verjuice
[vur-joos]
- an acid liquor made from the sour juice of crab apples, unripe grapes, etc., formerly much used for culinary and other purposes.
- sourness, as of temper or expression.
Show More
- of or relating to verjuice.
- sour in temper, expression, etc.
Show More
Origin of verjuice
1275–1325; Middle English verjuis < Middle French vertjus, equivalent to vert green (< Latin viridis) + jus juice
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for verjuice
Historical Examples
Couldst see by his cheek and eye that he is as bitter as verjuice.
The White CompanyArthur Conan Doyle
Pound pumice stone to a fine powder, and mix it with verjuice.
The American HousewifeAnonymous
I will sing a bawdy song, sir, because your verjuice face is melancholy, to make liquor go down glib.
The old fellow looked as though the waiter had handed him verjuice instead of curaçoa.
The fermented juice (verjuice) of the crab is employed in cookery and medicine.
verjuice
- the acid juice of unripe grapes, apples, or crab apples, formerly much used in making sauces, etc
- (as modifier)verjuice sauce
- rare
- sourness or sharpness of temper, looks, etc
- (as modifier)a verjuice old wife
Show More
- (tr) rare to make sour; embitter
Show More
Word Origin
C14: from Old French vert jus green (unripe) juice, from Old French vert green (from Latin viridis) + jus juice (from Latin jūs)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012