Vinegar

5 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Vinegar \Vin"e*gar\, n. [OE. vinegre, F. vinaigre; vin wine (L.
     vinum) + aigre sour. See {Wine}, and {Eager}, a.]
     1. A sour liquid used as a condiment, or as a preservative,
        and obtained by the spontaneous (acetous) fermentation, or
        by the artificial oxidation, of wine, cider, beer, or the
        like.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The characteristic sourness of vinegar is due to acetic
           acid, of which it contains from three to five per cent.
           Wine vinegar contains also tartaric acid, citric acid,
           etc.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Hence, anything sour; -- used also metaphorically.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Here's the challenge: . . . I warrant there's
              vinegar and pepper in't.              --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Aromatic vinegar}, strong acetic acid highly flavored with
        aromatic substances.
  
     {Mother of vinegar}. See 4th {Mother}.
  
     {Radical vinegar}, acetic acid.
  
     {Thieves' vinegar}. See under {Thief}.
  
     {Vinegar eel} (Zool.), a minute nematode worm ({Leptodera
        oxophila}, or {Anguillula acetiglutinis}), commonly found
        in great numbers in vinegar, sour paste, and other
        fermenting vegetable substances; -- called also {vinegar
        worm}.
  
     {Vinegar lamp} (Chem.), a fanciful name of an apparatus
        designed to oxidize alcohol to acetic acid by means of
        platinum.
  
     {Vinegar plant}. See 4th {Mother}.
  
     {Vinegar tree} (Bot.), the stag-horn sumac ({Rhus typhina}),
        whose acid berries have been used to intensify the
        sourness of vinegar.
  
     {Wood vinegar}. See under {Wood}.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Vinegar \Vin"e*gar\, v. t.
     To convert into vinegar; to make like vinegar; to render sour
     or sharp. [Obs.]
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Hoping that he hath vinegared his senses
           As he was bid.                           --B. Jonson.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  vinegar
       n 1: sour-tasting liquid produced usually by oxidation of the
            alcohol in wine or cider and used as a condiment or food
            preservative [syn: {acetum}]
       2: dilute acetic acid

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  24 Moby Thesaurus words for "vinegar":
     acid, acidulant, bread-and-butter pickle, brine, chokecherry,
     crab apple, dill pickle, embalming fluid, formaldehyde,
     green apple, lemon, lime, pickle, preservative,
     preservative medium, salt, sour, sour balls, sour cream,
     sour grapes, sour pickle, sourdough, verjuice, yogurt
  
  

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Vinegar
     Heb. hometz, Gr. oxos, Fr. vin aigre; i.e., "sour wine." The
     Hebrew word is rendered vinegar in Ps. 69:21, a prophecy
     fulfilled in the history of the crucifixion (Matt. 27:34). This
     was the common sour wine (posea) daily made use of by the Roman
     soldiers. They gave it to Christ, not in derision, but from
     compassion, to assuage his thirst. Prov. 10:26 shows that there
     was also a stronger vinegar, which was not fit for drinking. The
     comparison, "vinegar upon nitre," probably means "vinegar upon
     soda" (as in the marg. of the R.V.), which then effervesces.