etch (etch)

verb

• 1engrave (metal, glass, or stone) by coating it with a protective layer, drawing on it with a needle, and then covering it with acid to attack the parts the needle has exposed, especially in order to produce prints from it: (as adjective etched) etched glass windows
• use the etching process to produce (a print or design): the gallery has 12,000 prints engraved and etched by celebrated masters the image is etched into the metal plate

• 2(of an acid or other solvent) corrode or eat away the surface of (something): caustic soda etches glass tiny droplets in the glaze emulsion were etched away by acid
• selectively dissolve the surface of (a semiconductor or printed circuit) with a solvent, laser, or stream of electrons: ballistic electron emission microscopy is used to etch templates for even smaller circuits

• 3cut or carve (a text or design) on a surface: her initials were etched on the table flap
• mark (a surface) with a carved text or design: a Pictish stone etched with mysterious designs figurative her face was etched with tiredness
• cause to stand out or be clearly defined or visible: the outline of the town was etched against the sky
• (be etched) (of an experience, image, etc.) be permanently fixed in someone’s memory: the events remain etched in the minds of all who witnessed them

noun

• the action or process of etching something: semiconductor production processes such as plasma etch [count noun]: acetic acid gives a more selective etch