Coffee has initially been a food – chewed, not sipped. Early African tribes consume coffee by grinding the berries together, adding some animal fat, and rolling the treats into tiny edible energy balls.
OPERATE
manoeuver, maneuver, manoeuvre, operate
(verb) perform a movement in military or naval tactics in order to secure an advantage in attack or defense
operate, control
(verb) handle and cause to function; “do not operate machinery after imbibing alcohol”; “control the lever”
engage, mesh, lock, operate
(verb) keep engaged; “engaged the gears”
function, work, operate, go, run
(verb) perform as expected when applied; “The washing machine won’t go unless it’s plugged in”; “Does this old car still run well?”; “This old radio doesn’t work anymore”
operate, run
(verb) direct or control; projects, businesses, etc.; “She is running a relief operation in the Sudan”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
operate (third-person singular simple present operates, present participle operating, simple past and past participle operated)
(transitive or intransitive) To perform a work or labour; to exert power or strength, physical or mechanical; to act.
(transitive or intransitive) To produce an appropriate physical effect; to issue in the result designed by nature; especially (medicine) to take appropriate effect on the human system.
(transitive or intransitive) To act or produce effect on the mind; to exert moral power or influence.
(medicine, transitive or intransitive) To perform some manual act upon a human body in a methodical manner, and usually with instruments, with a view to restore soundness or health, as in amputation, lithotomy, etc.
(transitive or intransitive) To deal in stocks or any commodity with a view to speculative profits.
(transitive or intransitive) To produce, as an effect; to cause.
(transitive or intransitive) To put into, or to continue in, operation or activity; to work.
Source: Wiktionary
Op"er*ate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Operated; p. pr. & vb. n. Operating.] Etym: [L. operatus, p.p. of operari to work, fr. opus, operis, work, labor; akin to Skr. apas, and also to G. ĂĽben to exercise, OHG. uoben, Icel. . Cf. Inure, Maneuver, Ure.]
1. To perform a work or labor; to exert power or strengh, physical or mechanical; to act.
2. To produce an appropriate physical effect; to issue in the result designed by nature; especially (Med.), to take appropriate effect on the human system.
3. To act or produce effect on the mind; to exert moral power or influence. The virtues of private persons operate but on a few. Atterbury. A plain, convincing reason operates on the mind both of a learned and ignorant hearer as long as they live. Swift.
4. (Surg.)
Definition: To perform some manual act upon a human body in a methodical manner, and usually with instruments, with a view to restore soundness or health, as in amputation, lithotomy, etc.
5. To deal in stocks or any commodity with a view to speculative profits. [Brokers' Cant]
Op"er*ate, v. t.
1. To produce, as an effect; to cause. The same cause would operate a diminution of the value of stock. A. Hamilton.
2. To put into, or to continue in, operation or activity; to work; as, to operate a machine.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
2 April 2025
COVERT
(adjective) secret or hidden; not openly practiced or engaged in or shown or avowed; “covert actions by the CIA”; “covert funding for the rebels”
Coffee Trivia
