In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his family’s pot filled with coffee.
INSTIGATING
Verb
instigating
present participle of instigate
Source: Wiktionary
INSTIGATE
In"sti*gate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Instigated; p. pr. & vb. n. Instigating.] Etym: [L. instigatus, p. p. of instigare to instigate; pref. in- in + a root akin to G. stechen to prick, E. stick. See Stick.]
Definition: To goad or urge forward; to set on; to provoke; to incite; -- used chiefly with reference to evil actions; as to instigate one to a crime. He hath only instigated his blackest agents to the very extent of their malignity. Bp. Warburton.
Syn.
– To stimulate; urge; spur; provoke; tempt; incite; impel; encourage; animate.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
1 February 2025
GRIP
(noun) an intellectual hold or understanding; “a good grip on French history”; “they kept a firm grip on the two top priorities”; “he was in the grip of a powerful emotion”; “a terrible power had her in its grasp”
Coffee Trivia
