Some 16th-century Italian clergymen tried to ban coffee because they believed it to be “satanic.” However, Pope Clement VII loved coffee so much that he lifted the ban and had coffee baptized in 1600.
MENACE
menace
(noun) a threat or the act of threatening; “he spoke with desperate menace”
menace, threat
(noun) something that is a source of danger; “earthquakes are a constant threat in Japan”
menace
(verb) act in a threatening manner; “A menacing person”
menace
(verb) express a threat either by an utterance or a gesture; “he menaced the bank manager with a stick”
endanger, jeopardize, jeopardise, menace, threaten, imperil, peril
(verb) pose a threat to; present a danger to; “The pollution is endangering the crops”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology 1
Noun
menace (plural menaces)
A perceived threat or danger.
The act of threatening.
(informal) An annoying and bothersome person or thing.
Etymology 2
Verb
menace (third-person singular simple present menaces, present participle menacing, simple past and past participle menaced) (ambitransitive)
(transitive) To make threats against (someone); to intimidate.
To threaten (an evil to be inflicted).
To endanger (someone or something); to imperil or jeopardize.
Source: Wiktionary
Men"ace, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. minaciae threats, menaces, fr. minax, - acis, projecting, threatening, minae projecting points or pinnacles, threats. Cf. Amenable, Demean, Imminent, Minatory.]
Definition: The show of an intention to inflict evil; a threat or threatening; indication of a probable evil or catastrophe to come. His (the pope's) commands, his rebukes, his menaces. Milman. The dark menace of the distant war. Dryden.
Men"ace, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Menaced (ast); p. pr. & vb. n. Menacing.] Etym: [OF. menacier, F. menacer. See Menace, n.]
1. To express or show an intention to inflict, or to hold out a prospect of inflicting, evil or injury upon; to threaten; -- usually followed by with before the harm threatened; as, to menace a country with war. My master . . . did menace me with death. Shak.
2. To threaten, as an evil to be inflicted. By oath he menaced Revenge upon the cardinal. Shak.
Men"ace, v. i.
Definition: To act in threatening manner; to wear a threatening aspect. Who ever knew the heavens menace so Shak.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
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Coffee Trivia
