective:

1. (acerb, acerbic, acid, acrid, bitter, blistering, caustic, sulfurous, sulphurous, venomous, virulent, vitriolic) = harsh or corrosive in tone; "an acerbic tone piercing otherwise flowery prose"; "a barrage of acid comments"; "her acrid remarks make her many enemies"; "bitter words"; "blistering criticism"; "caustic jokes about political assassination, talk-show hosts and medical ethics"; "a sulfurous denunciation"; "a vitriolic critique"
2. (acidic, acid, acidulent, acidulous) = being sour to the taste
3. having the characteristics of an acid; "an acid reaction"