In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.
DEGRADED
debased, devalued, degraded
(adjective) lowered in value; “the dollar is low”; “a debased currency”
debauched, degenerate, degraded, dissipated, dissolute, libertine, profligate, riotous, fast
(adjective) unrestrained by convention or morality; “Congreve draws a debauched aristocratic society”; “deplorably dissipated and degraded”; “riotous living”; “fast women”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Adjective
degraded (comparative more degraded, superlative most degraded)
Feeling or having undergone degradation; deprived of dignity or self-respect.
(biology) Having the typical characters or organs in a partially developed condition, or lacking certain parts.
(heraldry, not comparable) Having steps; said of a cross whose extremities end in steps growing larger as they leave the centre; on degrees.
Synonyms
• (deprived of dignity): humiliated
Verb
degraded
simple past tense and past participle of degrade
Source: Wiktionary
De*grad"ed, a.
1. Reduced in rank, character, or reputation; debased; sunken; low; base. The Netherlands . . . were reduced practically to a very degraded condition. Motley.
2. (Biol.)
Definition: Having the typical characters or organs in a partially developed condition, or lacking certain parts. Some families of plants are degraded dicotyledons. Dana.
3. Etym: [Cf. F. degré step.] (Her.)
Definition: Having steps; -- said of a cross each of whose extremities finishes in steps growing larger as they leave the center; -- termed also on degrees.
DEGRADE
De*grade", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Degraded; p. pr. & vb. n. Degrading.] Etym: [F. dégrader, LL. degradare, fr. L. de- + gradus step, degree. See Grade, and cf. Degree.]
1. To reduce from a higher to a lower rank or degree; to lower in rank' to deprive of office or dignity; to strip of honors; as, to degrade a nobleman, or a general officer. Prynne was sentenced by the Star Chamber Court to be degraded from the bar. Palfrey.
2. To reduce in estimation, character, or reputation; to lessen the value of; to lower the physical, moral, or intellectual character of; to debase; to bring shame or contempt upon; to disgrace; as, vice degrades a man. O miserable mankind, to what fall Degraded, to what wretched state reserved! Milton. He pride . . . struggled hard against this degrading passion. Macaulay.
3. (Geol.)
Definition: To reduce in altitude or magnitude, as hills and mountains; to wear down.
Syn.
– To abase; demean; lower; reduce. See Abase.
De*grade", v. i. (Biol.)
Definition: To degenerate; to pass from a higher to a lower type of structure; as, a family of plants or animals degrades through this or that genus or group of genera.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
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27 November 2024
NAUSEATING
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Coffee Trivia
