acerbus

Inherited from Proto-Italic *akriðos; equivalent to ācer (“sharp”) + -idus.

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /aˈker.bus/, [äˈkɛrbʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /aˈt͡ʃer.bus/, [äˈt͡ʃɛrbus]

acerbus (feminine acerba, neuter acerbum, comparative acerbior, superlative acerbissimus, adverb acerbē); first/second-declension adjective

1. (of taste) harsh, bitter, unripe, sour, premature, not yet marriageable

   Synonyms: asper, ācer, frāctus

2. sharp, severe, bitter (i.e., extremely painful)

   frīgus acerbum ― the bitter cold

3. (of a person) rough, violent, severe, grievous, bitter

   Synonyms: trux, ferōx, atrōx, violēns, immānis, efferus, ferus, crūdēlis, barbaricus, silvāticus, ācer, sevērus

   Antonyms: mītis, tranquillus, misericors, placidus, quietus, clemens

4. oppressive, distressing, sad
   • c. 30 BCE, Cicero, Dē Lēgibus 2.24.61:

     acerbum incendium

     a sad conflagration

First/second-declension adjective.

• “acerbus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “acerbus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• acerbus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to cause any one very acute pain: acerbum dolorem alicui inurere
    
  • (ambiguous) he has had many painful experiences: multa acerba expertus est
    
  • (ambiguous) to demand payment: pecuniam exigere (acerbe)
    
  • (ambiguous) to exact the taxes (with severity): vectigalia exigere (acerbe)