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.
Pharmacology. a solution of a medicinal substance in dilute acetic acid, or vinegar.
sour or irritable speech, manner, or countenance: a note of vinegar in his voice.
Informal. vigor; high spirits; vim.
Origin of vinegar
1250–1300;Middle Englishvinegre < Old French, equivalent to vinwine + egre, aigre sour (see eager1)
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
sourness or peevishness of temper, countenance, speech, etc
pharmacola medicinal solution in dilute acetic acid
c.1300, from Old French vinaigre, from vin "wine" (from Latin vinum; see wine) + aigre "sour" (see eager). In Latin, it was vinum acetum "wine turned sour;" cf. also Greek oxos "wine vinegar," which is related to oxys "sharp" (see acrid).
