English dictionary — definitions & meanings

tripartition

noun

A division by threes, or into three parts; the taking of a third part of any number or quantity.

Tripathi

name

An Indian surname common among Brahmins, indicating descent from someone versed in three Vedic texts.

tripe

noun

The stomach lining of a cow or other ruminant animal, prepared and eaten as food.

triple

adjective

Made up of three parts, or three times the usual amount.

triplet

noun

A set of three, particularly

triplex

adj

Having three parts; triple or threefold.

triplicate

verb

To make three identical copies of something.

tripod

noun

A three-legged stand used to support a camera, telescope, or similar equipment.

Tripoli

noun

A soft, powdery rock made from the fossilized shells of tiny algae, used as a fine abrasive for polishing metal and stone.

tripolitan

adj

Of, from or relating to Tripoli

tripolitania

name

A historic region and former province in western Libya, centered around the coastal city of Tripoli.

Tripp

name

A masculine given name and English surname, originally a nickname for a third-born son or someone who traveled frequently.

tripper

noun

One who trips or stumbles.

tripping

adjective

Light, quick, and nimble in movement.

trippy

adjective

Strange and surreal, like the visual effects of a hallucinogenic drug.

TRIPS

name

A nickname, often short for "Triple" or given to a third child in a family, sometimes also used as a surname.

triptych

noun

A picture or series of pictures painted on three tablets connected by hinges.

tris

noun

A chemical compound (tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane) commonly used in laboratories as a buffering agent.

trisect

adj

Trisected; divided into three.

Trish

name

A feminine given name, a short form of Patricia, meaning "noble."

Trisha

name

A feminine given name, a variant spelling of Trisha derived from Patricia.

tristfulness

noun

sadness; sorrow; melancholy

trisula

noun

A trident, seen as a religious symbol of Hinduism and Buddhism.

trite

adjective

Overused to the point of being boring or meaningless; unoriginal.

triton

noun

The nucleus of a tritium atom, made up of one proton and two neutrons.

triumph

noun

A great success or victory after overcoming difficulty.

triumphal

adjective

Relating to, or celebrating, a triumph or victory.

triumphant

adjective

Having won, or feeling and showing great pride in a victory.

triumphantly

adverb

In a way that shows pride or joy in victory.

triumvirate

noun

A council of three magistrates ruling jointly; specifically, the First Triumvirate (60 or 59 – 53 B.C.E.) or the Second Triumvirate (43 – 33 or 27 B.C.E.); the office of a triumvir (“one of such magistrates”), or of the three triumviri.

triune

adj

Both trine and one at the same time.

trivet

noun

A stand with three short legs, especially for cooking over a fire.

trivia

noun

Small, unimportant facts or details, often obscure ones.

trivial

adjective

Of little importance or significance.

triviality

noun

The quality of being trivial or unimportant.

trivialize

verb

To make something appear trivial

Trix

name

A feminine given name, a pet form of Beatrix or Beatrice, meaning "she who brings happiness."

Trixie

noun

Slang for an affluent, image-conscious young woman.

trod

verb

Past tense of "tread" — to walk on or over something, often heavily.

trog

noun

A lout or unruly troublemaker (British slang).

troglodyte

noun

A member of a supposed prehistoric race that lived in caves or holes, a caveman.

Troi

name

A surname and given name, notably used for the character Deanna Troi in the Star Trek franchise.

troika

noun

A Russian carriage drawn by a team of three horses abreast.

trojan

noun

A type of malicious computer program disguised as something harmless or useful.

Trojan horse

noun

A program that looks harmless or useful but secretly damages a computer or gives an attacker access to it once it is installed.

troll

noun

In folklore, a large, often ugly supernatural creature living in caves, hills, or under bridges.

troller

noun

One who fishes by trolling.

trolley

noun

A small cart pushed by hand, used for carrying shopping, luggage, or food and drink.

trolling

noun

The act of posting deliberately provocative content online to upset people or derail discussion.

trollop

noun

An old-fashioned, disparaging term for a promiscuous or disreputable woman.

trombone

noun

A brass instrument with a sliding tube used to change pitch.

Tron

name

A name best known as the title of a science-fiction film about a computer programmer transported into a digital world.

troop

noun

A group of soldiers, or (in the plural) military forces generally.

trooper

noun

A soldier, especially one in a cavalry or armoured unit, or a state police officer (US).

troops

noun

Soldiers, especially as a collective military force.

trope

noun

A recurring device, theme or cliché in storytelling — the plucky orphan, the last-minute dash to the airport.

trophy

noun

An object, such as a cup or statuette, awarded for winning a competition.

trophy wife

noun

A young, attractive wife regarded as a status symbol for an older or wealthy husband, the implication being that she was chosen for display rather than partnership.

tropic

noun

Either of the two lines of latitude, north or south of the equator, marking the edge of the tropical zone (Tropic of Cancer / Tropic of Capricorn).

tropical

adjective

Relating to, or typical of, the hot and humid region near the equator.

tropics

noun

The hot region of the Earth around the equator, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

tropism

noun

The turning of an organism (chiefly a plant) or part of an organism either towards or away from a stimulus; (countable) an instance of this.

trot

noun

A pace faster than a walk but slower than a run, especially for a horse.

troth

noun

A solemn pledge or promise, especially one of loyalty or fidelity.

trothless

adj

Untrustworthy, treacherous.

trotline

noun

A long fishing line with many shorter lines and hooks attached to it (usually suspended between buoys).

trots

noun

Diarrhoea/diarrhea.

Trotsky

name

A Russian surname, most famously borne by Leon Trotsky, the revolutionary and Soviet political theorist.

trotter

noun

The foot of a pig or sheep, especially when cooked and eaten.

trotting

noun

A form of harness racing in which horses pull a light cart at a trot rather than a gallop.

troubadour

noun

A traveling poet-musician of medieval Europe who composed and performed songs, often about courtly love.

trouble

noun

A difficult, worrying, or dangerous situation or problem.

troubled

adj

Anxious, worried, or burdened by difficulties.

troublemaker

noun

Someone who deliberately causes problems or stirs up conflict.

Troubles

name

A historical name, "the Troubles," referring to the decades-long ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s to 1998.

troubleshoot

verb

To analyze or diagnose (a problem, or something faulty) to the point of determining a solution.

troubleshooting

noun

The identification and resolution of problems, especially problems of a technical nature.

troublesome

adj

Causing repeated difficulty, worry, or annoyance.

troubling

adj

Causing worry, distress, or unease.

trough

noun

A long, open container used to hold food or water for animals.

trounce

verb

To beat severely; to thrash.

troupe

noun

A group of performers, such as actors, singers, or dancers, who work together.

trouper

noun

A reliable, hardworking person who keeps going despite difficulty, especially without complaint.

trouser

adj

Relating to or used with trousers.

trousering

noun

fabric for making trousers

trousers

noun

A garment covering the body from the waist to the ankles, with a separate section for each leg.

trousseau

noun

The clothes, linens, and other items a bride traditionally collects for her marriage.

trout

noun

A freshwater fish related to salmon, popular for both eating and sport fishing.

trove

noun

A valuable collection of things, especially one that has been discovered.

trowel

noun

A small handheld tool with a flat or scoop-shaped blade, used for spreading mortar or digging in a garden.

Troy

adj

Describing the traditional system of weights used for precious metals and gemstones, in which a pound equals twelve ounces rather than sixteen.

truancy

noun

The act of staying away from school without permission or a valid reason.

truant

noun

A student who stays away from school without permission.

trub

noun

The layer of sediment that appears at the bottom of the fermenter after yeast has completed the bulk of the fermentation.

truce

noun

A temporary agreement between opposing sides to stop fighting.

truck

noun

A large motor vehicle used for carrying goods.

truckage

noun

the carrying of goods by truck

trucker

noun

A person who drives a truck for a living, especially over long distances.

trucking

noun

The business or activity of transporting goods by truck.

truckle

noun

A small wheel; a caster or pulley.

truckload

noun

The full amount of cargo a truck can carry.

truculent

adj

Cruel or savage.

trudge

noun

A tramp, i.e. a long and tiring walk.

Trudi

name

A feminine given name, a short form of Gertrude, meaning "spear of strength."

trudie

name

A female given name, variant spelling of Trudy, a pet form of Gertrude.

Trudy

name

A feminine given name, an alternate spelling of Trudi, a short form of Gertrude.

true

adj

Matching the actual facts; correct or accurate.

truelove

noun

A plant, Paris quadrifolia.

trueness

noun

The characteristic of being true.

trufax

intj

An emphatic statement of agreement or affirmation.

trug

noun

A shallow, oval basket used for gardening

truism

noun

A self-evident or obvious truth.

Trujillo

name

A Spanish surname and the name of a city in Peru, also borne by the Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo.

trull

noun

A female prostitute or harlot.

truly

adv

In accordance with fact; accurately or honestly.

Truman

name

A masculine given name and surname meaning "trusty man" or "faithful man," borne by U.S. President Harry Truman.

Trumbo

name

An American surname, notably borne by screenwriter Dalton Trumbo.

Trumbull

name

An English surname and place name, also the name of towns in Connecticut and elsewhere in the United States.

trump

noun

In card games, a suit chosen (or turned up) to rank higher than the other three for that hand.

trumpery

noun

Worthless finery; bric-a-brac or junk.

trumpet

noun

A brass musical instrument played by buzzing the lips into a mouthpiece, typically with valves to change pitch.

trumpeter

noun

A person who plays the trumpet.

trumpeting

noun

The act of playing a trumpet, or the loud cry made by an elephant or similar animal.

trumpets

noun

Plural of trumpet, the brass instrument.

trumps

noun

The suit that beats every other suit in a card game.

truncate

verb

To shorten (something) by, or as if by, cutting part of it off.

truncation

noun

The act of truncating or shortening (for example, words are shortened to form blend words or portmanteaus).

truncheon

noun

A short heavy stick used as a weapon, especially the baton carried by police.

trunk

verb

To cut something short or reduce it drastically.

trunks

noun

Short, close-fitting shorts worn for sports or swimming.

Truro

name

A city in Cornwall, England, and towns of the same name in Canada and Massachusetts.

Truscott

name

An English surname, likely derived from a place name meaning "cottage by the tree stump."

truss

noun

A supportive belt or bandage worn to hold a hernia in place.

trust

noun

Firm belief in the reliability or honesty of someone or something.

trusted

adjective

Regarded as reliable and honest; relied upon with confidence.

trustee

noun

A person or organisation legally responsible for managing property or money on behalf of someone else.

trusteeship

noun

Office or function of a trustee.

trusting

adj

Ready to believe in and rely on others; not suspicious.

trustworthiness

noun

The state or quality of being trustworthy or reliable.

trustworthy

adj

Reliable enough to be trusted; deserving of confidence.

trusty

adj

Reliable and dependable, especially through long use or experience.

truth

noun

What is actually the case; facts as opposed to lies or fiction.

truthful

adj

Honest and inclined to tell the truth.

truthfully

adv

In a way that is honest and accurate.

truthfulness

noun

The quality of being truthful.

try

verb

To make an attempt at doing something.

tryhard

noun

A person usually of little talent who tries hard to succeed, especially through imitation, usually to gain fame or popularity.

trying

adj

Difficult to endure; testing one's patience.

tryout

noun

A test or audition to see whether someone is good enough for a team, role, or job.

tryst

noun

A private meeting arranged in advance, especially a romantic one between lovers.