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sour definition

sour (so̵ur)

adjective

  1. having the sharp, acid taste of lemon juice, vinegar, green fruit, etc.
  2. made acid or rank by or as by fermentation sour milk
    1. cross, bad-tempered, peevish, morose, etc. a sour mood
    2. ill-disposed and bitter sour toward former associates
  4. below what is usual or normal; poor; bad his game has gone sour
  5. distasteful or unpleasant
  6. gratingly wrong or off pitch a sour note
  7. excessively acid: said of soil
  8. tainted with sulfur compounds: said of gasoline, etc.

Etymology: ME soure < OE sur, akin to Ger sauer, ON sūrr < IE *suro-, sour, salty > Latvian sũrs, salty, bitter

noun

  1. that which is sour; something sour
  2. ☆ a cocktail made with lemon or lime juice, sugar, and, usually, soda water a whiskey sour

transitive verb, intransitive verb

to make or become sour the milk will sour, soured on life

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

sour Synonyms

sour

modif.

  1. Sour in taste

    acid, acidulated, tart, acetous, vinegary, fermented, rancid, musty, turned, acidulous, acetose, acidic, salty, bitter, acrid, caustic, cutting, stinging, peppery, harsh, irritating, unsavory, vitriolic, tangy, vinegarish, briny, brackish, astringent, dry, sharp, keen, biting, pungent, piquant, acerb*, acerbic*, acetic*, curdled, foxy*, sourish, subacid*, green*, unripe*, acescent, with a kick*.

    Antonyms sweet*, mild*, bland. *

  2. Sour in temper

    on edge, ill-natured, grouchy; see irritable.

sour usually implies an unpleasant sharpness of taste and often connotes fermentation or rancidity sour milk; acid suggests a sourness that is normal or natural a lemon is an acid fruit; acidulous suggests a slightly sour or acid quality acidulous spring water; tart suggests a slightly stinging sharpness or sourness and usually connotes that this may be pleasant to the taste a tart cherry pie


sour

v.

turn, ferment, spoil, go bad, acidulate, acidify, acetify, envenom, make sour, acerbate, curdle, tartarize.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

sour Usage Examples

Object

  • cream: Dill is traditionally added to any dish with a white sauce, from potato salad to sour cream fresh vegetable dip.

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • turn: Keep pot size increase to a minimum - too much compost unoccupied by roots can turn the soil sour.

Modifies a noun

  • grape: Sour grapes on behalf of your daddy, maybe?

Modifying Another Word

  • slightly: This gave the sushi a slightly sour taste, which became very popular.

Used with why or when

  • when: A Tranmere Rovers fanatic's favorite striker just can't stop scoring but his affections turn sour when Super Davie scores once too often.

Used with adjective complement

  • turn: The open rivalry turns sour between two groups of a girl's college.
sour usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

sour quotes

My life will be sour grapes and ashes without you.

-Ashford, Daisy Mary Margaret

The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.

-Bible (Old Testament)

You gotta take the sour with the bitter.

-Goldwyn, Sam(uel) originally  Schmuel Gelbfisz

sour quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"sour." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/sour>

APA Style

sour. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/sour

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