sour

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English sour, from Old English sūr (“sour”), from Proto-Germanic *sūraz (“sour”), from Proto-Indo-European *sūr- (“sour (milk)”). Cognate with West Frisian soer, Dutch zuur (“sour”), Low German suur, German sauer (“sour”), Danish and Swedish sur (“sour”), Icelandic súr (“sour, bitter”).

Pronunciation

Adjective

sour (comparative sourer, superlative sourest)

  1. Having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste.
    Lemons have a sour taste.
  2. Made rancid by fermentation, etc.
  3. Tasting or smelling rancid.
  4. Peevish or bad-tempered.
    He gave me a sour look.
  5. (of soil) Excessively acidic and thus infertile.
  6. (of petroleum) Containing excess sulfur.
  7. Unfortunate or unfavorable.
    • 2011 October 1, Phil Dawkes, “Sunderland 2 - 2 West Brom”, BBC Sport:
      The result may not quite give the Wearsiders a sweet ending to what has been a sour week, following allegations of sexual assault and drug possession against defender Titus Bramble, but it does at least demonstrate that their spirit remains strong in the face of adversity.

Translations

having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste
made rancid by fermentation, etc.
tasting or smelling rancid
peevish or bad-tempered
(of soil) excessively acidic and thus infertile
(of petroleum) containing excess sulfur
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Noun

sour (countable and uncountable; plural sours)

  1. The sensation of a sour taste.
  2. A drink made with whiskey, lemon or lime juice and sugar.
  3. (by extension) Any cocktail containing lemon or lime juice.

Translations

the sensation of a sour taste
a drink made with whiskey, lemon or lime juice and sugar

Verb

sour (third-person singular simple present sours, present participle souring, simple past and past participle soured)

  1. To make or become sour.
    Too much lemon juice will sour the recipe.
  2. To become disenchanted.
    We broke up after our relationship soured.

Translations

to become sour

Noun

sour (plural sours)

  1. A sour or acid substance; whatever produces a painful effect.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Spenser to this entry?)

Anagrams

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Romansch

Alternative forms

  • (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan, Sutsilvan, Surmiran) sora

Etymology

From Latin soror, from Proto-Indo-European *swésōr.

Noun

sour f (plural sours)

  1. (Puter, Vallader) sister

Coordinate terms

  • (in terms of gender):
    • (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan, Sutsilvan, Surmiran, Vallader) frar
    • (Puter) frer
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Last modified on 19 May 2013, at 22:33