In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.
DIFFERENCE
difference
(noun) the quality of being unlike or dissimilar; “there are many differences between jazz and rock”
dispute, difference, difference of opinion, conflict
(noun) a disagreement or argument about something important; “he had a dispute with his wife”; “there were irreconcilable differences”; “the familiar conflict between Republicans and Democrats”
deviation, divergence, departure, difference
(noun) a variation that deviates from the standard or norm; “the deviation from the mean”
remainder, difference
(noun) the number that remains after subtraction; the number that when added to the subtrahend gives the minuend
difference
(noun) a significant change; “the difference in her is amazing”; “his support made a real difference”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
difference (countable and uncountable, plural differences)
(uncountable) The quality of being different.
Antonyms: identity, sameness
(countable) A characteristic of something that makes it different from something else.
(countable) A disagreement or argument.
(countable, uncountable) Significant change in or effect on a situation or state.
(countable) The result of a subtraction; sometimes the absolute value of this result.
(obsolete) Choice; preference.
(heraldry) An addition to a coat of arms to distinguish two people's bearings which would otherwise be the same. See augmentation and cadency.
(logic) The quality or attribute which is added to those of the genus to constitute a species; a differentia.
(logic circuits) A Boolean operation which is TRUE when the two input variables are different but is otherwise FALSE; the XOR operation ().
(relational algebra) the set of elements that are in one set but not another ().
Synonyms
• (characteristic of something that makes it different from something else): departure, deviation, divergence, disparity
• (disagreement or argument about something important): conflict, difference of opinion, dispute, dissension
• (result of a subtraction): remainder
• (significant change in state): nevermind
Verb
difference (third-person singular simple present differences, present participle differencing, simple past and past participle differenced)
(obsolete, transitive) To distinguish or differentiate.
Synonyms
• (to distinguish or differentiate): differentiate, distinguish
Source: Wiktionary
Dif"fer*ence, n. Etym: [F. différence, L. differentia.]
1. The act of differing; the state or measure of being different or unlike; distinction; dissimilarity; unlikeness; variation; as, a difference of quality in paper; a difference in degrees of heat, or of light; what is the difference between the innocent and the guilty Differencies of administration, but the same Lord. 1 Cor. xii. 5.
2. Disagreement in opinion; dissension; controversy; quarrel; hence, cause of dissension; matter in controversy. What was the difference It was a contention in public. Shak. Away therefore went I with the constable, leaving the old warden and the young constable to compose their difference as they could. T. Ellwood.
3. That by which one thing differs from another; that which distinguishes or causes to differ;; mark of distinction; characteristic quality; specific attribute. The marks and differences of sovereignty. Davies.
4. Choice; preference. [Obs.] That now be chooseth with vile difference To be a beast, and lack intelligence. Spenser.
5. (Her.)
Definition: An addition to a coat of arms to distinguish the bearings of two persons, which would otherwise be the same. See Augmentation, and Marks of cadency, under Cadency.
6. (Logic)
Definition: The quality or attribute which is added to those of the genus to constitute a species; a differentia.
7. (Math.)
Definition: The quantity by which one quantity differs from another, or the remainder left after subtracting the one from the other. Ascensional difference. See under Ascensional.
Syn.
– Distinction; dissimilarity; dissimilitude; variation; diversity; variety; contrariety; disagreement; variance; contest; contention; dispute; controversy; debate; quarrel; wrangle; strife.
Dif"fer*ence, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Differenced; p. pr. & vb. n. Differencing.]
Definition: To cause to differ; to make different; to mark as different; to distinguish. Thou mayest difference gods from men. Chapman. Kings, in receiving justice and undergoing trial, are not differenced from the meanest subject. Milton. So completely differenced by their separate and individual characters that we at once acknowledge them as distinct persons. Sir W. Scott.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
25 December 2024
UNAMBIGUOUS
(adjective) having or exhibiting a single clearly defined meaning; “As a horror, apartheid...is absolutely unambiguous”- Mario Vargas Llosa
Coffee Trivia
