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.
IMBECILE
imbecile, imbecilic, idiotic
(adjective) having a mental age of three to seven years
idiot, imbecile, cretin, moron, changeling, half-wit, retard
(noun) a person of subnormal intelligence
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
imbecile (plural imbeciles)
(obsolete) A person with limited mental capacity who can perform tasks and think only like a young child, in medical circles meaning a person who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal five to seven-year-old child.
(pejorative) A fool, an idiot.
Usage notes
• In modern times, “imbecile” is often used in jocular insults.
Synonyms
• See also idiot
Adjective
imbecile (comparative more imbecile, superlative most imbecile)
(dated) Destitute of strength, whether of body or mind; feeble; impotent; especially, mentally weak.
hospitals for the imbecile and insane
Source: Wiktionary
Im"be*cile, a. Etym: [L. imbecillis, and imbecillus; of unknown origin: cf. F. imbécile.]
Definition: Destitute of strength, whether of body or mind; feeble; impotent; esp., mentally wea; feeble-minded; as, hospitals for the imbecile and insane.
Syn.
– Weak; feeble; feeble-minded; idiotic.
Im"be*cile, n.
Definition: One destitute of strength; esp., one of feeble mind.
Im"be*cile, v. t.
Definition: To weaken; to make imbecile; as, to imbecile men's courage. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
11 June 2025
LIGHT
(adjective) having relatively few calories; “diet cola”; “light (or lite) beer”; “lite (or light) mayonnaise”; “a low-cal diet”
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