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acerbity

   Also found in: Legal, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
a·cer·bi·ty  (-sûrb-t)
n. pl. a·cer·bi·ties
Sourness or acidness of taste, character, or tone.
acerbity [əˈsɜːbɪtɪ]
n pl -ties
1. vitriolic or embittered speech, temper, etc.
2. sourness or bitterness of taste
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.acerbity - a sharp bitterness
bitter, bitterness - the property of having a harsh unpleasant taste
2.acerbity - a sharp sour tasteacerbity - a sharp sour taste                  
tartness
acidity, sourness, sour - the property of being acidic
3.acerbity - a rough and bitter manneracerbity - a rough and bitter manner            
acrimony, bitterness, jaundice, thorniness, tartness
disagreeableness - an ill-tempered and offensive disposition
Translations
acerbity [əˈsɜːbɪtɪ] N
1. [of taste] → acritud f, aspereza f
2. (fig) → mordacidad f
acerbity [əˈsɜːrbɪti] n [humour, wit] → aigreur f
acerbity
n → Schärfe f
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characterize by acidity or acerbity and sometimes by wisdom.
The Devil's Dictionary by Bierce, Ambrose View in context
The dove then turned up his coat-collar, and put on his cocked hat; and, having exchanged a long and affectionate embrace with his future partner, once again braved the cold wind of the night: merely pausing, for a few minutes, in the male paupers' ward, to abuse them a little, with the view of satisfying himself that he could fill the office of workhouse-master with needful acerbity.
Oliver Twist Or The Parish Boy's Progress by Dickens, Charles View in context
It is well known that great scholars who have shown the most pitiless acerbity in their criticism of other men's scholarship have yet been of a relenting and indulgent temper in private life; and I have heard of a learned man meekly rocking the twins in the cradle with his left hand, while with his right he inflicted the most lacerating sarcasms on an opponent who had betrayed a brutal ignorance of Hebrew.
Adam Bede by Eliot, George View in context
 
 
 
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