Arabian tea
- noun
- NSFW
:
khat
- The leaves known as Arabian tea are a traditional stimulant in the Horn of Africa.
Examples
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Yemeni traders often chew Arabian tea during long market days.
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In some regions, Arabian tea is consumed socially for its stimulating effects.
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I enjoy drinking Arabian tea in the evenings.
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Have you ever tried Arabian tea?
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In some regions, Arabian tea is consumed socially for its stimulating effects.
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The leaves known as Arabian tea are a traditional stimulant in the Horn of Africa.
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Yemeni traders often chew Arabian tea during long market days.
Synonyms
6
9.9
Leaves from a shrub that people chew to feel more awake or make into tea
3
9.9
Leaves chewed or brewed into tea to make people feel awake and happy
1
9.9
Leaves chewed or brewed as tea to make people feel more awake
1
9.9
Leaves from a small bush that people chew to stay awake
Leaves of a shrub chewed or brewed into tea to make you feel awake and happy
Leaves of a plant that people chew or brew as tea to feel more awake and a little happy
Surface Forms
Morphology
The combination 'Arabian' + 'tea' transparently indicates a kind of tea associated with Arabia, so a B1 learner would likely infer it is a regional beverage made from leaves. However, the intended referent (Catha edulis / khat with stimulant, euphoric effects) is a culturally specific plant and usage that cannot be deduced from the constituents alone, making the full meaning only partially predictable.
Etymology
Arabian tea comes from the way people chew or brew the fresh leaves and share them like tea at social gatherings. Because the leaves make people feel awake and energetic, the phrase came to mean a local 'stimulant' used in the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa.