The AI-powered English dictionary
comparative more bitter or bitterer, superlative most bitter or bitterest
Having an acrid taste (usually from a basic substance). quotations examples
Long after his cigar burnt bitter, he sat with eyes fixed on the blaze. When the flames at last began to flicker and subside, his lids fluttered, then drooped; but he had lost all reckoning of time when he opened them again to find Miss Erroll in furs and ball-gown kneeling on the hearth […].
1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter III, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company
A few types of molecules get sensed by receptors on the tongue. Protons coming off of acids ping receptors for "sour." Sugars get received as "sweet." Bitter, salty, and the proteinaceous flavor umami all set off their own neural cascades.
2018 May 16, Adam Rogers, “The Fundamental Nihilism of Yanny vs. Laurel”, in Wired
Harsh, piercing or stinging. quotations examples
It was at the end of February, […] when the world was cold, and a bitter wind howled down the moors […].
1999, Neil Gaiman, Stardust, p.31 (Perennial paperback edition)
Hateful or hostile. quotations examples
Tottenham have not won in the Premier League at Emirates Stadium for 12 years, with Arsenal losing just one of their last 29 home league games against their bitter rivals.
2022 October 1, Phil McNulty, “Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham: Gunners show identity & direction in outstanding derby win”, in BBC Sport
He inveighed against the folly of making oneself liable for the debts of others; vented many bitter execrations against the brother; and concluded with wishing something could be done for the unfortunate family.
1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […]
Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Colossians 3:19
Cynical and resentful. examples
countable and uncountable, plural bitters
(usually in the plural bitters) A liquid or powder, made from bitter herbs, used in mixed drinks or as a tonic. quotations examples
Thus I begin: "All is not gold that glitters,"Pleasure seems sweet, but proves a glass of bitters.
1773, Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer
A type of beer heavily flavored with hops. examples
(nautical) A turn of a cable about the bitts. examples
third-person singular simple present bitters, present participle bittering, simple past and past participle bittered
To make bitter. quotations examples
bittered with the hop
1766, John Wilkinson, Tutamen Nauticum
plural bitters
(computing, informal, in combination) A hardware system whose architecture is based around units of the specified number of bits (binary digits). quotations examples
However, 16-bitters are far more expensive than the 8-bit variety. And, unfortunately, have only a handful of business applications software packages that really take advantage of them.
1983, Computerworld, volume 17, number 49, page 21
The company believes that the 32-bit market will almost equal that of 16-bitters by the end of the decade. Chip maker Zilog Inc., not a major player in the 16-bit arena, is even more bullish about 32-bitters as it readies its own version for market.
1984, Electronic Business, volume 10, page 154