The word “coffee” entered the English language in 1582 via the Dutch “koffie,” borrowed from the Ottoman Turkish “kahve,” borrowed in turn from the Arabic “qahwah.” The Arabic word qahwah was traditionally held to refer to a type of wine.
GAGS
Noun
gags
plural of gag
Verb
gags
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of gag
Source: Wiktionary
GAG
Gag, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gagged; p. pr. & vb. n. Gagging.] Etym: [Prob. fr. W. cegio to choke or strangle, fr. ceg mouth, opening, entrance.]
1. To stop the mouth of, by thrusting sometimes in, so as to hinder speaking; hence, to silence by authority or by violence; not to allow freedom of speech to. Marvell. The time was not yet come when eloquence was to be gagged, and reason to be hood winked. Maccaulay.
2. To pry or hold open by means of a gag. Mouths gagged to such a wideness. Fortescue (Transl. ).
3. To cause to heave with nausea.
Gag, v. i.
1. To heave with nausea; to retch.
2. To introduce gags or interpolations. See Gag, n., 3. [Slang] Cornill Mag.
Gag, n.
1. Sometimes thrust into the mouth or throat to hinder speaking.
2. A mouthful that makes one retch; a choking bit; as, a gag of mutton fat. Lamb.
3. A speech or phrase interpolated offhand by an actor on the stage in his part as written, usually consisting of some seasonable or local allusion. [Slang] Gag rein (Harness), a rein for drawing the bit upward in the horse's mouth.
– Gag runner (Harness), a loop on the throat latch guiding the gag rein.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
22 February 2025
ANALYSIS
(noun) the use of closed-class words instead of inflections: e.g., ‘the father of the bride’ instead of ‘the bride’s father’
Coffee Trivia
