bit⋅ter
[bit-er]
adjective, -er, -est, noun, verb, adverb | 1. | having a harsh, disagreeably acrid taste, like that of aspirin, quinine, wormwood, or aloes. |
| 2. | producing one of the four basic taste sensations; not sour, sweet, or salt. |
| 3. | hard to bear; grievous; distressful: a bitter sorrow. |
| 4. | causing pain; piercing; stinging: a bitter chill. |
| 5. | characterized by intense antagonism or hostility: bitter hatred. |
| 6. | hard to admit or accept: a bitter lesson. |
| 7. | resentful or cynical: bitter words. |
| 8. | that which is bitter; bitterness: Learn to take the bitter with the sweet. |
| 9. | British. a very dry ale having a strong taste of hops. |
| 10. | to make bitter: herbs employed to bitter vermouth. |
| 11. | extremely; very; exceedingly: a bitter cold night. |
Related forms:
1. acrid, biting, distasteful. 3. distressing, poignant, painful. 4. biting, nipping. 5. fierce, cruel, ruthless, relentless. 7. acrimonious, caustic, sardonic, scornful.
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Bitter
Bit"ter\, n. [See Bitts.] (Naut.) AA turn of the cable which is round the bitts. Bitter end, that part of a cable which is abaft the bitts, and so within board, when the ship rides at anchor.Bitter
Bit"ter\, a. [AS. biter; akin to Goth. baitrs, Icel. bitr, Dan., Sw., D., & G. bitter, OS. bittar, fr. root of E. bite. See Bite, v. t.]1. Having a peculiar, acrid, biting taste, like that of wormwood or an infusion of hops; as, a bitter medicine; bitter as aloes. 2. Causing pain or smart; piercing; painful; sharp; severe; as, a bitter cold day. 3. Causing, or fitted to cause, pain or distress to the mind; calamitous; poignant. It is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God. --Jer. ii. 19. 4. Characterized by sharpness, severity, or cruelty; harsh; stern; virulent; as, bitter reproach. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. --Col. iii. 19. 5. Mournful; sad; distressing; painful; pitiable. The Egyptians . . . made their lives bitter with hard bondage. --Ex. i. 14. Bitter apple, Bitter cucumber, Bitter gourd. (Bot.) See Colocynth. Bitter cress (Bot.), a plant of the genus Cardamine, esp. C. amara. Bitter earth (Min.), tale earth; calcined magnesia. Bitter principles (Chem.), a class of substances, extracted from vegetable products, having strong bitter taste but with no sharply defined chemical characteristics. Bitter salt, Epsom salts; magnesium sulphate. Bitter vetch (Bot.), a name given to two European leguminous herbs, Vicia Orobus and Ervum Ervilia. To the bitter end, to the last extremity, however calamitous. Syn: Acrid; sharp; harsh; pungent; stinging; cutting; severe; acrimonious.Bitter
Bit"ter\, n. Any substance that is bitter. See Bitters.Bitter
Bit"ter\, v. t. To make bitter. --Wolcott.Cite This Source
bitter
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Bitter
Bitterness is symbolical of affliction, misery, and servitude (Ex. 1:14; Ruth 1:20; Jer. 9:15). The Chaldeans are called the "bitter and hasty nation" (Hab. 1:6). The "gall of bitterness" expresses a state of great wickedness (Acts 8:23). A "root of bitterness" is a wicked person or a dangerous sin (Heb. 12:15). The Passover was to be eaten with "bitter herbs" (Ex. 12:8; Num. 9:11). The kind of herbs so designated is not known. Probably they were any bitter herbs obtainable at the place and time when the Passover was celebrated. They represented the severity of the servitude under which the people groaned; and have been regarded also as typical of the sufferings of Christ.
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bitter
In addition to the idioms beginning with bitter, also see take the bitter with the sweet.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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