bitter

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bit·ter

 (bĭt′ər)
adj. bit·ter·er, bit·ter·est
1. Having or being a taste that is sharp, acrid, and unpleasant.
2. Causing a sharply unpleasant, painful, or stinging sensation; harsh: enveloped in bitter cold; a bitter wind.
3. Difficult or distasteful to accept, admit, or bear: the bitter truth; bitter sorrow.
4. Proceeding from or exhibiting strong animosity: a bitter struggle; bitter foes.
5. Resulting from or expressive of severe grief, anguish, or disappointment: cried bitter tears.
6. Marked by resentment or cynicism: "He was already a bitter elderly man with a gray face" (John Dos Passos).
adv.
In an intense or harsh way; bitterly: a bitter cold night.
tr.v. bit·tered, bit·ter·ing, bit·ters
To make bitter.
n.
1. That which is bitter: "all words ... / Failing to give the bitter of the sweet" (Tennyson).
2. bitters A bitter, usually alcoholic liquid made with herbs or roots and used in cocktails or as a tonic.
3. Chiefly British A sharp-tasting beer made with hops.

[Middle English, from Old English; see bheid- in Indo-European roots.]

bit′ter·ly adv.
bit′ter·ness n.
Synonyms: bitter, acerbic, acrid
These adjectives mean unpleasantly sharp or pungent in taste or smell: a bitter cough syrup; a cheap, acerbic wine; acrid smoke.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

bitter

(ˈbɪtə)
adj
1. having or denoting an unpalatable harsh taste, as the peel of an orange or coffee dregs. Compare sour1
2. showing or caused by strong unrelenting hostility or resentment: he was still bitter about the divorce.
3. difficult or unpleasant to accept or admit: a bitter blow.
4. cutting; sarcastic: bitter words.
5. bitingly cold: a bitter night.
adv
very; extremely (esp in the phrase bitter cold)
n
6. a thing that is bitter
7. (Brewing) Brit beer with a high hop content, with a slightly bitter taste
vb
to make or become bitter
[Old English biter; related to bītan to bite]
ˈbitterly adv
ˈbitterness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

bit•ter

(ˈbɪt ər)

adj. , -ter•er, -ter•est, adj.
1. having a harsh, acrid taste.
2. producing one of the four basic taste sensations; not sour, sweet, or salt.
3. hard to bear: a bitter sorrow.
4. causing pain: a bitter chill.
5. characterized by or showing intense hostility: bitter enemies.
6. experienced at great cost: a bitter lesson.
7. resentful or cynical: bitter words.
n.
8. that which is bitter; bitterness.
9. Brit. an ale bitter with hops.
v.t.
10. to make bitter.
adv.
11. extremely; very: a bitter cold night.
[before 1000; Middle English, Old English biter; c. Old High German bittar, Old Norse bitr; akin to bite]
bit′ter•ly, adv.
bit′ter•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

bitter


Past participle: bittered
Gerund: bittering

Imperative
bitter
bitter
Present
I bitter
you bitter
he/she/it bitters
we bitter
you bitter
they bitter
Preterite
I bittered
you bittered
he/she/it bittered
we bittered
you bittered
they bittered
Present Continuous
I am bittering
you are bittering
he/she/it is bittering
we are bittering
you are bittering
they are bittering
Present Perfect
I have bittered
you have bittered
he/she/it has bittered
we have bittered
you have bittered
they have bittered
Past Continuous
I was bittering
you were bittering
he/she/it was bittering
we were bittering
you were bittering
they were bittering
Past Perfect
I had bittered
you had bittered
he/she/it had bittered
we had bittered
you had bittered
they had bittered
Future
I will bitter
you will bitter
he/she/it will bitter
we will bitter
you will bitter
they will bitter
Future Perfect
I will have bittered
you will have bittered
he/she/it will have bittered
we will have bittered
you will have bittered
they will have bittered
Future Continuous
I will be bittering
you will be bittering
he/she/it will be bittering
we will be bittering
you will be bittering
they will be bittering
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been bittering
you have been bittering
he/she/it has been bittering
we have been bittering
you have been bittering
they have been bittering
Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been bittering
you will have been bittering
he/she/it will have been bittering
we will have been bittering
you will have been bittering
they will have been bittering
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been bittering
you had been bittering
he/she/it had been bittering
we had been bittering
you had been bittering
they had been bittering
Conditional
I would bitter
you would bitter
he/she/it would bitter
we would bitter
you would bitter
they would bitter
Past Conditional
I would have bittered
you would have bittered
he/she/it would have bittered
we would have bittered
you would have bittered
they would have bittered
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.bitter - English term for a dry sharp-tasting ale with strong flavor of hops (usually on draft)bitter - English term for a dry sharp-tasting ale with strong flavor of hops (usually on draft)
ale - a general name for beer made with a top fermenting yeast; in some of the United States an ale is (by law) a brew of more than 4% alcohol by volume
Britain, Great Britain, U.K., UK, United Kingdom, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; `Great Britain' is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom
2.bitter - the taste experience when quinine or coffee is taken into the mouth
gustatory perception, gustatory sensation, taste, taste perception, taste sensation - the sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus; "the candy left him with a bad taste"; "the melon had a delicious taste"
3.bitter - the property of having a harsh unpleasant tastebitter - the property of having a harsh unpleasant taste
taste property - a property appreciated via the sense of taste
acerbity - a sharp bitterness
acridness, acridity - extreme bitterness; "the acridity of alkali"
Verb1.bitter - make bitter
change taste - alter the flavor of
Adj.1.bitter - marked by strong resentment or cynicismbitter - marked by strong resentment or cynicism; "an acrimonious dispute"; "bitter about the divorce"
resentful - full of or marked by resentment or indignant ill will; "resentful at the way he was treated"; "a sullen resentful attitude"
2.bitter - very difficult to accept or bear; "the bitter truth"; "a bitter sorrow"
intolerable, unbearable, unendurable - incapable of being put up with; "an intolerable degree of sentimentality"
3.bitter - harsh or corrosive in tonebitter - harsh or corrosive in tone; "an acerbic tone piercing otherwise flowery prose"; "a barrage of acid comments"; "her acrid remarks make her many enemies"; "bitter words"; "blistering criticism"; "caustic jokes about political assassination, talk-show hosts and medical ethics"; "a sulfurous denunciation"; "a vitriolic critique"
unpleasant - disagreeable to the senses, to the mind, or feelings ; "an unpleasant personality"; "unpleasant repercussions"; "unpleasant odors"
4.bitter - expressive of severe grief or regretbitter - expressive of severe grief or regret; "shed bitter tears"
sorrowful - experiencing or marked by or expressing sorrow especially that associated with irreparable loss; "sorrowful widows"; "a sorrowful tale of death and despair"; "sorrowful news"; "even in laughter the heart is sorrowful"- Proverbs 14:13
5.bitter - proceeding from or exhibiting great hostility or animositybitter - proceeding from or exhibiting great hostility or animosity; "a bitter struggle"; "bitter enemies"
hostile - characterized by enmity or ill will; "a hostile nation"; "a hostile remark"; "hostile actions"
6.bitter - causing a sharp and acrid taste experiencebitter - causing a sharp and acrid taste experience;"quinine is bitter"
tasty - pleasing to the sense of taste; "a tasty morsel"
7.bitter - causing a sharply painful or stinging sensationbitter - causing a sharply painful or stinging sensation; used especially of cold; "bitter cold"; "a biting wind"
painful - causing physical or psychological pain; "worked with painful slowness"
Adv.1.bitter - extremely and sharplybitter - extremely and sharply; "it was bitterly cold"; "bitter cold"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

bitter

adjective
2. resentful, hurt, wounded, angry, offended, sour, put out, sore, choked, crabbed, acrimonious, aggrieved, sullen, miffed (informal), embittered, begrudging, peeved (informal), piqued, rancorous She is said to be very bitter about the way she was sacked.
resentful happy, friendly, sweet, gentle, pleasant, mild, grateful, mellow, thankful, appreciative
3. great, awful, unpleasant, sore The statement was greeted with bitter disappointment.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

bitter

adjective
1. Having a noticeably sharp pungent taste or smell:
2. Causing sharp, often prolonged discomfort:
3. Difficult to accept:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
عَنيف، لَدودقارِسمُـرمُرّمَرير، قاسٍ
враждебенгорчивзлобеностърциничен
hořkýkyselýnenávistnýnepřátelskýostrý
bitterbidende
kitkeräkarvaskatkera
gorakgrkljutogorčenopor
gyomorkeserűkeserûkeserűkeservesmetsző
beiskur, sárbitur, beiskurheiftarlegurnístandi
にがい
acerbusamarusasper
karčia¤kartumaskartusnesutaikomas
griezīgsniknsrūgtssīvsskarbs
amar
horkýnenávistnýtrpký
grenekogorčenostertrpek
bitter
ขม
acıburukbuz gibiçok soğukkeskin
quyết liệt

bitter

[ˈbɪtəʳ]
A. ADJ
1. (in taste) [drink, medicine] → amargo
it tasted bittersabía amargo
a bitter pill to swallowun trago amargo
2. (= icy) [weather, winter] → gélido, glacial; [wind] → cortante, gélido
it's bitter today!hoy hace un frío gélido or glacial
3. (= fierce) [enemy, hatred] → implacable; [battle] → encarnizado
a bitter struggleuna lucha enconada
4. (= resentful) [person] → amargado, resentido; [protest] → amargo
to feel bitter about sthestar amargo or resentido por algo
5. (= painful) [disappointment] → amargo
to carry on to the bitter endcontinuar hasta el final (cueste lo que cueste)
to shed bitter tearsllorar lágrimas amargas
B. N
1. (Brit) (= beer) → cerveza f amarga
2. bitters licor amargo hecho con extractos de plantas
C. CPD bitter aloes NPLáloes mpl amargos
bitter lemon N (= drink) → refresco m de limón
bitter orange N (= drink) → refresco m de naranja
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

bitter

[ˈbɪtər]
adj
[taste] → amer/ère
to taste bitter → avoir un goût amer
[person] → amer/ère
to be bitter about sth → éprouver de l'amertume à propos de qch
[conflict, argument] → âpre; [memory, disappointment] → amer/ère; [criticism] → cinglant(e)
to be a bitter blow → être un coup dur
to the bitter end → jusqu'au bout
(= icy) [weather, wind] → glacial(e)
It's bitter today → Il fait glacial aujourd'hui.
n (British) (= beer) → bière f (à forte teneur en houblon)
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

bitter

adj (+er)
tastebitter; it was a bitter pill to swallow (fig)es war eine bittere Pille
cold, winterbitter; weather, windbitterkalt, eisig; it’s bitter todayes ist heute bitterkalt
enemy, struggle, oppositionerbittert
disappointment, hatred, reproach, remorse, tearsbitter; criticismscharf, heftig; to the bitter endbis zum bitteren Ende
(= embittered)bitter; person alsoverbittert; to be or feel bitter at somethingüber etw (acc)bitter or verbittert sein
adv bitter coldbitterkalt
n
(Brit: = beer) halbdunkles obergäriges Bier
bitters plMagenbitter m; gin and bittersGin mmit Bitterlikör
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

bitter

[ˈbɪtəʳ]
1. adj
a. (taste, gen) → amaro/a; (of fruit) → aspro/a
a bitter pill to swallow (fig) → un boccone amaro da ingoiare
b. (icy, weather) → gelido/a; (wind) → pungente
c. (enemy, hatred) → acerrimo/a; (quarrel) → aspro/a; (disappointment) → amaro/a; (person) → risentito/a
to the bitter end → fino all'ultimo, a oltranza
2. n (Brit) (beer) → birra amara
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

bitter

(ˈbitə) adjective
1. having a sharp, acid taste like lemons etc, and sometimes unpleasant. a bitter orange.
2. full of pain or sorrow. She learned from bitter experience; bitter disappointment.
3. hostile. full of hatred or opposition: bitter enemies.
4. very cold. a bitter wind.
ˈbitterness noun
ˈbitterly adverb
bitterly disappointed; bitterly cold.
bittergourd noun
a long, fleshy, bitter-tasting fruit usually used as a vegetable.
bitumen (ˈbitjumin) noun
a black, sticky substance obtained from petroleum.
biˈtuminous (-ˈtjuːmi-) adjective
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

bitter

مُرّ hořký bitter bitter πικρός amargo, duro kitkerä amer oštar amaro にがい bitter bitter gorzki amargo ожесточенный bitter ขม acı quyết liệt 激烈的
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

bitter

a. agrio-a, amargo-a; [person] amargado-a.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

bitter

adj amargo
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in periodicals archive ?
A cocktail then was more commonly known as a "bittered sling." It was common practice in the pre-Civil War South to consume the first "slinger," usually a mint julep in the morning for strength.