acerbate
English edit
Etymology edit
From Latin acerbātus, perfect passive participle of acerbō (“make bitter”), from acerbus (“bitter”).
Pronunciation edit
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈa.sə.beɪt/
Audio (Southern England) (file) - (US) IPA(key): /ˈæ.səɹˌbeɪt/, ASS-uhr-bait
Adjective edit
acerbate (comparative more acerbate, superlative most acerbate)
- (rare) Embittered; having a sour disposition or nature.
Verb edit
acerbate (third-person singular simple present acerbates, present participle acerbating, simple past and past participle acerbated)
- (transitive) To exasperate; to irritate.
- 1869, Anthony Trollope, chapter 51, in Phineas Finn:
- Lady Laura had triumphed; but she had no desire to acerbate her husband by any unpalatable allusion to her victory.
- (transitive) To make bitter or sour.
Synonyms edit
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
exasperate
References edit
- “acerbate”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
Latin edit
Pronunciation edit
- (Classical) IPA(key): /a.kerˈbaː.te/, [äkɛrˈbäːt̪ɛ]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /a.t͡ʃerˈba.te/, [ät͡ʃerˈbäːt̪e]
Verb edit
acerbāte