14 results for: sour Browse Nearby Entries
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
sour    Audio Help   [souuhr, sou-er] Pronunciation Key adjective, -er, -est, noun, verb
–adjective
1.having an acid taste, resembling that of vinegar, lemon juice, etc.; tart.
2.rendered acid or affected by fermentation; fermented.
3.producing the one of the four basic taste sensations that is not bitter, salt, or sweet.
4.characteristic of something fermented: a sour smell.
5.distasteful or disagreeable; unpleasant.
6.below standard; poor.
7.harsh in spirit or temper; austere; morose; peevish.
8.Agriculture. (of soil) having excessive acidity.
9.(of gasoline or the like) contaminated by sulfur compounds.
10.Music. off-pitch; badly produced: a sour note.
–noun
11.something that is sour.
12.any of various cocktails consisting typically of whiskey or gin with lemon or lime juice and sugar and sometimes soda water, often garnished with a slice of orange, a maraschino cherry, or both.
13.an acid or an acidic substance used in laundering and bleaching to neutralize alkalis and to decompose residual soap or bleach.
–verb (used without object)
14.to become sour, rancid, mildewed, etc.; spoil: Milk sours quickly in warm weather. The laundry soured before it was ironed.
15.to become unpleasant or strained; worsen; deteriorate: Relations between the two countries have soured.
16.to become bitter, disillusioned, or disinterested: I guess I soured when I learned he was married. My loyalty soured after his last book.
17.Agriculture. (of soil) to develop excessive acidity.
–verb (used with object)
18.to make sour; cause sourness in: What do they use to sour the mash?
19.to cause spoilage in; rot: Defective cartons soured the apples.
20.to make bitter, disillusioned, or disagreeable: One misadventure needn't have soured him. That swindle soured a great many potential investors.

[Origin: bef. 1000; (adj. and n.) ME sure, soure, OE sūr (orig. adj.); c. G sauer, D zuur, ON sūrr; (v.) ME souren, deriv. of the adj.]

sourish, adjective
sourly, adverb
sourness, noun

5. bitter. 7. severe, testy, touchy, acrimonious, cross, petulant, crabbed.
1. sweet.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
sour

To learn more about sour visit Britannica.com

© 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
sour    Audio Help   (sour)  Pronunciation Key 
adj.   sour·er, sour·est
  1. Having a taste characteristic of that produced by acids; sharp, tart, or tangy.
  2. Made acid or rancid by fermentation.
  3. Having the characteristics of fermentation or rancidity; tasting or smelling of decay.
    1. Bad-tempered and morose; peevish: a sour temper.
    2. Displeased with something one formerly admired or liked; disenchanted: sour on ballet.
    3. Not measuring up to the expected or usual ability or quality; bad.
    4. Not having the correct or properly produced pitch: a sour note.
    1. Not measuring up to the expected or usual ability or quality; bad.
    2. Not having the correct or properly produced pitch: a sour note.
  4. Of or relating to excessively acid soil that is damaging to crops.
  5. Containing excessive sulfur compounds. Used of gasoline.

n.  
  1. The sensation of sour taste, one of the four primary tastes.
  2. Something sour.
  3. A mixed drink made especially with whiskey, lemon or lime juice, sugar, and sometimes soda water.

tr. & intr.v.   soured, sour·ing, sours
  1. To make or become sour.
  2. To make or become disagreeable, disillusioned, or disenchanted.


[Middle English, from Old English sūr.]

sour'ish adj., sour'ly adv., sour'ness n.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean having a taste like that produced by an acid: sour cider; acid, unripe grapes; an acidulous tomato; dry white wine; tart cherries.

(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
sour 
O.E. sur, from P.Gmc. *suraz (cf. O.N. surr, M.Du. suur, Du. zuur, O.H.G. sur, Ger. Sauer), from PIE base *suro- "sour, salty, bitter" (cf. O.C.S. syru, Rus. syroi "moist, raw;" Lith. suras "salty," suris "cheese"). Fr. sur "sour, tart" (12c.) is a Gmc. loan-word. The verb is attested from c.1300. Sense in whisky sour is from 1885. Sourpuss first attested 1937. Sourball is from 1900 as "constantly grumbling person," 1933 as a type of candy. Sour cream is attested from 1855.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
sour

adjective
1. smelling of fermentation or staleness 
2. having a sharp biting taste [ant: sweet
3. one of the four basic taste sensations; like the taste of vinegar or lemons 
4. in an unpalatable state; "sour milk" [syn: off
5. inaccurate in pitch; "a false (or sour) note"; "her singing was off key" [syn: false
6. showing a brooding ill humor; "a dark scowl"; "the proverbially dour New England Puritan"; "a glum, hopeless shrug"; "he sat in moody silence"; "a morose and unsociable manner"; "a saturnine, almost misanthropic young genius"- Bruce Bliven; "a sour temper"; "a sullen crowd" [syn: dark

noun
1. a cocktail made of a liquor (especially whiskey or gin) mixed with lemon or lime juice and sugar 
2. the taste experience when vinegar or lemon juice is taken into the mouth 
3. the property of being acidic [syn: sourness

verb
1. go sour or spoil; "The milk has soured"; "The wine worked"; "The cream has turned--we have to throw it out" 
2. make sour or more sour [ant: dulcify

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
sour1 [ˈsauə] adjective
having a taste or smell similar in nature to that of lemon juice or vinegar
Example: Unripe apples are/taste very sour.
Arabic: حامِض
Chinese (Simplified): 酸的
Chinese (Traditional): 酸的
Czech: kyselý
Danish: sur
Dutch: zuur
Estonian: hapu
Finnish: hapan
French: sur, acide
German: sauer
Greek: ξινός
Hungarian: savanyú
Icelandic: súr
Indonesian: masam
Italian: agro, aspro
Japanese: すっぱい
Korean: 신, 시큼한
Latvian: skābs
Lithuanian: rūgštus
Norwegian: sur
Polish: kwaśny
Portuguese (Brazil): azedo, ácido
Portuguese (Portugal): amargo
Romanian: acid, acru
Russian: кислый
Slovak: kyslý
Slovenian: kisel
Spanish: agrio, ácido, amargo
Swedish: sur, syrlig
Turkish: ekşi
sour2 [ˈsauə] adjective
having a similar taste as a stage in going bad
Example: sour milk
Arabic: ماضِر، مُحَمِّض
Chinese (Simplified): 酸腐的
Chinese (Traditional): 酸腐的
Czech: zkysaný
Danish: sur
Dutch: zuur
Estonian: hapuks läinud, müre
Finnish: hapan
French: aigre
German: sauer
Greek: ξινισμένος
Hungarian: savanyú
Icelandic: súr
Indonesian: masam
Italian: acido, inacidito
Japanese: 酸敗した
Korean: 시어진, 산패(酸敗)한
Latvian: skābens; saskābis
Lithuanian: surūgęs
Norwegian: sur, vond
Polish: kwaśny
Portuguese (Brazil): azedo
Portuguese (Portugal): azedo
Romanian: acru
Russian: прокисший
Slovak: skysnutý
Slovenian: kisel
Spanish: agrio, rancio
Swedish: sur
Turkish: ekşimiş
sour3 [ˈsauə] adjective
(of a person, his character etc) discontented, bad-tempered or disagreeable
Example: She was looking very sour this morning.
Arabic: شَكِس، فَظ
Chinese (Simplified): 脾气坏的
Chinese (Traditional): 脾氣壞的
Czech: mrzutý
Danish: sur
Dutch: zuur
Estonian: tusane, morn
Finnish: nyrpeä
French: revêche
German: sauer
Greek: στριφνός, ανάποδος
Hungarian: besavanyodott
Icelandic: fÿldur, úrillur
Indonesian: masam
Italian: scontroso, stizzoso
Japanese: ふきげんな
Korean: 불쾌한, 언짢은, 심술궂은
Latvian: skābs; sapīcis
Lithuanian: surūgęs, rūškanas
Norwegian: sur, gretten
Polish: skwaszony
Portuguese (Brazil): azedo
Portuguese (Portugal): azedo
Romanian: ursuz, morocănos
Russian: недовольный
Slovak: mrzutý
Slovenian: čemeren
Spanish: amargado, áspero
Swedish: sur
Turkish: ters, huysuz
sour [ˈsauə] verb
to make or become sour
Arabic: يُحَمِّض
Chinese (Simplified): 变酸
Chinese (Traditional): 變酸
Czech: okyselit
Danish: gøre sur; blive sur
Dutch: zuur (doen) worden
Estonian: hapendama
Finnish: hapattaa, hapantua
French: s'aigrir
German: sauer machen; werden
Greek: ξινίζω
Hungarian: (meg)savanyít
Icelandic: sÿra; gera súran
Indonesian: menjadi masam
Italian: inacidire, inacidirsi
Japanese: すっぱくする
Korean: 시게 하다; 시어지다
Latvian: skābt; skābēt
Lithuanian: rauginti, rūgti
Norwegian: bli sur, surne
Polish: kwaśnieć, kwasić
Portuguese (Brazil): azedar
Portuguese (Portugal): azedar
Romanian: a se acri
Russian: скисать; портиться
Slovak: okysliť
Slovenian: skisati (se)
Spanish: agriar(se)
Swedish: surna, bli (göra) sur
Turkish: ekşi(t)mek
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd.
U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This

Sour Lake, TX (city, FIPS 68828) Location: 30.13601 N, 94.40393 W
Population (1990): 1547 (689 housing units)
Area: 4.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 77659

U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Sour

Sor"rel\, n. [F. surelle, fr. sur sour, fr. OHG. s?r sour. See Sour.] (Bot.) One of various plants having a sour juice; especially, a plant of the genus Rumex, as Rumex Acetosa, Rumex Acetosella, etc.

Mountain sorrel. (Bot.) See under Mountain.

Red sorrel. (Bot.) (a) A malvaceous plant (Hibiscus Sabdariffa) whose acid calyxes and capsules are used in the West Indies for making tarts and acid drinks. (b) A troublesome weed (Rumex Acetosella), also called sheep sorrel.

Salt of sorrel (Chem.), binoxalate of potassa; -- so called because obtained from the juice of Rumex Acetosella, or Rumex Axetosa.

Sorrel tree (Bot.), a small ericaceous tree (Oxydendrum arboreum) whose leaves resemble those of the peach and have a sour taste. It is common along the Alleghanies. Called also sourwood.

Wood sorrel (Bot.), any plant of the genus Oxalis.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Sour

Sour\, a. [Compar. Sourer; superl. Sourest.] [OE. sour, sur, AS. s?r; akin to D. zuur, G. sauer, OHG. s?r, Icel. s?rr, Sw. sur, Dan. suur, Lith. suras salt, Russ. surovui harsh, rough. Cf. Sorrel, the plant.]

1. Having an acid or sharp, biting taste, like vinegar, and the juices of most unripe fruits; acid; tart.

All sour things, as vinegar, provoke appetite. --Bacon.

2. Changed, as by keeping, so as to be acid, rancid, or musty, turned.

3. Disagreeable; unpleasant; hence; cross; crabbed; peevish; morose; as, a man of a sour temper; a sour reply. "A sour countenance." --Swift.

He was a scholar . . . Lofty and sour to them that loved him not, But to those men that sought him sweet as summer. --Shak.

4. Afflictive; painful. "Sour adversity." --Shak.

5. Cold and unproductive; as, sour land; a sour marsh.

Sour dock (Bot.), sorrel.

Sour gourd (Bot.), the gourdlike fruit Adansonia Gregorii, and A. digitata; also, either of the trees bearing this fruit. See Adansonia.

Sour grapes. See under Grape.

Sour gum (Bot.) See Turelo.

Sour plum (Bot.), the edible acid fruit of an Australian tree (Owenia venosa); also, the tree itself, which furnished a hard reddish wood used by wheelwrights.

Syn: Acid; sharp; tart; acetous; acetose; harsh; acrimonious; crabbed; currish; peevish.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Sour

Sour\, n. A sour or acid substance; whatever produces a painful effect. --Spenser.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Sour

Sour\, v. t. [AS. s?rian to sour, to become sour.]

1. To cause to become sour; to cause to turn from sweet to sour; as, exposure to the air sours many substances.

So the sun's heat, with different powers, Ripens the grape, the liquor sours. --Swift.

2. To make cold and unproductive, as soil. --Mortimer.

3. To make unhappy, uneasy, or less agreeable.

To sour your happiness I must report, The queen is dead. --Shak.

4. To cause or permit to become harsh or unkindly. "Souring his cheeks." --Shak.

Pride had not sour'd nor wrath debased my heart. --Harte.

5. To macerate, and render fit for plaster or mortar; as, to sour lime for business purposes.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Acronym Finder - Cite This Source - Share This

SOUR

SOUR: in Acronym Finder

Acronym Finder, © 1988-2007 Mountain Data Systems
Browse Nearby Entries:

soupiness
souple
souple silk
soupless
souplike
soupmeat
soups
soups du jour
soups du jour's
soups'
soupspoon
soupspoon's
soupspoons
soupspoons'
souptonuts
soupy
sour
sour bread
sour cherry
sour cherry tree
sour cream
sour crude
sour dock
sour fig
sour gourd
sour grapes
sour grass
sour gum
sour mash
sour mash whiskey
sour milk
sour milk cheese
sour orange

View results from: Dictionary | Thesaurus | Encyclopedia | All Reference | the Web

Share This:   Share This: del.icio.usShare This: digg.comShare This: FacebookShare This: furl.netShare This: www.netscape.comShare This: myweb2.search.yahoo.comShare This: www.stumbleupon.comShare This: www.google.comShare This: www.technorati.comShare This: blinklist.comShare This: newsvine.comShare This: ma.gnolia.comShare This: reddit.comShare This: favorites.live.comShare This: tailrank.com

Perform a new search, or try your search for "sour" at: