vinegar

American  

[vin-i-ger] / ˈvɪn ɪ gər /

noun

1. a sour liquid consisting of dilute and impure acetic acid, obtained by acetous fermentation from wine, cider, beer, ale, or the like: used as a condiment, preservative, etc.

2. Pharmacology. a solution of a medicinal substance in dilute acetic acid, or vinegar.

3. sour or irritable speech, manner, or countenance.

   a note of vinegar in his voice.

4. Informal. vigor; high spirits; vim.

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vinegar British  

/ ˈvɪnɪɡə /

noun

1. a sour-tasting liquid consisting of impure dilute acetic acid, made by oxidation of the ethyl alcohol in beer, wine, or cider. It is used as a condiment or preservative

2. sourness or peevishness of temper, countenance, speech, etc

3. pharmacol a medicinal solution in dilute acetic acid

4. informal vitality

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verb

1. (tr) to apply vinegar to

Other Word Forms

• vinegar-like adjective
• vinegarish adjective
• vinegarlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of vinegar

1250–1300; Middle English vinegre < Old French, equivalent to vin wine + egre, aigre sour ( eager )

Example Sentences

He dumped the vinegar out and went into the workroom with the hardware.

From Literature

The housekeeper must have come this afternoon, polished the wooden furniture with lemon, and wiped the windows with vinegar.

From Literature

A splash of white wine or rice vinegar sharpens the whole skillet, lifting the richness without thinning it.

From Salon

Then, while they were still warm, I’d do something crucial: ladle over more golden olive oil, a shake of oregano, red pepper flakes, and a splash of red wine vinegar.

From Salon

All my spices and rice paper noodles; canned goods, condiments, vinegars, oils.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• marinade