Literary notes about Acrid (AI summary)
The term "acrid" is employed in literature to convey a harsh, biting quality that can be both physical and metaphorical. Writers use it to describe a pungent smell or taste—such as the aromatic yet stinging fruits in one passage [1] or the coarse, smoke-laden tobacco that provokes an involuntary cough [2]—imbuing scenes with a visceral quality. At the same time, "acrid" characterizes tones of speech and aspects of personality, suggesting bitterness or caustic wit, as seen when a character’s voice is marked by sharp, resentful intonation [3] or when an expression is both desolate and stinging [4]. This multifaceted application enriches the sensory language of texts, linking the physical impact of acridity with the emotional undercurrents in narrative.
- Verbenaceæ, a native of the Mediterranean countries, with white flowers and acrid, aromatic fruits.
— from The New Gresham Encyclopedia. A to Amide by Various - As I entered, however, my fears were set at rest, for it was the acrid fumes of strong coarse tobacco which took me by the throat and set me coughing.
— from The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle - When solely used, however, it produces acrid humors, a fact which sufficiently accounts for the humorous character of the Kanakas.
— from Roughing It by Mark Twain - Mr. Rochester then turned to the spectators: he looked at them with a smile both acrid and desolate.
— from Jane Eyre: An Autobiography by Charlotte Brontë
