In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.
ENFEEBLE
enfeeble, debilitate, drain
(verb) make weak; “Life in the camp drained him”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
enfeeble (third-person singular simple present enfeebles, present participle enfeebling, simple past and past participle enfeebled)
(transitive) To make feeble.
Synonyms
• weaken
Source: Wiktionary
En*fee"ble, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Enfeebled; p. pr. & vb. n. Enfeebling.] Etym: [OF. enfeblir, enfeiblir; pref. en- (L. in) + feble, F. faible, feeble. See Feeble.]
Definition: To make feeble; to deprive of strength; to reduce the strength or force of; to weaken; to debilitate. Enfeebled by scanty subsistence and excessive toil. Prescott.
Syn.
– To weaken; debilitate; enervate.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
12 May 2025
UNSEASONED
(adjective) not tried or tested by experience; “unseasoned artillery volunteers”; “still untested in battle”; “an illustrator untried in mural painting”; “a young hand at plowing”
Coffee Trivia
