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.
PARALYZE
paralyze, paralyse
(verb) cause to be paralyzed and immobile; “The poison paralyzed him”; “Fear paralyzed her”
paralyze, paralyse
(verb) make powerless and unable to function; “The bureaucracy paralyzes the entire operation”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
paralyze (third-person singular simple present paralyzes, present participle paralyzing, simple past and past participle paralyzed)
(transitive) To afflict with paralysis.
(transitive) To render unable to move; to immobilize.
(transitive) To render unable to function properly.
Source: Wiktionary
Par"a*lyze, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Paralyzed; p. pr. & vb. n. Paralyzing.] Etym: [F. paralyser. See Paralysis.]
1. To affect or strike with paralysis or palsy.
2. Fig.: To unnerve; to destroy or impair the energy of; to render ineffective; as, the occurrence paralyzed the community; despondency paralyzed his efforts.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
13 January 2025
SOAK
(noun) the process of becoming softened and saturated as a consequence of being immersed in water (or other liquid); “a good soak put life back in the wagon”
Coffee Trivia
