acerb (
http://definr.com/acerb)
adj 1: sour or bitter in taste [syn:
acerbic,
astringent,
sharp]
2: 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" [syn:
acerbic,
acid,
acrid,
bitter,
blistering,
caustic,
sulfurous,
sulphurous,
venomous,
virulent,
vitriolic]