I.bitter (syn. acerbus).
I. Lit., of tasto (opp. dulcis): “absinthi latex,” Lucr. 1, 941; 4, 15: “amara atque aspera,” id. 2, 404: “sensusjudicat dulce, amarum,” Cic. Fin. 2, 12; so id. N. D. 3, 13: “salices,” pungent, Verg. E. 1, 79: Doris amara, brackish, i. e. the sea, id. ib. 10, 5: “os,” bitter taste in the mouth, Cels. 1, 3: “calices amariores,” i. e. harsh wine, Cat. 27, 2: “aquae amarissimae,” Vulg. Num. 5, 18.—
B. Transf.
1. Of the hearing, rough, sharp, shrill (cf. acer): “sonitus,” Stat. Th. 10, 553, and,
2. Of smell, disagreeable, offensive: “fructus amarus odore,” Plin. 18, 12, 30, § 122.—
II. Trop.
A. Calamitous, unpleasant, sad (mostly poet.): “amara dies et nectis amarior umbra,” Tib. 2, 4, 11: “casus,” Ov. Tr. 5, 4, 15; so, “amara mors,” Vulg. 1 Reg. 15, 32: “amores dulces aut amari,” Verg. E. 3, 110: “amarissimae leges necessitatis,” Val. Max. 7, 6: “amaritudo mea amarissima,” Vulg. Isa. 38, 17.—Subst. plur., bitterness, bitter things: “et amara laeto Temperet risu,” Hor. C. 2, 16, 26: “amara curarum,” id. ib. 4, 12, 19.—
B. Of speech, bitter, biting, acrimonious, sarcastic, caustic, severe: “dictis amaris,” Ov. Tr. 3, 11, 31; so, “scriptis,” id. P. 4, 14, 37: “hostis,” Verg. A. 10, 900: “sales,” Quint. 10, 1, 117.—
C. Of conduct, morose, ill - natured, sour, irritable: mulieres, * Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 88: “amariorem me senectus facit,” Cic. Att. 14, 21.—Adv., bitterly, in three forms:
a. ămārē , Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 78; Sen. Ben. 5, 23; Vulg. Isa. 22, 4; ib. Matt. 26, 75.—Comp., Macr. Somn. Scip. 2, 1.—Sup., Suet. Tib. 54.—*
