A sour liquid used as a condiment, or as a preservative, and obtained by the spontaneous (acetous) fermentation, or by the artificial oxidation, of wine, cider, beer, or the like. [1913 Webster]
" The characteristic sourness of vinegar is due to acetic acid, of which it contains from three to five per cent. Wine vinegar contains also tartaric acid, citric acid, etc." [1913 Webster]
Hence, anything sour; -- used also metaphorically. [1913 Webster]
"Here's the challenge: . . . I warrant there's vinegar and pepper in't." [1913 Webster]

Aromatic vinegar, strong acetic acid highly flavored with aromatic substances. -- Mother of vinegar. See 4th Mother. -- Radical vinegar, acetic acid. -- Thieves' vinegar. See under Thief. -- Vinegar eel (Zoöl.), a minute nematode worm (Leptodera oxophila, or Anguillula acetiglutinis), commonly found in great numbers in vinegar, sour paste, and other fermenting vegetable substances; -- called also vinegar worm. -- Vinegar lamp (Chem.), a fanciful name of an apparatus designed to oxidize alcohol to acetic acid by means of platinum. -- Vinegar plant. See 4th Mother. -- Vinegar tree (Bot.), the stag-horn sumac (Rhus typhina), whose acid berries have been used to intensify the sourness of vinegar. -- Wood vinegar. See under Wood.

vinegar, v. t.

To convert into vinegar; to make like vinegar; to render sour or sharp. [1913 Webster]

"Hoping that he hath vinegared his senses
As he was bid." [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

vinegar, n.
1 a sour liquid obtained from wine, cider, etc., by fermentation and used as a condiment or for pickling.
2 sour behaviour or character.

Derivative

vinegarish adj. vinegary adj.

Etymology

ME f. OF vyn egre ult. f. L vinum wine + acer, acre sour

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THESAURUS

vinegar

acid, acidulant, bread-and-butter pickle, brine, chokecherry, crab apple, dill pickle, embalming fluid, formaldehyde, green apple, lemon, lime, pickle, preservative, preservative medium, salt, sour, sour balls, sour cream, sour grapes, sour pickle, sourdough, verjuice, yogurt

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ROGET THESAURUS

vinegar

Sourness

N sourness, acid, acidity, low pH, acetous fermentation, lactic fermentation, vinegar, verjuice, crab, alum, acetic acid, lactic acid, sour, acid, acidulous, acidulated, tart, crabbed, acetous, acetose, acerb, acetic, sour as vinegar, sourish, acescent, subacid, styptic, hard, rough, sour as a lemon, (4) Odor.

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