mordente

[Ital.] Music: A beat, a turn, a pa ing shake. *mor-di-can-çỹ, s. [Eng. mordican(t); -cy.] The quality of being mordicant; a biting quality or nature. *mor'-di-cant, a. [Lat. mordicans ; pr. par. of mordico to bite, to sting; mordeo to bite; Fr. mordicant.] Biting, sharp, acrid.