Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Bitter \Bit"ter\, a. [AS. biter; akin to Goth. baitrs, Icel.
   bitr, Dan., Sw., D., & G. bitter, OS. bittar, fr. root of E.
   bite. See {Bite}, v. t.]
   1. Having a peculiar, acrid, biting taste, like that of
      wormwood or an infusion of hops; as, a bitter medicine;
      bitter as aloes.

   2. Causing pain or smart; piercing; painful; sharp; severe;
      as, a bitter cold day.

   3. Causing, or fitted to cause, pain or distress to the mind;
      calamitous; poignant.

            It is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast
            forsaken the Lord thy God.            --Jer. ii. 19.

   4. Characterized by sharpness, severity, or cruelty; harsh;
      stern; virulent; as, bitter reproach.

            Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against
            them.                                 --Col. iii.
                                                  19.

   5. Mournful; sad; distressing; painful; pitiable.

            The Egyptians . . . made their lives bitter with
            hard bondage.                         --Ex. i. 14.

   {Bitter apple}, {Bitter cucumber}, {Bitter gourd}. (Bot.) See
      {Colocynth}.

   {Bitter cress} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Cardamine}, esp.
      {C. amara}.

   {Bitter earth} (Min.), tale earth; calcined magnesia.

   {Bitter principles} (Chem.), a class of substances, extracted
      from vegetable products, having strong bitter taste but
      with no sharply defined chemical characteristics.

   {Bitter salt}, Epsom salts; magnesium sulphate.

   {Bitter vetch} (Bot.), a name given to two European
      leguminous herbs, {Vicia Orobus} and {Ervum Ervilia}.

   {To the bitter end}, to the last extremity, however
      calamitous.

   Syn: Acrid; sharp; harsh; pungent; stinging; cutting; severe;
        acrimonious.

Cucumber \Cu"cum*ber\ (k?`k?m-b?r, formerly kou"k?m-b?r), n.[OE.
   cucumer, cocumber, cucumber, fr. L. cucmis, gen. cucumeris;
   cf. OF. cocombre,F. concombre.] (Bot.)
   A creeping plant, and its fruit, of several species of the
   genus {Cucumis}, esp. {Cucumis sativus}, the unripe fruit of
   which is eaten either fresh or picked. Also, similar plants
   or fruits of several other genera. See below.

   {Bitter cucumber} (Bot.), the {Citrullus or Cucumis
      Colocynthis}. See {Colocynth}.

   {Cucumber beetle.} (Zo["o]l.)
   (a) A small, black flea-beetle ({Crepidodera cucumeris}),
       which destroys the leaves of cucumber, squash, and melon
       vines.
   (b) The squash beetle.

   {Cucumber tree}.
   (a) A large ornamental or shade tree of the genus {Magnolia}
       {(M. acuminata)}, so called from a slight resemblance of
       its young fruit to a small cucumber.
   (b) An East Indian plant ({Averrhoa Bilimbi}) which produces
       the fruit known as bilimbi.

   {Jamaica cucumber}, {Jerusalem cucumber}, the prickly-fruited
      gherkin ({Cucumis Anguria}).

   {Snake cucumber}, a species ({Cucumis flexuosus}) remarkable
      for its long, curiously-shaped fruit.

   {Squirting cucumber}, a plant ({Ecbalium Elaterium}) whose
      small oval fruit separates from the footstalk when ripe
      and expels its seeds and juice with considerable force
      through the opening thus made. See {Elaterium}.

   {Star cucumber}, a climbing weed ({Sicyos angulatus}) with
      prickly fruit.