bittˈer noun

1. The turn of cable round the bitts, hence perh the bitter end the end of the rope
2. The end of a task, however long-drawn-out or difficult
3. Final conclusive defeat or death

bitter¹ /bitˈər/

1. Having a taste like that of quinine or hops
2. Sharp
3. Painful
4. Acrimonious
5. Broodingly resentful
6. Extremely and painfully cold

Any substance having a bitter taste, esp a type of beer

bittˈerish adjective

bittˈerly adverb

bittˈerness noun

bittˈers plural noun

A liquid prepared from bitter herbs or roots, and used to aid digestion or stimulate appetite, or to flavour drinks

bitter aloes see aloe

bittˈer-apple noun

A type of cucumber, the colocynth

bittˈer-cress noun

Cardamine

bittˈer-earth noun

Magnesia

bittˈer-king noun

An intensely bitter shrub of the quassia family, growing in the Malay Archipelago

bitter lemon noun

A lemon-flavoured soft drink

bitter orange noun

The Seville orange, bitter when ripe, used for making marmalade, etc

bittˈer-pit noun

A disease of apples, etc, characterized by brown spots and depressions

bittˈer-root noun

An American xerophytic plant (Lewisia rediviva)

bittˈer-spar noun

Dolomite

bittˈersweet noun

1. The woody nightshade (Solanum dulcamara), whose stems when chewed taste first bitter, then sweet
2. An apple that tastes both sweet and bitter (Shakespeare)
3. A mixture of sweet and bitter (also figurative; also adjective)

bitter vetch see vetch

bittˈerwood noun

Any of various trees, esp of the family Simarubaceae

a bitter pill to swallow

Something which is difficult or unpleasant to accept, such as an unwelcome fact

the bitter end see bitt