1.
[syn: vinegar eel, vinegar worm, Anguillula aceti, Turbatrix aceti]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
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 (Zool.), 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 v.0.48:
Eel \Eel\, n. [AS. ?l; akin to D., G., & Dan. aal, Icel. [=a]ll,
Sw. [*a]l.] (Zo["o]l.)
An elongated fish of many genera and species. The common eels
of Europe and America belong to the genus Anguilla. The
electrical eel is a species of Gymnotus. The so called
vinegar eel is a minute nematode worm. See Conger eel,
Electric eel, and Gymnotus.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
vinegar eel
n 1: minute eelworm that feeds on organisms that cause
fermentation in e.g. vinegar [syn: vinegar eel, vinegar
worm, Anguillula aceti, Turbatrix aceti]