sulphurous
    adj 1: of or related to or containing sulfur or derived from
           sulfur [syn: sulfurous, sulphurous]
    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"; "a vitriolic critique" [syn:
       acerb, acerbic, acid, acrid, bitter, blistering,
       caustic, sulfurous, sulphurous, virulent,
       vitriolic]
    3: characterized by oppressive heat and humidity; "the summer
       was sultry and oppressive"; "the stifling atmosphere"; "the
       sulfurous atmosphere preceding a thunderstorm" [syn:
       sultry, stifling, sulfurous, sulphurous]

Sulphurous \Sul"phur*ous\, a. [L. sulphurosus, sulfurosus: cf.
   F. sulfureux.]
   1. Of or pertaining to sulphur.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Chem.)
      (a) Derived from, or containing, sulphur; specifically,
          designating those compounds in which the element has a
          lower valence as contrasted with the sulphuric
          compounds.
      (b) Having the characteristic odor of sulphur dioxide, or
          of hydrogen sulphide, or of other sulphur compounds.
          [1913 Webster]

   Sulphurous acid.
      (a) Sulphur dioxide. See under Sulphur. [Obs.]
      (b) An acid, H2SO3, not known in the free state except
          as a solution of sulphur dioxide in water, but forming
          a well-known series of salts (the sulphites).

   Sulphurous anhydride (Chem.), sulphur dioxide. See under
      Sulphur.
      [1913 Webster]