"Then away goes the brisk and pleasant Spirits and leave a vapid or
sour Drink." So wrote John Mortimer—an early 18th-century expert on
agriculture, orchards, and cider-making—in his book on
husbandry. His use was typical for his day, when
vapid was often used specifically in reference to liquor. The term comes from Latin
vapidus, meaning "flat-tasting," a possible relative of
vapor. That use still occurs today; you might, for example, hear an uninspiring wine described as vapid. More likely you'll hear
vapid, along with the synonyms
insipid,
flat, and
inane, describe people and things that lack spirit and character.
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