The expression “coffee break” was first attested in 1952 in glossy magazine advertisements by the Pan-American Coffee Bureau.
BACKWASH
wake, backwash
(noun) the wave that spreads behind a boat as it moves forward; “the motorboat’s wake capsized the canoe”
aftermath, wake, backwash
(noun) the consequences of an event (especially a catastrophic event); “the aftermath of war”; “in the wake of the accident no one knew how many had been injured”
slipstream, airstream, race, backwash, wash
(noun) the flow of air that is driven backwards by an aircraft propeller
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
backwash (countable and uncountable, plural backwashes)
(nautical) The backward flow of water from oars or propeller or breaking waves.
The similar flow of air from an aircraft engine.
The result or consequence of an event; an aftermath.
The saliva, spit or food particles that have flowed back into a drink after someone has drunk from it.
Verb
backwash (third-person singular simple present backwashes, present participle backwashing, simple past and past participle backwashed)
To operate a water filter in the reverse direction in order to clean it.
(transitive) To affect with backwash.
To clean the oil from wool after combing.
Anagrams
• washback
Source: Wiktionary
Back"wash`, v. i.
Definition: To clean the oil from (wood) after combing.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
12 May 2025
UNSEASONED
(adjective) not tried or tested by experience; “unseasoned artillery volunteers”; “still untested in battle”; “an illustrator untried in mural painting”; “a young hand at plowing”
Coffee Trivia
