In 1511, leaders in Mecca believed coffee stimulated radical thinking and outlawed the drink. In 1524, the leaders overturned that order, and people could drink coffee again.
IDIOM
parlance, idiom
(noun) a manner of speaking that is natural to native speakers of a language
idiom, idiomatic expression, phrasal idiom, set phrase, phrase
(noun) an expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up
dialect, idiom, accent
(noun) the usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people; “the immigrants spoke an odd dialect of English”; “he has a strong German accent”; “it has been said that a language is a dialect with an army and navy”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
idiom (countable and uncountable, plural idioms or idiomata)
A manner of speaking, a mode of expression peculiar to a language, person, or group of people.
A language or language variety; specifically, a restricted dialect used in a given historical period, context etc.
An established expression whose meaning is not deducible from the literal meanings of its component words, often peculiar to a given language.
An artistic style (for example, in art, architecture, or music); an instance of such a style.
(programming) A programming construct or phraseology that is characteristic of the language.
Synonyms
• (language variety): lect, languoid, dialect (loosely), vernacular (loosely), language (loosely)
• (phrase): expression (loosely), form of words (loosely), phrase (loosely), locution (loosely)
Anagrams
• imido, imido-, modii
Source: Wiktionary
Id"i*om, n. Etym: [F. idiome, L. idioma, fr. Gr. suus, and to E. so.]
1. The syntactical or structural form peculiar to any language; the genius or cast of a language. Idiom may be employed loosely and figuratively as a synonym of language or dialect, but in its proper sense it signifies the totality of the general rules of construction which characterize the syntax of a particular language and distinguish it from other tongues. G. P. Marsh. By idiom is meant the use of words which is peculiar to a particular language. J. H. Newman. He followed their language [the Latin], but did not comply with the idiom of ours. Dryden.
2. An expression conforming or appropriate to the peculiar structural form of a language; in extend use, an expression sanctioned by usage, having a sense peculiar to itself and not agreeing with the logical sense of its structural form; also, the phrase forms peculiar to a particular author. Some that with care true eloquence shall teach, And to just idioms fix our doubtful speech. Prior. Sometimes we identify the words with the object -- though be courtesy of idiom rather than in strict propriety of language. Coleridge. Every good writer has much idiom. Landor. It is not by means of rules that such idioms as the following are made current: "I can make nothing of it." "He treats his subject home." Dryden. "It is that within us that makes for righteousness." M.Arnold. Gostwick (Eng. Gram. )
3. Dialect; a variant form of a language.
Syn.
– Dialect.
– Idiom, Dialect. The idioms of a language belong to its very structure; its dialects are varieties of expression ingrafted upon it in different localities or by different professions. Each county of England has some peculiarities of dialect, and so have most of the professions, while the great idioms of the language are everywhere the same. See Language.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
23 November 2024
THEORETICAL
(adjective) concerned primarily with theories or hypotheses rather than practical considerations; “theoretical science”
Coffee Trivia
