In 1511, leaders in Mecca believed coffee stimulated radical thinking and outlawed the drink. In 1524, the leaders overturned that order, and people could drink coffee again.
DEGRADATION
degradation, debasement
(noun) changing to a lower state (a less respected state)
abasement, degradation, abjection
(noun) a low or downcast state; “each confession brought her into an attitude of abasement”- H.L.Menchken
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
degradation (countable and uncountable, plural degradations)
The act of reducing in rank, character, or reputation, or of abasing; a lowering from one's standing or rank in office or society
The state of being reduced in rank, character, or reputation; baseness; moral, physical, or intellectual degeneracy; disgrace; abasement; debasement.
Diminution or reduction of strength, efficacy, or value; degeneration; deterioration.
(geology) A gradual wearing down or wasting, as of rocks and banks, by the action of water, frost etc.
A deleterious change in the chemical structure, physical properties or appearance of a material from natural or artificial exposure.
The state or condition of a species or group which exhibits degraded forms; degeneration.
Arrest of development, or degeneration of any organ, or of the body as a whole.
The gradual breakdown of components of a material, as a result of a natural element, i.e.: heat, cold and wind.
Hyponyms
• biodegradation
• graceful degradation
• Marker degradation
Anagrams
• gradationed
Source: Wiktionary
Deg`ra*da"tion, n. Etym: [LL. degradatio, from degradare: cf. F. dégradation. See Degrade.]
1. The act of reducing in rank, character, or reputation, or of abasing; a lowering from one's standing or rank in office or society; diminution; as, the degradation of a peer, a knight, a general, or a bishop. He saw many removes and degradations in all the other offices of which he had been possessed. Clarendon.
2. The state of being reduced in rank, character, or reputation; baseness; moral, physical, or intellectual degeneracy; disgrace; abasement; debasement. The . . . degradation of a needy man of letters. Macaulay. Deplorable is the degradation of our nature. South. Moments there frequently must be, when a sidegradation of his state. Blair.
3. Diminution or reduction of strength, efficacy, or value; degeneration; deterioration. The development and degradation of the alphabetic forms can be traced. I. Taylor (The Alphabet).
4. (Geol.)
Definition: A gradual wearing down or wasting, as of rocks and banks, by the action of water, fro
5. (Biol.)
Definition: The state or condition of a species or group which exhibits degraded forms; degeneration. The degradation of the species man is observed in some of its varieties. Dana.
6. (Physiol.)
Definition: Arrest of development, or degeneration of any organ, or of the body as a whole. Degradation of energy, or Dissipation of energy (Physics), the transformation of energy into some form in which it is less available for doing work.
Syn.
– Abasement; debasement; reduction; decline.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
25 November 2024
ONCHOCERCIASIS
(noun) infestation with slender threadlike roundworms (filaria) deposited under the skin by the bite of black fleas; when the eyes are involved it can result in blindness; common in Africa and tropical America
Coffee Trivia
