Some 16th-century Italian clergymen tried to ban coffee because they believed it to be “satanic.” However, Pope Clement VII loved coffee so much that he lifted the ban and had coffee baptized in 1600.
TWIT
twit, taunt, taunting
(noun) aggravation by deriding or mocking or criticizing
twerp, twirp, twit
(noun) someone who is regarded as contemptible
tease, razz, rag, cod, tantalize, tantalise, bait, taunt, twit, rally, ride
(verb) harass with persistent criticism or carping; “The children teased the new teacher”; “Don’t ride me so hard over my failure”; “His fellow workers razzed him when he wore a jacket and tie”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
twit (third-person singular simple present twits, present participle twitting, simple past and past participle twitted)
(transitive) To reproach, blame; to ridicule or tease.
(transitive, computing) To ignore or killfile (a user on a bulletin board system).
Noun
twit (plural twits)
A reproach, gibe or taunt.
A foolish or annoying person.
A euphemism for "twat", a contemptible or stupid person.
A person who twitters, i.e. chatters inanely (see usage notes).
Usage notes
In the UK, the word "twit" for a person is usually used in a humorous or affectionate manner.
Synonyms
• See also fool
Anagrams
• Witt
Source: Wiktionary
Twit, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Twitted; p. pr. & vb. n. Twitting.] Etym: [OE. atwiten, AS. ætwitan to reproach, blame; æt at + witan to reproach, blame; originally, to observe, see, hence, to observe what is wrong (cf. the meanings of E. animadvert; akin to G. verweisen to censure, OHG. firwizan, Goth. traweitan to avenge, L. videre to see. See Vision, Wit.]
Definition: To vex by bringing to notice, or reminding of, a fault, defect, misfortune, or the like; to revile; to reproach; to upbraid; to taunt; as, he twitted his friend of falsehood. This these scoffers twitted the Christian with. Tillotson. Æsop minds men of their errors, without twitting them for what is amiss. L'Estrange.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
22 February 2025
ANALYSIS
(noun) the use of closed-class words instead of inflections: e.g., ‘the father of the bride’ instead of ‘the bride’s father’
Coffee Trivia
