Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Having a sharp, pungent taste that is not sour or salty: This is the primary sensory meaning, describing a taste like that of black coffee, unsweetened chocolate, or quinine.
   • Causing pain or distress to the mind or feelings; hard to accept: Describes experiences, truths, or emotions that are intensely unpleasant, painful, or grievous.
   • Characterized by strong feelings of hostility, resentment, or cynicism: Describes a person's attitude, a conflict, or remarks that are full of animosity.
   • Extremely cold in a penetrating, unpleasant way: Used to describe weather conditions, especially wind or cold.

2. Adverb:

   • Extremely and sharply: Used to intensify adjectives like "cold" or "disappointed."

3. Noun:

   • A sharp, unpleasant taste: The taste quality itself.
   • A type of British beer with a strong, hoppy flavor: A specific category of ale, often served on draft.

4. Verb:

   • To make something taste bitter: To impart a bitter flavor.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective (Taste):

  • Dark chocolate can be quite bitter.
  • The medicine had a bitter aftertaste.

• Adjective (Emotional Pain):

  • She shed bitter tears after the loss.
  • Facing the bitter truth was difficult.

• Adjective (Hostility):

  • They were bitter enemies for years.
  • He made a bitter remark about his former boss.

• Adjective (Weather):

  • A bitter wind blew from the north.

• Adverb:

  • It was bitterly cold outside.
  • She was bitterly disappointed.

• Noun (Taste):

  • The bitter of the grapefruit is balanced by its sweetness.

• Noun (Beer):

  • He ordered a pint of bitter at the pub.

• Verb:

  • Overcooking can bitter the vegetables.

Advanced Usage

• "A bitter pill (to swallow)": A very unpleasant fact or situation that one must accept.

  • Losing the championship was a bitter pill to swallow.

• "To the bitter end": Until the very end, no matter how difficult or unpleasant.

  • They vowed to fight the legal battle to the bitter end.

• "Bitterly cold": Extremely and unpleasantly cold.

  • The morning was bitterly cold.

Variants and Related Words

• Bitterly (adverb): In a bitter manner.
• Bitterness (noun): The state or quality of being bitter.
• Embitter (verb): To cause someone to feel bitter.

Synonyms

• Adjective (Taste): Acrid, sharp, pungent.
• Adjective (Emotional): Painful, grievous, heartbreaking, sorrowful.
• Adjective (Hostile): Acrimonious, resentful, hostile, virulent, caustic.
• Adjective (Cold): Biting, piercing, raw, freezing.

Related Phrases

• Bitter about: Feeling resentful or angry about something.

  • He is still bitter about not getting the promotion.

• Bitter dispute/feud: A long and angry conflict.

  • The two families were engaged in a bitter feud.

Related Idioms

• Take the bitter with the sweet: To accept both the bad and the good things that happen in life.
  • In any career, you have to learn to take the bitter with the sweet.

Adjective

1. causing a sharply painful or stinging sensation; used especially of cold
   • bitter cold
   • a biting wind
2. causing a sharp and acrid taste experience
   • quinine is bitter
3. proceeding from or exhibiting great hostility or animosity
   • a bitter struggle
   • bitter enemies
4. expressive of severe grief or regret
   • shed bitter tears
5. harsh or corrosive in tone
   • an acerbic tone piercing otherwise flowery prose
   • a barrage of acid comments
   • her acrid remarks make her many enemies
   • bitter words
   • blistering criticism
   • caustic jokes about political assassination, talk-show hosts and medical ethics
   • a sulfurous denunciation
   • a vitriolic critique
6. very difficult to accept or bear
   • the bitter truth
   • a bitter sorrow
7. marked by strong resentment or cynicism
   • an acrimonious dispute
   • bitter about the divorce

Adverb

1. extremely and sharply
   • it was bitterly cold
   • bitter cold

Noun

1. the property of having a harsh unpleasant taste
2. the taste experience when quinine or coffee is taken into the mouth
3. English term for a dry sharp-tasting ale with strong flavor of hops (usually on draft)

Verb

1. make bitter