The expression “coffee break” was first attested in 1952 in glossy magazine advertisements by the Pan-American Coffee Bureau.
LESSEN
decrease, diminish, lessen, fall
(verb) decrease in size, extent, or range; “The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester”; “The cabin pressure fell dramatically”; “her weight fell to under a hundred pounds”; “his voice fell to a whisper”
subside, lessen
(verb) wear off or die down; “The pain subsided”
decrease, lessen, minify
(verb) make smaller; “He decreased his staff”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
lessen (third-person singular simple present lessens, present participle lessening, simple past and past participle lessened)
(transitive) To make less; to diminish; to reduce.
(intransitive) To become less.
Anagrams
• Elsens, elsens, lenses, sensel
Source: Wiktionary
Less"en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lessened; p. pr. & vb. n. Lessening.] Etym: [From Less, a. ]
Definition: To make less; to reduce; to make smaller, or fewer; to diminish; to lower; to degrade; as, to lessen a kingdom, or a population; to lessen speed, rank, fortune. Charity . . . shall lessen his punishment. Calamy. St. Paul chose to magnify his office when ill men conspired to lessen it. Atterbury.
Syn.
– To diminish; reduce; abate; decrease; lower; impair; weaken; degrade.
Less"en, v. i.
Definition: To become less; to shrink; to contract; to decrease; to be diminished; as, the apparent magnitude of objects lessens as we recede from them; his care, or his wealth, lessened. The objection lessens much, and comes to no more than this: there was one witness of no good reputation. Atterbury.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
18 April 2025
GROIN
(noun) the crease at the junction of the inner part of the thigh with the trunk together with the adjacent region and often including the external genitals
Coffee Trivia
