Definition of "astringent" []

• Medicine Tending to draw together or constrict tissues; styptic. (adjective)
• Sharp and penetrating; pungent or severe: astringent remarks. (adjective)
• A substance or preparation, such as alum, that draws together or constricts body tissues and is effective in stopping the flow of blood or other secretions. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "You can also wipe your palms with cotton balls dipped in astringent, to remove unwanted body oils."
• "A far better film on a similar subject, and more astringent, is Shadow of A Doubt."
• "This ceremony is still practised occasionally in India, and Dr. Hang has tasted this sacred beverage, which he describes as astringent, bitter, intoxicating, and very disagreeable. ["