Bitter

King James Dictionary

BIT'TER, a.

1. Sharp, or biting to the taste acrid like wormwood. 2. Sharp cruel severe as bitter enmity.  Hebrews 1 3. Sharp, as words, reproachful sarcastic. 4. Sharp to the feeling piercing painful that makes to smart as a bitter cold day, or a bitter blast. 5. Painful to the mind calamitous poignant as a bitter fate. 6. Afflicted distressed.

The Egyptians made their lives bitter.  Exodus 1

7. Hurtful very sinful.

Is is an evil and bitter thing.  Jeremiah 2

8. Mournful distressing expressive of misory as a bitter complaint or lamentation.  Job 23;  Jeremiah 6:31 .

BIT'TER, n. A substance that is bitter. See Bitter.

BIT'TER, n. See Bitts. In marine language, a turn of the cable which is round the bitts.

Bitter-end, that part of a cable which is abaft the bitts, and therefore within board, when the ship rides at anchor.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): (v. t.) Characterized by sharpness, severity, or cruelty; harsh; stern; virulent; as, bitter reproach.

(2): (v. t.) Mournful; sad; distressing; painful; pitiable.

(3): (n.) Any substance that is bitter. See Bitters.

(4): (v. t.) To make bitter.

(5): (v. t.) Causing, or fitted to cause, pain or distress to the mind; calamitous; poignant.

(6): (v. t.) Having a peculiar, acrid, biting taste, like that of wormwood or an infusion of hops; as, a bitter medicine; bitter as aloes.

(7): (v. t.) Causing pain or smart; piercing; painful; sharp; severe; as, a bitter cold day.

(8): (n.) AA turn of the cable which is round the bitts.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Exodus 1:14 Ruth 1:20 Jeremiah 9:15 Habakkuk 1:6 Acts 8:23 Hebrews 12:15

The Passover was to be eaten with "bitter herbs" ( Exodus 12:8;  Numbers 9:11 ). The kind of herbs so designated is not known. Probably they were any bitter herbs obtainable at the place and time when the Passover was celebrated. They represented the severity of the servitude under which the people groaned; and have been regarded also as typical of the sufferings of Christ.

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 James 3:11 (a) No one's lips should both bless and curse. If the heart is right with GOD, then all that comes out of it will be blessed and good. If bitterness comes out, it is because the heart is contaminated.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Bitterness

Bitterness ( Exodus 1:14;  Ruth 1:20;  Jeremiah 9:15) is symbolical of affliction, misery, and servitude. It was for this reason that, in the celebration of the Passover, the servitude of the Israelites in Egypt was typically represented by bitter herbs.

The gall of bitterness ( Acts 8:23) describes a state of extreme wickedness, highly offensive to God, and hurtful to others.

A root of bitterness ( Hebrews 12:15) expresses a wicked or scandalous person, or any dangerous sin leading to apostasy.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(always some form of the root מָרִר, Mraar' Πικρός).