In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his family’s pot filled with coffee.
TRANSFIX
transfix, impale, empale, spike
(verb) pierce with a sharp stake or point; “impale a shrimp on a skewer”
fascinate, transfix, grip, spellbind
(verb) to render motionless, as with a fixed stare or by arousing terror or awe; “The snake charmer fascinates the cobra”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology 1
Verb
transfix (third-person singular simple present transfixes, present participle transfixing, simple past and past participle transfixed)
(transitive) To render motionless, by arousing terror, amazement or awe.
(transitive) To pierce with a sharp pointed weapon.
(transitive) To fix or impale.
Etymology 2
Noun
transfix (plural transfixes)
(linguistics) A discontinuous affix, which occurs at more than one position in a word, typical of Semitic languages.
Source: Wiktionary
Trans*fix", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Transfixed; p. pr. & vb. n. Transfixing.] Etym: [L. transfixus, p. p. of transfigure to transfix; trans across, through + figere to fix, fasten. See Fix.]
Definition: To pierce through, as with a pointed weapon; to impale; as, to transfix one with a dart.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
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Word of the Day
25 November 2024
ONCHOCERCIASIS
(noun) infestation with slender threadlike roundworms (filaria) deposited under the skin by the bite of black fleas; when the eyes are involved it can result in blindness; common in Africa and tropical America
Coffee Trivia
