[sour] adj [ME, fr. OE sur; akin to OHG sur sour, Lith surus salty] (bef. 12c) 1: causing or characterized by the one of the four basic taste sensations that is produced chiefly by acids "~ pickles"--compare bitter, salt, sweet
2. a (1): having the acid taste or smell of or as if of fermentation: turned "~ milk" (2): of or relating to fermentation b: smelling or tasting of decay: rancid, rotten "~ breath" c (1): bad, wrong "a project gone ~" (2): hostile, disenchanted "went ~ on Marxism" 3 a: unpleasant, distast eful b: cross, sullen c: not up to the usual, expected, or standard quality or pitch
4: acid in reaction--used esp. of soil
5: containing malodorous sulfur compounds--used esp. of petroleum products -- sour.ish adj -- sour.ly adv -- sour.ness n
[2]sour n (bef. 12c) 1 a: something sour b: the primary taste sensation produced by acid stimuli
2: a cocktail consisting of a liquor (as whiskey), lemon or lime juice, sugar, and sometimes ice [3]sour vi (14c): to become sour ~ vt: to make sour