Nearby Words
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.
EXPANDdistasteful 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.
COLLAPSEMusic. 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.
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Sours
is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
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:
before 1000; (adj. and noun) Middle English sure, soure, Old English sūr (orig. adj.); cognate with German sauer, Dutch zuur, Old Norse sūrr; (v.) Middle English souren, derivative of the adj.
before 1000; (adj. and noun) Middle English sure, soure, Old English sūr (orig. adj.); cognate with German sauer, Dutch zuur, Old Norse sūrr; (v.) Middle English souren, derivative of the adj.
Related forms
sour·ish, adjective
sour·ly, adverb
sour·ness, noun
o·ver·sour, adjective
o·ver·sour·ly, adverb
EXPANDSynonyms
5. bitter. 7. severe, testy, touchy, acrimonious, cross, petulant, crabbed.
5. bitter. 7. severe, testy, touchy, acrimonious, cross, petulant, crabbed.
Antonyms
1. sweet.
1. sweet.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
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Link To sours
Etymonline
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
EXPANDin 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.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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