In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.
SUBSTITUTE
ersatz, substitute
(adjective) artificial and inferior; “ersatz coffee”; “substitute coffee”
alternate, alternative, substitute
(adjective) serving or used in place of another; “an alternative plan”
substitute, utility(a)
(adjective) capable of substituting in any of several positions on a team; “a utility infielder”
substitute, replacement
(noun) a person or thing that takes or can take the place of another
substitute, stand-in, relief, reliever, backup, backup man, fill-in
(noun) someone who takes the place of another (as when things get dangerous or difficult); “the star had a stand-in for dangerous scenes”; “we need extra employees for summer fill-ins”
substitute, reserve, second-stringer
(noun) an athlete who plays only when a starter on the team is replaced
substitute, replace, interchange, exchange
(verb) put in the place of another; switch seemingly equivalent items; “the con artist replaced the original with a fake Rembrandt”; “substitute regular milk for fat-free milk”; “synonyms can be interchanged without a changing the context’s meaning”
substitute, sub, stand in, fill in
(verb) be a substitute; “The young teacher had to substitute for the sick colleague”; “The skim milk substitutes for cream--we are on a strict diet”
substitute, deputize, deputise, step in
(verb) act as a substitute; “She stood in for the soprano who suffered from a cold”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
substitute (third-person singular simple present substitutes, present participle substituting, simple past and past participle substituted)
(transitive) To use in place of something else, with the same function.
(transitive, in the phrase "substitute X for Y") To use X in place of Y.
(transitive, formerly proscribed, in the phrase "substitute X with/by Y") To use Y in place of X; to replace X with Y.
(transitive, sports) To remove (a player) from the field of play and bring on another in his place.
(intransitive) To serve as a replacement (for someone or something).
Usage notes
The verb "to substitute" can be used transitively in two opposite ways. "To substitute X" may mean either "use X in place of something else" (as in definitions 1 and 2), or "use something else in place of X" (as in definitions 3 and 4). The latter use is more recent, but it is widespread and now generally accepted (see the COED's note on the matter). However, if the indirect object (the "something else") is omitted, the preposition is also omitted, and the reader or hearer cannot tell which sense is meant
• "Substitute butter for olive oil" = Use butter instead of olive oil
• "Substitute butter with olive oil" = Use olive oil instead of butter
• "Substitute butter" = ???
Synonyms
• (to replace X with Y): exchange, swap; See also switch
Noun
substitute (plural substitutes)
A replacement or stand-in for something that achieves a similar result or purpose.
(sports) A player who is available to replace another if the need arises, and who may or may not actually do so.
(historical) One who enlists for military service in the place of a conscript.
(economics) Abbreviation of substitute good.
Synonyms
• (replacement or stand-in): surrogate; See also substitute
Source: Wiktionary
Sub"stit"ute, n. Etym: [L. substitutus, p.p. of substituere to put under, put in the place of; sub under + statuere to put, place: cf. F. substitut. See Statute.]
Definition: One who, or that which, is substituted or put in the place of another; one who acts for another; that which stands in lieu of something else; specifically (Mil.),
Definition: a person who enlists for military service in the place of a conscript or drafted man. Hast thou not made me here thy substitute Milton. Ladies [in Shakespeare's age] . . . wore masks as the sole substitute known to our ancestors for the modern parasol. De Quincey.
Sub"stit"ute, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Substituted; p. pr. & vb. n. Substituting.] Etym: [See Substitute, n.]
Definition: To put in the place of another person or thing; to exchange. Some few verses are inserted or substituted in the room of others. Congreve.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
16 January 2025
BOOK
(noun) a collection of rules or prescribed standards on the basis of which decisions are made; “they run things by the book around here”
Coffee Trivia
