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.
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 |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  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 tastetaste property - a property appreciated via the sense of taste acerbity - a sharp bitterness | |
| Verb | 1. | bitter - make bitter change taste - alter the flavor of |
| Adj. | 1. |  bitter - 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 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 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 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 experience;"quinine is bitter"tasty - pleasing to the sense of taste; "a tasty morsel" | |
| 7. |  bitter - 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 sharply; "it was bitterly cold"; "bitter cold" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
bitter
adjective
1. grievous, hard, severe, distressing, fierce, harsh, cruel, savage, ruthless, dire, relentless, poignant, ferocious, galling, unrelenting, merciless, remorseless, gut-wrenching, vexatious, hard-hearted the scene of bitter fighting
grievous pleasant, fortunate
grievous pleasant, fortunate
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
resentful happy, friendly, sweet, gentle, pleasant, mild, grateful, mellow, thankful, appreciative
3. great, awful, unpleasant, sore The statement was greeted with bitter disappointment.
4. freezing, biting, severe, intense, raw, fierce, chill, stinging, penetrating, arctic, icy, polar, Siberian, glacial, wintry a night in the bitter cold
freezing gentle, pleasant, mild, balmy
freezing gentle, pleasant, mild, balmy
5. sour, biting, sharp, acid, harsh, unpleasant, tart, astringent, acrid, unsweetened, vinegary, acidulated, acerb The leaves taste rather bitter.
sour sweet, pleasant, mild, bland, mellow, sugary
sour sweet, pleasant, mild, bland, mellow, sugary
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
bitter
adjective3. Difficult to accept:
4. Bitingly hostile:
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
쓴
acerbusamarusasper
karčia¤kartumaskartusnesutaikomas
griezīgsniknsrūgtssīvsskarbs
amar
horkýnenávistnýtrpký
grenekogorčenostertrpek
bitter
ขม
quyết liệt
bitter
[ˈbɪtəʳ]A. ADJ
1. (in taste) [drink, medicine] → amargo
it tasted bitter → sabía amargo
a bitter pill to swallow → un trago amargo
it tasted bitter → sabía amargo
a bitter pill to swallow → un trago amargo
2. (= icy) [weather, winter] → gélido, glacial; [wind] → cortante, gélido
it's bitter today! → hoy hace un frío gélido or glacial
it's bitter today! → hoy hace un frío gélido or glacial
3. (= fierce) [enemy, hatred] → implacable; [battle] → encarnizado
a bitter struggle → una lucha enconada
a bitter struggle → una lucha enconada
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
[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
to be a bitter blow → être un coup dur
to the bitter end → jusqu'au bout
n (British) (= beer) → bière f (à forte teneur en houblon)
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
bitter
adj (+er)
cold, winter → bitter; weather, wind → bitterkalt, eisig; it’s bitter today → es ist heute bitterkalt
enemy, struggle, opposition → erbittert
disappointment, hatred, reproach, remorse, tears → bitter; criticism → scharf, heftig; to the bitter end → bis zum bitteren Ende
(= embittered) → bitter; person also → verbittert; to be or feel bitter at something → über etw (acc) → bitter or verbittert sein
adv bitter cold → bitterkalt
n
(Brit: = beer) halbdunkles obergäriges Bier
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
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
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) adjective1. 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 nounˈbitterly 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-) adjectiveKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
bitter
→ مُرّ hořký bitter bitter πικρός amargo, duro kitkerä amer oštar amaro にがい 쓴 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 amargoEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.