VINEGAR • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Vinegar

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/vˈɪnəgər/ Listen

noun

Vinegar n.

1.

A sour liquid used as a condiment, or as a preservative, and obtained by the spontaneous (acetous) fermentation, or by the artificial oxidation, of wine, cider, beer, or the like. Note: The characteristic sourness of vinegar is due to acetic acid, of which it contains from three to five per cent. Wine vinegar contains also tartaric acid, citric acid, etc.

2.

Hence, anything sour; used also metaphorically. "Here's the challenge:... I warrant there's vinegar and pepper in't."

Aromatic vinegar, strong acetic acid highly flavored with aromatic substances.

Mother of vinegar. See 4th Mother.

Radical vinegar, acetic acid.

Thieves' vinegar. See under Thief.

Vinegar eel (Zool.), a minute nematode worm (Leptodera oxophila, or Anguillula acetiglutinis), commonly found in great numbers in vinegar, sour paste, and other fermenting vegetable substances; called also vinegar worm.

Vinegar lamp (Chem.), a fanciful name of an apparatus designed to oxidize alcohol to acetic acid by means of platinum.

Vinegar plant. See 4th Mother.

Vinegar tree (Bot.), the stag-horn sumac (Rhus typhina), whose acid berries have been used to intensify the sourness of vinegar.

Wood vinegar. See under Wood.

verb

Vinegar v. t. To convert into vinegar; to make like vinegar; to render sour or sharp. (Obs.) "Hoping that he hath vinegared his senses As he was bid."

See images of 'Vinegar'

Etymology of 'Vinegar'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Vinegar" Quotes from Famous Books

... her conversation is a running fire of spiteful remarks at the expense of every one she knows, and of sneers at the expense of every one she doesn't. I always feel I could make a better woman myself, out of a bottle of vinegar and a penn'orth of mixed pins. Yet it usually takes one about ten minutes to get away ...

— The Second Thoughts of An Idle Fellow • Jerome K. Jerome

... will serve to bring about a peace. Have ye not heard how this much-vaunted alliance with France has resulted? The French fleet and soldiers, united to a force under Sullivan, attempted to capture the British post at Newport, but oil and vinegar would not mix. The Parley-voos wanted to monopolise all the honour by having the Americans play second fiddle to them, but to this they 'd not consent; and while the two were quarrelling over it, like dogs over a bone, in steps the British, drubs the two ...

— Janice Meredith • Paul Leicester Ford

... hospital. He was seriously wounded at the battle of The Little Go-Cart, on the 9th instant. On returning from my office yesterday evening, I found that scarred veteran stretched upon a sofa in the sitting-room, with a patch of brown paper stuck over his left eye, and a convicting smell of vinegar about him. ...

— The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 20, No. 122, December, 1867 • Various

... noble apartments, I begged to be excused; but he pressed it so much, that I was obliged to give him some other reasons, which did not prove very pleasing ones, to the lady below. This fine lady, however, continued to sell us wood, wine, vinegar, sallad, milk, and, in short, every thing we wanted, at a very unreasonable price. At length, my servant, who by agreement made my soup in their kitchen, said something rude to my landlord, who complained to me, and seemed satisfied with the reprimand ...

— A Year's Journey through France and Part of Spain, Volume II (of 2) • Philip Thicknesse

... I don't very much blame her in this case. But it leaves me in a dreadful scrape," said Kitty, supporting her spirits with a sniff of aromatic vinegar. ...

— Rose in Bloom - A Sequel to "Eight Cousins" • Louisa May Alcott

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