The expression “coffee break” was first attested in 1952 in glossy magazine advertisements by the Pan-American Coffee Bureau.
DEFILES
Verb
defiles
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of defile
Noun
defiles
plural of defile
Anagrams
• selfied
Source: Wiktionary
DEFILE
De*file", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Defiled; p. pr. & vb. n. Defiling.] Etym: [F. défiler; pref. dé-, for des- (L. dis-) + file a row or line. See File a row.]
Definition: To march off in a line, file by file; to file off.
De*file", v. t. (Mil.)
Definition: Same as Defilade.
De*file", n. Etym: [Cf. F. défilé, fr. défiler to defile.]
1. Any narrow passage or gorge in which troops can march only in a file, or with a narrow front; a long, narrow pass between hills, rocks, etc.
2. (Mil.)
Definition: The act of defilading a fortress, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior. See Defilade.
De*file", v. t. Etym: [OE. defoulen, -foilen, to tread down, OF. defouler; de- + fouler to trample (see Full, v. t.), and OE. defoulen to foul (influenced in form by the older verb defoilen). See File to defile, Foul, Defoul.]
1. To make foul or impure; to make filthy; to dirty; to befoul; to pollute. They that touch pitch will be defiled. Shak.
2. To soil or sully; to tarnish, as reputation; to taint. He is . . . among the greatest prelates of this age, however his character may be defiled by . . . dirty hands. Swift.
3. To injure in purity of character; to corrupt. Defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt. Ezek. xx. 7.
4. To corrupt the chastity of; to debauch; to violate. The husband murder'd and the wife defiled. Prior.
5. To make ceremonially unclean; to pollute. That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile therewith. Lev. xxii. 8.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
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Word of the Day
27 April 2025
APPROXIMATE
(adjective) not quite exact or correct; “the approximate time was 10 o’clock”; “a rough guess”; “a ballpark estimate”
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