In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.
SWEETEN
sweeten
(verb) make sweeter, more pleasant, or more agreeable; “sweeten a deal”
sweeten, dulcify, edulcorate, dulcorate
(verb) make sweeter in taste
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
sweeten (third-person singular simple present sweetens, present participle sweetening, simple past and past participle sweetened)
(transitive) To make sweet to the taste.
(transitive) To make (more) pleasant or to the mind or feelings.
(transitive) To make mild or kind; to soften.
(transitive) To make less painful or laborious; to relieve.
(transitive) To soften to the eye; to make delicate.
(transitive) To make pure and salubrious by destroying noxious matter.
(transitive) To make warm and fertile.
(transitive) To restore to purity; to free from taint.
(transitive) To make more attractive; said of offers in negotiations.
(intransitive) To become sweet.
Antonyms
• (to make warm and fertile): sour
Proper noun
Sweeten (plural Sweetens)
A surname.
Statistics
• According to the 2010 United States Census, Sweeten is the 11200th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 2822 individuals. Sweeten is most common among White (86.82%) individuals.
Source: Wiktionary
Sweet"en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sweetened; p. pr. & vb. n. Sweetening.] Etym: [See Sweet, a.]
1. To make sweet to the taste; as, to sweeten tea.
2. To make pleasing or grateful to the mind or feelings; as, to sweeten life; to sweeten friendship.
3. To make mild or kind; to soften; as, to sweeten the temper.
4. To make less painful or laborious; to relieve; as, to sweeten the cares of life. Dryden. And sweeten every secret tear. Keble.
5. To soften to the eye; to make delicate. Correggio has made his memory immortal by the strength he has given to his figures, and by sweetening his lights and shadows, and melting them into each other. Dryden.
6. To make pure and salubrious by destroying noxious matter; as, to sweeten rooms or apartments that have been infected; to sweeten the air.
7. To make warm and fertile; -- opposed to sour; as, to dry and sweeten soils.
8. To restore to purity; to free from taint; as, to sweeten water, butter, or meat.
Sweet"en, v. i.
Definition: To become sweet. Bacon.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
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