The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word HEART
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
H
E
A
R
T
More clues leading to the result HEART
- Middle card
- Enthusiasm of boxer finally ready to mate?
- Card offering sympathy?
- Mollusc in centre’s something dire
- Run in preliminary contest, showing courage
- Compassion from judge at start of trial
- Skill must follow explosive enthusiasm
- Detect beat finally in this?
- Cordiality and warmth - that's about right
- Bitter judge ultimately dealt spectacular conclusion
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Bitter" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case bitter = heart.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does HEART mean?
HEART noun- A muscular organ that pumps blood through the body, traditionally thought to be the seat of emotion.
- Emotions, kindness, moral effort, or spirit in general.
- The seat of the affections or sensibilities, collectively or separately, as love, hate, joy, grief, courage, etc.; rarely, the seat of the understanding or will; usually in a good sense; personality.
- Courage; courageous purpose; spirit.
- Vigorous and efficient activity; power of fertile production; condition of the soil, whether good or bad.
- A term of affectionate or kindly and familiar address.
- Personality, disposition.
- A wight or being.
- A conventional shape or symbol used to represent the heart, love, or emotion: ♥ or sometimes <3.
- A playing card of the suit hearts featuring one or more heart-shaped symbols.
- The twenty-fourth Lenormand card.
- The centre, essence, or core.
- To be fond of. Often bracketed or abbreviated with a heart symbol.
- To give heart to; to hearten; to encourage.
- To fill an interior with rubble, as a wall or a breakwater.
- To form a dense cluster of leaves, a heart, especially of lettuce or cabbage.