curdle

/'kə:dl/

Thân thiện

The milk will curdle if left out too long.

Definition

1. Verb (intransitive):

   • To change from a liquid state into a semi-solid or solid mass, typically in a lumpy or coagulated form. This often describes the natural separation of liquids like milk or blood.
   • To become spoiled, sour, or inedible, especially by undergoing this coagulation process.

2. Verb (transitive):

   • To cause a liquid to change into a semi-solid or solid mass; to coagulate.

Examples of Usage

• Intransitive Verb:
  • The milk will curdle if you leave it out of the refrigerator.
  • Her blood curdled in terror at the sudden, eerie sound.
• Transitive Verb:
  • The addition of lemon juice will curdle the cream.
  • The horrific story was enough to curdle one's blood.

Advanced Usage

• "to make one's blood curdle": To cause extreme fear, horror, or revulsion.
  • The ghostly figure in the window was enough to make my blood curdle.
• "to curdle the/one's stomach": To cause a feeling of nausea or disgust.
  • The graphic description of the accident curdled my stomach.

Variants and Related Words

• Curd (n): The solid or semi-solid part that forms when a liquid curdles, especially in cheese-making.
  • The recipe requires you to separate the curds from the whey.
• Curdled (adj): Describing a substance that has undergone curdling.
  • The sauce had a curdled appearance and was unusable.

Synonyms

• Coagulate: To change from a liquid to a thickened or solid state.
• Clot: To form a thickened mass, typically of blood.
• Congeal: To become semi-solid, especially on cooling.
• Sour: To become acidic or spoiled (for milk or similar substances).
• Spoil: To become unfit for consumption.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Verb Phrases

(Note: "Curdle" is not commonly used with particles to form standard phrasal verbs. Its meaning is typically expressed directly.)

Related Idioms

• One's blood curdles: Used to describe a sudden, intense feeling of fear or horror.
  • When I heard the floorboards creak at midnight, my blood curdled.
• Curdle the cream: Can be used literally or figuratively to mean to spoil something pleasant or rich.
  • His cynical remark completely curdled the cream of our celebration.

Học thuật

Verb

1. turn from a liquid to a solid mass
   • his blood curdled
2. go bad or sour
   • The milk curdled
3. turn into curds
   • curdled milk

Từ đồng nghĩa

• clabber
• clot