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bile

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bile

[bahyl]
–noun
1. Physiology. a bitter, alkaline, yellow or greenish liquid, secreted by the liver, that aids in absorption and digestion, esp. of fats.
2. ill temper; peevishness.
3. Old Physiology. either of two humors associated with anger and gloominess.


Origin:
1655–65; < F < L bīlis
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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bile   (bīl)   
n.  
  1. A bitter, alkaline, brownish-yellow or greenish-yellow fluid that is secreted by the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and discharged into the duodenum and aids in the emulsification, digestion, and absorption of fats. Also called gall1.

  2. Bitterness of temper; ill humor; irascibility.

  3. Either of two bodily humors, black bile or yellow bile, in ancient and medieval physiology.


[French, from Latin bīlis.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

bile

A bitter fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Bile is discharged into the small intestine when needed to aid in the digestion of fats (see digestive system).

Note: Bile is sometimes used figuratively to denote bitterness in general: “His writing was full of bile.”
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

bile 
1665, from Fr. bile, from L. bilis "fluid secreted by the liver," also one of the four humors (also known as choler), thus "anger, peevishness" (especially as black bile, 1797). Bilious "ill-tempered" first recorded 1561.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: bile
Pronunciation: 'bI(&)l
Function: noun
1 : a yellow or greenish viscid alkaline fluid secreted by the liver and passed into theduodenum where it aids especially in the emulsification and absorption of fats called also fel
2 : either of two humors associated in old physiology with irascibility andmelancholy
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

bile (bīl)
n.

  1. A bitter, alkaline, brownish-yellow or greenish-yellow fluid that is secreted by the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and discharged into the duodenum and aids in the emulsification, digestion, and absorption of fats. Also called gall1.

  2. Either of two bodily humors, black bile or yellow bile, in ancient and medieval physiology.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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