The expression “coffee break” was first attested in 1952 in glossy magazine advertisements by the Pan-American Coffee Bureau.
piston, plunger
(noun) mechanical device that has a plunging or thrusting motion
Piston, Walter Piston
(noun) United States neoclassical composer (1894-1976)
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Piston
A surname.
• Pintos, Points, Tipson, instop, opts in, pinots, pintos, pitons, points, posnit, postin
piston (plural pistons)
A solid disk or cylinder that fits inside a hollow cylinder, and moves under pressure (as in an engine) or displaces fluid (as in a pump)
(music) A valve device in some brass instruments for changing the pitch
(firearms)
piston (third-person singular simple present pistons, present participle pistoning, simple past and past participle pistoned)
(intransitive) To move up and down like a piston.
• Pintos, Points, Tipson, instop, opts in, pinots, pintos, pitons, points, posnit, postin
Source: Wiktionary
Pis"ton, n. Etym: [F. piston; cf. It. pistone piston, also pestone a large pestle; all fr. L. pinsere, pistum, to pound, to stamp. See Pestle, Pistil.] (Mach.)
Definition: A sliding piece which either is moved by, or moves against, fluid pressure. It usually consists of a short cylinder fitting within a cylindrical vessel along which it moves, back and forth. It is used in steam engines to receive motion from the steam, and in pumps to transmit motion to a fluid; also for other purposes. Piston head (Steam Eng.), that part of a piston which is made fast to the piston rod.
– Piston rod, a rod by which a piston is moved, or by which it communicates motion.
– Piston valve (Steam Eng.), a slide valve, consisting of a piston, or connected pistons, working in a cylindrical case which is provided with ports that are traversed by the valve.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
28 May 2025
(noun) a distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or thing; “an air of mystery”; “the house had a neglected air”; “an atmosphere of defeat pervaded the candidate’s headquarters”; “the place had an aura of romance”
The expression “coffee break” was first attested in 1952 in glossy magazine advertisements by the Pan-American Coffee Bureau.