The Collaborative International Dictionary
Bitter \Bit"ter\, a. [AS. biter; akin to Goth. baitrs, Icel. bitr, Dan., Sw., D., & G. bitter, OS. bittar, fr. root of E. bite. See Bite, v. t.]
Having a peculiar, acrid, biting taste, like that of wormwood or an infusion of hops; as, a bitter medicine; bitter as aloes.
Causing pain or smart; piercing; painful; sharp; severe; as, a bitter cold day.
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Causing, or fitted to cause, pain or distress to the mind; calamitous; poignant.
It is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God.
--Jer. ii. 19. -
Characterized by sharpness, severity, or cruelty; harsh; stern; virulent; as, bitter reproach.
Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
--Col. iii. 19. -
Mournful; sad; distressing; painful; pitiable.
The Egyptians . . . made their lives bitter with hard bondage.
--Ex. i. 14.Bitter apple, Bitter cucumber, Bitter gourd. (Bot.) See Colocynth.
Bitter cress (Bot.), a plant of the genus Cardamine, esp. Cardamine amara.
Bitter earth (Min.), tale earth; calcined magnesia.
Bitter principles (Chem.), a class of substances, extracted from vegetable products, having strong bitter taste but with no sharply defined chemical characteristics.
Bitter salt, Epsom salts; magnesium sulphate.
Bitter vetch (Bot.), a name given to two European leguminous herbs, Vicia Orobus and Ervum Ervilia.
To the bitter end, to the last extremity, however calamitous.
Syn: Acrid; sharp; harsh; pungent; stinging; cutting; severe; acrimonious.
Usage examples of "to the bitter end".
He dmired their loyalty, their prowess, and their toughness, these ones who stayed to the bitter end.
David was the very man to refuse the Dark Gift, and to the bitter end.
If a child did come and Lee had said nothing, Elizabeth would have kept the secret of its father to the bitter end.
There was the patience of the cold blue North in these seafarers - a lasting determination that would keep them steadfast to the bitter end, once their face was set toward a definite goal.
It was fruitless, he realized, but it seemed Ligne had decided to play out this cat-and-mouse game to the bitter end.
Julius drank the wine he was offered without tasting it and wondered if Vercingetorix would fight to the bitter end.
He was an engineer, not a whaler, but he had all the tenacity of the Scot and I knew he could be relied on to the bitter end.