The expression “coffee break” was first attested in 1952 in glossy magazine advertisements by the Pan-American Coffee Bureau.
DEAFEN
deafen
(verb) make soundproof; “deafen a room”
deafen, deaf
(verb) make or render deaf; “a deafening noise”
deafen
(verb) be unbearably loud; “a deafening noise”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
deafen (third-person singular simple present deafens, present participle deafening, simple past and past participle deafened)
(transitive) To make deaf, either temporarily or permanently.
(transitive) To make soundproof.
(transitive, rare, dialectal, sometimes, figurative) To stun, as with noise.
Source: Wiktionary
Deaf"en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deafened; p. pr. & vb. n. Deafening.] Etym: [From Deaf.]
1. To make deaf; to deprive of the power of hearing; to render incapable of perceiving sounds distinctly. Deafened and stunned with their promiscuous cries. Addison.
2. (Arch.)
Definition: To render impervious to sound, as a partition or floor, by filling the space within with mortar, by lining with paper, etc.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
25 March 2025
IMMOBILIZATION
(noun) fixation (as by a plaster cast) of a body part in order to promote proper healing; “immobilization of the injured knee was necessary”
Coffee Trivia
