The Rock Snob’s Dictionary (q.v.), p. 23:
- coruscating
- Critic-beloved adjective, literally meaning “giving forth flashes of light; sparkling,” that is invariably used to describe guitar solos or riffs. John Frusciante turns in some coruscating guitar work on the new Chili Peppers album.
Letter to Private Eye, 29 April–12 May 2005, p. 16:
You describe the judgement of Richard Mawrey, QC on the ballot fraud in [your] editorial as coruscating (to give forth flashes of light; sparkle and glitter). I have no doubt that his judgement is of the highest form of jurisprudence, but don’t you mean something along the lines of scathing (to criticize or denounce severely; excoriate)?
I can’t believe I’m bothering about this. I must be getting old. – William Schofield