Sour

Sour
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. [1913 Webster]

All sour things, as vinegar, provoke appetite. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]

2. Changed, as by keeping, so as to be acid, rancid, or musty, turned. [1913 Webster]

3. Disagreeable; unpleasant; hence; cross; crabbed; peevish; morose; as, a man of a sour temper; a sour reply. ``A sour countenance.'' --Swift. [1913 Webster]

He was a scholar . . . Lofty and sour to them that loved him not, But to those men that sought him sweet as summer. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

4. Afflictive; painful. ``Sour adversity.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]

5. Cold and unproductive; as, sour land; a sour marsh. [1913 Webster]

{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. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Acid; sharp; tart; acetous; acetose; harsh; acrimonious; crabbed; currish; peevish. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • sour´ly — sour «sowr», adjective, verb, noun, adverb. –adj. 1. having a taste like that of vinegar or lemon juice; sharp and biting: »Most green fruit is sour. SYNONYM(S): acid, acidulous, tart. 2. fermented; acid as a result of fermentation; spoiled. Sour …   Useful english dictionary

  • sour — [sour] adj. [ME soure < OE sur, akin to Ger sauer, ON sūrr < IE * suro , sour, salty > Latvian sũrs, salty, bitter] 1. having the sharp, acid taste of lemon juice, vinegar, green fruit, etc. 2. made acid or rank by or as by fermentation… …   English World dictionary

  • 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. [1913 Webster] So the sun s heat, with different powers, Ripens the grape, the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sour — sour, acid, acidulous, tart, dry mean having a taste devoid of sweetness. All but dry suggest the taste of lemons, vinegar, or of most unripe fruits. Sour and acid are often interchangeable, but sour is more likely to be chosen to describe… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • sour — sour; sour·berry; sour·dine; sour·i·quois; sour·ish; sour·ly; sour·ness; sour·sob; vav·a·sour; …   English syllables

  • sour — Ⅰ. sour UK US /saʊər/ verb [I or T] ► to become, or cause to become, less pleasant, friendly, or successful: »Meeting clients unexpectedly can sour a relationship. »Loans are souring, as bankruptcies and the bad debts they leave behind keep… …   Financial and business terms

  • sour on — informal : having a bad opinion of (something) She was sour on politics in general. • • • Main Entry: ↑sour sour on [phrasal verb] sour on (something) or sour (someone) on (something …   Useful english dictionary

  • Sour — 〈[saʊər] m.; od. s, 〉 alkohol. Mixgetränk mit Zitronen od. Limonensaft ● Whisky Sour [<engl. sour „sauer“] * * * Sour   [sur], Stadt in Südlibanon, Sur. * * * Sour [ zauɐ, engl. saʊə], der; [s], s [engl. sour, eigtl. = sauer]: stark… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • sour — ► ADJECTIVE 1) having a sharp taste like lemon or vinegar. 2) tasting or smelling rancid from fermentation or staleness. 3) resentful, bitter, or angry. ► NOUN ▪ a cocktail made by mixing a spirit with lemon or lime juice. ► VERB ▪ make or become …   English terms dictionary

  • sour — (adj.) O.E. sur, from P.Gmc. *suraz (Cf. O.N. surr, M.Du. suur, Du. zuur, O.H.G. sur, Ger. Sauer), from PIE root *suro sour, salty, bitter (Cf. O.C.S. syru, Rus. syroi moist, raw; Lith. suras salty …   Etymology dictionary

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