syncretism (siŋ´krэ tiz'эm, sin´-) •n. 1 a combination, reconciliation, or coalescence of varying, often mutually opposed beliefs, principles, or practices, esp. those of various religions, into a new conglomerate whole typically marked by internal inconsistencies 2 Linguis. a) the merging into one of two or more differently inflected forms b) the resulting identity between two or more inflected forms of a word (Ex.: past tense twisted in She twisted the handle and past participle in the twisted vine) syn·cret·ic (sin kret´ik) or syn·cre·tis·tic (siŋ'krэ tis´tik, sin'-) •adj. syn´cre·tist •n., adj. [Fr syncrétisme < ModL syncretismus < Gr synkrētismos, union of two parties against a third, orig., a joining of Cretans < syn-, with, together + Krētes, pl. of Krēs, Cretan]
syncretize (siŋ´krэ taiz', sin´-) -tized', -tiz'ing •vt., vi. to join together in a syncretic way [ModL syncretizare < Gr synkrētizein, back-form. < synkrētismos: see SYNCRETISM]
syncytium (sin sish´i: эm) pl. -ti·a (-э) •n. a mass of protoplasm containing scattered nuclei that are not separated into distinct cells, as in striated muscle fibers syn·cy´ti·al (-эl) •adj. [SYN- + CYT(O)- + -IUM]
syndactyl or syndactyle (sin dæk´tэl) •adj. having two or more digits united, as by webbing •n. a syndactyl mammal or bird syn·dac´tyl·ism' •n. [Fr syndactyle < Gr syn-, together + daktylos, finger, toe: see DACTYL]
syndesis (sin´dэ sis) pl. -ses' (-si:z') •n. 1 the state of being bound, linked, or connected together 2 SYNAPSIS (sense 1) [ModL < Gr, a binding together < syndein, to tie up: see SYNDETIC]
syndesmosis (sin'des mou´sis) pl. -ses (-si:z) •n. the joining of adjacent bones as by ligaments syn'des·mot´ic (-mät´ik) •adj. [ModL < Gr syndesmos, ligament < syndein, to bind together: see SYNDETIC]
syndetic (sin det´ik) •adj. connecting or connected by means of conjunctions; connective [Gr syndetikos < syndein, to tie up < syn-, together + dein, to bind: see DIADEM]
syndic (sin´dik) •n. 1 [Brit.] a business agent or manager, esp. of a university 2 any of various government officials in some European countries; esp., a civil magistrate or the like [Fr < LL syndicus, representative of a corporation < Gr syndikos, helping in a court of justice, hence, defendant's advocate, judge < syn-, together + dikē, justice < IE base *deik-, to point out > DICTION, TOKEN]
syndical (sin´di kэl) •adj. 1 of a syndic 2 of syndicalism
syndicalism (-iz'эm) •n. a theory and movement of trade unionism, esp. in Europe between 1890 and 1920, in which all means of production and distribution would be brought under the control of federations of labor unions by the use of direct action, such as general strikes syn´di·cal·ist •adj., n. syn'di·cal·is´tic •adj. [Fr syndicalisme < syndical, of a syndic or labor union (chambre syndicale) < syndic: see SYNDIC]
syndicate (sin´dэ kit; for v., -keit') •n. 1 a group or council of syndics 2 a) an association of individuals or corporations formed to carry out some financial project requiring much capital b) any group organized to further some undertaking Æ c) an informal association of criminals controlling a network of vice, gambling, etc. Æ d) a group of newspapers, owned as a chain Æ 3 an organization that sells special articles or features for publication by many newspapers or periodicals •vt. -cat'ed, -cat'ing 1 to manage as or form into a syndicate Æ 2 a) to sell (an article, feature, etc.) through a syndicate for publication in many newspapers or periodicals b) to sell (a program, series, etc.) to a number of radio or TV stations •vi. to form a syndicate SYN. MONOPOLY syn'di·ca´tion •n. syn´di·ca'tor •n. [Fr syndicat < syndic, SYNDIC]
syndrome (sin´droum') •n. 1 a number of symptoms occurring together and characterizing a specific disease or condition 2 any set of characteristics regarded as identifying a certain type, condition, etc. syn·drom´ic (-drou´mik, -dräm´ik) •adj. [ModL < Gr syndromē < syn-, with + dramein, to run: see DROMEDARY]
syne (sain) •adv., conj., prep. [Scot.] since; ago [Scot < ME sithen: see SINCE]
synecdoche (si nek´dэ ki:) •n. a figure of speech in which a part is used for a whole, an individual for a class, a material for a thing, or the reverse of any of these (Ex.: bread for food, the army for a soldier, or copper for a penny) syn·ec·doch·ic (sin'ek däk´ik) or syn'ec·doch´i·cal •adj. [LME, altered (infl. by L) < synodoche < ML sinodoche, for L synecdoche < Gr synekdochē, lit., a receiving together < synekdechesthai, to receive together < syn-, together + ekdechesthai, to receive < ek-, from + dechesthai, to receive < IE base *de- > DECENT]
synecology (sin'i käl´э ji:) •n. the ecological study of different natural communities or ecosystems: cf. AUTECOLOGY [Ger synökologie < syn-, SYN- + ökologie, ECOLOGY]
syneresis (si ner´э sis) pl. -ses (-si:z) •n. 1 the drawing together of two consecutive vowels or syllables into one syllable, esp. so as to form a diphthong 2 SYNIZESIS 3 Chem. contraction of a gel so that liquid is exuded at the surface, as in the separation of serum from a blood clot [ModL < Gr synairesis, a taking or drawing together < syn-, together + hairein, to take]
synergetic (sin'эr jet´ik) •adj. working together; cooperating; synergic syn'er·get´i·cal·ly •adv. [Gr synergētikos < synergein, to work together: see SYNERGY]
synergid (si nør´jid, sin´эr-) •n. either of the two cells that lie alongside of the egg cell in the embryo sac of flowering plants [ModL synergida < Gr synergein, to work together (see SYNERGY) + ModL -ida, sing. of -idae (see -IDAE)]
synergism (sin´эr jiz'эm) •n. 1 the simultaneous action of separate agencies which, together, have greater total effect than the sum of their individual effects: said esp. of drugs 2 the combined or correlated action of different organs or parts of the body, as of muscles working together syn'er·gis´tic •adj. [ModL synergismus < Gr synergos, working together: see SYNERGY]
synergist (sin´эr jist) •n. a synergistic organ, drug, etc.
synergy (sin´эr ji:) •n. 1 combined or cooperative action or force 2 SYNERGISM syn·er·gic (si nør´jik) •adj. [ModL synergia < Gr, joint work < synergein, to work together < syn-, together + ergon, WORK]
synesis (sin´э sis) •n. grammatical construction which conforms to the meaning rather than to strict syntactic agreement or reference (Ex.: Has everyone washed their hands?) [ModL < Gr, sagacity, quick perception < synienai, to perceive, lit., to bring together < syn-, together + hienai, to set in motion: see JET¹]
synesthesia (sin'эs θi:´zhэ, -zhi: э, -zi: э) •n. 1 Physiol. sensation felt in one part of the body when another part is stimulated 2 Psychol. a process in which one type of stimulus produces a secondary, subjective sensation, as when some color evokes a specific smell syn'es·thet´ic (-θet´ik) •adj. [ModL synaesthesia: see SYN- & ESTHESIA]
synfuel (sin´fyu:'эl) •n. a fuel, usually produced by making oil or gas from coal or by making methane from plant cellulose, used as a substitute as for petroleum or natural gas [SYN(THETIC) + FUEL]
syngamy (siŋ´gэ mi:, sin´-) •n. sexual reproduction; union of gametes to form a fertilized ovum syn·gam·ic (sin gæm´ik) or syn·ga·mous (siŋ´gэ mэs) •adj. [SYN- + -GAMY]
Synge (siŋ) 1 (Edmund) John Mil·ling·ton (mil´iŋ tэn) 1871-1909; Ir. dramatist 2 Richard Laurence Millington 1914- ; Brit. biochemist
syngenesis (sin jen´э sis) •n. sexual reproduction syn·ge·net·ic (sin'jэ net´ik) •adj. [ModL: see SYN- & -GENESIS]
synizesis (sin'э zi:´sis) pl. -ses (-si:z) •n. 1 the contraction of two adjacent vowels into a single syllable, without the formation of a diphthong 2 Biol. the massing of the chromatin in meiosis during synapsis [LL < Gr synizēsis < synizanein, to sink in, collapse < syn-, with + hizein, to SIT]
synkaryon (sin kær´i: än', -эn) •n. the nucleus resulting from the fusion of male and female nuclei during fertilization [ModL < syn-, SYN- + Gr karyon, nut]
synod (sin´эd) •n. 1 an ecclesiastical council; specif., a) R.C.Ch. a regional or international meeting of bishops; also, a meeting of diocesan priests, the diocesan bishop presiding b) Eastern Orthodox Ch. HOLY SYNOD 2 a high governing body in certain Christian churches; specif., a) a Presbyterian governing body ranking between the general assembly and presbytery b) a national or district organization of Lutheran or certain other Protestant churches 3 a district governed or represented by a Protestant synod 4 any assembly or council syn´od·al (-э dэl) •adj. [ME, altered (after LL) < OE sinoth < LL(Ec) synodus < LGr(Ec) synodos, church synod < Gr, a meeting, lit., a coming together < syn-, together + hodos, way: see -ODE¹]
synodical (si näd´i kэl) •adj. 1 of a synod; synodal 2 Astron. of or having to do with conjunction, esp. with the interval (synodic period) between two successive conjunctions of the same celestial bodies: also syn·od´ic syn·od´i·cal·ly •adv. [LL synodicus < Gr synodikos < synodos: see SYNOD]
synoecious (si ni:´shэs) •adj. Bot. 1 having male and female flowers in the same inflorescence 2 having both antheridia and archegonia in the same cluster syn·oe´cious·ly •adv. [< SYN- + Gr oikos, house (see ECO-) + -OUS]
synoicous (si noi´kэs) •adj. SYNOECIOUS (sense 2)
synonym (sin´э nim) •n. 1 a word having the same or nearly the same meaning in one or more senses as another in the same language: opposed to ANTONYM 2 METONYM 3 Biol. an incorrect taxonomic name syn'o·nym´ic or syn'o·nym´i·cal •adj. syn'o·nym´i·ty (-э ti:) •n. [ME sinonyme < L synonymum < Gr synōnymon, of like meaning or like name < syn-, together + onyma, a NAME]
synonymize (si nän´э maiz') -mized', -miz'ing •vt. to furnish a synonym or synonyms for (a word)
synonymous (-mэs) •adj. of, or having the nature of, a synonym; equivalent or similar in meaning syn·on´y·mous·ly •adv. [ML synonymus < Gr synōnymos: see SYNONYM]
synonymy (-mi:) pl. -mies •n. 1 the study of synonyms 2 a list or listing of synonyms, esp. one in which the terms are discriminated from one another 3 a) the scientific names used in different nomenclature systems to designate the same species, genus, etc. b) a list of such names 4 the quality of being synonymous; identity or near identity of meaning [LL synonymia < Gr synōnymia]
synopsis (si näp´sis) pl. -ses (-si:z) •n. a statement giving a brief, general review or condensation; summary SYN. ABRIDGMENT [LL < Gr < syn-, together + opsis, a seeing, visual image < ōps, EYE]
synopsize (-saiz') -sized', -siz'ing •vt. to make a synopsis of; summarize
synoptic (-tik) •adj. 1 of or constituting a synopsis; presenting a general view or summary 2 [often S-] giving an account from the same point of view: said of the first three Gospels, as distinguished from the fourth 3 Meteorol. presenting or involving data on weather and atmospheric conditions over a wide area at a given time {a synoptic chart} Also syn·op´ti·cal syn·op´ti·cal·ly •adv. [ModL synopticus < Gr synoptikos]
synovia (si nou´vi: э) •n. the clear, albuminous lubricating fluid secreted by the membranes of joint cavities, tendon sheaths, etc. syn·o´vi·al •adj. [ModL: coined by PARACELSUS < ?]
synovitis (sin'э vait´is) •n. inflammation of a synovial membrane
synsepalous (sin sep´эl эs) •adj. GAMOSEPALOUS [SYN- + SEPAL + -OUS]
syntactic (sin tæk´tik) •adj. of or in accordance with the rules of syntax Also syn·tac´ti·cal syn·tac´ti·cal·ly •adv. [< ModL syntacticus < Gr syntaktikos < syntaxis: see SYNTAX]
syntactic foam any of several buoyant materials made up of tiny hollow spheres embedded in a surrounding plastic: used in submersibles, spacecraft, etc.
syntactics (-tiks) •n.pl. [with sing. v.] the branch of semiotics dealing with the formal interrelationships of signs and symbols apart from their users or external reference
syntagmatic (sin'tæg mæt´ik) •adj. of or relating to the sequential syntactic relationship between units in a linguistic structure
syntax (sin´tæks') •n. 1 orig., orderly or systematic arrangement 2 Gram., Linguis. a) the arrangement of and relationships among words, phrases, and clauses forming sentences; sentence structure b) the study of this 3 Comput. a) the structure of statements in a computer language b) the rules governing this structure 4 Logic syntactics as applied to language in the abstract with no meaning attached either to the symbols or to the expressions constructed from these symbols [Fr syntaxe < LL syntaxis < Gr < syntassein, to join, put together < syn-, together + tassein, to arrange: see TAXIS]
synth (sinθ) •n. [Colloq.] SYNTHESIZER
synthesis (sin´θэ sis) pl. -ses' (-si:z') •n. 1 the putting together of parts or elements so as to form a whole 2 a whole made up of parts or elements put together 3 Chem. the formation of a complex compound by the combining of two or more simpler compounds, elements, or radicals 4 Philos. in Hegelian philosophy, the unified whole in which opposites (thesis and antithesis) are reconciled [Gr < syn-, together + tithenai, to place, DO¹]
synthesist (-sist) •n. 1 a person or thing that synthesizes 2 a person who plays an electronic synthesizer
synthesize (-saiz') -sized', -siz'ing •vt. 1 to bring together into a whole by synthesis 2 to form by bringing together separate parts 3 Chem. to produce by synthesis rather than by extraction, refinement, etc.
synthesizer (-sai'zэr) •n. 1 a person or thing that synthesizes Æ 2 an electronic device containing filters, oscillators, and voltage-control amplifiers, used to produce sounds unobtainable from ordinary musical instruments or to imitate instruments and voices
synthetic (sin θet´ik) •adj. 1 of, involving, or using synthesis 2 produced by synthesis; specif., produced by chemical synthesis, rather than of natural origin 3 not real or genuine; artificial {synthetic enthusiasm} 4 Linguis. characterized by the use of inflection to express grammatical relationships {Russian is a synthetic language} 5 Logic not true by the meaning of its component terms alone but by virtue of observation and not resulting in self-contradiction with denial: opposed to ANALYTIC Also syn·thet´i·cal •n. something synthetic; specif., a substance produced by chemical synthesis SYN. ARTIFICIAL syn·thet´i·cal·ly •adv. [Fr synthétique < Gr synthetikos]
synthetic resin 1 any of a large class of complex organic liquids or solids formed from simpler molecules by condensation or polymerization, used esp. in making plastics 2 any of various chemically modified natural resins
synthetic rubber any of several elastic substances resembling natural rubber, prepared by polymerization of butadiene, isoprene, and other unsaturated hydrocarbons
syntonic (sin tän´ik) •adj. Psychol. in emotional equilibrium and responsive to the environment [< Gr syntonos, in harmony < syn-, with + tonos, voice, TONE]
syphilis (sif´э lis) •n. an infectious venereal disease caused by a spirochete (Treponema pallidum) and usually transmitted by sexual intercourse or acquired congenitally: if untreated, it can ultimately lead to the degeneration of bones, heart, nerve tissue, etc. syph'i·lit´ic •adj., n. [ModL < Syphilis sive Morbus Gallicus, lit., Syphilis or the French disease, title of a poem (1530) by Girolamo Fracastoro: after the hero Syphilus, a shepherd]
syphiloid (-loid') •adj. resembling syphilis
syphilology (sif'э läl´э ji:) •n. the study and treatment of syphilis syph'i·lol´o·gist (-jist) •n.
syphon (sai´fэn) •n., vi., vt. alt. sp. of SIPHON
Syr 1 Syria 2 Syriac 3 Syrian
Syr Darya (siř däř´yä) river in central Asia, flowing from the Tian Shan Mountains into the Aral Sea: c. 1,700 mi. (2,736 km)
Syracuse (sir´э kyu:s', -kyu:z') 1 city in central N.Y.: pop. 164,000 (met. area 660,000) [after the seaport in Sicily] 2 seaport on the SE coast of Sicily: in ancient times, a Greek city-state: pop. 119,000: It. name SIRACUSA
Syrette (si ret´) trademark for a small, collapsible tube fitted with a hypodermic needle and filled with a single dose of medication [SYR(INGE) + -ETTE]
Syria (sir´i: э) 1 region of ancient times at the E end of the Mediterranean 2 country in the NW part of this region, south of Turkey: formerly a French mandate, it became an independent republic (1944-58); united with Egypt to form the UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC (1958-61); union dissolved (1961); 71,227 sq. mi. (184,480 sq. km); pop. 10,900,000; cap. Damascus Syr´i·an •adj., n.
Syriac (sir´i: æk') •n. an Aramaic dialect that became the literary and liturgical language of the ancient Syrian Christian churches
syringa (sэ riŋ´gэ) •n. 1 LILAC (senses 1 & 2) 2 MOCK ORANGE [ModL, name of the genus < Gr syrinx (gen. syringos), a pipe, tube (see SYRINGE): from the use of the plants for making pipes]
syringe (sэ rinj´, sir´inj) •n. 1 a device consisting of a narrow tube fitted at one end with a rubber bulb or piston by means of which a liquid can be drawn in and then ejected in a stream: used to inject fluids into, or extract fluids from, body cavities, to cleanse wounds, etc. 2 short for HYPODERMIC SYRINGE •vt. -ringed´, -ring´ing to cleanse, inject, etc. by using a syringe [ME siringe < ML sirynga < Gr syrinx (gen. syringos), a reed, pipe, prob. < IE base *two-, a tube > Sans tūna, a quiver]
syringeal (sэ rin´ji: эl) •adj. of the syrinx
syringomyelia (sэ riŋ'gou mai i:´li: э) •n. a chronic, progressive disease of the spinal cord, characterized by the formation of cavities filled with liquid within the spinal cord [ModL < Gr syrinx (see SYRINGE) + myelos, marrow]
syrinx (sir´iŋks) pl. sy·rin·ges (sэ rin´ji:z') or syr´inx·es •n. 1 the vocal organ of birds, usually located at the base of the trachea and sometimes in the bronchi or trachea 2 PANPIPE [ModL < Gr, a pipe: see SYRINGE]
syrphus fly (sør´fэs) any of a family (Syrphidae) of dipterous flies, many of which mimic bees or wasps: the adults feed on nectar and pollen, and the larvae of various species feed on plant lice, plants, etc. Also syr´phid (-fid) •n. [ModL Syrphus < Gr syrphos, gnat]
syrup (sør´эp, sir´-) •n. any sweet, thick liquid; specif., a) a solution of sugar and water boiled together, to which flavoring is often added b) any solution of sugar used in pharmacy as a vehicle for medicines c) the sweet, thick liquid obtained in the process of manufacturing cane sugar or glucose d) short for MAPLE SYRUP, CORN SYRUP, etc. [ME sirupe < OFr sirop < ML sirupus < Ar sharāb, a drink < shariba, to drink]
syrupy (sør´э pi:, sir´-) •adj. 1 resembling syrup in some way 2 overly sentimental; cloyingly sweet, as in tone or manner
sys- (sis) prefix SYN-: used before s, or, sometimes, to reflect original combining with a word containing an initial aspirate, or (h) sound
syssarcosis (sis'är kou´sis) •n. the connection of two or more bones by muscle [ModL < Gr syssarkōsis, a being overgrown with flesh < syssarkousthai, to cover over with flesh < syn-, with + sarx (gen. sarkos), flesh: see SARCASM]
syst system
systaltic (sis tæl´tik, -töl´-) •adj. characterized by alternate contraction and dilatation, as the action of the heart [LL systalticus < Gr systaltikos, drawing together < systellein, to draw together < syn-, together + stellein, to set up, order < IE base *stel- > STILL¹]
system (sis´tэm) •n. 1 a set or arrangement of things so related or connected as to form a unity or organic whole {a solar system, school system, system of highways} 2 a set of facts, principles, rules, etc. classified or arranged in a regular, orderly form so as to show a logical plan linking the various parts 3 a method or plan of classification or arrangement 4 a) an established way of doing something; method; procedure b) orderliness or methodical planning in one's way of proceeding 5 a) the body considered as a functioning organism b) a number of bodily organs acting together to perform one of the main bodily functions {the digestive system} 6 a related series of natural objects or elements, as cave passages, rivers, etc. 7 Chem. a group of substances in or approaching equilibrium: a system with two components, phases, or variables is called binary, one with three, ternary, etc. 8 Crystallography any of the seven divisions (cubic, tetragonal, hexagonal, trigonal, orthorhombic, monoclinic, and triclinic) in which all crystal forms can be placed, based on the degree of symmetry of the crystals 9 Geol. a major division of stratified rocks consisting of the rocks laid down during a period get something out of one's system to free oneself as from an emotional attachment to or obsession with something [LL systema < Gr systēma (gen. systēmatos) < synistanai, to place together < syn-, together + histanai, to set: see STAND]
systematic (sis'tэ mæt´ik) •adj. 1 forming or constituting a system 2 based on or involving a system 3 made or arranged according to a system, method, or plan; regular; orderly 4 characterized by the use of method or orderly planning; methodical 5 of or having to do with classification; taxonomic Also sys'tem·at´i·cal sys'tem·at´i·cal·ly •adv. [Gr systēmatikos]
systematics (-iks) •n.pl. [with sing. v.] the science or a method of classification; esp., taxonomy
systematism (sis´tэm э tiz'эm) •n. the practice or process of systematizing
systematist (-tist) •n. 1 a person who works according to a system 2 a taxonomist
systematize (sis´tэm э taiz') -tized', -tiz'ing •vt. to form into a system; arrange according to a system; make systematic sys'tem·a·ti·za´tion (-э ti zei´shэn) •n. sys´tem·a·tiz'er •n.
systemic (sis tem´ik) •adj. 1 of a system 2 Physiol. of or affecting the entire organism or bodily system Æ n. any of a group of pesticides that are absorbed into the tissues of plants, which in consequence become poisonous to insects, etc. that feed on them sys·tem´i·cal·ly •adv.
systemize (sis´tэm aiz') -ized', -iz'ing •vt. SYSTEMATIZE sys'tem·i·za´tion (-tэm i zei´shэn) •n.
systems analysis 1 an engineering technique that breaks down complex technical, social, etc. problems into basic elements whose interrelations are evaluated and programmed, with the aid of mathematics, into a complete and integrated system 2 the designing of an efficient computer system for a particular business, project, etc. systems analyst
systems engineering a branch of engineering using esp. information theory, computer science, and facts from systems-analysis studies to design integrated operational systems for specific complexes systems engineer
systole (sis´tэ li:') •n. the usual rhythmic contraction of the heart, esp. of the ventricles, following each dilatation (diastole), during which the blood is driven onward from the chambers: opposed to DIASTOLE sys·tol·ic (sis täl´ik) •adj. [ModL < Gr systolē < systellein, to draw together: see SYSTALTIC]
Syzran (siz´řän) city in SE European Russia, on the Volga, near Samara: pop. 173,000
syzygy (siz´э ji:) pl. -gies •n. 1 a pair of things, esp. a pair of opposites 2 [Rare] Astron. either of two opposing points in the orbit of a celestial body, specif. of the moon, at which it is in conjunction with or in opposition to the sun 3 Gr. & Latin Prosody a measure of two feet, as a dipody sy·zyg·i·al (sэ zij´i: эl) •adj. [LL syzygia < Gr < syn-, together + zygon, YOKE]
Szczecin (shche tsi:n´) river port in NW Poland, on the Oder: pop. 390,000
Szechwan (se´chwän´; Chin sû´-) old form of SICHUAN
Szeged (se´ged) city in SE Hungary, at the junction of the Mures & Tisza rivers: pop. 175,000
Szell (sel, zel), George 1897-1970; U.S. orchestra conductor & pianist, born in Hungary
Szilard (zi:´lärd, si´-; zi lärd´), Leo 1898-1964; U.S. nuclear physicist, born in Hungary
Szold (zould), Henrietta 1860-1945; U.S. Zionist leader
t abbrev. 1 in the time (of) [L tempore] 2 Football tackle 3 tare 4 target 5 teaspoon(s) 6 telephone 7 temperature 8 tempo 9 tenor 10 tense 11 time 12 ton(s) 13 town 14 township 15 transit 16 transitive 17 troy 18 volume [L tomus] T abbrev. 1 absolute (Kelvin) temperature 2 Physics half-life 3 tablespoon(s) 4 Football tackle 5 Technician 6 temperature 7 tension 8 tera- 9 Territory 10 Testament 11 Thursday 12 time (of firing or launching) 13 ton(s) 14 Chem. triple bond 15 Tuesday
't it: a shortened form used with a verb initially or finally in contractions {'twas, do't}
-t suffix forming past participles and adjectives derived from them {slept, burnt}: see -ED
T cell any of the lymphocytes that are affected by the thymus and are involved in rejecting foreign tissue, regulating cellular immunity, and controlling the production of antibodies in the presence of an antigen [< t(hymus)]
T formation Football an offensive formation with the quarterback behind the center, the fullback behind the quarterback, and a halfback at each side of the fullback
t or T (ti:) pl. t's, T's •n. 1 the twentieth letter of the English alphabet: from the Greek tau, derived from the Hebrew taw 2 any of the speech sounds that this letter represents, as, in English, the (t) in time 3 a type or impression for T or t 4 the twentieth in a sequence or group 5 an object shaped like T •adj. 1 of T or t 2 twentieth in a sequence or group 3 shaped like T to a T to perfection; exactly
T square a T-shaped ruler with a short, thick crosspiece that fits over the edge of a drawing board, used in drawing parallel lines
TA teaching assistant, a student in graduate school who performs some teaching duties in a college or university Ta Chem. symbol for tantalum ta (tä) •interj. [Brit., etc. (exc. Cdn.) Colloq.] thank you
tab abbrev. 1 table(s) 2 Pharmacy tablet(s)
tab¹ (tæb) •n. 1 a small, flat loop, strap, or metal ring fastened to something for pulling it, hanging it up, etc. 2 a small, often ornamental, flap or piece fastened to the edge or surface as of a dress, coat, etc. 3 an attached or projecting piece as of a file folder, often with a label, used in filing 4 Aeron. an auxiliary airfoil set into the trailing edge of a larger control surface, such as an aileron •vt. tabbed, tab´bing 1 to provide with tabs 2 to choose or select [< ?]
tab² (tæb) Æ n. [Colloq.] 1 a bill or check, as for expenses 2 total cost or expenses Æ keep tabs (or a tab) on [Colloq.] to keep a check on; follow or watch every move of Æ pick up the tab [Colloq.] to pay the bill or total cost [prob. short for TABULATION]
tab³ (tæb) •n. short for: 1 TABLET 2 TABLOID 3 TABULATOR
tabanid (tæb´э nid) •n. any of a family (Tabanidae) of large, bloodsucking dipterous flies, consisting of horse flies and deer flies [< L tabanus, horsefly + -ID]
tabard (tæb´эrd) •n. 1 a loose jacket of heavy material, sleeved or sleeveless, worn outdoors as by peasants in the Middle Ages 2 a short-sleeved, emblazoned cloak worn by a knight over his armor 3 a herald's official coat emblazoned with his king's or lord's arms [ME < OFr tabart]
Tabasco (tэ bæs´kou; Sp tä bäs´kô) state of SE Mexico, west of Yucatán: 9,783 sq. mi. (25,337 sq. km); pop. 1,062,000; cap. Villahermosa Tabasco (tэ bæs´kou) trademark for a very hot sauce made from a tropical, American red pepper (Capsicum frutescens, var. conoides): see CAPSICUM
tabbouleh (tэ bu:´li:, -le) •n. a Middle Eastern salad of soaked bulgur wheat and finely chopped parsley, tomatoes, scallions, and mint leaves, with an olive oil and lemon juice dressing Also sp. ta·bou´li or ta·bu´li [Ar tabbūla]
tabby (tæb´i:) pl. -bies •n. 1 a silk taffeta with stripes or wavy markings; watered silk 2 a gray or brown cat with dark stripes 3 any domestic cat, esp. a female 4 [Old Brit. Colloq.] a) an old maid b) a malicious woman gossip •adj. 1 made of, or like, tabby 2 having dark stripes over gray or brown; brindled •vt. -bied, -by·ing to make wavy markings in (silk, etc.) [Fr tabis, earlier atabis < ML attabi < Ar al-attābīya < ؟attābī, the quarter of Baghdad where it was manufactured: after a prince Attāb, of the Omayyad dynasty]
tabernacle (tæb´эr næk'эl) •n. 1 [Archaic] a) a temporary shelter, as a tent b) a dwelling place 2 the human body considered as the dwelling place of the soul 3 a shrine, niche, etc. with a canopy 4 a place of worship, esp. one with a large seating capacity 5 Eccles. a cabinetlike enclosure for consecrated Hosts, usually at the center of an altar •vi. -led, -ling to dwell temporarily •vt. to place in or as in a tabernacle [T-] 1 the portable sanctuary carried by the Jews during the Exodus: Ex. 25, 26, 27 2 later, the Jewish Temple tab'er·nac´u·lar (-yэ lэr) •adj. [ME < LL(Ec) tabernaculum, the Jewish tabernacle (transl. of Heb ohel in ohel-moed, tent of meeting) < L, tent, dim. of taberna, hut, shed, TAVERN]
tabes (tei´bi:z') •n. Med. 1 any wasting or atrophy due to disease 2 short for TABES DORSALIS ta·bet·ic (tэ bet´ik) •adj., n. [L, a wasting away < tabere, to waste away < IE base *ta-, to melt > THAW]
tabes dorsalis (dör sei´lis, -sæl´is) a chronic disease of the nervous system, usually caused by syphilis and characterized by disturbances of sensations, loss of reflexes and of muscular coordination, functional disorders of organs, etc. [ModL, tabes of the back: see TABES & DORSAL¹]
tabescent (tэ bes´эnt) •adj. wasting or withering away ta·bes´cence •n. [L tabescens, prp. of tabescere, to dwindle away < tabere, to waste away: see TABES]
Tabitha (tæb´i θэ) a feminine name [LL(Ec) < Gr(Ec) Tabeitha < Aram tavita, lit., roe, gazelle]
tabla (täb´lä') •n. a set of two small drums whose pitch can be varied, used esp. in India and played with the hands [Hindustani < Ar tabla, drum]
tablature (tæb´lэ chэr) •n. 1 a method of notation for guitar or ukulele in which vertical lines represent the strings, horizontal lines represent the frets, and dots on these lines indicate finger placement 2 [Archaic] a flat surface or tablet with an inscription, painting, or design on it [Fr < ML tabulatura < tabulatus, tablet < LL tabulare, to provide with a table < L tabula: see TABLE]
table (tei´bэl) •n. 1 orig., a thin, flat tablet or slab of metal, stone, or wood, used for inscriptions 2 a) a piece of furniture consisting of a flat, horizontal top usually set on legs b) such a table set with food for a meal c) food served at table; feasting as entertainment d) the people seated at a table to eat, talk, etc. 3 any of various large, flat-topped pieces of furniture or equipment used for games, as a working surface, etc. {pool table, examining table} 4 a) a compact, systematic list of details, contents, etc. b) a compact arrangement of related facts, figures, values, etc. in orderly sequence, and usually in rows and columns, for convenience of reference {the multiplication table} 5 TABLELAND 6 the flat upper surface of certain styles of faceted gems 7 Anat. the hard inner or outer layer of the bony tissue of the skull 8 Archit. a) any horizontal, projecting piece, as a molding or cornice; stringcourse b) a plain or decorated rectangular piece set into or raised on a wall; panel 9 Backgammon either of the two folding leaves of a backgammon board •adj. 1 of, for, or on a table 2 fit for serving at table {table salt} •vt. -bled, -bling 1 orig., to make a list or compact arrangement of; tabulate 2 to put on a table Æ 3 to postpone indefinitely the discussion or consideration of (a legislative bill, motion, etc.) 4 [Brit., etc.] to submit for discussion or consideration at table at a meal on the table Æ postponed or shelved: said of a bill, etc. the tables laws, as the Ten Commandments or ancient Roman codes, inscribed on flat stone slabs turn the tables to reverse completely a situation as it affects two opposing persons or groups under the table [Colloq.] 1 covertly, as a bribe 2 drunk to the point of unconsciousness [OFr < L tabula, a board, painting, tablet < ? IE *taldhla < base *tel-, flat, a board > OE thille, thin board, flooring]
table d'hôte (tä´bэl dout´, tæb´эl-; Fr tå blª dout´) pl. ta´bles d'hôte´ (-bªlz, -ªlz; Fr, -blª) a complete meal with courses as specified on the menu, served at a restaurant or hotel for a set price: distinguished from A LA CARTE [Fr, lit., table of the host]
table linen tablecloths, napkins, etc.
Table Mountain flat-topped mountain in SE Cape Province, South Africa: 3,549 ft. (1,082 m)
table saw a circular saw mounted on the underside of a table through which its blade projects: work to be sawed is placed on the table
table talk informal conversation, as that at meals
table tennis a game somewhat like tennis in miniature, played on a large, rectangular table, with a small, hollow celluloid or plastic ball and short-handled, wooden paddles
table wine a still, usually dry wine for serving with meals, usually containing no more than 14 percent alcohol by volume
tableau (tæb´lou', tæ blou´) pl. -leaux' (-louz', -blouz´) or -leaus •n. 1 a striking, dramatic scene or picture 2 TABLEAU VIVANT [Fr < OFr tablel, dim. of table: see TABLE]
tableau vivant (tå blou vi: väñ´) pl. tab·leaux vi·vants´ (-blou vi: väñ´) a representation of a scene, picture, etc. by a person or group in costume, posing silently without moving [Fr, living tableau]
tablecloth (tei´bэl klöθ') •n. a cloth for covering a table, esp. at meals
table-hop (tei´bэl häp') -hopped', -hop'ping •vi. to leave one's table in a restaurant, nightclub, etc. and visit about at other tables ta´ble-hop'per •n.
tableland (-lænd') •n. a high, broad, level region; plateau
tablemount (-maunt') •n. GUYOT
tablespoon (tei´bэl spu:n') •n. 1 a) a large spoon used for serving at table b) SOUPSPOON 2 a spoon used as a measuring unit in cookery, equal to 3 teaspoons (½ fluid ounce) 3 TABLESPOONFUL
tablespoonful (-spu:n'ful) pl. -fuls •n. as much as a tablespoon will hold
tablet (tæb´lit) •n. 1 a flat, thin piece of stone, wood, metal, etc. shaped for a specific purpose 2 such a piece with an inscription, used as a memorial wall panel; plaque 3 a) a smooth, flat leaf made of wood, ivory, metal, etc. and used to write on b) a set of such leaves fastened together 4 a writing or drawing pad consisting of sheets of paper glued together at one edge 5 a small, flat piece of solid or compressed material, as of medicine, soap, etc. [ME tablette < MFr tablete, dim. of table: see TABLE]
tableware (tei´bэl wer') •n. dishes, glassware, silverware, etc. for use at table
tabloid (tæb´loid') •n. a newspaper, usually half the ordinary size, with many pictures and short, often sensational, news stories •adj. condensed; short [TABL(ET) + -OID]
taboo (tэ bu:´, tæ-) •n. 1 a) among some Polynesian peoples, a sacred prohibition put upon certain people, things, or acts which makes them untouchable, unmentionable, etc. b) the highly developed system or practice of such prohibitions 2 a) any social prohibition or restriction that results from convention or tradition b) Linguis. the substitution of one word or phrase for another because of such restriction •adj. 1 sacred and prohibited by taboo 2 restricted by taboo: said of people 3 prohibited or forbidden by tradition, convention, etc. •vt. 1 to put under taboo 2 to prohibit or forbid because of tradition, convention, etc. [< a Polynesian language: cf. Tongan, Samoan, Maori, etc. tapu]
tabor (tei´bэr) •n. a small drum, formerly used by a pipe player to beat out his own rhythmic accompaniment •vi. to beat on or as on a tabor Also sp. ta´bour [ME < OFr tabur < Pers tabīr, drum] Tabor (tei´bэr), Mount mountain in N Israel, east of Nazareth: c. 1,900 ft. (579 m)
taboret (tæb'э ret´, tæb´э ret') •n. 1 a small tabor 2 a low, upholstered footstool Also sp. tab´ou·ret' [OFr, a stool, lit., little drum, dim. of tabur: see TABOR]
taborin (tæb´э rin) •n. a small tabor played with only one stick Also tab'o·rine´ (-э ri:n´) [MFr tabourin, dim. of tabur: see TABOR]
Tabriz (tä bři:z´) city in NW Iran: pop. 598,000
tabu (tэ bu:´, tæ-) •n., adj., vt. alt. sp. of TABOO
tabula rasa (tæb'yu: lэ rei´sэ, -yэ-) a blank tablet; clean slate: used esp. of the mind when regarded as blank until impressions are recorded upon it by experience [ML < L tabula (see TABLE) + rasa, fem. pp. of radere, to scrape, ERASE]
tabular (tæb´yu: lэr, -yэ-) •adj. 1 having a tablelike surface; flat {tabular rock} 2 a) of or arranged in a table or tabulated scheme b) computed from or calculated by such a table or tables tab´u·lar·ly •adv. [L tabularis < tabula, a board, tablet: see TABLE]
tabulate (for v. tæb´yu: leit', -yэ-; for adj., -lit, -leit) -lat'ed, -lat'ing •vt. to put (facts, statistics, etc.) in a table or columns; arrange systematically •adj. 1 having a flat surface 2 having or made of thin, horizontal plates, as some corals tab'u·la´tion •n. [< LL tabulatus, pp. of tabulare: see TABLATURE]
tabulator (-leit'эr) •n. a person or thing that tabulates; specif., a) a device on a typewriter activated by a key (tab key), used to move the carriage a given number of spaces, as in making columns b) a machine for automatically compiling lists, tabulations, etc. from information encoded on punch cards
TAC Tactical Air Command
tacamahac (tæk´э mэ hæk') •n. 1 a strong-smelling gum resin used in ointments and incenses 2 any of several trees, as the balsam poplar, yielding this resin Also tac'a·ma·hac´a (-э) or tac´ma·hack' [Sp tacamahaca, earlier tecomahaca < Nahuatl tecomahca, lit., stinking copal]
tacet (tei´set') Musical Direction it is silent: a direction to the performer to be silent for the indicated time [L, 3d pers. sing., pres. indic., of tacere, to be silent: see TACIT]
tache or tach (tæch) •n. [Archaic] a device, as a buckle, hook and eye, etc., for fastening two parts together [ME < MFr, a nail < OFr estache: see ATTACH]
tachina fly (tæk´i nэ) any of a large family (Tachinidae) of bristly, gray and black, dipterous flies, whose larvae are parasitic on caterpillars, etc. Also tach´i·nid (-nid) •n. [ModL < Gr tachinos < tachys, swift: see TACHY-]
tachisme (tæsh´iz'эm; Fr tå shi:z´mª) •n. a method of action painting in which the paint is splashed, dribbled, etc. upon the canvas in apparently random patterns tach´iste (-ist; Fr, -shi:st´) •adj. [Fr < tache, a spot (< OFr teche: see TETCHY) + isme, -ISM]
tachistoscope (tэ kis´tэ skoup') •n. an apparatus that exposes words, pictures, etc. for a measured fraction of a second, used to increase reading speed or to test memory, perception, etc. ta·chis'to·scop´ic (-skäp´ik) •adj. [< Gr tachistos, superl. of tachys, swift (see TACHY-) + -SCOPE]
tachometer (tæ käm´эt эr, tэ-) •n. a device that indicates or measures the rate of rotation of a revolving shaft [< Gr tachos, speed (< tachys: see TACHY-) + -METER]
tachometry (-э tri:) •n. the use of a tachometer
tachy- (tæk´i) combining form rapid, swift, fast {tachymeter} [Gr < tachys, swift < IE *dhengh-, to reach, strong, fast > Sans daghnōti, (he) reaches]
tachycardia (tæk'i kär´di: э) •n. an abnormally fast heartbeat [ModL < Gr tachys (see TACHY-) + kardia, HEART]
tachygraph (tæk´i græf') •n. 1 something written in tachygraphy 2 a person skilled in tachygraphy: also ta·chyg·ra·pher (tæ kig´rэ fэr, tэ-) [Fr tachygraphe < Gr tachygraphos, swift writer: see TACHY- & -GRAPH]
tachygraphy (tæ kig´rэ fi:, tэ-) •n. the art or use of rapid writing; esp., ancient Greek and Roman shorthand or the medieval cursive writing, with abbreviations, etc., in these languages tach·y·graph·ic (tæk'э græf´ik) or tach'y·graph´i·cal •adj. [TACHY- + -GRAPHY]
tachylyte or tachylite (tæk´э lait') •n. a kind of basaltic volcanic glass tach'y·lyt´ic (-lit´ik) •adj. [Ger tachylit < Gr tachys, swift (see TACHY-) + lytos, soluble < lyein, to dissolve: (see LYSIS): from its rapid decomposition in acids]
tachymeter (tæ kim´эt эr, tэ-) •n. a surveying instrument for rapid determination of distances, elevations, etc. ta·chym´e·try •n. [TACHY- + -METER]
tachyon (tæk´i: än) •n. a theoretical subatomic particle with real energy but imaginary mass, and traveling faster than the speed of light: see also TARDYON
tachysterol (tæ kis´tэr öl', -oul') •n. an isomer of ergosterol, C28H44O, formed during the production of calciferol by the irradiation of ergosterol [TACHY- + STEROL]
tacit (tæs´it) •adj. 1 [Now Rare] saying nothing; still 2 unspoken; silent 3 not expressed or declared openly, but implied or understood {tacit approval} 4 Law happening without contract but by operation of law tac´it·ly •adv. tac´it·ness •n. [< Fr or L: Fr tacite < L tacitus, pp. of tacere, to be silent < IE base *takē-, to be silent > Goth thahan, ON thegja]
taciturn (tæs´э tørn') •adj. almost always silent; not liking to talk; uncommunicative tac'i·tur´ni·ty (-tør´nэ ti:) •n. tac´i·turn'ly •adv. [< Fr or L: Fr taciturne; L taciturnus < tacere: see TACIT]
Tacitus (tæs´i tэs), (Publius Cornelius) c. A.D. 55-c. 120; Rom. historian
tack (tæk) •n. 1 a short nail or pin with a sharp point and a relatively large, flat head 2 a) the act of fastening, esp. in a slight or temporary way b) Sewing a stitch for marking darts, etc. from a pattern, clipped and later removed (in full tailor's tack) c) stickiness; adhesiveness 3 a zigzag course, or movement in such a course 4 a course of action or policy, esp. one differing from another or preceding course 5 food; foodstuff {hardtack} [< ?] 6 Naut. a) a rope for securing the forward lower corner of a fore-and-aft sail b) this corner c) the direction in which a vessel is moving in relation to the position of the sails d) a change of direction in which the sail or sails shift from one side of the vessel to the other e) a course against the wind f) any of a series of zigzag movements in such a course 7 a horse's equipment, as saddles, bridles, etc.; saddlery •vt. 1 to fasten or attach with tacks 2 to attach temporarily, as by sewing with long stitches 3 to attach as a supplement; add {to tack an amendment onto a bill} 4 Naut. a) to change the course of (a vessel) by turning its bow into and across the wind (opposed to WEAR²) b) to maneuver (a vessel) against the wind by a series of tacks •vi. 1 Naut. a) to tack a sailing vessel b) to change its course by being tacked, or sail against the wind by a series of tacks (said of a sailing vessel) 2 to go in a zigzag course 3 to change suddenly one's policy or course of action tack´er •n. [ME takke < MDu tacke, twig, point, akin to Ger zacke < ? IE base *dek-, to tear > TAIL¹]
tack room a room near a stable in which tack is kept
tackle (tæk´эl; naut. tei´kэl) •n. 1 apparatus; equipment; gear {fishing tackle} 2 a rope and pulley block, or a system of ropes and pulleys, used to lower, raise, or move various objects 3 the act or an instance of tackling, as in football Æ 4 Football either of the two players (right tackle and left tackle) next to the end on either the offensive or defensive line 5 Naut. a) orig., a ship's rigging b) later, the running rigging and pulleys to operate the sails •vt. tack´led, tack´ling 1 to fasten by means of tackle 2 to harness (a horse) 3 to take hold of; seize 4 a) to undertake to do or solve (something difficult) {to tackle a job} b) to deal with (a difficult person) 5 Football to stop, throw, or knock (an opponent carrying the ball) to the ground •vi. Football to stop, throw, or knock an opponent to the ground tack´ler •n. [ME takel < MDu, pulley, rope, equipment in general, prob. akin to MLowG tacken, to touch, press, ? akin to TAKE]
tacky¹ (tæk´i:) tack´i·er, tack´i·est •adj. sticky, as varnish before it is fully dry tack´i·ness •n. [TACK (n. 2c) + -Y²]
tacky² (tæk´i:) tack´i·er, tack´i·est •adj. [Colloq.] 1 dowdy or shabby, as in dress or appearance 2 in poor taste; inelegant tack´i·ly •adv. tack´i·ness •n. [< tacky, hillbilly < ?]
Tacna (täk´nэ, tæk´-) 1 city in S Peru: pop. 43,000 2 region in S Peru which, with an adjacent region (ARICA) in Chile, was divided between the two countries in 1929
taco (tä´kou) pl. -cos •n. a Mexican dish consisting of a fried, folded tortilla filled with chopped meat, shredded lettuce, etc. [AmSp < Sp, a plug, wadding, light lunch]
Tacoma (tэ kou´mэ) seaport in W Wash., on Puget Sound: pop. 177,000 [< ? AmInd]
taconite (tæk´э nait') •n. an iron-bearing chert containing from 25 to 35 percent hematite and magnetite: it is a low-grade iron ore that is pelletized for blast-furnace reduction [< Taconic, old name for rock formations first identified in the Taconic Range (in Vt. and Mass.) + -ITE¹]
tact (tækt) •n. 1 orig., the sense of touch 2 delicate perception of the right thing to say or do without offending; skill in dealing with people 3 delicate sensitivity, esp. in aesthetics SYN.—tact implies the skill in dealing with persons or difficult situations of one who has a quick and delicate sense of what is fitting and thus avoids giving offense [it will require tact to keep him calm]; poise implies composure in the face of disturbing or embarrassing situations [despite the social blunder, she maintained her poise]; diplomacy implies a smoothness and adroitness in dealing with others, sometimes in such a way as to gain one's own ends [his lack of diplomacy lost him the contract]; savoir-faire implies a ready knowledge of the right thing to do or say in any situation [Fr < L tactus, pp. of tangere, to touch < IE base *tag-, to touch, grasp > OE thaccian, to stroke]
tactful (tækt´fэl) •adj. having or showing tact tact´ful·ly •adv. tact´ful·ness •n.
tactic¹ (tæk´tik) •adj. Biol. of, showing, or characteristic of taxis [ModL tacticus < Gr taktikos: see TACTICS]
tactic² (tæk´tik) •n. 1 TACTICS 2 a detail or branch of tactics •adj. of arrangement or system [ModL tactica < Gr taktikē (technē), (art) of arranging: see TACTICS]
tactical (tæk´ti kэl) •adj. 1 of or having to do with tactics, esp. in military or naval maneuvers 2 characterized by or showing cleverness and skill in tactics tac´ti·cal·ly •adv.
tactician (tæk tish´эn) •n. an expert in tactics
tactics (tæk´tiks) •n.pl. 1 a) [with sing. v.] the science of arranging and maneuvering military and naval forces in action or before the enemy, esp. (as distinguished from STRATEGY) with reference to short-range objectives b) actions in accord with this science 2 any methods used to gain an end; esp., skillful methods or procedure [Gr (ta) taktika, lit., (the) matters of arrangement < taktikos, fit for arranging < tassein, to arrange, put in order < IE base *tāg-, to set aright > Gr taxis, order]
tactile (tæk´tэl; chiefly Brit, -tail') •adj. 1 that can be perceived by the touch; tangible 2 of, having, or related to the sense of touch tac·til´i·ty (-til´э ti:) •n. [Fr < L tactilis < tangere, to touch: see TACT]
tactile corpuscle any of various small, epidermal structures with nerve endings sensitive to touch or pressure
taction (tæk´shэn) •n. [Rare] a touching or being touched; contact [L tactio < tactus: see TACT]
tactless (tækt´lis) •adj. not having or showing tact tact´less·ly •adv. tact´less·ness •n.
tactual (tæk´chu: эl) •adj. 1 of the sense or organs of touch 2 causing a sensation of touch; caused by touch tac´tu·al·ly •adv. [< L tactus (see TACT) + -AL]
tad (tæd) •n. 1 a little child, esp. a boy 2 a small amount, degree, extent, etc.: often used with a and having adverbial force {a tad tired} [prob. < fol.]
tadpole (tæd´poul') •n. 1 the larva of certain amphibians, as frogs and toads, having gills and a tail and living in water: as it matures, the gills usually are lost and legs develop 2 the free-swimming larval stage of tunicates, having gill slits and a notochord [ME taddepol < tadde, toad + poll, head, hence, toad that seems all head]
Tadzhik (tä´jik) •n. alt. sp. of TAJIK
Tadzhik Soviet Socialist Republic (tä´jik', tä jik´) a republic of the U.S.S.R.: now TAJIKISTAN
tae kwon do (tai kwän dou´) a Korean self-defense system much like karate
taedium vitae (ti:´di: эm vai´ti:) a feeling that life is wearisome and boring [L, weariness of life]
Taegu (tai´gu:', tai gu:´) city in SE South Korea: pop. 2,012,000
Taejon (tai´jän', tai jän´) city in EC South Korea: pop. 842,000
tael (teil) •n. 1 any of various units of weight of E Asia 2 [Historical] a Chinese unit of money equal in value to a tael of silver [Port < Malay tahil, a unit of weight for measuring gold, silver, or opium]
ta'en (tein) •vt., vi. old poet. contr. of TAKEN
taenia (ti:´ni: э) pl. -ni·ae' (-i:') •n. 1 an ancient Greek headband or fillet 2 Anat. a ribbonlike part or structure, as of muscle or nerve tissue 3 Archit. a band between the frieze and the architrave of a Doric entablature 4 Zool. a tapeworm (esp. genus Taenia) [L < Gr tainia, ribbon, tape, akin to teinein, to stretch: see THIN]
taeniacide (ti:´ni: э said') •n. a drug, etc. that destroys tapeworms tae'ni·a·ci´dal •adj. [prec. + -CIDE]
taeniasis (ti: nai´э sis) •n. infestation with tapeworms [ModL: see TAENIA & -IASIS]
TAF or T.A.F. (ti:'ei'ef´) •n. a substance, consisting of protein and nucleic acid developed in a malignant tumor, that stimulates the formation of capillaries for nourishing the tumor and carrying off its waste matter [t(umor) a(ngiogenesis), development of blood vessels, f(actor)]
tafferel (tæf´эr эl, -эr el') •n. 1 [Archaic] the upper, flat part of a ship's stern: so called from its carved panels 2 TAFFRAIL [Du tafereel, a panel, picture, for *tafeleel, dim. of tafel, table < L tabula, tablet: see TABLE]
taffeta (tæf´i tэ) •n. a fine, rather stiff fabric of silk, nylon, acetate, etc., with a sheen •adj. like or made of taffeta [ME taffata < OFr taffetas < It taffetà < Pers tāftah, woven < tāftan, to weave, spin, shine]
taffrail (tæf´reil') •n. the rail around the stern of a ship [altered (infl. by RAIL¹) < TAFFEREL]
taffy (tæf´i:) •n. 1 a chewy candy made of sugar or molasses boiled down and pulled: cf. TOFFEE Æ 2 [Old Colloq.] flattery or cajolery [< ?]
taffy pull a party at which taffy is made
tafia or taffia (tæf´i: э) •n. a low-grade rum made in the West Indies [Fr < or akin to ratafia: see RATAFIA]
Taft (tæft) 1 Lo·ra·do (lэ rei´dou) 1860-1936; U.S. sculptor 2 William Howard 1857-1930; 27th president of the U.S. (1909-13): chief justice of the U.S. (1921-30)
tag (tæg) •n. 1 orig., a hanging end or rag, as on a torn skirt 2 any small part or piece hanging from or loosely attached to the main piece 3 a hard-tipped end, as of metal, on a cord or lace, to give stiffness for drawing through holes; aglet 4 a piece of bright material tied next to the fly on a fishhook Æ 5 a card, ticket, plastic marker, etc. tied or attached to something as a label or worn as identification, etc. {a price tag, a name tag} 6 an epithet or sobriquet 7 a) an ornamental, instructive, or strikingly effective ending for a speech, story, etc. b) a short, familiar quotation, esp. when used as such an ending 8 the last line or lines of an actor's speech, as at his or her exit or at a curtain: also tag line 9 the last part of any proceeding 10 a loop on a garment for hanging it up, or on a boot for pulling it on 11 a flourish or decorative stroke in writing 12 a) a lock of hair b) a matted lock of wool 13 a children's game in which one player, called it, chases the others with the object of touching, or tagging, one of them and making that one it in turn 14 a tiny amount of radioactive isotope incorporated into a compound so that it can be readily traced through a chemical reaction, physiological cycle, etc. 15 [Obs.] the rabble: cf. RAGTAG 16 Baseball the act of tagging •vt. tagged, tag´ging 1 to provide with a tag; fasten a tag to; label 2 to identify by an epithet 3 to choose or select 4 to end (a speech, story, etc.) with a tag Æ 5 to overtake and touch in or as in the game of tag Æ 6 to print (a postage stamp) with luminescent ink so that ultraviolet light can locate the stamp for cancellation and sorting: chiefly in the past participle Æ 7 Baseball to touch (a base runner) with the ball or to touch (a base) with the ball or while holding the ball, with the aim of putting the runner out 8 [Colloq.] to strike or hit hard 9 [Colloq.] to follow close behind Æ 10 [Colloq.] a) to put a parking ticket on (a vehicle) b) to charge with lawbreaking {he was tagged for speeding} •vi. [Colloq.] to follow close behind a person or thing: usually with along, after, etc. Æ tag up Baseball to return to the base and touch it before taking another lead or running: said of a base runner tag´ger •n. [ME tagge, prob. < Scand, as in Swed tagg, a point, spike, Norw, a point; akin to Ger zacke, a point, jag: see TACK]
tag day a day on which money is publicly solicited as for some charity, each contributor being given a tag
tag end 1 any loosely attached or hanging end 2 the last part of something; remnant
tag sale a garage sale of items that have price tags
Tagalog (tä gä´loug') •n. 1 pl. -logs' or -log' a member of the ethnic group that is native to Manila and the surrounding region in the Philippines 2 the Western Austronesian language of this ethnic group, an official language of the Republic of the Philippines: cf. PILIPINO [< ?]
Taganrog (tä´gэn räg'; Russ tä'gän rôk´) seaport in SW Russia, on the Sea of Azov, near Rostov: pop. 289,000
tagboard (tæg´börd') •n. sturdy cardboard used for tags, posters, mountings, etc.
tagliatelle (täl'yэ tel´i:) •n. pasta in the form of wide (approximately ¾ in.), flat noodles
tagmeme (tæg´mi:m') •n. Linguis. the smallest meaningful unit of grammatical form tag·me´mic (-mi:´mik) •adj. [coined (1933) by BLOOMFIELD < Gr tagma, a rank, arrangement (< tassein, to arrange: see TACTICS) + -EME]
tagmemics (tæg mi:´miks) •n.pl. [with sing. v.] a theory of language viewing the tagmeme as the basic unit of grammar and emphasizing the function of structured grammatical units
Tagore (tэ gör´), Sir Ra·bin·dra·nath (rэ bi:n´drэ nät') 1861-1941; Indian (Bengali) poet
Tagus (tei´gэs) river flowing west across central Spain & Portugal into the Atlantic through a broad estuary: c. 600 mi. (966 km): Sp. name TAJO; Port. name TEJO
tahini (tä hi:´ni:) •n. a food paste made from ground sesame seeds [< Ar tahīnī, mealy < tahīn, flour, meal < tahana, to grind]
Tahiti (tэ hi:t´i:) one of the Society Islands, in the South Pacific: c. 402 sq. mi. (1,042 sq. km); pop. 116,000; chief town, Papeete [< Proto-Polynesian *tafiti, distant, remote]
Tahitian (tэ hi:sh´эn, tä-; -hi:t´i: эn) •adj. of Tahiti, its people, their language, or culture •n. 1 a native or inhabitant of Tahiti 2 the Polynesian language of the Tahitians
Tahoe (tä´hou'), Lake lake between Calif. & Nev.: a resort: 193 sq. mi. (499 sq. km) [< Washo (a Hokan language) dáرaw, lake]
tahr (tär) •n. a short-horned, wild goat (genus Hemitragus) of Arabia, India, and the Himalayas
Tai (tai) •n. 1 a subbranch of the Sino-Tibetan language family, including Thai, Lao, and Shan 2 a member of the Southeast Asian peoples speaking these languages •adj. of these languages or peoples
tai chi (tai´ ji:´) a series of postures and exercises developed in China as a system of self-defense and as an aid to meditation, characterized by slow, relaxed, circular movements In full t'ai chi ch'uan (chwän´) [Mandarin t'ai-chi, lit., grand ultimate]
Taichung (tai chuŋ´) city in WC Taiwan: pop. 660,000
taiga (tai´gэ) •n. a type of transitional plant community that is located between the arctic tundra and the boreal coniferous forests, having scattered trees [Russ]
tail coat SWALLOW-TAILED COAT
tail covert any of the small feathers covering the basal parts of the large tail feathers of a bird
tail end 1 the rear or bottom end of anything 2 the concluding part of anything 3 [Colloq.] the buttocks
tail wind a wind blowing in the same direction as the course of a ship or aircraft
tail¹ (teil) •n. 1 the rear end of an animal's body, esp. when forming a distinct, flexible appendage to the trunk 2 anything like an animal's tail in form or position {the tail of a shirt} 3 a luminous train behind a comet or meteor 4 the hind, bottom, last, or inferior part of anything 5 [often pl.] the reverse side of a coin 6 a long braid or tress of hair 7 a train of followers or attendants; retinue 8 the lower end of a pool or stream 9 a) the rear or back section of an aircraft b) a set of stabilizing planes at the rear of an airplane c) the rear part of a rocket or missile Æ 10 [pl.] [Colloq.] a) a swallow-tailed coat b) full-dress attire for men 11 [Colloq.] a person or vehicle that follows another, esp. in surveillance 12 [Slang] the buttocks 13 [Vulgar Slang] a) sexual intercourse b) a woman regarded as a sexual object 14 Printing the bottom of a page 15 Prosody the short line or lines ending certain stanzas or verse forms •adj. 1 at the rear or rear end 2 from the rear {a tail wind} •vt. 1 to provide with a tail 2 to cut or detach the tail or taillike part from 3 to form the tail or end of, as a group or procession; be at the rear or end of 4 to fasten or connect at or by the tail 5 to fasten one end of (a brick, board, etc.) into a wall, etc.: with in or on Æ 6 [Slang] to follow stealthily; shadow •vi. 1 to straggle 2 to become gradually smaller or fainter: with off or away 3 to be fastened into a wall, etc. by one end: said of a brick or board Æ 4 [Colloq.] to follow close behind 5 Naut. to go aground or be anchored stern foremost Æ on someone's tail following or shadowing someone closely turn tail to run from danger, difficulty, hardship, etc. with one's tail between one's legs in defeat or in escape from expected defeat, esp. with fear or dejection tail´less •adj. tail´like' •adj. [ME < OE tægel, akin to OHG zagel < IE base *de-, to tear, tear off > Sans saśā, fringe]
tail² (teil) •n. ENTAIL (n. 2 & 3) •adj. limited in a specific way, as to certain heirs or order of succession [ME taile < OFr taille, a cutting < taillier: see TAILOR]
tailback (teil´bæk') •n. Football the offensive back farthest from the line of scrimmage
tailbone (teil´boun) •n. COCCYX
tailed (teild) •adj. having a (specified kind of) tail: usually in combination {bobtailed}
tailfan (teil´fæn') •n. the fanlike structure at the rear of a crayfish or lobster, used for swimming backward
tailgate (-geit') •n. a board or gate at the back of a wagon, truck, station wagon, etc., designed to be removed or swung down on hinges for loading or unloading Also tail´board' •vt. -gat'ed, -gat'ing to drive too closely behind (another vehicle) •vi. 1 to drive too closely behind another vehicle 2 to picnic at or near one's automobile or in a parking lot, as before a sporting event [so called because the meal was orig. served on the tailgate]
tailing (-iŋ) •n. 1 [pl.] waste or refuse left in various processes of milling, mining, distilling, etc. 2 the part of a projecting brick, etc. fastened into a wall [TAIL¹, v. + -ING]
taillamp (-læmp') •n. [Chiefly Brit.] var. of TAILLIGHT
taille (teil; Fr tä´yª) •n. a French feudal tax imposed by the king or a lord [OFr < taillier, to cut: see TAILOR]
tailleur (tei yør´) •n. a woman's tailored suit
taillight (teil´lait') •n. a light, usually red, at the rear of a vehicle to warn vehicles coming from behind
tailor (tei´lэr) •n. a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothes, esp. suits and coats •vi. to work as a tailor •vt. 1 a) to make (clothes) by tailor's work b) to fit or provide (a person) with clothes made by a tailor 2 a) to make by cutting and sewing to fit a particular thing {to tailor slipcovers} b) to cut, form, or alter so as to meet certain conditions {a novel tailored to popular taste} 3 to fashion (women's garments) with trim, simple lines like those of men's clothes [ME < OFr tailleor < taillier, to cut, decide, fix < VL taliare, to split, cut, orig. prob. to prune < L talea, a stick, twig, scion < IE base *tal-, to grow, sprout > ON tholl, young fir]
tailorbird (-børd') •n. any of several small Old World warblers that stitch leaves together to make a camouflaged holder for their nests
tailored (tei´lэrd) •adj. having trim, simple lines, as some women's garments, or specially fitted, as slipcovers
tailoring (-lэr iŋ) •n. 1 the occupation of a tailor 2 the workmanship or skill of a tailor
tailor-made (tei´lэr meid´) •adj. made by or as by a tailor; specif., a) having trim, simple lines; tailored b) made to order or to meet particular conditions {a sofa tailor-made for a small room}
tailpiece (teil´pi:s') •n. 1 a piece or part added to, or forming the end of, something 2 the small triangular piece of wood at the lower end of a violin, cello, etc., to which the strings are attached: see VIOLIN, illus. 3 a short beam or rafter with one end tailed in a wall and the other supported by a header 4 Printing an ornamental design put at the end of a chapter or at the bottom of a page
tailpipe (-paip') •n. 1 the exhaust pipe coming from the muffler of a motor vehicle 2 the exhaust duct of a jet engine
tailrace (-reis') •n. 1 the lower part of a millrace 2 a water channel to carry away tailings from a mine
tailspin (-spin') •n. 1 SPIN (n. 5): also tail spin 2 a state of rapidly increasing depression or confusion
tailstock (-stäk') •n. Mech. the adjustable part of a lathe, containing the dead center which holds the work
Taimyr Peninsula (tai mir´) large peninsula in N Asian Russia, between the Kara & Laptev seas: c. 700 mi. (1,126 km) wide at its base: also sp. Tay·myr´, Tai·mir´, or Tay·mir´
Tainan (tai nän´) city in SW Taiwan: pop. 633,000
Taine (ten; E tein), Hip·po·lyte A·dolphe (i: pô li:t å dôlf´) 1828-93; Fr. literary critic & historian
Taino (tai´nou) pl. -nos or -no •n. 1 a member of an extinct aboriginal Indian people of the West Indies 2 their Arawakan language [< Taino nitayno, the first, the good]
taint (teint) •vt. 1 a) to affect with something physically injurious, unpleasant, etc.; infect, poison, etc. b) to affect with putrefaction or decay; spoil 2 to make morally corrupt 3 [Obs.] to sully or stain •vi. to become tainted •n. 1 a trace of corruption, disgrace, evil, etc. 2 an infectious or contaminating trace; infection, decay, etc. SYN. CONTAMINATE [prob. a merging of ME taynten, to touch (aphetic < ataynten, ATTAINT) + Anglo-Fr teinter, to color < teint, pp. of OFr teindre < L tingere, to wet, moisten: see TINGE]
taipan (tai pæn´) •n. a deadly venomous snake (Oxyuranus scutellatus) of the cobra family, found mainly in Australia
Taipei or Taipeh (tai pei´) capital of Taiwan, in the N part: pop. 2,500,000
Taiping (tai´piŋ´) •n. any participant in the unsuccessful rebellion (c. 1850-64) against the Manchu dynasty [Mandarin t'ai-p'ing, lit., great peace: designation of the dynasty that was to be established]
Taiwan (tai wän´) 1 island of China, off the SE coast: a Japanese territory (1895-1945) 2 province of China coextensive with this island: together with the Pescadores Islands and Quemoy Island it forms the Republic of China, the Kuomintang (Nationalist) government since 1949: 13,885 sq. mi. (35,962 sq. km); pop. 14,118,000; cap. Taipei Tai·wa·ni·an (tai wei´ni: эn, -wän´i:-) or Tai·wan·ese (tai'wэn i:z´, -i:s´), pl. -ese´, •adj., n.
Taiwan Strait strait between Taiwan & Fujian province, China, joining the East & South China seas: c. 100 mi. (160 km) wide
Taiyuan (tai'yu: än´) city in N China: capital of Shanxi province: pop. 1,750,000
Taj Mahal (täzh' mэ häl´, täj'-) famous mausoleum at Agra, India, built (c. 1630-c. 1648) by Shah Jahan for his favorite wife [Pers, best of buildings]
Tajik (tä jik´, -ji:k´) •n. 1 pl. -jiks or -jik a member of an ethnic group of Iranian stock living in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and parts of Uzbekistan 2 TAJIKI
Tajiki (tä´jik i:, tä ji:´ki:) •n. the Persian dialect of the Tajik people
Tajikistan (tä jik'i stæn´, -stän´) country in WC Asia: became independent upon the breakup of the U.S.S.R. (1991): 55,240 sq. mi. (143,071 sq. km); pop. 4,400,000; cap. Dushanbe: formerly, Tadzhik Soviet Socialist Republic
Tajo (tä´hou') Sp. name of TAGUS
taka (tä´kä) pl. -ka •n. the basic monetary unit of Bangladesh: see MONEY, table [Beng < Sans tǒnkǒ, silver coins]
take (teik) took, tak´en, tak´ing •vt. I. to get possession of by force or skill; seize, grasp, catch, capture, win, etc. 1 to get by conquering; capture; seize 2 to trap, snare, or catch (a bird, animal, or fish) 3 a) to win (a game, a trick at cards, etc.) b) to capture (an opponent's piece in chess or checkers) 4 to get hold of; grasp or catch 5 to hit (a person) in or on some part 6 to affect; attack {taken with a fit} 7 to catch in some act, esp. a moral fault {taken in adultery} 8 to capture the fancy of; charm II. to get by action not involving force or skill; obtain, acquire, assume, etc. 1 to get into one's hand or hold; transfer to oneself 2 to eat, drink, swallow, etc. for nourishment or as medicine 3 to admit; let in {the bus takes 20 riders} 4 to get benefit from by exposure to (the air, sun, etc.) 5 to enter into a special relationship with {to take a wife} 6 to have sexual intercourse with 7 to buy {he took the first suit he tried on} 8 to rent, lease, or pay for so as to occupy or use {to take a cottage} 9 to get regularly by paying for {to take a daily newspaper} 10 to assume as a responsibility, task, etc. {to take a job} 11 to assume or adopt (a symbol of duty or office) {the president took the chair} 12 to obligate oneself by {to take a vow} 13 to join or associate oneself with (one party or side in a contest, disagreement, etc.) 14 to assume as if granted or due one {to take the blame, to take deductions} 15 [Slang] to cheat; trick 16 Gram. to have or admit of according to usage, nature, etc.; be used with in construction {a transitive verb takes an object} III. to get, adopt, use, etc. by selection or choice 1 to choose; select 2 to use or employ; resort to {to take a mop to the floor} 3 a) to travel by {to take a bus} b) to set out on; follow {to take the old path} 4 to go to (a place) for shelter, safety, etc. {to take cover} 5 to deal with; consider {to take a matter seriously} 6 a) to occupy {take a chair} b) to use up; consume {to take all day} 7 to require; demand; need: often used impersonally {it takes money; to take a size ten} Æ 8 Baseball to allow (a pitched ball) to pass without swinging one's bat IV. to get from a source 1 to derive, inherit, or draw (a name, quality, etc.) from something or someone specified 2 to extract, as for quotation; excerpt {to take a verse from the Bible} 3 to obtain or ascertain by observation, query, or experiment {to take a poll, to take one's temperature} 4 to study; specif., to be enrolled as a student in {to take an art course} 5 to write down; copy {take notes} 6 a) to make (a photograph, picture, etc.) b) to draw, photograph, etc. a likeness of {take the scene in color} 7 to make an impression of {take his fingerprints} V. to get as offered or due; receive, accept, suffer, etc. 1 to win (a prize, reward, etc.) 2 to be the object of; undergo or endure {to take punishment} 3 to occupy oneself in; enjoy {take a nap} 4 to accept (something offered) {to take a bet, to take advice} 5 to have a specified reaction to {to take a joke in earnest} 6 to confront and get over, through, etc. {the horse took the jump} 7 to be affected by (a disease, etc.) {to take cold} 8 to absorb; become impregnated or treated with (a dye, polish, etc.) VI. to receive mentally 1 a) to understand the remarks of (a person) b) to comprehend the meaning of (words or remarks) c) to understand or interpret in a specified way 2 to suppose; presume {he took her to be a teacher} 3 to have or feel (an emotion or mental state) {take pity, take notice} 4 to hold and act upon (an idea, point of view, etc.) VII. to make or complete by action 1 to do; perform (an act) {to take a walk} 2 to make or put forth (a resolution or objection) as the result of thought 3 [Colloq.] to aim and execute (a specified action) at an object {to take a jab at someone} VIII. to move, remove, etc. 1 to be the way or means of going to (a place, condition, etc.); conduct; lead {the path takes you to the river} 2 to escort or accompany {to take a friend to dinner} 3 to carry or transport {to take a book with one} 4 to remove from a person, thing, or place; specif., to steal 5 to remove by death; bring to an end {cancer takes many lives} 6 to subtract {to take two from ten} 7 to direct or move (oneself) •vi. 1 to get possession 2 to hook or engage with another part: said of a mechanical device 3 to take root; begin growing: said of a plant 4 to lay hold; catch {the fire took rapidly} 5 to gain public favor; be popular 6 to be effective in action, operation, desired result, etc. {the vaccination took, the dye takes well} 7 to remove a part; detract (from) {nothing took from the scene's beauty} 8 to be made or adapted to be taken (up, down, apart, etc.) 9 to go; proceed {to take to the road} 10 [Colloq. or Dial.] to become (ill or sick) 11 [Colloq.] to be photographed in a specified way {she takes well in profile} 12 Law to take possession of property •n. 1 the act or process of taking 2 something that has been taken 3 a) the amount or quantity of something taken {the day's take of fish} b) [Slang] money received; receipts or profit 4 a vaccination that takes 5 a) an uninterrupted shot photographed by a movie camera b) the process of photographing such a shot 6 a) any of a series of recordings or tapes of a performance, from which one will be made for release to the public b) the process of so recording 7 Printing the amount of copy sent to the compositor at one time Æ on the take [Slang] willing or seeking to take bribes or illicit income take after 1 to be, act, or look like 2 to run after or pursue: also take out (or off) after Æ take a meeting [Slang] to attend a business conference take amiss 1 orig., to be wrong concerning; mistake 2 to misunderstand the reason behind (an act), esp. so as to become offended take back 1 to regain use or possession of 2 to retract (something said, promised, etc.) 3 to return (something), as to be exchanged take down 1 to remove from a higher place and put in a lower one; pull down 2 to unfasten; take apart 3 to make less conceited; humble 4 to put in writing; record Æ take five (or ten, etc.) take a five (or ten, etc.) minute break, as from working take for 1 to consider to be; regard as 2 to mistake for take in 1 to admit; receive 2 to shorten (a sail) by reefing or furling 3 to make smaller or more compact 4 to include; comprise 5 to understand; comprehend 6 to cheat; trick; deceive Æ 7 to visit {to take in all the sights} 8 to receive into one's home for pay {to take in boarders} take it 1 to suppose; believe Æ 2 [Slang] to withstand difficulty, criticism, hardship, ridicule, etc. take it or leave it accept it or not take it out of [Colloq.] 1 to exhaust; tire 2 to obtain payment or satisfaction from Æ take it out on [Colloq.] to make (another) suffer for one's own anger, irritation, bad temper, etc. take off 1 to remove (a garment, etc.) 2 to draw or conduct away 3 a) to go away; depart b) to absent oneself, as from work 4 to deduct; subtract 5 to kill 6 to make a copy or likeness of 7 to leave the ground or water in flight 8 [Colloq.] to start 9 [Colloq.] to imitate in a burlesque manner; parody: with on 10 [Colloq.] to become very popular and successful 11 [Slang] to rob take on 1 to acquire; assume (form, quality, etc.) 2 to employ; hire 3 to begin to do (a task, etc.); undertake 4 to play against; oppose 5 [Colloq.] to show violent emotion, especially anger or sorrow take one's time to be slow or unhurried; delay take out 1 a) to remove; extract b) to deduct 2 to obtain by application to the proper authority 3 [Colloq.] to escort 4 Bridge to bid higher than (one's partner) but in a different suit take over to assume control or possession of take to 1 to develop a habit or practice of doing, using, etc. 2 to go to, as for hiding, rest, etc. 3 to apply oneself to (one's studies, work, etc.) 4 to become fond of; care for; be attracted to take up 1 to raise; lift 2 to make tighter or shorter 3 to pay off; recover by buying (a mortgage, note, etc.) 4 to absorb (a liquid) 5 to accept (a challenge, bet, etc.) 6 to assume protection or custody of 7 to interrupt in disapproval or rebuke: with on 8 to resume (something interrupted) 9 a) to become interested in or devoted to (an occupation, study, hobby, belief, etc.) b) to adopt (an idea) 10 to occupy or fill (space or time) take upon (or on) oneself 1 to take the responsibility for; accept as a charge 2 to begin (to do something) take up with [Colloq.] to become a friend or companion of tak´a·ble or take´a·ble •adj. SYN.—take is the general word meaning to get hold of by or as by the hands [to take a book, the opportunity, etc.]; to seize is to take suddenly and forcibly [he seized the gun from the robber; to seize power]; grasp implies a seizing and holding firmly [to grasp a rope, an idea, etc.]; clutch implies a tight or convulsive grasping of that which one is eager to take or keep hold of [she clutched his hand in terror]; grab implies a roughness or unscrupulousness in seizing [the child grabbed all the candy; to grab credit]; snatch stresses an abrupt quickness and, sometimes, a surreptitiousness in seizing [she snatched the letter from my hand; to snatch a purse] see also BRING, RECEIVE [ME taken < OE tacan < ON taka < ? IE base *dēg-, to lay hold of]
take-away or takeaway (teik´э wei') •adj. [Brit., etc. (exc. Cdn.)] TAKEOUT (sense 1)
take-charge (teik´chärj´) •adj. [Colloq.] responsible, authoritative, and forceful
takedown (teik´daun') •n. 1 the act or process of taking down, esp. of disassembling mechanically 2 the act of bringing an opponent in an amateur wrestling match to the mat from a standing position, a maneuver for which points are awarded 3 [Colloq.] humiliation •adj. made to be easily taken apart {a takedown firearm}
take-home pay (teik´houm') wages or salary after deductions for income tax, social security, etc. have been made
take-in (teik´in') •n. [Colloq.] a taking in; specif., cheating, trickery, etc. or a deception, trick, etc.
taken (teik´эn) •vt., vi. pp. of TAKE •adj. accepted as intelligent and worthy of commendation {your point is well taken}
takeoff (teik´öf') •n. 1 the act of leaving the ground from any angle, as in jumping, launching, or flight: cf. LIFTOFF 2 the place from which one leaves a surface Æ 3 a) the starting point or launching stage b) Econ. the early stages of rapid, self-sustained growth and development 4 [Colloq.] an amusing or mocking imitation; caricature; burlesque Also take´-off'
takeout (-aut') •n. the act of taking out •adj. Æ 1 designating or of prepared food sold as by a restaurant to be eaten away from the premises 2 Bridge designating a double intended to force one's partner to bid rather than to penalize one's opponents: cf. BUSINESS (adj. 2) Also take´-out'
takeover (-ou'vэr) •n. the act or an instance of assuming control or possession; esp., a) the usurpation of power in a nation, organization, etc. Æ b) the assumption of management or ownership of a corporation through the acquisition or exchange of stock Also take´-o'ver
taker (teik´эr) •n. a person who takes something; esp., an available buyer, bettor, etc.
takeup (-ûp') •n. 1 the act or process of taking up, making tight, etc. 2 a mechanical device to tighten something Also take´-up'
takin (tä´kin, tei´-) •n. a goatlike bovid ruminant (Budorcas taxicolor) of the Himalayan forests [< native name in Tibet]
taking (teik´iŋ) •adj. 1 that captures interest; attractive; winning 2 [Obs.] contagious; infectious: said of disease •n. 1 the act of one that takes 2 something taken; catch 3 [pl.] earnings; profits; receipts 4 [Old Brit. Colloq.] a state of agitation or excitement tak´ing·ly •adv.
tala¹ (tä´lэ) •n. any of the various repeating rhythmic patterns of stressed and unstressed units, played on a percussion instrument in the music of India [< Sans tāla, lit., the slapping or clapping of hands together]
tala² (tä´lä') pl. ta´la' •n. the basic monetary unit of Western Samoa: see MONEY, table [Samoan < E DOLLAR]
talaria (tэ ler´i: э, -lær´-) •n.pl. winged sandals or wings on the ankles, represented in mythology as an attribute, esp. of Hermes, or Mercury [L < talaris, of the ankles < talus, ankle]
talc (tælk) •n. 1 a very soft, usually massive and foliated mineral, magnesium silicate, Mg3Si4O10(OH)2, with a greasy feel, used to make talcum powder, lubricants, etc. 2 short for TALCUM (POWDER) •vt. talcked or talced, talck´ing or talc´ing to use talc on [Fr < Ar talq]
Talca (täl´kä') city in central Chile: pop. 138,000
Talcahuano (täl'kä wä´nou) seaport in SC Chile, near Concepción: pop. 209,000
talcose (tælk´ous') •adj. of or containing talc Also talc´ous
talcum (powder) (tæl´kэm) a powder for the body and face made of powdered, purified talc, usually perfumed [ML < Ar talq, talc]
tale (teil) •n. 1 something told or related; relation or recital of happenings 2 a) a story or account of true, legendary, or fictitious events; narrative b) a literary composition in narrative form 3 a piece of idle or malicious gossip 4 a fiction; falsehood; lie 5 [Archaic] a tally; count; enumeration 6 [Obs.] the act of telling; talk SYN. STORY¹ [ME < OE talu, speech, number, akin to Ger zahl, number, Du taal, speech < IE base *del-, to aim, reckon, trick > Gr dolos, L dolus, guile, artifice]
talebearer (-ber'эr) •n. a person who spreads scandal or tells secrets; gossip tale´bear'ing •adj., n.
talent (tæl´эnt) •n. 1 any of various large units of weight or of money (the value of a talent weight in gold, silver, etc.) used in ancient Greece, Rome, the Middle East, etc. 2 any natural ability or power; natural endowment 3 a superior, apparently natural ability in the arts or sciences or in the learning or doing of anything 4 people collectively, or a person, with talent {to encourage young talent} tal´ent·ed •adj. SYN.—talent implies an apparently native ability for a specific pursuit and connotes either that it is or can be cultivated by the one possessing it [a talent for drawing]; gift suggests that a special ability is bestowed upon one, as by nature, and not acquired through effort [a gift for making plants grow]; aptitude implies a natural inclination for a particular work, specif. as pointing to special fitness for, or probable success in, it [aptitude tests]; faculty implies a special ability that is either inherent or acquired, as well as a ready ease in its exercise [the faculty of judgment]; knack implies an acquired faculty for doing something cleverly and skillfully [the knack of rhyming]; genius implies an inborn mental endowment, specif. of a creative or inventive kind in the arts or sciences, that is exceptional or phenomenal [the genius of Edison] [ME < OE talente < L talentum, a coin, orig., unit of weight < Gr talanton, a unit of money, weight, orig., a balance < IE base *tel-, to lift up, weigh, bear > TOLERATE: senses 2-4 from the parable of the talents (Matt: 25:14-30)]
talent scout a person whose work is seeking out persons of superior ability in a certain field, as in the theater
taler (tä´lэr) pl. ta´ler •n. any of various former silver coins issued by various German states between the 15th and 19th cent. [Ger: see DOLLAR]
tales (tei´li:z') •n.pl. Law 1 people summoned to fill jury vacancies when the regular panel has become deficient in number, as by challenge 2 [with sing. v.] the writ that summons them [ME < ML tales (de circumstantibus), such (of those standing about), phr. in writ summoning them < L, pl. of talis, such: see THAT]
talesman (teilz´mэn, tei´li:z-) pl. ta´les·men (-mэn) •n. a person summoned as one of the tales
taleteller (teil´tel'эr) •n. 1 STORYTELLER 2 TALEBEARER
tali (tei´lai') •n. pl. of TALUS¹
Talien (täl yen´, däl-) old form of DALIAN
talion (tæl´i: эn) •n. punishment that exacts a penalty corresponding in kind to the crime [ME talioun < MFr talion < L talio (gen. talionis) < talis, such: see THAT]
taliped (tæl´i ped') •adj. having talipes; clubfooted
talipes (tæl´i pi:z') •n. CLUBFOOT [ModL < L talus, ankle + pes (gen. pedis), FOOT]
talipot (tæl´i pät') •n. a fan palm (Corypha umbraculifera) of the East Indies, with gigantic leaves used for fans, umbrellas, etc., and seeds used for buttons Also talipot palm [Beng tālipāt, palm leaf < Sans tālī, fan palm + pattra, leaf: for IE bases see TAILOR & FEATHER]
talisman (tæl´is mэn, -iz-) pl. -mans •n. 1 something, as a ring or stone, bearing engraved figures or symbols thought to bring good luck, keep away evil, etc.; amulet 2 anything thought to have magic power; a charm tal'is·man´ic or tal'is·man´i·cal •adj. [Fr < Ar tilasm, magic figure, horoscope < MGr telesma, consecrated object (hence, one with power to avert evil) < LGr, religious rite < Gr telein, to initiate, orig., to complete < telos, an end: see TELO-²]
talk (tök) •vi. 1 a) to put ideas into, or exchange ideas by, spoken words; speak; converse b) to express something in words; make a statement (of, on, about, etc. something) 2 to express ideas by speech substitutes {to talk by signs} 3 to speak emptily or trivially; chatter 4 to gossip 5 to confer; consult 6 to make noises suggestive of speech 7 to reveal secret information; esp., to confess or inform on someone 8 to make a speech, esp. a somewhat informal one •vt. 1 to put into spoken words; utter 2 to use in speaking {to talk Spanish, to talk slang} 3 a) to speak about; discuss {to talk sports} b) [Colloq.] to speak of (something impressive, remarkable, expensive, etc.) (usually in pres. part.) {we're talking high prices} 4 to put into a specified condition, state of mind, etc. by talking {to talk oneself hoarse} •n. 1 a) the act of talking; speech b) conversation, esp. of an informal nature 2 a speech, esp. a somewhat informal one 3 a formal discussion; conference 4 rumor; gossip 5 the subject of conversation, gossip, etc. 6 empty or frivolous remarks, discussion, or conversation 7 a particular kind of speech; dialect; lingo 8 sounds, as by an animal, suggestive of speech SYN. SPEAK, SPEECH big talk [Slang] bragging or boasting talk have a talk with to admonish or caution make talk 1 to talk idly, as in an effort to pass time 2 to cause gossip talk around to talk (a person) over; persuade talk at to speak to in a way that indicates a response is not really desired talk away 1 to pass (a period of time) by talking 2 to talk continuously; chatter Æ talk back to answer impertinently or rudely talk big [Slang] to boast; brag talk down 1 to silence by talking louder, longer, or more effectively than 2 to aid (a pilot) in landing by giving spoken instructions talk down to to talk in a patronizing way to, as by using pointedly simple speech talk into to persuade (someone) to do something talk out to discuss (a problem, etc.) at length in an effort to reach an understanding talk out of to dissuade (someone) from doing something talk over 1 to have a conversation about; discuss 2 to win (a person) over to one's view by talking; persuade talk someone's arm (or ear, leg, etc.) off [Slang] to talk to someone at great length or without pause talk up Æ 1 to promote or praise in discussion 2 to speak loudly and clearly Æ 3 to speak boldly, frankly, etc. talk´er •n. [ME talken (akin to Fris, to chatter), prob. freq. based on OE talian, to reckon, akin to talu, TALE]
talk show Radio, TV a program in which a host or hostess interviews or converses informally with guest celebrities, experts, etc., often with questions and comments from listeners or viewers
talkathon (tök´э θän') •n. any prolonged period of talking; extended speech, debate, etc. [prec. + (MAR)ATHON]
talkative (-tiv) •adj. talking, or fond of talking, a great deal; loquacious talk´a·tive·ly •adv. talk´a·tive·ness •n. SYN.—talkative, implying a fondness for talking frequently or at length, is perhaps the least derogatory of these words [a jolly, talkative girl]; loquacious usually implies a disposition to talk incessantly or to keep up a constant flow of chatter [a loquacious mood]; garrulous implies a wearisome loquacity about trivial matters [a garrulous old man]; voluble suggests a continuous flow of glib talk [a voluble oration]
talking (tök´iŋ) •n. the act of a person who talks; discussion; conversation •adj. that talks; talkative
talking book a recording of a reading of a book, etc. for use esp. by the blind
talking head a person on television or in a film who is shown merely speaking, as in an interview: term suggesting a dull or unimaginative presentation
talking picture old term for a film with a synchronized soundtrack Also [Old Colloq.] talk´ie (-i:) •n.
talking point a persuasive point to be emphasized, as in presenting an argument
talking-to (tök´iŋ tu:') •n. [Colloq.] a rebuke; scolding
talky (tök´i:) talk´i·er, talk´i·est •adj. 1 talkative 2 containing too much talk, or dialogue {a talky novel} talk´i·ness •n.
tall (töl) •adj. 1 of more than normal height or stature {a tall man, a tall building} 2 having a specified height {five feet tall} Æ 3 [Colloq.] hard to believe because exaggerated or untrue {a tall tale} Æ 4 [Colloq.] large; of considerable size {a tall drink} Æ 5 [Colloq.] high-flown; pompously eloquent {tall talk} 6 [Obs.] a) handsome b) brave •adv. in an upright, dignified manner {to stand tall, ride tall in the saddle} tall´ness •n. [ME tal, dexterous, seemly < OE (ge)tæl, swift, prompt, akin to OHG gizal, swift < IE base *del-, to aim > TALE, TELL¹]
tall oil a resinous liquid obtained as a byproduct in the manufacture of chemical wood pulp: it is used in the manufacture of soap, varnishes, linoleum, etc. [half-transl. of Ger tallöl, half-transl. of Swed tallolja, lit., pine oil < tall, pine < ON tholl, young fir (< IE base *tal-, to sprout > TAILOR) + Swed olja, oil < MLowG olie < VL olium, for L oleum, OIL]
tallage (tæl´ij) •n. in feudalism a) a tax levied by kings upon towns and crown lands b) a tax levied by a feudal lord upon his tenants •vt. -laged, -lag·ing to levy a tallage upon; tax [ME taillage < OFr: see TAIL² & -AGE]
Tallahassee (tæl'э hæs´i:) capital of Fla., in the N part: pop. 125,000 [< Creek talwahasi < talwa, town + hasi, old]
tallboy (töl´boi') •n. [Brit., etc. (exc. Cdn.)] HIGHBOY
Talleyrand (tæl´i rænd'; Fr tål řäñ´, tå le-) (born Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord) Prince of Benevento 1754-1838; Fr. statesman & diplomat
Tallinn (täl´in) capital of Estonia, on the Gulf of Finland: pop. 465,000: also sp. Tal´lin
Tallis (tæl´is), Thomas c. 1510-85; Eng. composer
tallish (töl´ish) •adj. somewhat tall
tallit or tallith (tä li:t´, täl´is) •n. Judaism the prayer shawl with fringes (zizit) on each corner, worn over the shoulders or head by men during morning prayer: cf. Deut. 22:12 [TalmudHeb talit, lit., cloak < ? root tll, to cover]
tallow (tæl´ou) •n. the nearly colorless and tasteless solid fat extracted from the natural fat of cattle, sheep, etc., used in making candles, soaps, lubricants, etc.: see VEGETABLE TALLOW •vt. to cover or smear with tallow tal´low·y •adj. [ME talgh, prob. < MLowG talg, akin to OE tælg, a color, telgan, to color, prob. < IE base *del-, to drip > MIr delt, dew]
tally (tæl´i:) pl. -lies •n. 1 a) orig., a stick with cross notches representing the amount of a debt owing or paid: usually the stick was split lengthwise, half for the debtor and half for the creditor b) anything used as a record for an account, reckoning, or score 2 an account, reckoning, or score 3 a) either of two corresponding parts of something; counterpart b) agreement; correspondence 4 any number of objects used as a unit in counting 5 an identifying tag or label •vt. -lied, -ly·ing 1 to put on or as on a tally; record 2 to count; add: usually with up 3 to put a label or tag on 4 [Archaic] to make (two things) agree or correspond •vi. 1 to tally something 2 to score a point or points in a game 3 to agree; correspond SYN. AGREE [ME talye < Anglo-L talia < L talea, a stick, cutting: see TAILOR]
tallyho (tæl'i: hou´; for n. & v., tæl´i: hou') •interj. the cry of a hunter on sighting the fox •n. pl. -hos' 1 a cry of tallyho 2 a coach drawn by four horses •vi. to cry tallyho [altered < Fr taïaut]
tallyman (tæl´i: mэn) pl. -men (-mэn) •n. 1 a person who tallies something 2 [Brit.] a person who sells goods door to door on the instalment plan and calls regularly to collect the payments
Talmud (täl´mud, tæl´-; -mэd) the collection of writings constituting the Jewish civil and religious law: it consists of two parts, the Mishna (text) and the Gemara (commentary), but the term is sometimes restricted to the Gemara: cf. HALAKHA and HAGGADA Tal·mud´ic or Tal·mud´i·cal •adj. Tal´mud·ism' •n. [Talmud Heb talmud, lit., learning, instruction (akin to Aram talmuda) < root lmd: see MELAMED]
Talmudist (-ist) •n. 1 any of the compilers of the Talmud 2 a student of or expert in the Talmud 3 a person who accepts the authority of the Talmud
talon (tæl´эn) •n. 1 the claw of a bird of prey or, sometimes, of an animal 2 a human finger or hand when like a claw in appearance or grasp 3 the part of the bolt of a lock upon which the key presses as it is turned 4 in card games, the stock remaining after the cards are dealt 5 Archit. an ogee molding tal´oned •adj. [ME, talon, claw < OFr, heel, spur < VL *talo < L talus, ankle]
Talos (tei´läs') Gr. Myth. 1 an inventor killed because of jealousy by Daedalus, his uncle 2 a man of brass given by Zeus to Minos, King of Crete, as a watchman
talus¹ (tei´lэs) pl. -lus·es or -li' (-lai') •n. 1 the bone of the ankle that joins with the ends of the fibula, tibia, and calcaneus to form the ankle joint; anklebone 2 the entire ankle [ModL < L, ankle]
talus² (tei´lэs) •n. 1 a slope 2 Geol. a) a pile of rock debris at the foot of a cliff b) a mantle of rock fragments on a slope below a rock face [Fr < OFr talu < L talutium, surface indications of the presence of subterranean gold, prob. of Iberian orig.]
Talwin (tæl´win) trademark for PENTAZOCINE [arbitrary name chosen in a contest for naming the product]
tam (tæm) •n. short for TAM-O'-SHANTER
tamale (tэ mä´li:) •n. a native Mexican food of minced meat, tomato sauce, and red peppers rolled in cornmeal, wrapped in corn husks or plantain leaves, and cooked by baking, steaming, etc. [MexSp tamal, pl. tamales < Nahuatl tamalli]
tamandua (tä'män dwä´) •n. a small, tree-dwelling species (Tamandua tetradactyla, family Myrmecophagidae) of edentate anteaters of tropical America, with a naked tail and large ears [Port tamanduá < Tupi < ta (contr. of tacy, ant) + monduar, hunter]
tamarack (tæm´э ræk') •n. 1 an American larch tree (Larix laricina), usually found in swamps 2 the wood of this tree [CdnFr tamarac: presumed to be of Algonquian orig.]
tamarau (tä'mэ rau´) •n. a small, black, wild buffalo (Bubalus mindorensis), native to Mindoro in the Philippines and now rare Also sp. ta'ma·rao´ [Tagalog]
tamari (tэ mä´ri:) •n. a Japanese soy sauce, made by natural methods and often aged Also tamari (soy) sauce
tamarin (tæm´э rin) •n. any of several South American marmosets having long, silky fur, esp. any of a species (Saguinus tamarin) having black hands and feet [Fr < Galibi]
tamarind (tæm´э rind') •n. 1 a tropical leguminous tree (Tamarindus indica) of the caesalpinia family, with yellow flowers and brown pods with an acid pulp 2 its fruit, used in foods, beverages, etc. [Sp tamarindo < Ar tamr hindī, date of India]
tamarisk (tæm´э risk') •n. any of a genus (Tamarix) of small trees or shrubs of the tamarisk family with slender branches and feathery flower clusters, common near salt water and often grown for a windbreak •adj. designating a family (Tamaricaceae, order Violales) of small, dicotyledonous shrubs and trees [ME tamarisc < LL tamariscus, for L tamarix]
tamasha (tэ mä´shэ) •n. in India, a spectacle; show; entertainment [Hindustani < Ar tamāsha, a walking around]
Tamaulipas (tä'mau li:´päs) state of NE Mexico, on the Gulf of Mexico: 30,734 sq. mi. (79,000 sq. km); pop. 1,935,000
Tamayo (tä mä´yô), Ru·fi·no (řu: fi:´nô) 1899-1991; Mex. painter
tambala (täm bä´lä) pl. ma'tam·ba´la (mä'-) •n. a monetary unit of Malawi, equal to ¹/100 of a kwacha [native Bantu term, lit., rooster]
tambour (tæm´bur') •n. 1 a drum 2 a) an embroidery frame of two closely fitting, concentric hoops that hold the cloth stretched between them b) embroidery worked on such a frame Æ 3 a door, panel, etc., as in a cabinet, consisting of narrow, wooden slats glued to a flexible base, as canvas, that slides in grooves, as around curves •vt., vi. to embroider on a tambour [ME < MFr < OFr tambor, a drum, prob. via Sp < Ar tunbūr (colloq. form tanbūr), stringed instrument < Pers tabīrah, drum]
tamboura or tambura (täm bur´э) •n. a lutelike instrument of India, etc., usually with four strings, used to give a drone or ostinato accompaniment [Pers tambūra]
tambourin (tæm´bэ rin'; täñ bu: řæñ´) •n. 1 a long drum used in Provence 2 a sprightly dance of Provence, or music for it [Fr, dim. of tambour: see TAMBOUR]
tambourine (tæm'bэ ri:n´) •n. a shallow, single-headed hand drum having jingling metal disks in the rim: it is played by shaking, hitting with the knuckles, etc. tam'bou·rin´ist •n. [Fr tambourin: see TAMBOURIN]
Tambov (täm böf´) city in central European Russia, southeast of Moscow: pop. 296,000
tamburitza (tæm'bэ rit´sэ, täm'-; täm bur´it-, tæm-) •n. any of a family of plucked stringed instruments of South Slavic regions, somewhat resembling the mandolin [Serb, ult. < Ar tunbūr, a stringed instrument: see TAMBOUR]
tame (teim) tam´er, tam´est •adj. 1 changed from a wild to a domesticated state, as animals trained for use by man or as pets 2 like a domesticated animal in nature; gentle and easy to control; docile 3 crushed by or as by domestication; submissive; servile 4 without spirit or force; dull {a tame boxing match} 5 cultivated: said of plants or land •vt. tamed, tam´ing 1 to make tame, or domestic 2 to overcome the wildness or fierceness of; make gentle, docile, obedient, or spiritless; subdue 3 to make less intense; soften; dull •vi. to become tame tam´a·ble or tame´a·ble •adj. tame´ly •adv. tame´ness •n. tam´er •n. [ME < OE tam < IE *dom-, var. of base *dem-, to tame, subdue < L domare, Gr daman, to tame]
tameless (-lis) •adj. 1 not tamed 2 not tamable
Tamerlane (tæm´эr lein') c. 1336-1405; Mongol warrior whose conquests extended from the Black Sea to the upper Ganges [after Timur lenk, Timur the lame]
Tamil (tæm´эl, täm´-, tûm´-) •n. 1 pl. -ils or -il any of a Tamil-speaking people living chiefly in S India and N Sri Lanka 2 the Dravidian language of the Tamils, ancient or modern: official language of the state of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (tæm'эl nä´du:, nä du:´; täm'-, tûm'-) state of S India: 50,331 sq. mi. (130,356 sq. km); pop. 48,297,000; cap. Madras
Tamm (täm), I·gor (Evgenyevich) (i:´gôř') 1895-1971; Soviet physicist
Tammany (tæm´э ni:) a powerful Democratic political organization of New York City, incorporated in 1789 and historically often associated with bossism and other political abuses Also Tammany Society or Tammany Hall •adj. of Tammany's theories, practices, etc. [after Tamanen(d), a 17th-c. Delaware chief renowned for his superior qualities: meaning of his name unknown]
Tammuz (tä´muz) •n. the tenth month of the Jewish year: see JEWISH CALENDAR [Heb tammūz < Akkadian tamūz, a god of fertility < Sumerian Dumu-zi (lit., true son), god & legendary king]
Tammy (tæm´i:) a feminine name
tam-o'-shanter (tæm´э shæn´tэr) •n. a Scottish cap with a wide, round, flat top and, often, a center pompom [< the name of the main character of Robert Burns's poem Tam o' Shanter]
tamp (tæmp) •vt. 1 in blasting, to pack clay, sand, etc. around the charge in (the drill hole) 2 to pack firmly or pound (down) by a series of blows or taps [? back-form. < tampin, var. of TAMPION]
Tampa (tæm´pэ) seaport in WC Fla., on an arm (Tampa Bay) of the Gulf of Mexico: pop. 280,000 (met. area with Clearwater & St. Petersburg, 2,068,000) [Sp < name of a town of the Calusa, an extinct Indian people of S Florida]
tampala (tæm pæl´э) •n. a cultivated strain of pigweed (Amaranthus gangeticus) [< native name in India]
tamper¹ (tæm´pэr) •n. a person or thing that tamps; specif., any of various instruments or tools for tamping
tamper² (tæm´pэr) •vi. [Archaic] to contrive something secretly; plot; scheme tamper with 1 to make secret, illegal arrangements with, as by bribing 2 to interfere with or meddle with, esp. so as to damage, corrupt, etc. tam´per·er •n. [var. of TEMPER]
Tampere (täm´pэ re') city in SW Finland: pop. 167,000
Tampico (täm pi:´kou) seaport in E Mexico, in Tamaulipas state: pop. 268,000
tampion (tæm´pi: эn) •n. a plug or stopper put in the muzzle of a gun not in use [Fr tampon, nasalized form of tapon < Frank *tappo, akin to TAP²]
tampon (tæm´pän') •n. a plug of cotton or other absorbent material put into a body cavity, wound, etc. to stop bleeding or absorb secretions •vt. to put a tampon into [Fr: see TAMPION]
tam-tam (tûm´tûm', tæm´tæm', täm´täm') •n. 1 a large gong of indefinite pitch, sounded with a soft-headed mallet 2 var. of TOM-TOM [Hindi tamtam, generic term for a tabor, drum, or gong: of echoic orig.]
tan abbrev. tangent tan (tæn) •n. 1 TANBARK 2 tannin or a solution made from it, used to tan leather 3 a yellowish-brown color 4 a darkening of the skin as by exposure to the sun or a sunlamp •adj. tan´ner, tan´nest 1 of or for tanning 2 yellowish-brown; tawny •vt. tanned, tan´ning [ME tannen < Late OE tannian < ML tannare < the n.] 1 to change (hide) into leather by soaking in tannin 2 to produce a tan color in, as by exposure to the sun 3 [Colloq.] to whip severely; flog •vi. to become tanned tan someone's hide [Colloq.] to flog someone severely [MFr < ML tanum, prob. < Gaul]
Tana (tä´nэ) 1 lake in N Ethiopia: source of the Blue Nile: c. 1,400 sq. mi. (3,625 sq. km) 2 river in E Kenya, flowing southeast into the Indian Ocean: c. 500 mi. (804 km)
Tanach (tä näkh´) •n. the Holy Scriptures of Judaism [< Heb tanakh, acronym formed from tora (the Pentateuch), neviim (the Prophets), & ketuvim (the Hagiographa)]
tanager (tæn´э jэr) •n. any of a large family (Thraupidae) of small, New World passerine birds: the males usually are brilliantly colored [ModL tanagra < Port tángara < Tupi tangara]
Tanagra (tæn´э grэ, tэ näg´rэ) ancient Greek town in Boeotia, known for the terra cotta figurines made there
Tanana (tæn´э nä', -nö') river in E Alas., flowing northwest into the Yukon River: 800 mi. (1,287 km)
Tananarive (tэ næn´э ri:v'; Fr tå nå nå ři:v´) old name of ANTANANARIVO
tanbark (tæn´bärk') •n. any bark containing tannin, used to tan hides and, after the tannin has been extracted, to cover racetracks, circus rings, etc.
Tancred (tæŋ´krid) c. 1078-1112; Norman leader of the 1st Crusade
tandem (tæn´dэm) •adv. one behind another; in single file •n. 1 a two-wheeled carriage drawn by horses harnessed tandem 2 a team, as of horses, harnessed tandem 3 a bicycle with two seats and sets of pedals placed tandem 4 a relationship between two persons or things involving cooperative action, mutual dependence, etc. {to work in tandem} •adj. having two parts or things placed tandem [orig. punning use of L, at length, finally < tam, so much (< IE *tam, acc. sing. fem. of pron. < base *to- > THE) + -dem, demonstrative particle]
tandoor (tän dur´) pl. tan·door´i (-i:) •n. an oven, orig. in India, made of clay and capable of high temperatures, for fast cooking or baking
tandoori (tän dur´i:) •adj. of or cooked in a tandoor {tandoori chicken} [Hindi < tandoor, clay oven < Turk tandur < Ar tannūr, portable oven, ult. < Akkadian tinūru]
Taney (tö´ni:), Roger B(rooke) 1777-1864; U.S. jurist: chief justice of the U.S. (1836-64)
Tang (täŋ) 618-906 A.D.; Chin. dynasty under which literature & art flourished & printing was developed
tang¹ (tæŋ) •n. 1 a projecting point or prong on a chisel, file, knife, etc., that fits into a handle, shaft, etc. 2 a strong and penetrating taste or odor 3 a touch or trace (of some quality) 4 a special or characteristic flavor, quality, etc. Æ 5 SURGEONFISH •vt. to provide (a knife, etc.) with a tang [ME tange < ON tangi, a sting, point, dagger, nasalized form of base seen in TACK]
tang² (tæŋ) •n. a loud, ringing sound; twang •vt., vi. to sound with a loud ringing [echoic]
Tanganyika (tæn'gэn yi:´kэ) 1 mainland region of Tanzania, on the E coast of Africa: a former British territory, it became a member of the Commonwealth as an independent republic (1961): united with Zanzibar to form Tanzania (1964): 361,800 sq. mi. (937,058 sq. km) 2 Lake lake in EC Africa, between Tanganyika & Zaire: 12,700 sq. mi. (32,892 sq. km) Tan'gan·yi´kan •adj., n.
tangelo (tæn´jэ lou') pl. -los' •n. a fruit produced by crossing a tangerine with a grapefruit [TANG(ERINE) + (POM)ELO]
tangent (tæn´jэnt) •adj. 1 that touches; touching 2 Geom. touching and not intersecting a curve or curved surface at one and only one point: said of a line or plane •n. [< ModL (linea) tangens, tangent (line)] 1 Geom. a) a tangent line, curve, or surface b) the length of a straight line tangent to a curve, measured from the point of tangency to the intersection of the tangent line with the x-axis 2 Trigonometry the reciprocal of the cotangent; specif., a) the ratio of the opposite side of a given acute angle in a right triangle to the adjacent side (see SINE, illus.) b) an equivalent, positive or negative ratio for certain related angles (Ex.: the tangent of 57° or 237° is 1.5399, of 123° or 303° is -1.5399) or real numbers representing radians (Ex.: the tangent of .9948 radians (57°) is 1.5399) SYN. ADJACENT go (or fly) off at (or on) a tangent to break off suddenly from a line of action or train of thought and pursue another course tan´gen·cy •n. [L tangens, prp. of tangere, to touch: see TACT]
tangential (tæn jen´shэl) •adj. 1 of, like, or in the direction of, a tangent 2 drawn as a tangent 3 going off at a tangent; diverging or digressing 4 merely touching a subject, not dealing with it at length tan·gen´tial·ly •adv.
tangerine (tæn'jэ ri:n´, tæn´jэ ri:n') •n. 1 a variety of mandarin orange with a deep-reddish-yellow color and segments that are easily separated 2 a deep-reddish-yellow color [< Fr Tanger, TANGIER + -INE¹]
tangible (tæn´jэ bэl) •adj. 1 that can be touched or felt by touch; having actual form and substance 2 corporeal and able to be appraised for value {tangible assets} 3 that can be understood; definite; objective •n. [pl.] property that can be appraised for value; assets having real substance; material things SYN. PERCEPTIBLE tan'gi·bil´i·ty or tan´gi·ble·ness •n. tan´gi·bly •adv. [LL tangibilis < L tangere, to touch: see TACT]
Tangier (tæn jir´) seaport in N Morocco, on the Strait of Gibraltar: pop. 215,000: formerly part of an internationalized zone: Fr. name Tan·ger (tän zhei´)
tangle (tæŋ´gэl) -gled, -gling •vt. 1 to hinder, obstruct, or confuse by or as by covering, circling, entwining, etc. 2 to catch in or as in a net or snare; trap 3 to make a knot or snarl of; intertwist •vi. 1 to become tangled 2 [Colloq.] to fight, quarrel, or argue •n. 1 an intertwisted, confused mass of things, as string, branches, etc.; snarl 2 a jumbled, confused condition 3 a perplexed state 4 [Colloq.] a fight, quarrel, or argument tan´gler •n. [ME tanglen, prob. nasalized var. of taglen, to entangle, akin to Swed dial. taggla, to disarrange]
tanglefoot (-fut') •n. [West Slang] cheap whiskey
tangly (tæŋ´gli:) -gli·er, -gli·est •adj. full of tangles; snarled
tango (tæŋ´gou) pl. -gos •n. 1 a dance for couples, originated in South America, with long gliding steps and dips 2 music for this dance in 2/4 or 4/4 time •vi. to dance the tango [AmSp]
tangram (tæŋ´grэm; tæn´græm') •n. a Chinese puzzle made by cutting a square into five triangles, a square, and a rhomboid, and using these pieces to form various figures and designs [prob. arbitrary coinage on analogy of ANAGRAM]
Tangshan (täŋ shän´, däŋ-) city in Hebei province, NE China, near Tianjin: pop. 1,200,000
Tanguy (täñ gi:´), Yves (i:v) 1900-55; U.S. painter, born in France
tangy (tæŋ´i:) tang´i·er, tang´i·est •adj. having a tang, or pleasantly sharp flavor tang´i·ness •n.
Tanis (tei´nis) city in ancient Egypt, in the Nile delta: probable capital of the Hyksos kings
tanist (tæn´ist, θön´-) •n. in early Ireland, the elected heir of a living Celtic chief in a system limiting the choice to the chief's kin [Ir & Gael tānaiste, next heir, hence lord of a country, lit., second, parallel < OIr tān, estate]
tank (tæŋk) •n. 1 orig., in India, a natural or artificial pool or pond used for water storage 2 any large container for liquid or gas {a gasoline tank, a swimming tank} 3 a heavily armored, self-propelled combat vehicle armed with guns and moving on full tractor treads [name orig. used for purpose of secrecy during manufacture] Æ 4 [Slang] a jail cell, esp. one for new prisoners charged with misdemeanors •vt. to put, store, or process in a tank tank up [Colloq.] 1 to supply with or get a full tank of gasoline Æ 2 to drink much liquor [in sense 1 < Gujarati tānkh; in other senses < or infl. by Sp & Port tanque, aphetic < estanque, a pool, stoppage of flow < estancar, to stop the flow of < VL *stanticare, to STAUNCH]
tank car a large tank on wheels, for carrying liquids and gases by rail
tank destroyer a highly mobile, armored vehicle on tractor treads, on which an antitank gun is mounted
tank farm an expanse of land on which a number of fuel oil storage tanks are located
tank farming HYDROPONICS
tank top a casual shirt like an undershirt but with wider shoulder straps [orig. worn in swimming tanks]
tank town a small, unimportant town: orig. applied to such a town at which railroad locomotives stopped to have their boilers filled with water
tank truck a motor truck built to be used as a TANKER (sense 2b)
tanka (täŋ´kэ) •n. 1 a Japanese verse form of 31 syllables in five unrhymed lines, the first and third having five syllables each and the others seven 2 a poem in this form [SinoJpn < tan, short + ka, poem, song]
tankage (tæŋk´ij) •n. 1 the capacity of a tank or a number of tanks collectively 2 a) the storage of fluids, gases, etc. in tanks b) the charge for such storage Æ 3 slaughterhouse waste from which the fat has been rendered in tanks: the residue is dried and ground for use as fertilizer or feed
tankard (tæŋk´эrd) •n. a large drinking cup with a handle and, often, a hinged lid [ME < OFr tanquart, prob. < tant, as much as (< L tantus < tam: see TANDEM) + quart, QUART¹]
tanked (tæŋkt) •adj. [Colloq.] drunk Also tanked up
tanker (tæŋk´эr) •n. 1 a ship with large tanks in the hull for carrying a cargo of oil or other liquids Æ 2 a) TANK CAR b) a truck, semitrailer, or trailer with a tank for transporting liquids, as gasoline, or dry commodities in bulk Æ 3 an aircraft designed to carry liquids, as chemicals, fuels, etc., for dumping on fires, refueling other aircraft in flight, etc.
tankful (tæŋk´ful') •n. as much as a tank will hold
tannage (tæn´ij') •n. 1 the act or process of tanning 2 something that has been tanned
tannate (tæn´eit) •n. a salt of tannic acid
tanner¹ (tæn´эr) •n. a person whose work is tanning hides
tanner² (tæn´эr) •n. [Brit. Colloq.] a sixpence: now historical [< ?]
tannery (tæn´эr i:) pl. -ner·ies •n. a place where hides are tanned
Tannhäuser (tän´hoi'zэr; tæn´-) a German knight and minnesinger of the 13th century, dealt with in legend as a knight who seeks absolution after giving himself up to revelry in Venusberg [Ger]
tannic (tæn´ik) •adj. 1 of, like, or obtained from tanbark or a tannin 2 tasting of tannins absorbed from grape skins and seeds and from oak barrels; somewhat bitter or astringent: said of some red wines [Fr tannique < tanin, TANNIN + -ique, -IC]
tannic acid 1 a yellowish, astringent substance, C14H10O9, derived from oak bark, gallnuts, etc. and used in tanning hides, in medicine, etc. 2 any of a number of similar substances
tannin (tæn´in) •n. any of a group of naturally occurring phenolic compounds that precipitate proteins, alkaloids, and glucosides from solution, and convert hide into leather, including tannic acid: some are present in coffee and tea [Fr tanin < tan, TAN + -in, -IN¹]
tanning (tæn´iŋ) •n. 1 the art or process of making leather from hides 2 the act of making fair skin brown, as by exposure to the sun 3 [Colloq.] a severe whipping; flogging
Tanoan (tä´nou эn) •n. a family of North American Indian languages including those of the Kiowa and of a number of pueblo villages in New Mexico and Arizona [coined (1891) by J. W. Powell < Sp Tano, Tano or Tewa Indian < Tewa thaánu]
tansy (tæn´zi:) pl. -sies •n. any of a genus (Tanacetum) of plants of the composite family; esp., a poisonous weed (T. vulgare) with strong-smelling foliage and flat-topped clusters of small, yellow, rayless flower heads [ME < OFr tanesie < VL *tanaceta < LL tanacetum < ?]
tant mieux (täñ myö´) so much the better [Fr]
tant pis (täñ pi:´) so much the worse [Fr]
Tanta (tänt´э) city in N Egypt, in the center of the Nile delta: pop. 278,000
tantalate (tæn´tэ leit') •n. a salt of tantalic acid
tantalic (tæn tæl´ik) •adj. 1 of, derived from, or containing tantalum, esp. pentavalent tantalum 2 designating any of several colorless, crystalline, acidic, hydrated tantalum pentoxides, Ta2O5·xH2O, that form salts with bases
tantalic acid a colorless, crystalline acid, HTaO3, that forms complex salts
tantalite (tæn´tэ lait') •n. a heavy, black, crystalline, orthorhombic mineral, (Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)2O6, the principal ore of tantalum [Ger tantalit: see TANTALUM & -ITE¹]
tantalize (tæn´tэ laiz') -lized', -liz'ing •vt. to tease or disappoint by promising or showing something desirable and then withholding it tan'ta·li·za´tion •n. tan´ta·liz'er •n. [< TANTALUS + -IZE]
tantalizing (tæn´tэ laiz'iŋ) •adj. 1 that tantalizes 2 tempting; enticing {a tantalizing odor of cookies} tan´ta·liz'ing·ly •adv.
tantalous (tæn´tэ lэs) •adj. of, derived from, or containing tantalum, esp. trivalent tantalum
tantalum (tæn´tэ lэm) •n. a gray, hard, ductile, corrosion-resisting, metallic chemical element found in various minerals and used in making nuclear reactors, chemical equipment, missiles, electronic components, etc.: symbol, Ta; at. wt., 180.948; at. no., 73; sp. gr., 16.6; melt. pt., 2,996°C; boil. pt., c. 5,425°C [ModL: so named (1802) by its discoverer, Anders Gustaf Ekeberg (1767-1813), Swed chemist < Gr Tantalos, TANTALUS (its insolubility in most acids made extraction from the mineral tantalizing) + -(I)UM]
Tantalus (tæn´tэ lэs) Gr. Myth. a king, son of Zeus, doomed in the lower world to stand in water that always recedes when he tries to drink it and under branches of fruit that always remain just out of reach [L < Gr Tantalos]
tantamount (tænt´э maunt') •adj. having equal force, value, effect, etc.; equal or equivalent (to) [< Anglo-Fr tant amunter, to amount to as much < OFr tant (< L tantus, so much: see TANDEM) + amonter (see AMOUNT)]
tantara (tæn´tэ rэ; tæn tær´э, -tä´rэ) •n. 1 a trumpet blast or fanfare 2 a sound like this [echoic]
tante (täñt) •n. aunt [Fr]
tantivy (tæn tiv´i:) •adv. at full gallop; headlong •n. pl. -tiv´ies a gallop; rapid movement [prob. echoic of sound of a horse galloping]
tanto (tän´tô) •adv. Musical Direction too much; so much {allegro non tanto} [It < L tantum, so much]
tantra (tûn´trэ, tän´-) •n. [often T-] any of a group of mystical Hindu or Buddhist religious writings tan´tric •adj. [Sans, a doctrine, lit., warp, akin to tanti, cord, string < IE base *ten-, to stretch > THIN]
tantrum (tæn´trэm) •n. a violent, willful outburst of annoyance, rage, etc.; childish fit of bad temper [< ?]
Tan-tung (tän tuŋ´, dän duŋ´) old form of DANDONG
Tanya (tän´yэ) a feminine name
Tanzania (tæn'zэ ni:´э) country in E Africa, formed by the merger of Tanganyika & Zanzibar (1964): it is a member of the Commonwealth: 362,820 sq. mi. (939,700 sq. km); pop. 19,730,000; cap. Dodoma Tan'za·ni´an •adj., n.
Taoism (dau´iz'эm, tau´-) •n. a Chinese religion and philosophy based on the doctrines of Laotzu and advocating simplicity, selflessness, etc. Tao´ist •n., adj. Tao·is´tic •adj. [Chin tao, the way + -ISM]
Taos (tä´ous, taus) resort town in N N.Mex.: pop. 4,000 [Sp (orig. pl.) < Taos (a Tanoan language) tðotho, pueblo name, lit., in the village]
tap dance a dance performed with sharp, loud taps of the foot, toe, or heel at each step tap´-dance', -danced', -danc'ing, •vi. tap´-danc'er •n.
tap¹ (tæp) tapped, tap´ping •vt. 1 to strike lightly and rapidly 2 to strike something lightly, and often repeatedly, with 3 to make or do by tapping {to tap a message with the fingers} Æ 4 to choose or designate, as for membership in a club 5 to repair (a shoe) by adding a thickness of leather, etc. to the heel or sole •vi. 1 to strike a light, rapid blow or a series of such blows 2 to perform a tap dance 3 to move with a tapping sound •n. 1 a light, rapid blow, or the sound made by it 2 the leather, etc. added in tapping a shoe 3 a small, metal plate attached to the heel or toe of a shoe, as for tap dancing tap´per •n. [ME tappen < OFr taper, prob. of echoic orig.]
tap² (tæp) •n. 1 a device for starting or stopping the flow of liquid in a pipe, barrel, etc.; faucet 2 a plug, cork, etc. for stopping a hole in a container holding a liquid 3 liquor of a certain kind or quality, as drawn from a certain tap 4 short for TAPROOM 5 the act or an instance of draining liquid, as from a body cavity 6 a tool used to cut threads in a female screw Æ 7 the act or an instance of wiretapping 8 Elec. a place in a circuit where a connection can be made •vt. tapped, tap´ping [ME tappen < OE tæppian < the n.] 1 to put a tap or spigot on 2 to make a hole in for drawing off liquid {to tap a sugar maple} 3 to pull out the tap or plug from 4 to draw (liquid) from a container, cavity, etc. 5 to draw upon; make use of {to tap new resources} 6 a) to make a connection with (a water main, electrical circuit, etc.) Æ b) to make a secret connection with (a telephone line) in order to overhear or record private conversations 7 to cut threads on the inner surface of (a nut, pipe, etc.) 8 [Slang] to borrow or get money from on tap 1 in a tapped or open cask (of liquor) and ready to be drawn; on draft 2 [Colloq.] ready for consideration or action tap into to use, draw upon, make a connection with, etc. {to tap into new markets abroad} tap´per •n. [ME tappe < OE tæppa, akin to Ice tappi < IE *dāp- < base *da-, to divide > TIDE¹]
tapa (tä´pä) •n. an appetizer, snack, etc., esp. as served in Spain with sherry, beer, etc.: usually used in pl. [Sp, lit., lid, cover] tapa (tä´pä) •n. an unwoven cloth made by people in the Pacific islands from the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree [Tahitian]
Tapajós or Tapajoz (tä'pэ zhösh´, -zhös´) river in N Brazil, flowing northeast into the Amazon: c. 500 mi. (804 km): with principal headstream, c. 1,200 mi. (1,931 km)
tape (teip) •n. 1 a strong, narrow, woven strip of cotton, linen, etc. used to bind seams in garments, tie bundles, etc. 2 a narrow strip or band of steel, paper, etc. 3 a strip of cloth stretched between posts above the finishing line of a race 4 short for TAPE MEASURE 5 short for ADHESIVE TAPE, FRICTION TAPE, MAGNETIC TAPE, TICKER TAPE, etc. •vt. taped, tap´ing 1 to put tape on or around, as for binding, tying, etc. 2 to measure by using a tape measure 3 to record (sound, video material, computer data, etc.) on magnetic tape tap´er •n. [ME < OE tæppe, a fillet, akin to tæppa: see TAP²]
tape deck 1 a magnetic recording device consisting of a tape transport, heads, and preamplifiers, but not amplifiers or speakers 2 a component of an audio system containing such a mechanism and used to record and play back magnetic tapes, usually using an external amplifier and speakers
tape grass any of several submerged, freshwater, flowering plants (genus Vallisneria) of the frog's-bit family, with elongated, ribbonlike leaves
tape loop LOOP¹ (n.6)
tape measure a tape with marks in inches, feet, centimeters, meters, etc. for measuring: also tape´line' (-lain') •n.
tape recorder a device for recording on magnetic tape and for playing back what has been recorded: see MAGNETIC RECORDING
tape transport the mechanism consisting of motors, pulleys, etc. that moves magnetic tape past the heads of a tape deck or recorder
taper (tei´pэr) •n. 1 a wax candle, esp. a long, slender one 2 a long wick coated with wax, used for lighting candles, lamps, etc. 3 any feeble light 4 a) a gradual decrease in width or thickness {the taper of a pyramid} b) a gradual decrease in action, power, etc. 5 something that tapers •adj. gradually decreased in breadth or thickness toward one end •vt., vi. 1 to decrease gradually in width or thickness 2 to lessen; diminish taper off 1 to become smaller gradually toward one end 2 to diminish or stop gradually [ME < OE tapur, prob. by dissimilation < L papyrus (see PAPER): from use of papyrus pith as wick]
tape-record (teip´ri körd') •vt. to record on magnetic tape
tapestry (tæp´эs tri:) pl. -tries •n. a heavy cloth woven by hand or machinery with decorative designs and pictures and used as a wall hanging, furniture covering, etc. •vt. -tried, -try·ing to decorate as with a tapestry: usually in the pp. [LME tapsterie, earlier tapicerie < MFr tapisserie < OFr tapis, a carpet < MGr tapētion < Gr, dim. of tapēs (gen. tapētos), a carpet, prob. < Iran, as in Pers tāftan, to twist, spin < IE *temp- < base *ten-, to stretch > THIN]
tapetum (tэ pi:t´эm) pl. -pe´ta (-э) •n. 1 Anat., Zool. any of various membranous layers; esp., a) the iridescent choroid membrane in the eye of certain animals, as the cat b) a layer of fibers from the corpus callosum forming a portion of the roof of each lateral ventricle of the brain 2 Bot. a nutritive layer of cells lining the inner wall of a fern sporangium or of an anther ta·pe´tal •adj. [ModL < L < tapete, a carpet < Gr tapēs: see TAPESTRY]
tapeworm (teip´wørm') •n. any of various cestode flatworms that live in the adult stage as parasites in the intestines of humans and other vertebrates and in the larval stage usually in various intermediate hosts
taphouse (tæp´haus') •n. a tavern or inn [TAP² + HOUSE]
tapioca (tæp'i: ou´kэ) •n. 1 a starchy, granular substance prepared from the root of the cassava plant, used to make puddings, thicken soups, etc. 2 pudding made from this substance [Port & Sp < Tupi & Guarani typyoca < tipi, dregs + ok, to squeeze out]
tapir (tei´pэr) pl. ta´pirs •n.or ta´pir any of a family (Tapiridae) of large, hoofed, hoglike perissodactylous mammals of tropical America and the Malay Peninsula: tapirs have flexible snouts, feed on plants, and are active at night [Sp < Tupi tapyra, large mammal, tapir]
tapis (tæp´i:, -is; tæ pi:´) •n. tapestry used as a curtain, tablecloth, carpet, etc.: now only in on (or upon) the tapis, under consideration [MFr < OFr: see TAPESTRY]
tappet (tæp´it) •n. a sliding rod in an engine or machine moved by intermittent contact with a cam and used to move another part, as a valve [TAP¹ + -ET]
tapping (tæp´iŋ) •n. 1 the act of a person or thing that taps 2 [pl.] that which is drawn by tapping
taproom (tæp´ru:m') •n. BARROOM [TAP² + ROOM]
taproot (tæp´ru:t') •n. a main root, growing almost vertically downward, from which small branch roots spread out [TAP² + ROOT¹]
taps (tæps) •n. Æ a bugle call to put out lights in retiring for the night, as in an army camp: also sounded at a military funeral [< TAP¹, because orig. a drum signal]
tapster (tæp´stэr) •n. [Now Rare] a bartender [ME < OE tæppestre, barmaid < tæppa: see TAP²]
tar paper a heavy paper impregnated with tar, used as a base for roofing, etc.
tar sands Geol. sands or sandstone deposits containing tarry, viscous, bituminous oil
tar¹ (tär) •n. 1 a thick, sticky, brown to black liquid with a pungent odor, obtained by the destructive distillation of wood, coal, peat, shale, etc.: tars are composed of hydrocarbons and their derivatives, and are used for protecting and preserving surfaces, in making various organic compounds, etc. 2 loosely, any of the solids in smoke, as from tobacco •vt. tarred, tar´ring to cover or smear with or as with tar •adj. 1 of or like tar 2 covered with tar; tarred Æ tar and feather to cover (a person) with tar and feathers as in punishment by mob action tarred with the same brush (or stick) having similar faults or obnoxious traits [ME terre < OE teru < PGmc *terw(i)a-, substance from trees < IE base *deru-, TREE]
tar² (tär) •n. [Colloq.] a sailor [< TAR(PAULIN)]
taradiddle (tær´э did'ªl) •n. [Colloq., Chiefly Brit., etc.] a petty lie; fib [fanciful elaboration of DIDDLE²]