πικρ-αίνω G4087
To make bitter; to embitter or cause bitterness, both literally (taste) and figuratively (emotion).
Built on the adjective pikros (bitter), this verb means to make something bitter or to become embittered. In Revelation it describes waters turned bitter by the star Wormwood (8:11) and the bittersweet scroll that sweetens in the mouth but sours in the stomach (10:9–10). Paul uses it figuratively in Colossians 3:19, urging husbands not to be harsh or embittered toward their wives. Spanish 'amargará' and French 'bitter-machen' both convey this dual physical-emotional range.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To make bitter or to become embittered, spanning both physical taste and emotional disposition. Revelation 8:11 describes waters made literally bitter by the falling star, while Rev 10:9–10 portrays the prophet's stomach turned bitter by the ingested scroll. Colossians 3:19 uses the word in a relational sense—husbands must not embitter themselves against their wives. The Spanish 'amargará' (it will make bitter) and 'fueron hechas amargas' (they were made bitter) capture both the active and passive dimensions of the verb. 4×
AR["تَمَرَّروا", "سَيُمَرِّرُ", "صارَت-مُرَّةً", "صَارَتْ-مُرَّةً"]·ben["তিক্ত-করবে", "তিক্ত-হয়েছিল।", "তিক্ত-হল", "তোমরা-তেতো-হও"]·DE["bitter-machen"]·EN["be-bitter", "it-will-make-bitter", "they-were-made-bitter", "was-made-bitter"]·FR["bitter-machen"]·heb["הָ-", "יְמַרֵּר", "נִמְרָרוּ", "תִּמְרַרוּ"]·HI["कड़वा-करेगा", "कड़वा-हो-गया", "कड़वे-हो-गए।", "कधव-बनो"]·ID["akan-membuat-pahit", "berlaku pahit", "menjadi-pahit", "menjadi-pahit."]·IT["epikranthē", "epikranthēsan", "pikrainesthe", "pikranei"]·jav["badhé-dados-pait", "dados-pait", "dipundadosaken-pait", "pait"]·KO["쓰게-되었느니라", "쓰게-되었으니", "쓰게-할-것이니", "쓴맛을-내라"]·PT["amargará", "foi-amargado", "foram-feitas-amargas", "vos-irriteis"]·RU["будьте-суровы", "огорчит", "сделались-горькими.", "стало-горько"]·ES["amargará", "fue-amargado", "fueron-hechas-amargas", "os-amargéis"]·SW["kitafanya-uchungu", "likawa-chungu", "wawe-na-uchungu", "yalikuwa-machungu."]·TR["aci-davranin", "acı-edecek", "acı-etti", "çünkü"]·urd["ٹلخی-کرو", "کڑوا-کرے-گا", "کڑوی-ہو-گئی", "کڑوے-ہو-گئے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
πικρ-αίνω, make sharp or keen, especially to the taste, π. τὴν κοιλίαν make it bitter, NT:— passive, τὸ στόμα πικραίνεται Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 metaphorically, embitter, irritate, τὴν ψυχήν LXX; τὴν ἀκοήν affect it harshly, opposed to γλυκαίνω, Refs 1st c.BC+; make harsh, νόμους conjecture in Refs 4th c.BC+:—passive, to be exasperated, embittered, Refs 5th c.BC+; ὁ ζωγράφος πονεῖ τι καὶ π. vexes…