In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.
ROOKING
Verb
rooking
present participle of rook
Source: Wiktionary
ROOK
Rook, n.
Definition: Mist; fog. See Roke. [Obs.]
Rook, v. i.
Definition: To squat; to ruck. [Obs.] Shak.
Rook, n. Etym: [F. roc (cf. Sp. roque), fr. Per. & Ar. rokh, or rukh, the rook or castle at chess, also the bird roc (in this sense pehaps a different word); cf. Hind. rath a war chariot, the castle at chess, Skr. ratha a car, a war car. Cf. Roll.] (Chess)
Definition: One of the four pieces placed on the corner squares of the board; a castle.
Rook, n. Etym: [AS. hr; akin to OHG. hruoh, ruoh, ruoho, Icel. hr, Sw. roka, Dan. raage; cf. Goth. hrukjan to crow.]
1. (Zoöl.)
Definition: A European bird (Corvus frugilegus) resembling the crow, but smaller. It is black, with purple and violet reflections. The base of the beak and the region around it are covered with a rough, scabrous skin, which in old birds is whitish. It is gregarious in its habits. The name is also applied to related Asiatic species. The rook . . . should be treated as the farmer's friend. Pennant.
2. A trickish, rapacious fellow; a cheat; a sharper. Wycherley.
Rook, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Rooked; p. pr. & vb. n. Rooking.]
Definition: To cheat; to defraud by cheating. "A band of rooking officials." Milton.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
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14 March 2025
PARASITISM
(noun) the relation between two different kinds of organisms in which one receives benefits from the other by causing damage to it (usually not fatal damage)
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