The expression ācoffee breakā was first attested in 1952 in glossy magazine advertisements by the Pan-American Coffee Bureau.
DOWNPLAY
background, play down, downplay
(verb) understate the importance or quality of; āhe played down his royal ancestryā
understate, minimize, minimise, downplay
(verb) represent as less significant or important
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
downplay (third-person singular simple present downplays, present participle downplaying, simple past and past participle downplayed)
(transitive) To de-emphasize; to present or portray as less important or consequential.
Usage notes
• The synonymous alternative form play down is slightly more formal, or slightly less informal.
Synonyms
• trivialize
• understate
Anagrams
• play down, playdown
Source: Wiktionary
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
22 February 2025
ANALYSIS
(noun) the use of closed-class words instead of inflections: e.g., āthe father of the brideā instead of āthe brideās fatherā
Coffee Trivia
