In 1884, Angelo Moriondo of Turin, Italy, demonstrated the first working example of an espresso machine.
fleecing
present participle of fleece
fleecing (plural fleecings)
A confidence trick.
Source: Wiktionary
Fleece, n. Etym: [OE. flees, AS. fleós; akin to D. flies, vlies .]
1. The entire coat of wood that covers a sheep or other similar animal; also, the quantity shorn from a sheep, or animal, at one time. Who shore me Like a tame wether, all my precious fleece. Milton.
2. Any soft woolly covering resembling a fleece.
3. (Manuf.)
Definition: The fine web of cotton or wool removed by the doffing knife from the cylinder of a carding machine. Fleece wool, wool shorn from the sheep.
– Golden fleece. See under Golden.
Fleece, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fleeced; p. pr. & vb. n. Fleecing.]
1. To deprive of a fleece, or natural covering of wool.
2. To strip of money or other property unjustly, especially by trickery or frand; to bring to straits by oppressions and exactions. Whilst pope and prince shared the wool betwixt them, the people were finely fleeced. Fuller.
3. To spread over as with wool. [R.] Thomson.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
6 June 2025
(noun) wit having a sharp and caustic quality; “he commented with typical pungency”; “the bite of satire”
In 1884, Angelo Moriondo of Turin, Italy, demonstrated the first working example of an espresso machine.