Bi"to, n., Bi"to tree`. [Etym. uncertain.] (Bot.)
Definition: A small scrubby tree (Balanites Ægyptiaca) growing in dry regions of tropical Africa and Asia.
The hard yellowish white wood is made into plows in Abyssinia; the bark is used in Farther India to stupefy fish; the ripe fruit is edible, when green it is an anthelmintic; the fermented juice is used as a beverage; the seeds yield a medicinal oil called zachun. The African name of the tree is hajilij.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
8 April 2025
(adjective) pleasingly persuasive or intended to persuade; “a coaxing and obsequious voice”; “her manner is quiet and ingratiatory and a little too agreeable”
The Boston Tea Party helped popularize coffee in America. The hefty tea tax imposed on the colonies in 1773 resulted in America switching from tea to coffee. In the lead up to the Revolutionary War, it became patriotic to sip java instead of tea. The Civil War made the drink more pervasive. Coffee helped energize tired troops, and drinking it became an expression of freedom.
