In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.
BESOM
besom
(noun) a broom made of twigs tied together on a long handle
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
besom (plural besoms)
A broom made from a bundle of twigs tied onto a shaft.
(Scotland, Northern England, derogatory) A troublesome woman.
Any cleansing or purifying agent.
Verb
besom (third-person singular simple present besoms, present participle besoming, simple past and past participle besomed)
(archaic, poetic) To sweep.
Anagrams
• mebos, mobes
Source: Wiktionary
Be"som, n. Etym: [OE. besme, besum, AS. besma; akin to D. bezem, OHG pesamo, G. besen; of uncertain origin.]
Definition: A brush of twigs for sweeping; a broom; anything which sweeps away or destroys. [Archaic or Fig.] I will sweep it with the besom of destruction. Isa. xiv. 23. The housemaid with her besom. W. Irving.
Be"som, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Besomed.]
Definition: To sweep, as with a besom. [Archaic or Poetic] Cowper. Rolls back all Greece, and besoms wide the plain. Barlow.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
23 January 2025
LEFT
(adjective) being or located on or directed toward the side of the body to the west when facing north; “my left hand”; “left center field”; “the left bank of a river is bank on your left side when you are facing downstream”
Coffee Trivia
