In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.
DOWNY
downy, pubescent, puberulent, sericeous
(adjective) covered with fine soft hairs or down; “downy milkweed seeds”
downy, downlike, flossy, fluffy
(adjective) like down or as soft as down
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology 1
Adjective
downy (comparative downier, superlative downiest)
Having down, covered with a soft fuzzy coating as of small feathers or hair.
Sharp-witted, perceptive.
Etymology 2
From the noun.
Noun
downy (plural downies)
A blanket filled with down; a duvet.
Source: Wiktionary
Down"y, a.
1. Covered with down, or with pubescence or soft hairs. "A downy feather." Shak. Plants that . . . have downy or velvet rind upon their leaves. Bacon.
2. Made of, or resembling, down. Hence, figuratively: Soft; placid; soothing; quiet. "A downy shower." Keble. "Downy pillow." Pope. Time steals on with downy feet. Young.
3. Cunning; wary. [Slang, Eng.] Latham.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
25 March 2025
IMMOBILIZATION
(noun) fixation (as by a plaster cast) of a body part in order to promote proper healing; “immobilization of the injured knee was necessary”
Coffee Trivia
