ti ['tē] -n

  1. any of several Asian and Pacific trees or shrubs (genus Cordyline) of the agave family with leaves in terminal tufts
  2. the seventh tone of the diatonic scale in solmization

Ti -symbol

  1. titanium

TIA -abbr

  1. transient ischemic attack

ti·ara [tē-'er-ə, -'är-] -n

  1. a 3-tiered crown worn by the pope
  2. a decorative jeweled or flowered headband or semicircle for formal wear by women

Ti·bet·an [tə-'be-tᵊn] -n, adj

  1. a member of the predominant people of Tibet and adjacent areas of Asia
  2. the Tibeto-Burman language of the Tibetan people
  3. a native inhabitant of Tibet

Tibetan Buddhism -n

  1. a form of Mahayana Buddhism that evolved in Tibet and is dominated by the sect of the Dalai Lama

Tibetan terrier -n

  1. any of a breed of terriers resembling Old English sheepdogs but having a curled well-feathered tail

Ti·betoBur·man [tə-,be-tō-'bər-mən] -n

  1. a language family that includes Tibetan, Burmese, and related languages of southern and eastern Asia
  2. a member of a people speaking a Tibeto-Burman language

tib·ia ['ti-bē-ə] -n, adj

  1. the inner and usu. larger of the two bones of the vertebrate hind or lower limb between the knee and ankle
  2. the fourth joint of the leg of an insect between the femur and tarsus

tib·io·fib·u·la [,ti-bē-ō-'fi-byə-lə] -n

  1. a bone esp. in frogs and toads that is formed by fusion of the tibia and fibula

tic ['tik] -n

  1. local and habitual spasmodic motion of particular muscles esp. of the face : twitching
  2. a frequent usu. unconscious quirk of behavior or speech
    • you know is a verbal tic

ti·cal [ti-'käl, 'ti-kəl] -n

  1. baht

tic dou·lou·reux ['tik-,dü-lə-'rü, -'rə(r)] -n

  1. trigeminal neuralgia

tick ['tik] -n

  1. any of a superfamily (Ixodoidea) of bloodsucking acarid arachnids that are larger than the related mites, attach themselves to warm-blooded vertebrates to feed, and include important vectors of infectious diseases
  2. any of various usu. wingless parasitic dipteran flies
  3. the fabric case of a mattress, pillow, or bolster
  4. a mattress consisting of a tick and its filling
  5. ticking
  6. a light rhythmic audible tap or beat
  7. a series of such ticks
  8. the time taken by the tick of a clock : moment
  9. a small spot or mark
  10. one used to direct attention to something, to check an item on a list, or to represent a point on a scale
  11. to make the sound of a tick or a series of ticks
  12. to operate as a functioning mechanism : run
    • tried to understand what made him tick
    • the motor was tick ing over quietly
  13. to mark with a written tick : check usu. used with off
    • tick ed off each item in the list
  14. to mark, count, or announce by or as if by ticking beats
    • a meter tick ing off the cab fare
  15. to touch with a momentary glancing blow
    • tick ed the ball
  16. credit, trust
  17. a credit account

tickborne ['tik-,bȯrn] -adj

  1. capable of being transmitted by the bites of ticks
    • tickborne encephalitis

ticked ['tikt] -adj

  1. marked with ticks : flecked
  2. having or made of hair banded with two or more colors
    • a ticked cat
    • a ticked coat
  3. angry, upset

tick·er ['ti-kər] -n

  1. : something that ticks or produces a ticking sound: as
  2. watch
  3. a telegraphic receiving instrument that automatically prints off information (as stock quotations or news) on a paper ribbon
  4. a graphic on which information is scrolled across the top or bottom of a television or computer screen
  5. heart

ticker tape -n

  1. the paper ribbon on which a telegraphic ticker prints off its information

tick·et ['ti-kət] -n, adj

  1. a document that serves as a certificate, license, or permit
  2. a mariner's or airman's certificate
  3. tag, label
  4. a certificate or token showing that a fare or admission fee has been paid
  5. a means of access or passage
    • education is the ticket to a good job
  6. a list of candidates for nomination or election : slate
  7. the correct or desirable thing
    • cooperation, that's the ticket -- K. E. Trombley
  8. a slip or card recording a transaction or undertaking or giving instructions
    • a savings deposit ticket
  9. a summons or warning issued to a traffic-law violator

ticket -vt

  1. to attach a ticket to : label
  2. designate
  3. to furnish or serve with a ticket
    • ticket ed for illegal parking

ticket agency -n

  1. an agency selling transportation or theater and entertainment tickets

ticket agent -n

  1. one who sells transportation or theater and entertainment tickets

ticket office -n

  1. an office of a transportation company, theatrical or entertainment enterprise, or ticket agency where tickets are sold and reservations made

tick·etofleave [,ti-kət-ə(v)-'lēv] -n

  1. a license or permit formerly given in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations to a convict under imprisonment to go at large and to get work subject to certain specific conditions

tick fever -n

  1. texas fever
  2. a febrile disease (as Rocky Mountain spotted fever) transmitted by the bites of ticks

tick·ing ['ti-kiŋ] -n

  1. a strong linen or cotton fabric used in upholstering and as a covering for a mattress or pillow

ticking -n

  1. ticked marking on a bird or mammal or on individual hairs

tick·le ['ti-kəl] -vb

  1. to excite or stir up agreeably : please
    • music...does more than tickle our sense of rhythm -- Edward Sapir
  2. to provoke to laughter or merriment : amuse
    • were tickled by the clown's antics
  3. to touch (as a body part) lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements
  4. to touch or stir gently
    • a pianist tickling the ivories
  5. to have a tingling or prickling sensation
    • my back tickle s
  6. to excite the surface nerves to prickle

tickle -n

  1. the act of tickling
  2. a tickling sensation
  3. something that tickles

tick·ler ['ti-k(ə-)lər] -n

  1. a person or device that tickles
  2. a device for jogging the memory
  3. a file that serves as a reminder and is arranged to bring matters to timely attention

tick·lish ['ti-k(ə-)lish] -adj, adv, n

  1. touchy, oversensitive
    • ticklish about his baldness
  2. easily overturned
    • a canoe is a ticklish craft
  3. requiring delicate handling
    • a ticklish subject
  4. sensitive to tickling

tick off -vt

  1. reprimand, rebuke
    • his father ticked him off for his impudence
  2. to make angry or indignant
    • the cancellation really ticked me off

tick·seed ['tik-,sēd] -n

  1. coreopsis

tick·tack ['tik-,tak] -n

  1. a ticking or tapping beat like that of a clock or watch
  2. a contrivance used by children to tap on a window from a distance

tick·tock ['tik-'täk, -,täk] -n

  1. the ticking sound of a clock

tick trefoil -n

  1. any of various leguminous plants (genus Desmodium) with trifoliolate leaves and rough sticky loments

tickytacky [,ti-kē-'ta-kē] -n

  1. sleazy or shoddy material used esp. in the construction of look-alike tract houses
  2. something built of ticky-tacky
  3. of an uninspired or monotonous sameness
  4. tacky
  5. built of ticky-tacky

tictactoe [,tik-,tak-'tō] -n

  1. a game in which two players alternately put Xs and Os in compartments of a figure formed by two vertical lines crossing two horizontal lines and each tries to get a row of three Xs or three Os before the opponent does

tid -abbr

  1. three times a day

tid·al ['tī-dᵊl] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, caused by, or having tides
    • tidal cycles
    • tidal erosion
  2. periodically rising and falling or flowing and ebbing
    • tidal waters
  3. dependent (as to the time of arrival or departure) upon the state of the tide
    • a tidal steamer

tidal wave -n

  1. something overwhelming esp. in quantity or volume
    • a tidal wave of tourists
  2. an unusually high sea wave that is triggered esp. by an earthquake
  3. an unusual rise of water alongshore due to strong winds

tid·bit ['tid-,bit] -n

  1. a choice morsel of food
  2. a choice or pleasing bit (as of information)

tid·dle·dy·winks ['ti-dᵊl-dē-,wiŋ(k)s] -n pl but sing in constr

  1. a game whose object is to snap small disks from a flat surface into a small container

tid·dler ['ti-dᵊl-ər, 'tid-lər] -n

  1. a small fish (as a stickleback or minnow)

tid·dly ['ti-dᵊl-ē, 'tid-lē] -adj

  1. slightly drunk

tide ['tīd] -n, adj

  1. a space of time : period
  2. a fit or opportune time : opportunity
  3. an ecclesiastical anniversary or festival
  4. its season usu. used in combination
    • Easter tide
  5. the alternate rising and falling of the surface of the ocean and of water bodies (as gulfs and bays) connected with the ocean that occurs usu. twice a day and is the result of differing gravitational forces exerted at different parts of the earth by another body (as the moon or sun)
  6. a less marked rising and falling of an inland body of water
  7. a periodic movement in the earth's crust caused by the same forces that produce ocean tides
  8. a periodic distortion on one celestial body caused by the gravitational attraction of another
  9. one of the periodic movements of the atmosphere resembling those of the ocean and produced by gravitation or diurnal temperature changes
  10. flood tide
  11. something that fluctuates like the tides of the sea
    • the tide of public opinion
  12. a surging movement of a group
    • a tide of opportunists
  13. a flowing stream : current
  14. the waters of the ocean
  15. the overflow of a flooding stream
  16. to flow as or in a tide : surge
  17. to cause to float with or as if with the tide
  18. betide, befall

tide·land ['tīd-,land, -lənd] -n

  1. land overflowed during flood tide
  2. land underlying the ocean and lying beyond the low-water limit of the tide but being within the territorial waters of a nation often used in pl.

tide·mark [-,märk] -n

  1. a high-water or sometimes low-water mark left by tidal water or a flood
  2. a mark placed to indicate this point
  3. the point to which something has attained or below which it has receded
    • the tidemark of tolerance has risen -- New Republic

tide over -vt

  1. to support or enable to survive temporarily
    • money to tide us over until payday

tide pool -n

  1. a pool of salt water left (as in a rock basin) by an ebbing tide called also tidal pool

tide·wa·ter [-,wȯ-tər, -,wä-] -n

  1. water overflowing land at flood tide
  2. water affected by the ebb and flow of the tide
  3. low-lying coastal land

tide·way [-,wā] -n

  1. a channel in which the tide runs

tiding -n

  1. a piece of news usu. used in pl.
    • good tiding s

ti·dy ['tī-dē] -adj, adv, n

  1. properly filled out : plump
  2. adequately satisfactory : acceptable, fair
    • a tidy solution to their problem
  3. neat and orderly in appearance or habits : well ordered and cared for
  4. methodical, precise
    • a tidy mind
  5. large, substantial
    • a tidy profit

tidy -vb, n

  1. to put in order
    • tidy up a room
  2. to make things tidy
    • tidy ing up after supper
  3. a usu. compartmentalized receptacle for various small objects
  4. a piece of fancywork used to protect the back, arms, or headrest of a chair or sofa from wear or soil

ti·dy·tips ['tī-dē-,tips] -n pl but sing or pl in constr

  1. an annual California composite herb ( Layia platyglossa) having yellow-rayed flower heads often tipped with white

tie ['tī] -n, adj

  1. a line, ribbon, or cord used for fastening, uniting, or drawing something closed
  2. shoelace
  3. a structural element (as a rod or angle iron) holding two pieces together : a tension member in a construction
  4. any of the transverse supports to which railroad rails are fastened to keep them in line
  5. : something that serves as a connecting link: as
  6. a moral or legal obligation to someone or something typically constituting a restraining power, influence, or duty
  7. a bond of kinship or affection
  8. a curved line that joins two musical notes of the same pitch to denote a single tone sustained through the time value of the two
  9. an equality in number (as of votes or scores)
  10. equality in a contest
  11. a contest that ends in a draw
  12. a method or style of tying or knotting
  13. : something that is knotted or is to be knotted when worn: as
  14. necktie
  15. a low laced shoe : oxford
  16. to fasten, attach, or close by means of a tie
  17. to form a knot or bow in
    • tie your scarf
  18. to make by tying constituent elements
    • tied a wreath
    • tie a fishing fly
  19. to place or establish in relationship : connect
  20. to unite in marriage
  21. to unite (musical notes) by a tie
  22. to join (power systems) electrically
  23. to restrain from independence or freedom of action or choice : constrain by or as if by authority, influence, agreement, or obligation
  24. to make or have an equal score with in a contest
  25. to equalize (the score) in a game or contest
  26. to equalize the score of (a game)
  27. to provide or offer something equal to : equal
  28. : to make a tie: as
  29. to make a bond or connection
  30. to make an equal score
  31. to become attached
  32. to close by means of a tie

tieanddye ['tī-ən-,dī] -n

  1. tie-dyeing

tie·back ['tī-,bak] -n

  1. a decorative strip or device of cloth, cord, or metal for draping a curtain to the side of a window
  2. a curtain with a tieback usu. used in pl.

tie·break·er ['tī-,brā-kər] -n

  1. a contest used to select a winner from among contestants with tied scores at the end of a previous contest

tied cottage -n

  1. a cottage or house owned by an employer (as a farmer) and reserved for occupancy by an employee

tiedown [-,dau̇n] -n

  1. a fitting or a system of lines and fittings used to secure something (as an aircraft or cargo)

tiedye ['tī-,dī] -n

  1. tie-dyeing
  2. a tie-dyed garment or fabric

tiedyed -adj

  1. having patterns produced by tie-dyeing
    • tiedyed shirts

tiedye·ing ['tī-,dī-iŋ] -n

  1. a hand method of producing patterns in textiles by tying portions of the fabric or yarn so that they will not absorb the dye

tiein ['tī-,in] -n

  1. something that ties in, relates, or connects esp. in a promotional campaign
  2. a book that inspired or was inspired by a motion picture or television program

tie in -vt

  1. : to bring into connection with something relevant: as
  2. to make the final connection of
    • tied in the new branch pipeline
  3. to coordinate in such a manner as to produce balance and unity
    • the illustrations were tied in with the text
  4. to use as a tie-in esp. in advertising
  5. to become tied in

tieline ['tī-,līn] -n

  1. a telephone line that directly connects two or more private branch exchanges

tie·pin ['tī-,pin] -n

  1. an ornamental straight pin that has usu. a sheath for the point and is used to hold the ends of a necktie in place

tier ['tir] -n

  1. a row, rank, or layer of articles
  2. one of two or more rows, levels, or ranks arranged one above another
  3. a group of political or geographic divisions that form a row across the map
    • the southern tier of states
  4. class, category
  5. to place or arrange in tiers
  6. to rise in tiers

ti·er ['tī(-ə)r] -n

  1. one that ties

tierce ['tərs] -n

(variant of terce)

  1. the third of the canonical hours

tier·cel ['tir-səl] -n

  1. a male hawk

tiered ['tird] -adj

  1. having or arranged in tiers, rows, or layers often used in combination
    • triple- tiered

tierod ['tī-,räd] -n

  1. a rod (as of steel) used as a connecting member or brace

tie silk -n

  1. a silk fabric of firm resilient pliable texture used for neckties and for blouses and accessories

tie tack [-,tak] -n

  1. an ornamented pin with a receiving button or clasp that is used to attach the two parts of a necktie together or to attach a necktie to a shirt

tieup ['tī-,əp] -n

  1. a cow stable
  2. a space for a single cow in a stable
  3. a mooring place for a boat
  4. a slowdown or stoppage of traffic, business, or operation (as by a mechanical breakdown)
  5. connection, association
    • helpful financial tieup s

tie up -vt

  1. to attach, fasten, or bind securely
  2. to wrap up and fasten
  3. to connect closely : join
    • tie up the loose ends
  4. to cause to be linked so as to depend on or relate to something
  5. to place or invest in such a manner as to make unavailable for other purposes
    • their money was tied up in stocks
  6. to restrain from normal movement, operation, or progress
    • traffic was tied up for miles
  7. to keep busy
    • was tied up in conference all day
  8. to preempt the use of
    • tied up the phone for an hour
  9. dock
    • the ferry ties up at the south slip
  10. to assume a definite relationship
    • this ties up with what I told you before

tiff ['tif] -vi

  1. to have a petty quarrel
  2. a petty quarrel

tif·fa·ny ['ti-fə-nē] -n

  1. a sheer silk gauze formerly used for clothing and trimmings
  2. a plain-woven open-mesh cotton fabric (as cheesecloth)

Tif·fa·ny ['ti-fə-nē] -adj

  1. being glass or an article of glass made by or in the manner of Louis C. Tiffany
  2. made of pieces of stained glass
    • a Tiffany -style lamp
    • a Tiffany window

tif·fin ['ti-fən] -n

  1. a light midday meal : luncheon

ti·ger ['tī-gər] -n, adj, adv

  1. a large Asian carnivorous mammal ( Panthera tigris) of the cat family having a usu. tawny coat transversely striped with black
  2. any of several large wildcats (as the jaguar or cougar)
  3. a domestic cat with striped pattern
  4. tasmanian tiger
  5. a fierce, daring, or aggressive person or quality
    • aroused the tiger in him
    • a tiger for work
  6. one (as a situation) that is formidable or impossible to control
    • how the tiger of inflation can be tamed -- J. A. Davenport
    often used in the phrases ride a tiger and have a tiger by the tail
  7. a groom in livery

tiger beetle -n

  1. any of numerous active carnivorous beetles (family Cicindelidae) having larvae that tunnel in the soil

tiger cat -n

  1. any of various wildcats (as the serval, ocelot, or margay) of moderate size and variegated coloration
  2. a striped or sometimes blotched tabby cat

ti·ger·eye ['tī-gər-,ī] -n

  1. a usu. yellowish to brown chatoyant stone that consists of silicified crocidolite and is much used for ornament

tiger lily -n

  1. a common Asian garden lily ( Lilium lancifoliumsyn. L. tigrinum) that has nodding orange-colored flowers densely spotted with black and alternate leaves with black bulblets in the leaf axils
  2. any of various lilies with similar flowers

tiger maple -n

  1. maple lumber having a distinct irregularly striped pattern and much used for furniture

tiger mosquito -n

  1. asian tiger mosquito

tiger moth -n

  1. any of a family (Arctiidae) of stout-bodied moths usu. with broad striped or spotted wings

tiger salamander -n

  1. a large widely distributed No. American salamander ( Ambystoma tigrinumof the family Ambystomatidae) that is variably colored with contrasting blotches, spots, or bars

tiger shark -n

  1. a large gray or brown stocky-bodied requiem shark ( Galeocerdo cuvieri) that is nearly cosmopolitan esp. in warm seas and can be dangerous to humans

tiger shrimp -n

  1. a large shrimp ( Penaeus monodonof the family Penaeidae) of the Indian and Pacific oceans that is often farmed and widely sold as food

tiger swallowtail -n

  1. a large widely distributed swallowtail ( Papilio glaucus) of eastern No. America that in the male is largely yellow with black margins and black stripes on the wings and in the female is usu. similarly marked in the north but is very often all or mostly black in the south
  2. any of several closely related black and yellow swallowtails (as P. rutulusof western No. America)

tight ['tīt] -adj, adv, n

  1. having elements close together
    • a tight formation
    • a tight line of type
  2. so close in structure as to prevent passage or escape (as of liquid, gas, or light)
    • a tight ship
    • a tight seal
  3. fitting very close to the body
    • tight jeans
  4. too snug
    • tight shoes
  5. closely packed : very full
    • a tight bale of hay
  6. barely allowing time for completion
    • a tight schedule
    • tight deadlines
  7. allowing little or no room for free motion or movement
    • a tight connection
    • a tight crawl space
  8. having a small radius
    • a tight turn
  9. strongly fixed or held : secure
    • a tight jar lid
    • a tight grip on the ladder
  10. not slack or loose : taut
    • kept the reins tight
    • a tight knot
    • a tight drumhead
  11. marked by firmness and muscle tone
    • a tight stomach
  12. marked by unusual tension (as in the face or body)
    • lips tight with anger
    • a family tight with fear
  13. capable, competent
  14. difficult to cope with
    • in a tight spot financially
  15. relatively difficult to obtain
    • money is tight just now
  16. characterized by such difficulty
    • a tight job market
  17. not liberal in giving : stingy
    • tight with a penny
  18. characterized by little difference in the relative positions of contestants with respect to final outcome : close
    • a tight race for mayor
  19. somewhat drunk
  20. characterized by firmness or strictness in control or application or in attention to details
    • tight zoning codes
    • tight security
    • ran a tight newsroom
    • keeps a tight hand on her investments
  21. marked by control or discipline in expression or style : having little or no extraneous matter
    • tight writing
  22. characterized by a polished style and precise arrangements in music performance
  23. having a close personal or working relationship : intimate
    • in tight with the boss
  24. being such that the subject fills the frame
    • filming a tight close-up
  25. fast, tightly, firmly
    • the door was shut tight
  26. in a sound manner : soundly
    • sleep tight

tight·en ['tī-tᵊn] -vb, n

  1. to make tight or tighter
  2. to become tight or tighter

tight end -n

  1. an offensive football end who lines up close to the tackle and can act as a lineman or receiver

tight·fist·ed ['tīt-'fis-təd] -adj, n

  1. reluctant to part with money

tightknit [-'nit] -adj

  1. closely integrated and bound in love or friendship
    • a tightknit family

tightlipped [-'lipt] -adj

  1. having the lips closed tight (as in determination)
  2. reluctant to speak : taciturn

tightmouthed [-'mau̇thd, -'mau̇tht] -adj

  1. closemouthed

tight·rope ['tīt-,rōp] -n

  1. a rope or wire stretched taut for acrobats to perform on
  2. a dangerously precarious situation usu. used in the phrase walk a tightrope

tights ['tīts] -n pl

  1. a skintight garment covering the body from the neck down or from the waist down
  2. panty hose

tight·wad ['tīt-,wäd] -n

  1. a close or miserly person

tight·wire [-,wī(-ə)r] -n

  1. a tightrope made of wire

ti·glon ['tī-glən] -n

  1. a hybrid between a male tiger and a female lion

ti·gon ['tī-gən] -n

  1. tiglon

Ti·gre ['ti-(,)grā, 'tē-; tē-'] -n

  1. a Semitic language of northern Eritrea and adjacent parts of Sudan

ti·gress ['tī-grəs] -n

  1. a female tiger
  2. a tigerish woman

Ti·gri·nya [tə-'grē-nyə] -n

  1. a Semitic language of northern Ethiopia and Eritrea

tike ['tīk] -n

(variant of tyke)

  1. dog
  2. an inferior or mongrel dog
  3. a clumsy, churlish, or eccentric person
  4. a small child

ti·ki ['tē-kē] -n

  1. a wood or stone image of a Polynesian supernatural power

tiki bar -n

  1. a restaurant or bar decorated in a simulated Polynesian theme that usu. serves exotic cocktails

tik·ka ['ti-kə] -n

  1. an Indian dish of marinated meat cooked on a skewer

til ['til] -n

  1. sesame

ti·la·pia [tə-'lä-pē-ə, -'lā-] -n

  1. any of numerous African freshwater cichlid fishes (genera Oreochromis, Tilapia,and Sarotherodon) often raised for food

til·bury ['til-,ber-ē, -b(ə-)rē] -n

  1. a light 2-wheeled carriage

til·de ['til-də] -n

  1. a mark placed esp. over the letter n(as in Spanish seorsir) to denote the sound n or over vowels (as in Portuguese irmsister) to indicate nasality
  2. the mark tilde used to indicate negation in logic and the geometric relation is similar to in mathematics
  3. the mark tilde used to indicate an approximate value

tile ['tī(-ə)l] -n

  1. a flat or curved piece of fired clay, stone, or concrete used esp. for roofs, floors, or walls and often for ornamental work
  2. a hollow or a semicircular and open earthenware or concrete piece used in constructing a drain
  3. a hollow building unit made of fired clay or of shale or gypsum
  4. tiling
  5. hat
  6. a high silk hat
  7. a thin piece of resilient material (as cork, linoleum, or rubber) used esp. for covering floors or walls
  8. a thin piece resembling a ceramic tile that usu. bears a mark or letter and is used as a playing piece in a board game (as mah-jongg)
  9. to cover with tiles
  10. to install drainage tile in

tile·fish ['tī(-ə)l-,fish] -n

  1. any of various marine bony fishes (family Malacanthidae) used as food
  2. a large fish ( Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) of deep waters of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico with a fleshy appendage on the head and yellow spots on the upper body and some of its fins

tiling -n

  1. the action or work of one who tiles
  2. tiles
  3. a surface of tiles
  4. tessellation
  5. a generalization of this to fill Euclidean space of three or higher dimensions using geometric objects of the same dimension as the space filled

till [tᵊl, təl, 'til] -prep

  1. to
  2. until
  3. until
  4. to work by plowing, sowing, and raising crops : cultivate
  5. a box, drawer, or tray in a receptacle (as a cabinet or chest) used esp. for valuables
  6. a money drawer in a store or bank
  7. cash register
  8. the money contained in a till
  9. a supply of esp. ready money
  10. unstratified glacial drift consisting of clay, sand, gravel, and boulders intermingled

till·age ['ti-lij] -n

  1. the operation of tilling land
  2. cultivated land

til·land·sia [tə-'lan(d)-zē-ə] -n

  1. any of a large genus ( Tillandsia) of chiefly epiphytic plants of the pineapple family native to tropical and subtropical America

til·ler ['ti-lər] -n

  1. stalk, sprout
  2. one from the base of a plant or from the axils of its lower leaves
  3. to put forth tillers

till·er ['ti-lər] -n

  1. one that tills : cultivator

til·ler ['ti-lər] -n

  1. a lever used to turn the rudder of a boat from side to side
  2. a device or system that plays a part in steering something

til·ler·man ['ti-lər-mən] -n

  1. one in charge of a tiller : steersman

Til·sit ['til-sət] -n

  1. a semisoft porous light yellow cheese with a flavor that ranges from mild to sharp

tilt ['tilt] -n

  1. a canopy for a wagon, boat, or stall
  2. to cover or provide with a tilt
  3. a contest on horseback in which two combatants charging with lances or similar weapons try to unhorse each other : joust
  4. a tournament of tilts
  5. dispute, contention
  6. speed used in the phrase full tilt
  7. the act of tilting : the state or position of being tilted
  8. a sloping surface
  9. slant, bias
    • a tilt toward military involvement
  10. any of various contests resembling or suggesting tilting with lances
  11. to cause to have an inclination
  12. to point or thrust in or as if in a tilt
    • tilt a lance
  13. to charge against
    • tilt an adversary
  14. to move or shift so as to lean or incline : slant
  15. to incline, tend, or become drawn toward an opinion, course of action, or one side of a controversy
  16. to engage in a combat with lances : joust
  17. to make an impetuous attack
    • tilt at social evils

tilth ['tilth] -n

  1. cultivated land : tillage
  2. the state of aggregation of a soil esp. in relation to its suitability for crop growth

tilt·me·ter ['tilt-,mē-tər] -n

  1. an instrument to measure the tilting of the earth's surface

tiltro·tor [-,rō-tər] -n

  1. an aircraft that has rotors at the end of each wing which can be oriented vertically for vertical takeoffs and landings, horizontally for forward flight, or to any position in between

tilt·yard ['tilt-,yärd] -n

  1. a yard or place for tilting contests

Tim -abbr

  1. Timothy

tim·bale ['tim-bəl; tim-'bäl, tam-] -n

  1. a creamy mixture (as of meat or vegetables) baked in a mold
  2. the mold in which it is baked
  3. a small pastry shell filled with a cooked timbale mixture
  4. one of a set of single-headed cylindrical drums played with sticks usu. used in pl.

tim·ber ['tim-bər] -n, adj

  1. growing trees or their wood
  2. used interjectionally to warn of a falling tree
  3. wood suitable for building or for carpentry
  4. material, stuff
  5. a person or type of person qualified for a particular position or status
    • managerial timber
  6. a large squared or dressed piece of wood ready for use or forming part of a structure
  7. lumber
  8. a curving frame branching outward from the keel of a ship and bending upward in a vertical direction that is usu. composed of several pieces united : rib

timber [-b(ə-)riŋ] -vt

  1. to frame, cover, or support with timbers

tim·ber·doo·dle [,tim-bər-'dü-dᵊl] -n

  1. the No. American woodcock

tim·bered ['tim-bərd] -adj

  1. having walls framed by exposed timbers
  2. having a specified structure or constitution
  3. covered with growing timber : wooded

tim·ber·head ['tim-bər-,hed] -n

  1. the top end of a ship's timber used above the gunwale (as for belaying ropes)
  2. a bollard bolted to the deck where the end of a timber would come

timber hitch -n

  1. a knot used to secure a line to a log or spar

tim·ber·ing ['tim-b(ə-)riŋ] -n

  1. a set or arrangement of timbers

tim·ber·land [-bər-,land] -n

  1. wooded land esp. with marketable timber

tim·ber·line [-,līn] -n

  1. the upper limit of arboreal growth in mountains or high latitudes called also tree line

tim·ber·man [-mən] -n

  1. lumberman

timber rattlesnake -n

  1. a widely distributed rattlesnake ( Crotalus horridus) chiefly of the eastern U.S.

timber wolf -n

  1. gray wolf

tim·ber·work ['tim-bər-,wərk] -n

  1. timber construction

tim·bre ['tam-bər, 'tim-; 'tam(brᵊ)] -n, adj

  1. : the quality given to a sound by its overtones: as
  2. the resonance by which the ear recognizes and identifies a voiced speech sound
  3. the quality of tone distinctive of a particular singing voice or musical instrument

tim·brel ['tim-brəl] -n, adj

  1. a small hand drum or tambourine

time ['tīm] -n

  1. the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues : duration
  2. a nonspatial continuum that is measured in terms of events which succeed one another from past through present to future
  3. leisure
    • time for reading
  4. the point or period when something occurs : occasion
  5. an appointed, fixed, or customary moment or hour for something to happen, begin, or end
    • arrived ahead of time
  6. an opportune or suitable moment
    • decided it was time to retire
    often used in the phrase about time
    • about time for a change
  7. a historical period : age
  8. a division of geologic chronology
  9. conditions at present or at some specified period usu. used in pl.
    • time s are hard
    • move with the time s
  10. the present time
    • issues of the time
  11. lifetime
  12. a period of apprenticeship
  13. a term of military service
  14. a prison sentence
  15. season
    • very hot for this time of year
  16. rate of speed : tempo
  17. the grouping of the beats of music : rhythm
  18. a moment, hour, day, or year as indicated by a clock or calendar
    • what time is it
  19. any of various systems (as sidereal or solar) of reckoning time
  20. one of a series of recurring instances or repeated actions
    • you've been told many time s
  21. added or accumulated quantities or instances
    • five time s greater
  22. equal fractional parts of which an indicated number equal a comparatively greater quantity
    • seven time s smaller
    • three time s closer
  23. turn
    • three time s at bat
  24. finite as contrasted with infinite duration
  25. a person's experience during a specified period or on a particular occasion
    • a good time
    • a hard time
  26. the hours or days required to be occupied by one's work
    • make up time
    • on company time
  27. an hourly pay rate
    • straight time
  28. wages paid at discharge or resignation
    • pick up your time and get out
  29. the playing time of a game
  30. time-out
  31. a period during which something is used or available for use
    • computer time
  32. to arrange or set the time of : schedule
  33. to regulate (a watch) to keep correct time
  34. to set the tempo, speed, or duration of
    • timed his leap perfectly -- Neil Amdur
  35. to cause to keep time with something
  36. to determine or record the time, duration, or rate of
    • time a horse
  37. to dispose (as a mechanical part) so that an action occurs at a desired instant or in a desired way
  38. to keep or beat time
  39. of or relating to time
  40. recording time
  41. timed to ignite or explode at a specific moment
    • a time charge
  42. payable on a specified future day or a certain length of time after presentation for acceptance
    • a time draft
    • time deposits
  43. based on installment payments
    • a time sale

time and a half -n

  1. payment for work (as overtime or holiday work) at one and a half times the worker's regular wage rate

time bomb -n

  1. a bomb so made as to explode at a predetermined time
  2. something with a potentially dangerous or detrimental delayed reaction

time capsule -n

  1. a container holding historical records or objects representative of current culture that is deposited (as in a cornerstone) for preservation until discovery by some future age
  2. something resembling a time capsule
    • sunken vessels are archaeological time capsules -- Philip Trupp

time card -n

  1. a card used with a time clock to record an employee's starting and quitting times each day or on each job

time chart -n

  1. a chart showing the standard times in various parts of the world with reference to a specified time at a specified place
  2. time line

time clock -n

  1. a clock that stamps starting and quitting times on an employee's time card

timecon·sum·ing ['tīm-kən-'sü-miŋ] -adj

  1. using or taking up a great deal of time
    • timeconsuming chores
  2. wasteful of time
    • timeconsuming tactics

timed -adj

  1. done or taking place at a time of a specified sort
    • an ill- timed arrival
  2. made to occur at or in a set time
    • a timed explosion

time dilation -n

  1. a slowing of time in accordance with the theory of relativity that occurs in a system in motion relative to an outside observer and that becomes apparent esp. as the speed of the system approaches that of light called also time dilatation

timedre·lease ['tīmd-ri-'lēs] -adj

  1. consisting of or containing a drug that is released in small amounts over time (as by dissolution of a coating) usu. in the gastrointestinal tract
    • timedrelease capsules

time exposure -n

  1. exposure of a photographic film for a definite time usu. of more than one half second
  2. a photograph taken by such exposure

time frame -n

  1. a period of time esp. with respect to some action or project

timehon·ored ['tīm-,ä-nərd] -adj

  1. honored because of age or long usage
    • timehonored traditions

time immemorial -n

  1. a time antedating a period legally fixed as the basis for a custom or right
  2. time so long past as to be indefinite in history or tradition called also time out of mind

time·keep·er ['tīm-,kē-pər] -n

  1. timepiece
  2. a clerk who keeps records of the time worked by employees
  3. a person appointed to mark and announce the time in an athletic game or contest

time killer -n

  1. a person with free time
  2. something that passes the time : diversion

time lag -n

  1. an interval of time between two related phenomena (as a cause and its effect)

timelapse ['tīm-,laps] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or constituting a motion picture made so that when projected a slow action (as the opening of a flower bud) appears to be speeded up

time·less ['tīm-ləs] -adj, adv, n

  1. premature, untimely
  2. having no beginning or end : eternal
  3. not restricted to a particular time or date
    • the timeless themes of love, solitude, joy, and nature -- Writer
  4. not affected by time : ageless

time line ['tīm-,līn] -n

  1. a table listing important events for successive years within a particular historical period
  2. a schedule of events and procedures : timetable

time lock -n

  1. a lock controlled by clockwork to prevent its being opened before a set time

time·ly ['tīm-lē] -adv

  1. early, soon
  2. in time : opportunely
    • the question was not...timely raised in the state court -- W. O. Douglas

timely -adj, n

  1. coming early or at the right time
    • a timely decision
    • timely payment
  2. appropriate or adapted to the times or the occasion
    • a timely book

time machine -n

  1. a hypothetical device that permits travel into the past and future

timeofflight ['tīm-ə(v)-'flīt] -adj

  1. of, relating to, being, or done with an instrument (as a mass spectrometer) that separates particles (as ions) according to the time required for them to traverse a tube of a certain length

time·ous ['tī-məs] -adj, adv

  1. timely

timeout ['tīm-'au̇t] -n

  1. a brief suspension of activity : break
  2. a suspension of play in an athletic game
  3. a quiet period used esp. as a disciplinary measure for children

time out of mind

  1. time immemorial

time·piece ['tīm-,pēs] -n

  1. a device (as a clock or watch) to measure or show progress of time
  2. one that does not chime

time·pleas·er [-,plē-zər] -n

  1. timeserver

tim·er ['tī-mər] -n

  1. : one that times: as
  2. timepiece
  3. a stopwatch for timing races
  4. timekeeper
  5. a device (as a clock) that indicates by a sound the end of an interval of time or that starts or stops a device at predetermined times

time reversal -n

  1. a formal operation in mathematical physics that reverses the order in which a sequence of events occurs

times ['tīmz] -prep

  1. multiplied by
    • two times two is four

timesav·ing ['tīm-,sā-viŋ] -adj, n

  1. intended or serving to expedite something
    • timesaving kitchen appliances

time·scale [-,skāl] -n

  1. an arrangement of events used as a measure of the relative or absolute duration or antiquity of a period of history or geologic or cosmic time

time series -n

  1. a set of data collected sequentially usu. at fixed intervals of time

time·serv·er [-,sər-vər] -n

  1. a person whose behavior is adjusted to the pattern of the times or to please superiors : temporizer

time·serv·ing [-viŋ] -n

  1. the behavior or practice of a timeserver

timeserving -adj

  1. marked by or revealing a lack of independence or integrity
    • a mean, timeserving little man, grovelling odiously before the wealthy people -- Peter Forster

timeshar·ing ['tīm-,sher-iŋ] -n, vt

  1. simultaneous use of a central computer by many users at remote locations
  2. joint ownership or rental of a vacation lodging (as a condominium) by several persons with each occupying the premises in turn for short periods

time sheet -n

  1. a sheet for recording the time of arrival and departure of workers and for recording the amount of time spent on each job
  2. a sheet for summarizing hours worked by each worker during a pay period

time signature -n

  1. a sign used in music to indicate meter and usu. written as a fraction with the bottom number indicating the kind of note used as a unit of time and the top number indicating the number of units in each measure

times sign -n

  1. the symbol used to indicate multiplication

time stamp -n, vt

  1. a device for recording the date and time of day that letters or papers are received or sent out

time·ta·ble ['tīm-,tā-bəl] -n, vt

  1. a table of departure and arrival times of trains, buses, or airplanes
  2. a schedule showing a planned order or sequence
  3. program

timetest·ed [-,tes-təd] -adj

  1. having effectiveness that has been proved over a long period of time
    • timetested methods

time trial -n

  1. a competitive event (as in auto racing) in which individuals are successively timed over a set course or distance

time warp ['tīm-,wȯrpt] -n, adj

  1. an anomaly, discontinuity, or suspension held to occur in the progress of time

time·work ['tīm-,wərk] -n

  1. work paid for at a standard rate for the hour or the day

time·worn [-,wȯrn] -adj

  1. worn or impaired by time
    • timeworn mansions
  2. age-old, ancient
    • timeworn procedures
  3. hackneyed, stale
    • a timeworn joke

time zone -n

  1. a geographic region within which the same standard time is used

tim·id ['ti-məd] -adj, n, adv

  1. lacking in courage or self-confidence
    • a timid person
  2. lacking in boldness or determination
    • a timid policy

timing -n

  1. placement or occurrence in time
    • the timing of the sale couldn't have been better
  2. the ability to select the precise moment for doing something for optimum effect
    • a boxer with impeccable timing
  3. observation and recording (as by a stopwatch) of the elapsed time of an act, action, or process

ti·moc·ra·cy [tī-'mä-krə-sē] -n, adj

  1. government in which a certain amount of property is necessary for office
  2. government in which love of honor is the ruling principle

ti·mo·lol ['tī-mə-,lōl, -,lȯl] -n

  1. a beta-blocker C 13H 24N 4O 3S used in the form of its maleate salt to treat glaucoma and hypertension and to reduce the risk of second heart attacks

tim·o·rous ['ti-mə-rəs, 'tim-rəs] -adj, adv, n

  1. of a timid disposition : fearful
    • reproached myself with being so timorous and cautious -- Daniel Defoe
  2. expressing or suggesting timidity
    • proceed with doubtful and timorous steps -- Edward Gibbon

tim·o·thy ['ti-mə-thē] -n

  1. a European perennial grass ( Phleum pratense) that has long cylindrical spikes and is widely grown for hay in the U.S.

Tim·o·thy ['ti-mə-thē] -n

  1. a disciple of the apostle Paul
  2. either of two letters written with regard to pastoral care in the early church and included as books in the New Testament

tim·pa·ni ['tim-pə-nē] -n pl but sing or pl in constr

  1. a set of two or more kettledrums played by one performer in an orchestra or band

tim·pa·nist [-nist] -n

  1. a person who plays the timpani

tin ['tin] -n, adj

  1. a soft faintly bluish-white lustrous low-melting crystalline metallic element that is malleable and ductile at ordinary temperatures and that is used esp. in containers, as a protective coating, in tinfoil, and in soft solders and alloys
  2. a box, can, pan, vessel, or a sheet made of tinplate
  3. such a container of any metal (as aluminum)
  4. a metal container and its contents
    • a tin of tomatoes
  5. to cover or plate with tin or a tin alloy
  6. to put up or pack in tins : can
    • tinned peaches

TIN -abbr

  1. taxpayer identification number

tin·a·mou ['ti-nə-,mü] -n

  1. any of a family (Tinamidae) of So. and Central American ground-dwelling birds that have a deeply keeled sternum and a rudimentary tail and that produce large glossy usu. colorful eggs

tin can -n

  1. a can made of tinplate
  2. can
  3. destroyer

tinct ['tiŋ(k)t] -adj

  1. colored, tinged
  2. tincture, tinge

tinc·to·ri·al [tiŋ(k)-'tȯr-ē-əl] -adj, adv

  1. of or relating to colors or to dyeing or staining
  2. imparting color

tinc·ture ['tiŋ(k)-chər] -n

  1. a substance that colors, dyes, or stains
  2. color, tint
  3. a characteristic quality : cast
  4. a slight admixture : trace
    • a tincture of doubt
  5. an active principle or extract
  6. a heraldic metal, color, or fur
  7. a solution of a medicinal substance in an alcoholic solvent

tincture ['tiŋ(k)-chə-riŋ, -shriŋ] -vt

  1. to tint or stain with a color : tinge
  2. to infuse or instill with a property or entity : impregnate
  3. to imbue with a quality : affect
    • writing tinctured with wit and wisdom

tin·der ['tin-dər] -n

  1. a very flammable substance adaptable for use as kindling
  2. something that serves to incite or inflame
    • that rhetoric was ready tinder for revolution -- Margaret Peters

tin·der·box ['tin-dər-,bäks] -n

  1. a metal box for holding tinder and usu. a flint and steel for striking a spark
  2. a highly inflammable object or place
  3. a potentially explosive place or situation

tine ['tīn] -n, adj

  1. a slender pointed projecting part : prong
  2. a pointed branch of an antler
  3. lose
  4. to become lost

tin·ea ['ti-nē-ə] -n, adj

  1. any of several fungal infections of the skin
  2. ringworm

tinea cru·ris [-'kru̇r-əs] -n

  1. ringworm involving esp. the groin and perineum called also jock itch

tinea pe·dis [-'pe-dəs] -n

  1. athlete's foot

tin ear -n

  1. a deafened or insensitive ear

tin·foil ['tin-,fȯi(-ə)l] -n

  1. a paper-thin metal sheeting usu. of aluminum or tin-lead alloy

ting ['tiŋ] -n, vi

  1. a high-pitched sound like that made by a light stroke on a crystal goblet

tinge ['tinj] -vt

  1. to color with a slight shade or stain : tint
  2. to affect or modify with a slight odor or taste
  3. to affect or modify in character
  4. a slight staining or suffusing shade or color
  5. an affective or modifying property or influence : touch
    • a tinge of guilt

tin·gle ['tiŋ-gəl] -vi, n, adv, adj

  1. to feel a ringing, stinging, prickling, or thrilling sensation
  2. to cause such a sensation
  3. tinkle

tin hat -n

  1. a metal helmet

tin·horn ['tin-,hȯrn] -n

  1. one (as a gambler) who pretends to have money, ability, or influence

tin·ker ['tiŋ-kər] -n

  1. a usu. itinerant mender of household utensils
  2. an unskillful mender : bungler
  3. gypsy

tinker [-k(ə-)riŋ] -vb, n

  1. to work in the manner of a tinker
  2. to repair, adjust, or work with something in an unskilled or experimental manner : fiddle
    • always tinker ing with his car
  3. to repair, adjust, or experiment with

tinker's damn [-'dam] -n

  1. a minimum amount or degree (as of care)
    • didn't give a tinker's damn about poetry -- James Blish

Tin·ker·toy ['tiŋ-kər-,tȯi] -trademark

  1. used for a construction toy of fitting parts

tin·kle ['tiŋ-kəl] -vb

  1. to make or emit a tinkle or a sound suggestive of a tinkle
  2. urinate
  3. to sound or make known (the time) by a tinkle
  4. to cause to make a tinkle
  5. to produce by tinkling
    • tinkle a tune

tinkle -n

  1. a jingling effect in verse or prose
  2. a series of short high ringing or clinking sounds

tin·kly ['tiŋ-k(ə-)lē] -adj

  1. that tinkles : tinkling

tin liz·zie [-'li-zē] -n

  1. a small inexpensive early automobile

tin·ner ['ti-nər] -n

  1. a tin miner
  2. tinsmith

tin·ni·tus ['ti-nə-təs, tə-'nī-təs] -n

  1. a sensation of noise (as a ringing or roaring) that is caused by a bodily condition (as a disturbance of the auditory nerve or wax in the ear) and typically is of the subjective form which can only be heard by the one affected

tin·ny ['ti-nē] -adj, adv, n

  1. of, abounding in, or yielding tin
  2. resembling tin
  3. light, cheap
  4. lacking depth or substance : empty
    • tinny arguments
  5. thin in tone
    • a tinny voice

Tin Pan Alley -n

  1. a district that is a center for composers and publishers of popular music
  2. the body of such composers and publishers

tin·plate ['tin-'plāt] -n

  1. thin sheet iron or steel coated with tin

tinplate -vt

  1. to plate or coat (as a metal sheet) with tin

tinpot ['tin-'pät] -adj

  1. two-bit
    • tinpot dictators

tin·sel ['tin(t)-səl also 'tin-zəl] -n

  1. threads, strips, or sheets of metal, paper, or plastic used to produce a glittering and sparkling appearance in fabrics, yarns, or decorations
  2. something superficially attractive or glamorous but of little real worth
    • disfigured by no gaudy tinsel of rhetoric or declamation -- Thomas Jefferson

tinsel -adj

  1. made of or covered with tinsel
  2. cheaply gaudy : tawdry
  3. specious, superficial
    • tinsel promises
  4. to interweave, overlay, or adorn with or as if with tinsel
  5. to impart a specious brightness to

tin·sel·ly ['tin(t)-s(ə-)lē also 'tin-zə-lē] -adj

  1. tinsel

Tin·sel·town ['tin(t)-səl-,tau̇n also 'tin-zəl-] -n, adj

  1. hollywood
    • seduced by Tinseltown

tin·smith ['tin-,smith] -n

  1. a worker who makes or repairs things of sheet metal (as tinplate)

tin·stone ['tin-,stōn] -n

  1. cassiterite

tint ['tint] -n

  1. a usu. slight or pale coloration : hue
  2. any of various lighter or darker shades of a color : tinge
  3. a variation of a color produced by adding white to it and characterized by a low saturation with relatively high lightness
  4. a usu. slight modifying quality or characteristic : touch
  5. a shaded effect in engraving produced by fine parallel lines close together
  6. a panel of light color serving as background
  7. dye for the hair
  8. to impart or apply a tint to : color

tint·ing ['tin-tiŋ] -n

  1. the act or process of one that tints
  2. the engraved or colored tint produced by tinting

tin·tin·nab·u·lary [,tin-tə-'na-byə-,ler-ē] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or characterized by bells or their sounds

tin·tin·nab·u·la·tion [,tin-tə-,na-byə-'lā-shən] -n

  1. the ringing or sounding of bells
  2. a jingling or tinkling sound as if of bells

tint·less ['tint-ləs] -adj

  1. having no tints : lacking color

tin·type [-,tīp] -n

  1. ferrotype

tin·ware ['tin-,wer] -n

  1. articles and esp. utensils made of tinplate

tin·work [-,wərk] -n

  1. work in tin

ti·ny ['tī-nē] -adj, adv, n

  1. very small or diminutive : minute

tip ['tip] -vb

  1. overturn, upset usu. used with over
  2. cant, tilt
  3. to raise and tilt forward in salute
    • tipped his hat
  4. to become tipped : topple
  5. lean, slant
  6. the act or an instance of tipping : tilt
  7. a place for depositing something (as rubbish) by dumping
  8. to furnish with a tip
  9. to cover or adorn the tip of
  10. to blend (furs) for improved appearance by brushing the tips of the hair with dye
  11. to affix (an insert) in a book often used with in
  12. to remove the ends of
    • tip raspberries
  13. the usu. pointed end of something
    • a pencil tip
  14. a small piece or part serving as an end, cap, or point
  15. a light touch or blow
  16. to strike lightly : tap
  17. to give (as a baseball) a glancing blow
  18. tiptoe
  19. a piece of advice or expert or authoritative information
  20. a piece of advance or confidential information given by one thought to have access to special or inside sources
  21. to impart a piece of information or advice about or to often used with off
  22. to mention as a likely candidate, prospective winner, or profitable investment : tout
  23. give, present
    • this crew has tipped you the black spot -- R. L. Stevenson
  24. to give a gratuity to
  25. to bestow a gratuity
  26. a gift or a sum of money tendered for a service performed or anticipated : gratuity

tip·cart ['tip-,kärt] -n

  1. a cart whose body can be tipped on the frame to empty its contents

tip·cat [-,kat] -n

  1. a game in which one player lightly bats a wooden peg and as it flies up strikes it again to drive it as far as possible while fielders try to recover it
  2. the peg used in this game

tipi ['tē-(,)pē] -n

(variant of tepee)

  1. a conical tent usu. consisting of skins and used esp. by American Indians of the Great Plains

tipin ['tip-,in] -n

  1. a goal (as in basketball or hockey) made by tipping or deflecting a shot into the basket or net from very close range

tipoff ['tip-,ȯf] -n

  1. warning, tip
  2. a telltale sign
  3. the act or an instance of putting the ball in play in basketball by a jump ball

tip of the iceberg

  1. the earliest, most obvious, or most superficial manifestation of some phenomenon

tip·per ['ti-pər] -n

  1. one that tips
    • a generous tipper

tip·pet ['ti-pət] -n

  1. a long hanging end of cloth attached to a sleeve, cap, or hood
  2. a shoulder cape of fur or cloth often with hanging ends
  3. a long black scarf worn over the robe by Anglican clergymen during morning and evening prayer

tip·ple ['ti-pəl] -vb, n

  1. to drink liquor esp. by habit or to excess
  2. to drink (liquor) esp. continuously in small amounts

tipple -n

  1. drink
  2. drink
  3. a place where or an apparatus by which cars (as for coal) are loaded or emptied
  4. a coal-screening plant

tip·py ['ti-pē] -adj

  1. liable to tip
    • a tippy boat

tip·staff ['tip-,staf] -n

  1. a court officer whose duties include assisting the judge and acting as crier

tip·ster ['tip-stər] -n

  1. one who gives or sells tips esp. for gambling or speculation

tip·sy ['tip-sē] -adj, adv, n

  1. unsteady, staggering, or foolish from the effects of liquor : fuddled
  2. unsteady, askew
    • a tipsy angle

tip·toe ['tip-,tō, -'tō] -n

  1. the position of being balanced on the balls of the feet and toes with the heels raised usu. used with on
  2. the ends of the toes

tiptoe -adv

  1. on or as if on tiptoe
  2. standing or walking on or as if on tiptoe
  3. cautious, stealthy
  4. to stand or raise oneself on tiptoe
  5. to walk or proceed quietly or cautiously on or as if on tiptoe
    • tiptoe around the issue

tiptop ['tip-'täp, -,täp] -n

  1. the highest point
  2. excellent, first-rate
    • tiptop working conditions
  3. very well

ti·rade ['tī-,rād also ti-'] -n

  1. a protracted speech usu. marked by intemperate, vituperative, or harshly censorious language

tir·a·mi·su [,tir-ə-'mē-(,)sü, -'mi-; -mē-'sü] -n

  1. a dessert made with ladyfingers, mascarpone, and espresso

tire ['tī(-ə)r] -vb

  1. to become weary
  2. to exhaust or greatly decrease the physical strength of : fatigue
  3. to wear out the patience of : bore
  4. attire
  5. a woman's headband or hair ornament
  6. attire
  7. to adorn (the hair) with an ornament
  8. a metal hoop forming the tread of a wheel
  9. a rubber cushion that fits around a wheel (as of an automobile) and usu. contains compressed air

tired -adj, adv, n

  1. drained of strength and energy : fatigued often to the point of exhaustion
  2. obviously worn by hard use : run-down
  3. trite, hackneyed

tire·less ['tī(-ə)r-ləs] -adj, adv, n

  1. seemingly incapable of tiring : indefatigable
    • a tireless worker

Ti·re·si·as [tī-'rē-sē-əs, -zē-] -n

  1. a blind seer of Thebes who in one Greek myth is changed into a woman for several years and then changed back to a man

tire·some ['tī(-ə)r-səm] -adj, adv, n

  1. wearisome, tedious
    • a tiresome lecture

tir·inghouse ['tī-riŋ-,hau̇s] -n

  1. a section of a theater reserved for the actors and used esp. for dressing for stage entrances

tir·ingroom [-,rüm, -,ru̇m] -n

  1. a dressing room esp. in a theater

tirl ['tərl] -vb

  1. to make a rattling sound (as with a door latch)
  2. twirl

ti·ro ['tī-(,)rō] -n

(variant of tyro)

  1. a beginner in learning : novice

ti·sane [ti-'zan, -'zän] -n

  1. an infusion (as of dried herbs) used as a beverage or for medicinal effects

Tish·ahb'Ab ['ti-shə-,bäv, -,bȯv] -n

  1. a Jewish holiday observed with fasting on the ninth of Ab in commemoration of the destruction of the temples at Jerusalem

Tish·ri ['tish-rē] -n

  1. the first month of the civil year or the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year in the Jewish calendar

tis·sue ['ti-(,)shü, chiefly Brit 'tis-(,)yü] -n, adj

  1. a fine lightweight often sheer fabric
  2. mesh, network, web
    • a tissue of lies
  3. a piece of soft absorbent tissue paper used esp. as a handkerchief or for removing cosmetics
  4. an aggregate of cells usu. of a particular kind together with their intercellular substance that form one of the structural materials of a plant or an animal

tissue culture -n

  1. the process or technique of making body tissue grow in a culture medium outside the organism
  2. a culture of tissue (as epithelium)

tissue fluid -n

  1. a fluid that permeates the spaces between individual cells, that is in osmotic contact with the blood and lymph, and that serves in interstitial transport of nutrients and waste

tissue paper -n

  1. a thin gauzy paper used esp. for protecting something (as by covering or wrapping)

tissue plasminogen activator -n

  1. a clot-dissolving enzyme with an affinity for fibrin that is produced naturally in blood vessel linings and is used in a genetically engineered form to prevent damage to heart muscle following a heart attack and reduce neurological damage following ischemic stroke abbr. TPA

tis·su·lar ['ti-shə-lər] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or affecting organismic tissue
    • tissular grafts
    • tissular lesions

tit ['tit] -n

  1. teat
  2. breast usu. used in pl.
  3. any of various small plump often long-tailed oscine birds (family Paridae) of Eurasia and Africa that are related to the chickadees and titmice
  4. title

Tit -abbr

  1. Titus

ti·tan ['tī-tᵊn] -n

  1. any of a family of giants in Greek mythology born of Uranus and Gaea and ruling the earth until overthrown by the Olympian gods
  2. one that is gigantic in size or power : one that stands out for greatness of achievement

titan- -comb form

  1. titanium
    • titan ate

ti·ta·nate ['tī-tə-,nāt] -n

  1. any of various multiple oxides of titanium dioxide with other metallic oxides
  2. a titanium ester of the general formula Ti(OR) 4

ti·tan·ess ['tī-tᵊn-əs] -n

  1. a female titan

ti·ta·nia [tī-'tā-nē-ə, tə-, -'tān-yə also -'ta-nē-ə or -'tan-yə] -n

  1. titanium dioxide

Ti·ta·nia [tə-'tān-yə, -'tän-; tī-'tān-] -n

  1. the wife of Oberon and queen of the fairies in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream

ti·tan·ic [tī-'ta-nik also tə-] -adj, adv

  1. having great magnitude, force, or power : colossal
    • a titanic struggle

ti·ta·nif·er·ous [,tī-tə-'ni-f(ə-)rəs] -adj

  1. containing or yielding titanium
    • titaniferous minerals

ti·tan·ism ['tī-tə-,ni-zəm] -n

  1. defiance of and revolt against social or artistic conventions

ti·ta·ni·um [tī-'tā-nē-əm, tə- also -'ta-nē-əm, -'tan-yəm] -n

  1. a silvery-gray light strong metallic element obtained from ilmenite and rutile and used esp. in alloys and combined in refractory materials, pigments, and coatings

titanium dioxide -n

  1. an oxide TiO 2of titanium that occurs in rutile, anatase, and ilmenite and is used esp. as a pigment

titanium white -n

  1. titanium dioxide
  2. a brilliant white lead-free pigment consisting of titanium dioxide often together with barium sulfate and zinc oxide

titbit ['tid-,bit] -n

(variant of tidbit)

  1. a choice morsel of food
  2. a choice or pleasing bit (as of information)

ti·ter ['tī-tər] -n

  1. the strength of a solution or the concentration of a substance in solution as determined by titration

tit·fer ['tit-fər] -n

  1. hat

tit for tat [,tit-fər-'tat] -adj

  1. an equivalent given in return (as for an injury) : retaliation in kind

tith·able ['tī-thə-bəl] -adj

  1. subject or liable to payment of tithes

tithe ['tīth] -vb

  1. to pay or give a tenth part of esp. for the support of the church
  2. to levy a tithe on
  3. to give a tenth of one's income as a tithe
  4. a tenth part of something paid as a voluntary contribution or as a tax esp. for the support of a religious establishment
  5. the obligation represented by individual tithes
  6. tenth
  7. a small part
  8. a small tax or levy

tith·er ['tī-thər] -n

  1. one that pays tithes
  2. one that collects or advocates the payment of tithes

tith·ing ['tī-th] -n

  1. a small administrative division preserved in parts of England apparently orig. made up of ten men with their families

ti·tho·nia [tə-'thō-nyə, tī-, -nē-ə] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Tithonia) of tall composite herbs or shrubs of Mexico and Central America that have flower heads resembling sunflowers and that are sometimes grown as ornamentals

ti·ti ['tī-,tī] -n

  1. a tree ( Cliftonia monophyllaof the family Cyrillaceae) of the southeastern U.S. with leathery leaves and racemes of fragrant white flowers
  2. leatherwood
  3. any of a genus ( Callicebus) of small So. American monkeys having long thick variably colored fur and a tail that is not prehensile

ti·tian ['ti-shən] -adj

  1. of a brownish-orange color

tit·il·late ['ti-tə-,lāt] -vb, n, adj

  1. to excite pleasurably : arouse by stimulation
  2. tickle
  3. to act as a stimulant to pleasurable excitement

titillating -adj, adv

  1. pleasantly stimulating or exciting
    • titillating reading
  2. erotic

tit·i·vate ['ti-tə-,vāt] -vb, n

  1. to make smart or spruce
  2. smarten, spruce

tit·lark ['tit-,lärk] -n

  1. pipit

ti·tle ['tī-tᵊl] -n

  1. inscription
  2. written material introduced into a motion picture or television program to give credits, explain an action, or represent dialogue usu. used in pl.
  3. all the elements constituting legal ownership
  4. a legally just cause of exclusive possession
  5. the instrument (as a deed) that is evidence of a right
  6. something that justifies or substantiates a claim
  7. an alleged or recognized right
  8. a descriptive or general heading (as of a chapter in a book)
  9. the heading which names an act or statute
  10. the heading of a legal action or proceeding
  11. the distinguishing name of a written, printed, or filmed production
  12. a similar distinguishing name of a musical composition or a work of art
  13. a descriptive name : appellation
  14. a division of an instrument, book, or bill
  15. one larger than a section or article
  16. an appellation of dignity, honor, distinction, or preeminence attached to a person or family by virtue of rank, office, precedent, privilege, attainment, or lands
  17. a person holding a title esp. of nobility
  18. a usu. published work as distinguished from a particular copy
    • published 25 new title s
  19. championship

title ['tīt-liŋ, 'tī-tᵊl-iŋ] -vt

  1. to provide a title for
  2. to designate or call by a title : term, style
  3. : of or relating to a title: as
  4. having the same name as the title of a production
    • did the title role in Hamlet
  5. having the same title as or providing the title for the collection or production of which it forms a part
    • the title song
  6. of, relating to, or involving a championship
    • a title match
  7. of, relating to, or used with the titles that introduce a motion picture or television program
    • title music

titled -adj

  1. having a title esp. of nobility

title deed -n

  1. the deed constituting the evidence of a person's legal ownership

ti·tle·hold·er ['tī-tᵊl-,hōl-dər] -n

  1. one that holds a title
  2. champion

title insurance -n

  1. insurance against loss due to an unknown defect in a title or interest in real estate

title page -n

  1. a page of a book bearing the title and usu. the names of the author and publisher and the place and sometimes date of publication

ti·tlist ['tī-tᵊl-ist, 'tīt-list] -n

  1. titleholder

tit·mouse ['tit-,mau̇s] -n

  1. any of several small No. American oscine birds (genus Baeolophusof the family Paridae) that are related to the chickadees, have small bills and usu. long tails, and have been sometimes placed esp. formerly in a related genus ( Parus)

Ti·to·ism ['tē-(,)tō-,i-zəm] -n, n or adj

  1. the political, economic, and social policies associated with Tito
  2. nationalistic policies and practices followed by a Communist state or group independently of and often in opposition to the U.S.S.R.

ti·trant ['tī-trənt] -n

  1. a substance (as a reagent solution of precisely known concentration) that is added in titration

ti·trate ['tī-,trāt] -vb, adj, n

  1. to subject to titration
  2. to perform titration

ti·tra·tion [tī-'trā-shən] -n

  1. a method or process of determining the concentration of a dissolved substance in terms of the smallest amount of reagent of known concentration required to bring about a given effect in reaction with a known volume of the test solution

ti·tre ['tī-tər] -n

(variant of titer)

  1. the strength of a solution or the concentration of a substance in solution as determined by titration

ti·tri·met·ric [,tī-trə-'me-trik] -adj

  1. employing or determined by titration

tit·ter ['ti-tər] -vi, n

  1. to laugh in a nervous, affected, or partly suppressed manner : giggle, snicker

tit·tie ['ti-tē] -n

  1. sister

tit·tle ['ti-tᵊl] -n

  1. a point or small sign used as a diacritical mark in writing or printing
  2. a very small part

tit·tletat·tle ['ti-tᵊl-,ta-tᵊl] -n, vi

  1. gossip, prattle

tit·tup ['ti-təp] -n

  1. lively, gay, or restless behavior

tittup -vi

  1. to move in a lively manner often with an exaggerated or affected action

tit·u·lar ['ti-chə-lər, 'tich-lər] -adj, adv

  1. existing in title only
  2. bearing a title derived from a defunct ecclesiastical jurisdiction (as an episcopal see)
    • a titular bishop
  3. having the title and usu. the honors belonging to an office or dignity without the duties, functions, or responsibilities
    • the titular head of a political party
  4. bearing a title : titled
  5. of, relating to, or constituting a title
    • the titular hero of the play

titular -n

  1. a person holding a title

Ti·tus ['tī-təs] -n

  1. an early Christian convert who assisted Paul in his missionary work
  2. a letter written on the subject of pastoral care in the early church and included as a book in the New Testament

Tiu ['tē-(,)ü] -n

  1. an ancient Germanic god of war identified with Tyr

Ti·Vo ['tē-(,)vō] -vt

  1. to record (as a television program) with a DVR

ti·yin ['tē-ēn] -n

  1. see sum at

tiz·zy ['ti-zē] -n

  1. a highly excited and distracted state of mind