Sour grapes

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]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Sour grapes — is an expression originating from the Aesop Fable The Fox and the Grapes, meaning to deny desire for something one cannot attain.Sour grapes may also refer to: * Sour Grapes (film), a 1998 film written and directed by Larry David * Sour Grapes… …   Wikipedia

  • Sour grapes — Sour Sour, a. [Compar. {Sourer}; superl. {Sourest}.] [OE. sour, sur, AS. s?r; akin to D. zuur, G. sauer, OHG. s?r, Icel. s?rr, Sw. sur, Dan. suur, Lith. suras salt, Russ. surovui harsh, rough. Cf. {Sorrel}, the plant.] 1. Having an acid or sharp …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sour grapes — noun uncount criticism of something that you make because you are annoyed that you cannot have it: Saying the award is meaningless is just sour grapes …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • sour grapes — When someone says something critical or negative because they are jealous, it is a case of sour grapes …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • sour grapes — sour′ grapes′ n. pretended disdain for something one does not or cannot have • Etymology: 1750–60; in allusion to Aesop s fable concerning the fox who dismissed as sour those grapes he could not reach …   From formal English to slang

  • sour grapes — ► sour grapes an attitude in which someone pretends to despise something because they cannot have it themselves. [ORIGIN: with allusion to Aesop s fable The Fox and the Grapes.] Main Entry: ↑sour …   English terms dictionary

  • sour grapes — n. [from Aesop s fable in which the fox, after futile efforts to reach some grapes, scorns them as being sour] a scorning or belittling of something only because it cannot be had or done …   English World dictionary

  • sour grapes — noun disparagement of something that is unattainable • Hypernyms: ↑disparagement, ↑depreciation, ↑derogation * * * noun plural Etymology: so called from the fable ascribed to Aesop, legendary 6th century B.C. Greek author of fables, about the fox …   Useful english dictionary

  • sour grapes —    When someone says something critical or negative because they are jealous, it is a case of sour grapes.   (Dorking School Dictionary)    ***    To say that someone s attitude is sour grapes means that they are trying to make others believe… …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • sour grapes — Meaning Acting meanly after a disappointment. Origin From The Bible, Old Testament, Ezekiel xviii. 2 The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children s teeth are set on edge . In Aesop s fable The Fox and the Grapes the fox isn t able to… …   Meaning and origin of phrases

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”