acerbate

English

Etymology

From Latin acerbātus, perfect passive participle of acerbō (“make bitter”), from acerbus (“bitter”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈasəbeɪt/
• (US) IPA: /ˈæsəɹˌbeɪt/, ASS-uhr-bait

Adjective

acerbate (comparative more acerbate, superlative most acerbate)

1. (rare) Embittered; having a sour disposition or nature.

Verb

acerbate (third-person singular simple present acerbates, present participle acerbating, simple past and past participle acerbated)

1. To exasperate; to irritate.
   • 1869, Anthony Trollope, Phineas Finn, ch. 51:

     Lady Laura had triumphed; but she had no desire to acerbate her husband by any unpalatable allusion to her victory.

2. To make bitter or sour.

Synonyms

• (exasperate): provoke
• (make bitter): sour, embitter

Derived terms

• acerbation

Translations

exasperate

Bulgarian: дразня (bg), ядосвам (bg) Interlingua: acerbar

Latin: acerbō (la)

References

• acerbate at OneLook Dictionary Search

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Latin

Verb

acerbāte

1. first-person plural present active imperative of acerbō