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sour

 - 5 dictionary results

sour

  [souuhr, sou-er] adjective, -er, -est, noun, verb
Use sour in a Sentence
–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.

Related forms:
sourish, adjective
sourly, adverb
sourness, noun

Synonyms:
5. bitter. 7. severe, testy, touchy, acrimonious, cross, petulant, crabbed.

Antonyms:
1. sweet.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To sour
sour   (sour)   
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.

  6. Of or relating to excessively acid soil that is damaging to crops.

  7. 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.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

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
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1sour
Pronunciation: 'sau(&)r
Function: adjective
: causing, characterized by, or being the one of the four basic taste sensationsthat is produced chiefly by acids —compare BITTER, SALT 2, SWEET —sour·ness noun

Main Entry: 2sour
Function: noun
: the primary taste sensation produced by acid stimuli
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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