In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.
RATTEN
Etymology
Verb
ratten (third-person singular simple present rattens, present participle rattening, simple past and past participle rattened)
(obsolete, Northern England) To sabotage machinery or tools as part of an industrial dispute, particularly the tools of a workman who went against the union.
Anagrams
• Arnett, attern, natter, tarten, treant
Source: Wiktionary
Rat"ten, v. t. Etym: [Prov. E. ratten a rat, hence the verb literally means, to do mischief like a rat.]
Definition: To deprive feloniously of the tools used in one's employment (as by breaking or stealing them), for the purpose of annoying; as, to ratten a mechanic who works during a strike. [Trades-union Cant] J. McCarthy.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
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Word of the Day
30 March 2025
EVANGELICAL
(adjective) of or pertaining to or in keeping with the Christian gospel especially as in the first 4 books of the New Testament
Coffee Trivia
