Sour grapes

Grape Grape, n. [OF. grape, crape, bunch or cluster of grapes, F. grappe, akin to F. grappin grapnel, hook; fr. OHG. chrapfo hook, G. krapfen, akin to E. cramp. The sense seems to have come from the idea of clutching. Cf. {Agraffe}, {Cramp}, {Grapnel}, {Grapple}.] 1. (Bot.) A well-known edible berry growing in pendent clusters or bunches on the grapevine. The berries are smooth-skinned, have a juicy pulp, and are cultivated in great quantities for table use and for making wine and raisins. [1913 Webster]

2. (Bot.) The plant which bears this fruit; the grapevine. [1913 Webster]

3. (Man.) A mangy tumor on the leg of a horse. [1913 Webster]

4. (Mil.) Grapeshot. [1913 Webster]

{Grape borer}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Vine borer}.

{Grape curculio} (Zo["o]l.), a minute black weevil ({Craponius in[ae]qualis}) which in the larval state eats the interior of grapes.

{Grape flower}, or

{Grape hyacinth} (Bot.), a liliaceous plant ({Muscari racemosum}) with small blue globular flowers in a dense raceme.

{Grape fungus} (Bot.), a fungus ({Oidium Tuckeri}) on grapevines; vine mildew.

{Grape hopper} (Zo["o]l.), a small yellow and red hemipterous insect, often very injurious to the leaves of the grapevine.

{Grape moth} (Zo["o]l.), a small moth ({Eudemis botrana}), which in the larval state eats the interior of grapes, and often binds them together with silk.

{Grape of a cannon}, the cascabel or knob at the breech.

{Grape sugar}. See {Glucose}.

{Grape worm} (Zo["o]l.), the larva of the grape moth.

{Sour grapes}, things which persons affect to despise because they can not possess them; -- in allusion to [AE]sop's fable of the fox and the grapes. [1913 Webster]