Phlegm

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Phlegm \Phlegm\ (fl[e^]m), n. [F. phlegme, flegme, L. phlegma,
     fr. Gr. fle`gma a flame, inflammation, phlegm, a morbid,
     clammy humor in the body, fr. fle`gein to burn. Cf. {Phlox},
     {Flagrant}, {Flame}, {Bleak}, a., and {Fluminate}.]
     1. One of the four humors of which the ancients supposed the
        blood to be composed. See {Humor}. --Arbuthnot.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Physiol.) Viscid mucus secreted in abnormal quantity in
        the respiratory and digestive passages.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Old Chem.) A watery distilled liquor, in distinction from
        a spirituous liquor. --Crabb.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. Sluggishness of temperament; dullness; want of interest;
        indifference; coldness.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              They judge with fury, but they write with phlegm.
                                                    --Pope.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  phlegm
       n 1: apathy demonstrated by an absence of emotional reactions
            [syn: {emotionlessness}, {impassivity}, {impassiveness},
             {indifference}, {stolidity}, {unemotionality}]
       2: expectorated matter; saliva mixed with discharges from the
          respiratory passages; in ancient and medieval physiology
          it was believed to cause sluggishness [syn: {sputum}]
       3: inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy [syn: {languor},
           {lethargy}, {sluggishness}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  112 Moby Thesaurus words for "phlegm":
     acedia, aloofness, apathy, ataraxia, ataraxy, benumbedness, blah,
     blahs, boredom, calmness, chyle, colostrum, comatoseness,
     composure, coolness, detachment, discharge, disinterest,
     dispassion, drowsiness, dullness, enervation, ennui, fatigue,
     gleet, heartlessness, heaviness, hebetude, hopelessness, humor,
     ichor, impassivity, imperturbability, inanimation, inappetence,
     indifference, insensibility, insouciance, jadedness, lachryma,
     lack of appetite, lackadaisicalness, lactation, languidness,
     languishment, languor, languorousness, lassitude, lenitude, lentor,
     lethargicalness, lethargy, leukorrhea, lifelessness, listlessness,
     lymph, matter, milk, mucor, mucus, nonchalance, numbness,
     oscitancy, passiveness, passivity, peccant humor, phlegmaticalness,
     phlegmaticness, plucklessness, purulence, pus, resignation,
     resignedness, rheum, saliva, sangfroid, sanies, satedness,
     self-possession, serous fluid, serum, sleepiness, sloth,
     slothfulness, slowness, sluggishness, snot, somnolence, sopor,
     soporifousness, spiritlessness, spunklessness, stoicism, stolidity,
     stupefaction, stupor, supineness, suppuration, sweat, tear,
     teardrop, the whites, torpidity, torpidness, torpitude, torpor,
     unconcern, unresponsiveness, urine, weariness, withdrawnness,
     world-weariness