[f. SOUR v. Cf. Du. zuring souring, sorrel, G. säuer-, säurung souring, NFris. süring leaven.]
1. A substance that renders sour or acid; spec. leaven, lemon-juice or vinegar. Also fig. Now chiefly dial.
14[?]. Wycliffite Bible, 1 Cor. v. 7. As ȝe ben therf, or withoute sour thing [v.r. sowryng].
1751. Smollett, Per. Pic., xci. (1779), IV. 91. A double proportion of sowering was visible in his aspect. Ibid. (1777), Humph. Cl., 13 July (1815), 239. Looking at me with a double squeeze of souring in his aspect.
1814. Scott, Wav., xxix. Mine host … infused a double portion of souring into the pharisaical leaven of his countenance.
1829. Hunter, Hallamshire Gloss., 84. Souring, dough left in the tub from one baking of oat-cakes to another.
1836. Haliburton, Clockm., Ser. II. ix. There’s another lemon left, squire, ’spose we mix a little more sourin’ afore we turn in.
1841. Hartshorne, Salop. Ant., Gloss., Souring, vinegar.
b. A preparation used in bleaching and tanning.
1777. Phil. Trans., LXVIII. 124. In the old method, the tanners made use of sourings brewed generally from rye, or some other grain.
2. The process or fact of becoming or making sour.
1579. Fulke, Refut. Rastel, 761. He wil haue no wine for feare of sowering [printed sauoring].
1662. Merret, in Charleton, Myst. Vintners (1675), 222. To prevent souring of French Wines.
1673. Boyle, Ess. Effluviums, II. 30. Talking with her about the remedies of the Sowring of Beer and other drinks by Thunder.
1743. Lond. & Country Brewer, IV. (ed. 2), 280. Though Yeast naturally tends to the sowering of all Drink it is beat into.
1830. M. Donovan, Dom. Econ., I. 167. That commencement of acetification or souring called foxing.
1886. C. H. Fagge, Princ. & Pract. Med., I. 21. The lactic acid fermentation or souring of milk.
b. fig. with reference to character or temper.
1874. L. Stephen, Hours in Library (1892), II. iii. 89. Hazlitt’s cynicism is the souring of a generous nature.
1901. P. Geddes, in Contemp. Rev., March, 453. The well-nigh inevitable souring of the dishoused peasant into guerilla or brigand.
3. spec. The process of subjecting cloth, wool, skins, etc., to the action of diluted acids.
1756. F. Home, Exper. Bleaching, 37. The general process of bleaching divides itself into these different parts. 1. Steeping and milling. 2. Bucking and boiling…. 4. Souring.
1844. G. Dodd, Textile Manuf., ii. 51. The process of ‘grey souring,’ in which the cloth passes through a machine … containing very dilute sulphuric acid.
1882. Crookes, Dyeing, 7. Next follows souring, known as the ‘lime-sour,’ or ‘grey-sour.’
attrib. 1756. F. Home, Exper. Bleaching, 77. The souring process had been going on for two days. Ibid. In the souring vat.
1875. Encycl. Brit., III. 820/1. A souring-well under the souring-box is now filled with water and sulphuric acid.
4. A sourish variety of apple; dial. a crab-apple.
1846. J. Baxter, Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4), I. 59. Fearn’s pippin,… Hanwell souring.
1860. R. Hogg, Fruit Manual, 11. Hanwell Souring…. Flesh firm, crisp, and briskly acid.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1075/1. Souring, a country name for the Crab apple.
1896. Warwicksh. Word-bk., 221. Souring, an apple for winter use.
