Mother of vinegar

Mother of vinegar
Vinegar Vin"e*gar, n. [OE. vinegre, F. vinaigre; vin wine (L. vinum) + aigre sour. See {Wine}, and {Eager}, a.] 1. A sour liquid used as a condiment, or as a preservative, and obtained by the spontaneous (acetous) fermentation, or by the artificial oxidation, of wine, cider, beer, or the like. [1913 Webster]

Note: The characteristic sourness of vinegar is due to acetic acid, of which it contains from three to five per cent. Wine vinegar contains also tartaric acid, citric acid, etc. [1913 Webster]

2. Hence, anything sour; -- used also metaphorically. [1913 Webster]

Here's the challenge: . . . I warrant there's vinegar and pepper in't. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

{Aromatic vinegar}, strong acetic acid highly flavored with aromatic substances.

{Mother of vinegar}. See 4th {Mother}.

{Radical vinegar}, acetic acid.

{Thieves' vinegar}. See under {Thief}.

{Vinegar eel} (Zo["o]l.), a minute nematode worm ({Leptodera oxophila}, or {Anguillula acetiglutinis}), commonly found in great numbers in vinegar, sour paste, and other fermenting vegetable substances; -- called also {vinegar worm}.

{Vinegar lamp} (Chem.), a fanciful name of an apparatus designed to oxidize alcohol to acetic acid by means of platinum.

{Vinegar plant}. See 4th {Mother}.

{Vinegar tree} (Bot.), the stag-horn sumac ({Rhus typhina}), whose acid berries have been used to intensify the sourness of vinegar.

{Wood vinegar}. See under {Wood}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Mother of vinegar — in a cup Mother of vinegar[1] also called Mycoderma aceti (a New Latin expression, from the Greek μὑκης (fungus) plus δἐρμα (skin), and the Latin aceti (of the acid) …   Wikipedia

  • mother of vinegar — n. [see MOTHER2] a stringy, gummy, slimy substance formed by bacteria (genus Acetobacter) in vinegar or on the surface of fermenting liquids: used as a starter to make vinegar …   English World dictionary

  • mother of vinegar — Etymology: mother (IV) : mother IV 2 * * * mother2. [1595 1605] * * * mother of vinegar, = mother2. (Cf. ↑mother) …   Useful english dictionary

  • mother of vinegar — Date: 1601 a slimy membrane composed of yeast and bacterial cells that develops on the surface of alcoholic liquids undergoing acetous fermentation and is added to wine or cider to produce vinegar called also mother …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • mother of vinegar — mother2. [1595 1605] * * * …   Universalium

  • mother of vinegar — noun → mother2 …  

  • Vinegar — is a liquid substance consisting mainly of acetic acid and water, the acetic acid being produced through the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria.[1]. Commercial vinegar is produced either by fast or slow fermentation processes. Slow… …   Wikipedia

  • Vinegar — Vin e*gar, n. [OE. vinegre, F. vinaigre; vin wine (L. vinum) + aigre sour. See {Wine}, and {Eager}, a.] 1. A sour liquid used as a condiment, or as a preservative, and obtained by the spontaneous (acetous) fermentation, or by the artificial… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Vinegar eel — Vinegar Vin e*gar, n. [OE. vinegre, F. vinaigre; vin wine (L. vinum) + aigre sour. See {Wine}, and {Eager}, a.] 1. A sour liquid used as a condiment, or as a preservative, and obtained by the spontaneous (acetous) fermentation, or by the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Vinegar lamp — Vinegar Vin e*gar, n. [OE. vinegre, F. vinaigre; vin wine (L. vinum) + aigre sour. See {Wine}, and {Eager}, a.] 1. A sour liquid used as a condiment, or as a preservative, and obtained by the spontaneous (acetous) fermentation, or by the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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