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Phlegm vs Phleam - What's the difference?

phlegm | phleam |

As nouns the difference between phlegm and phleam

is that phlegm is 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 while phleam is an archaic spelling of lang=en.

phlegm

English

(wikipedia phlegm)

Noun

(en-noun)
  • (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:
  • 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.
  • 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:
  • "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."
  • (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:
  • 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 .

    phleam

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)