bitter

adjective (bitter, more bitter / bitterer, most bitter / bitterest)

«bitter» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

Everyday

Bitter describes a strong, sharp, unpleasant taste, like black coffee, dark chocolate or the peel of a lemon. tree →
Bitter weather or wind is extremely cold. tree →
Bitter feelings are angry, hurt and resentful because something unfair happened. tree →
A bitter fight or argument is very angry and hard. tree →
In the UK, bitter is also a kind of beer. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons, bitter is one of the main tastes the tongue can sense: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami. Many poisons and unsafe plants taste bitter, so a bitter taste can be a warning, and some cleaning products are made bitter on purpose so children spit them out. In stories bitter feelings show a character who feels wronged. Phrases: «a bitter taste», «bitter cold», «a bitter wind», «to the bitter end» (until the very end, even if it is hard), «bittersweet».

Examples

This coffee is too bitter for me. tree →
Dark chocolate tastes a bit bitter. tree →
A bitter wind blew across the playground. tree →
He felt bitter about losing the race unfairly. tree →
The two teams were bitter rivals. tree →
Some medicine tastes bitter, so mix it with juice. tree →
Never taste berries you find; some are bitter and poisonous. tree →
They kept fighting to the bitter end. tree →

Note

Do not confuse bitter with sour: sour is the sharp taste of lemons and vinegar (acid); bitter is the taste of coffee and tonic water. Myth: the tongue does not have separate «zones» for each taste; all parts can taste them all. Noun: «bitterness».

In Jewish tradition

Bitter water at Marah, and the bitter herbs eaten with the Passover lamb.

Interpretation. Bitter herbs (maror) at the Passover seder remind Jews of the bitter slavery in Egypt.

Examples

And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. (Torah EXO.15.23, JPS 1917) tree →
And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; with bitter herbs they shall eat it. (Torah EXO.12.8, JPS 1917) tree →
in the second month on the fourteenth day at dusk they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs; (Torah NUM.9.11, JPS 1917) tree →
But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. (Writings PRO.5.4, JPS 1917) tree →
Even to-day is my complaint bitter; my hand is become heavy because of my groaning. (Writings JOB.23.2, JPS 1917) tree →
The full soul loatheth a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. (Writings PRO.27.7, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

On Mova

Trees and pragmatics of «bitter» in the school dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
«bitter» in the school dictionary on Mova free.
Trees and pragmatics of «bitter» in the Judaism dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
«bitter» in the Judaism dictionary on Mova free.

This page in Markdown → https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/bitter/