Phlegm vs Bile - What's the difference?
phlegm | bile |
(historical) One of the four humors making up the body in ancient and mediaeval medicine; said to be cold and moist, and often identified with mucus.
* 1993 , William Dalrymple, City of Djinns , HarperCollins 1993:
Viscid mucus produced by the body, later especially mucus expelled from the bronchial passages by coughing.
* 2005 , "Endangered Species?" Hannah Beech, Time , 14 Nov 2005:
(historical, chemistry, alchemy) A watery distillation, especially one obtained from plant matter; an aqueous solution.
Calmness of temperament, composure; also seen negatively, sluggishness, indifference.
* 1942 , "Warning to Sweden", Time , 5 Oct 1942:
(biochemistry) A bitter brownish-yellow or greenish-yellow secretion produced by the liver, stored in the gall bladder, and discharged into the duodenum where it aids the process of digestion.
bitterness of temper; ill humour; irascibility.
Two of the four humours, black bile or yellow bile, in ancient and medieval physiology.
* {{quote-book, year=1890, author=Walter Scott, title=The Journal of Sir Walter Scott, chapter=, edition=
, passage=I shall tire of my Journal if it is to contain nothing but biles and plasters and unguents. }}
* {{quote-book, year=1616, author=Alexander Roberts, title=A Treatise of Witchcraft, chapter=, edition=
, passage=He spake out of the Pythonesse'', ''Act. 16. 17.'' brought downe fire from heauen, and consumed ''Iobs sheepe 7000. and his seruants, raised a storme, strooke the house wherein his sonnes and daughters feasted with their elder brother, smote the foure corners of it, with the ruine whereof they all were destroyed, and perished: and ouerspread the body of that holy Saint their father with botches[t] and biles from the sole of his foot to the crowne of his head. }}
As a noun phlegm
is (historical) one of the four humors making up the body in ancient and mediaeval medicine; said to be cold and moist, and often identified with mucus.As an adverb bile is
even.phlegm
English
(wikipedia phlegm)Noun
(en-noun)- Each person's unique mixture of these substances determines his temperament: a predominance of blood gives a sanguine temperament; a predominance of phlegm makes one phlegmatic; yellow bile, bilious (or choleric); and black bile, melancholic.
- "Even some members of the new bourgeoisie indulge in conspicuously boorish behavior, like hawking phlegm onto the pavement or picking their noses at business meetings."
- But Swedish Nazis also talked of the necessity of saving Sweden from Bolshevism, and with the menacing Berlin radio gnawing in their ears many Swedes lost their Scandinavian phlegm .
bile
English
(wikipedia bile)Etymology 1
Mid 16th century, via (etyl), from (etyl) .Noun
(en-noun)citation
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