dilute acetic acid
"The cleaning solution was made by mixing white vinegar, which is essentially dilute acetic acid, with water to remove grease from the oven."
A sour liquid formed by the fermentation of alcohol used as a condiment or preservative; a dilute solution of acetic acid.
"The chef drizzled vinegar over the fresh salad to add a tangy flavor and help preserve the crisp vegetables."
In plain English: Vinegar is a sour liquid made from fermented alcohol that people use to add flavor and preserve food.
"She added some vinegar to the salad dressing."
Usage: While often confused with "vinegrette," which refers to a specific type of salad dressing, vinegar itself is simply the acidic liquid used in cooking and cleaning. Do not use the verb form "to vinegar" when describing the act of pickling; instead, say that food was preserved in vinegar or described as being pickled.
To season or otherwise treat with vinegar.
"The chef decided to marinate the chicken in a mixture of soy sauce and vinegar before grilling it."
In plain English: Vinegar is not actually used as a verb; it is only ever a noun that refers to the sour liquid made from fermented wine or cider.
"The old wooden barrel began to vinegar when left in direct sunlight for too long."
The word vinegar comes from the Old French phrase vin aigre, which literally means "sour wine." It entered English via Middle English, replacing an earlier Germanic term for sour liquid.