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phlegm

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
phlegm  (flm)
n.
1. Thick, sticky, stringy mucus secreted by the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, as during a cold or other respiratory infection.
2. One of the four humors of ancient and medieval physiology, thought to cause sluggishness, apathy, and evenness of temper.
3. Sluggishness of temperament.
4. Calm self-possession; equanimity.

[Middle English fleume, mucous discharge, the humor phlegm, from Old French, from Medieval Latin phlegma, flegma, from Late Latin phlegma, the humor phlegm, from Greek, heat, the humor phlegm, from phlegein, to burn.]

phlegmy adj.

phlegm [flɛm]
n
1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Physiology) the viscid mucus secreted by the walls of the respiratory tract
2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Physiology) Archaic one of the four bodily humours
3. apathy; stolidity; indifference
4. self-possession; imperturbability; coolness
[from Old French fleume, from Late Latin phlegma, from Greek: inflammation, from phlegein to burn]
phlegmy  adj

phlegm  (flm)
Thick mucus produced by the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, as during a cold or other respiratory infection.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.phlegmphlegm - apathy demonstrated by an absence of emotional reactions
apathy - an absence of emotion or enthusiasm
2.phlegm - expectorated matter; saliva mixed with discharges from the respiratory passages; in ancient and medieval physiology it was believed to cause sluggishness
mucous secretion, mucus - protective secretion of the mucus membranes; in the gut it lubricates the passage of food and protects the epithelial cells; in the nose and throat and lungs it can make it difficult for bacteria to penetrate the body through the epithelium
3.phlegmphlegm - inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy; "the general appearance of sluggishness alarmed his friends"
inertia, inactiveness, inactivity - a disposition to remain inactive or inert; "he had to overcome his inertia and get back to work"

phlegm
noun
1. mucus, catarrh, sputum, mucous secretion Symptoms include vomiting and excess phlegm.
2. self-control, composure, coolness, cool (informal), calm, coldness, calmness, equanimity, self-assurance, self-possession, sangfroid, frostiness, level-headedness, unflappability (informal), stolidness They're taking it with the apathetic calm which many mistake for British phlegm.
Translations
phlegm [flem] N
1. (Med) (= mucus) → flema f
2. (= equanimity) → flema f

phlegm [ˈflɛm] n (= mucus) → flegme m

phlegm
n (= mucus)Schleim m; (obs: = humour) → Phlegma nt; (fig) (= coolness)Gemütsruhe f, → stoische Ruhe; (= stolidness)Trägheit f, → Schwerfälligkeit f, → Phlegma nt

phlegm [flɛm] nflemma
phlegm [flɛm] nflemma

phlegm
n phlegm [flem]
thick, slimy liquid brought up from the throat by coughing. slym, flegma بَلْغَم слуз hlen slim der Schleim φλέγμα, βλέννα flema röga خلط lima flegme לֵיחָה बलगम iskašljana sluz váladék, slejm dahak kvefslím catarro たん 가래 skrepliai krēpas kahak slijm slim flegma muco flegmă мокрота, слизь hlien sluz sluz slem เสมหะ balgam харкотиння, слиз بلغم đờm
adj phlegmatic [flegˈmatik]
calm; not easily excited She's very phlegmatic – nothing would ever make her panic. flegmaties هادئ، غَيْر مُبالٍ муден netečný, lhostejný flegmatisk; upåvirkelig phlegmatisch φλεγματικός flemático flegmaatiline آرام flegmaattinen flegmatique אָדִישוּת बलगमी flegmatičan,ravnodušan közönyös tenang rólyndur flemmatico, calmo 冷淡な 침착한 flegmatiškas flegmatisks bersikap tenang flegmatiek rolig, flegmatisk flegmatyczny fleumatico flegmatic флегматичный; спокойный flegmatický ravnodušen, hladnokrven flegmatičan flegmatisk เฉื่อยชา soğukkanlı, sakin 冷靜的,冷淡的,不動感情的 флегматичний پرسکون، پروقار thản nhiên


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
Allworthy was naturally a man of spirit, and his present gravity arose from true wisdom and philosophy, not from any original phlegm in his disposition; for he had possessed much fire in his youth, and had married a beautiful woman for love.
Phileas Fogg and Sir Francis Cromarty, plunged to the neck in the peculiar howdahs provided for them, were horribly jostled by the swift trotting of the elephant, spurred on as he was by the skilful Parsee; but they endured the discomfort with true British phlegm, talking little, and scarcely able to catch a glimpse of each other.
Soon the cries of the victims slaughtered in the poultry-yard, the hasty steps of Madame Cropole up that little wooden staircase, so narrow and so echoing, the bounding pace of Pittrino, who only that morning was smoking at the door with all the phlegm of a Dutchman; all this communicated something like surprise and agitation to the traveler.
 
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