acrimony
Meaning: Bitterness and sharpness in speech, manner, or feeling, especially during a dispute.
Acrimony describes the bitter, hostile tone of a disagreement rather than the disagreement itself. An 'acrimonious divorce,' an 'acrimonious debate,' or 'acrimonious exchanges' all suggest that the proceedings were conducted with particular bitterness and ill will. The adjective 'acrimonious' is perhaps more commonly encountered than the noun. The word appears frequently in legal, political, and media writing.
Examples
- The negotiations broke down amid considerable acrimony between the two sides. 谈判在双方之间相当大的尖刻气氛中破裂了。Las negociaciones se rompieron en medio de una considerable acritud entre ambas partes.交渉は双方の間のかなりの辛辣さの中で決裂した。협상은 양측 간의 상당한 감정적 대립 속에서 결렬되었다.
- Their once-amicable partnership ended in acrimony after a dispute over intellectual property rights. 他们曾经友好的合作关系在一场知识产权纠纷后以尖刻收场。Su otrora amistosa asociación acabó con acritud tras una disputa sobre derechos de propiedad intelectual.かつて友好的だったパートナーシップは、知的財産権をめぐる紛争の後、険悪な形で終わった。한때 우호적이었던 동업 관계는 지적 재산권 분쟁 이후 험악하게 끝났다.
- The acrimonious tone of the parliamentary debate shocked even veteran political observers. 议会辩论的尖刻语气甚至让经验丰富的政治观察家感到震惊。El tono acrimonioso del debate parlamentario sorprendió incluso a los observadores políticos más veteranos.議会討論の辛辣な語調は、ベテランの政治観察者をも驚かせた。의회 토론의 신랄한 어조는 베테랑 정치 관측자들마저 놀라게 했다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: media, legal, academic
Tone: negative
Origin & History
From Latin acrimonia (sharpness, pungency), from acer (sharp, keen). Originally referred to a sharp taste or smell; the metaphorical sense of bitter speech and feeling developed in the 16th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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