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SOUR
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I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
The property of being acidic
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("sour" is a kind of...):
taste property (a property appreciated via the sense of taste)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sour"):
acerbity; tartness (a sharp sour taste)
vinegariness; vinegarishness (a sourness resembling that of vinegar)
Derivation:
sour (make sour or more sour)
Sense 2
Meaning:
The taste experience when vinegar or lemon juice is taken into the mouth
Synonyms:
sour; sourness; tartness
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Hypernyms ("sour" is a kind of...):
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)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sour"):
acidity; acidulousness (the taste experience when something acidic is taken into the mouth)
Derivation:
sour (make sour or more sour)
Sense 3
Meaning:
A cocktail made of a liquor (especially whiskey or gin) mixed with lemon or lime juice and sugar
Classified under:
Nouns denoting foods and drinks
Hypernyms ("sour" is a kind of...):
cocktail (a short mixed drink)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sour"):
whiskey sour; whisky sour (a sour made with whiskey)
II. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Smelling of fermentation or staleness
Synonyms:
rancid; sour
Classified under:
Similar:
ill-smelling; malodorous; malodourous; stinky; unpleasant-smelling (having an unpleasant smell)
Derivation:
sourness (the property of being acidic)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Showing a brooding ill humor
Example:
a sullen crowd
Synonyms:
dark; dour; glowering; glum; moody; morose; saturnine; sour; sullen
Classified under:
Similar:
ill-natured (having an irritable and unpleasant disposition)
Derivation:
sourness (a sullen moody resentful disposition)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Inaccurate in pitch
Example:
her singing was off key
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
inharmonious; unharmonious (not in harmony)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Having a sharp biting taste
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
acerb; acerbic; astringent (sour or bitter in taste)
acetose; acetous; vinegarish; vinegary (tasting or smelling like vinegar)
acid; acidic; acidulent; acidulous (being sour to the taste)
lemonlike; lemony; sourish; tangy; tart (tasting sour like a lemon)
subacid (slightly sour to the taste)
Also:
dry ((of liquor) having a low residual sugar content because of decomposition of sugar during fermentation)
soured (having turned bad)
tasty (pleasing to the sense of taste)
Antonym:
sweet (having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar)
Derivation:
sourness (the property of being acidic)
Sense 5
Meaning:
In an unpalatable state
Example:
sour milk
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
soured (having turned bad)
Derivation:
sourness (the property of being acidic)
Sense 6
Meaning:
One of the four basic taste sensations; like the taste of vinegar or lemons
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
tasty (pleasing to the sense of taste)
Derivation:
sourness (the property of being acidic)
sourness (the taste experience when vinegar or lemon juice is taken into the mouth)
III. (verb)
Verb forms
Present simple: I / you / we / they sour ... he / she / it sours
Past simple: soured
Past participle: soured
-ing form: souring
Sense 1
Meaning:
Go sour or spoil
Example:
The cream has turned--we have to throw it out
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Hypernyms (to "sour" is one way to...):
change state; turn (undergo a transformation or a change of position or action)
Verb group:
ferment; work (cause to undergo fermentation)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s
Derivation:
souring (the process of becoming sour)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Make sour or more sour
Synonyms:
acetify; acidify; acidulate; sour
Classified under:
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling
Hypernyms (to "sour" is one way to...):
change taste (alter the flavor of)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Antonym:
sweeten (make sweeter in taste)
Derivation:
sour (the property of being acidic)
sour (the taste experience when vinegar or lemon juice is taken into the mouth)
Context examples:
So they sat down, and when Dummling pulled out his cinder-cake, it was a fine sweet cake, and the sour beer had become good wine.
(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)
Acids have a sour taste and turn certain dyes red.
(Acid, NCI Dictionary)
That minister was galbet, or admiral of the realm, very much in his master’s confidence, and a person well versed in affairs, but of a morose and sour complexion.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
And the distinction is not quite so much against the candour and common sense of the world as appears at first; for a very narrow income has a tendency to contract the mind, and sour the temper.
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
Colonel Wallis said it, and Lady Russell saw it; but it had been no unhappiness to sour his mind, nor (she began pretty soon to suspect) to prevent his thinking of a second choice.
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
Lady Lucas could not be insensible of triumph on being able to retort on Mrs. Bennet the comfort of having a daughter well married; and she called at Longbourn rather oftener than usual to say how happy she was, though Mrs. Bennet's sour looks and ill-natured remarks might have been enough to drive happiness away.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
His temper might perhaps be a little soured by finding, like many others of his sex, that through some unaccountable bias in favour of beauty, he was the husband of a very silly woman,—but she knew that this kind of blunder was too common for any sensible man to be lastingly hurt by it.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
It smelled sour and musty, and by the dim light of the swinging sea-lamp I saw every bit of available wall-space hung deep with sea-boots, oilskins, and garments, clean and dirty, of various sorts.
(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)
"Salt instead of sugar, and the cream is sour," replied Meg with a tragic gesture.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
"You was never like this before. You jes' shut up now, an' go to sleep, an' you'll be all hunkydory in the mornin'. Your stomach's sour, that's what's botherin' you."
(White Fang, by Jack London)
