English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

Tallahassee

name

The capital city of Florida, United States.

Tallinn

name

The capital city of Estonia.

Tallis

name

An English surname, notably that of Renaissance composer Thomas Tallis.

tallness

noun

The state of being tall.

tallow

noun

A firm fat taken from animals, used in cooking and for making candles, soap and lubricants.

Tallulah

name

A female given name, and a city in Louisiana, United States.

tally

verb

To count or add up a total.

tallyman

noun

Someone who keeps count of something.

Talmud

name

A central text of Jewish law and tradition, existing in Babylonian and Jerusalem versions.

talon

noun

A sharp, curved claw belonging to a bird of prey or other predator.

talus

noun

A sloped pile of broken rock that has built up at the bottom of a cliff.

tam

name

A common short form of the female given names Tamara or Tamsin.

tama

noun

A form of votive offering in the Eastern Orthodox Church, particularly the Greek Orthodox Church, usually in the form of a small metal plaque with an embossed image symbolizing the subject of prayer for which it is offered.

Tamaki

name

A Japanese given name and surname, often meaning "beautiful gem."

tamale

noun

A Mexican dish made of masa dough filled with meat or other ingredients, wrapped in a corn husk, and steamed.

Tamar

name

A Hebrew female given name of biblical origin, meaning "date palm."

Tamara

name

A female first name of Hebrew, regularly used in English since the mid-twentieth century origin.

tamarind

noun

A tropical tree that produces long, curved pods filled with sticky, sour-sweet pulp.

Tamayo

name

A Japanese and Spanish surname; notably that of Mexican painter Rufino Tamayo.

también

adverb

A Spanish word meaning 'also', 'too' or 'as well', used to add a person or thing to what has already been said.

tambourine

noun

A small percussion instrument made of a round frame with jingling metal discs set into its rim, played by shaking or striking it.

tame

adj

Not wild; brought under human control, especially of an animal.

tamed

adj

Brought under control; made docile.

tameless

adj

Wild, and impossible to tame.

tamer

noun

Someone who trains or controls wild animals, or who brings something unruly under control.

tamerlane

name

A Turco-Mongol conqueror who founded the Timurid Empire in Persia and Central Asia.

Tami

name

A feminine given name, often a short form of Tamara or Tamsin.

Tamika

name

A feminine given name popular in African American communities, likely derived from Japanese "Tamiko."

Tamiko

name

A Japanese feminine given name, often meaning "child of the people."

Tamil

name

A Dravidian language spoken mainly in Tamil Nadu, India, and in Sri Lanka, and by diaspora communities in Singapore, Malaysia, and elsewhere.

taming

noun

The process of bringing something wild or unruly under control.

Tammi

name

A feminine given name, a variant spelling of Tammy, itself a diminutive of Tamara.

tammy

noun

A woolen or wool-and-cotton fabric, often glazed, historically used for curtains and straining cloths.

tamp

verb

To fill a hole drilled in rock with clay, earth, sand or a similar material.

Tampa

name

A city on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

tamper

verb

To interfere with something in an unauthorized or harmful way.

tampered

adj

Altered or interfered with without authorization.

tampering

noun

The act of interfering with something in an unauthorized way.

tampon

noun

A small plug of absorbent material inserted into the body to soak up fluid, most commonly used during menstruation.

tamponade

noun

A medical condition in which blood flow is blocked or compressed, such as fluid building up around the heart.

tamponage

noun

The act of using a tampon; a tamponade.

Tamra

name

A feminine given name, a variant of Tamara.

Tamsin

name

A feminine given name, a Cornish diminutive of Thomasina, meaning "twin."

Tamura

name

A Japanese surname meaning "rice-field village."

tan

noun

A yellowish-brown colour, or the darkened shade skin takes on after time in the sun.

Tana

name

A nickname for Antananarivo, the largest city and capital of Madagascar.

Tanaka

name

A Japanese surname meaning "middle of the rice field," one of the most common surnames in Japan.

tandem

adj

Arranged one behind the other, or working together closely.

tandoor

noun

A round clay oven used across the Caucasus, the Middle East and South Asia for baking flatbread and cooking meat.

tandoori

adj

Cooked in a tandoor, a clay oven used in South Asian cooking.

Tandy

name

An English surname and given name; notably that of actress Jessica Tandy.

Tane

name

A masculine given name; in Maori mythology, Tane is the god of forests and birds.

taney

name

A surname of Anglo-Norman origin.

tang

noun

A sharp, distinctive taste or smell.

tanga

noun

Any of several old Asian coins, including a Portuguese Indian coin worth a tenth of a rupee, gold and silver coins issued by Muslim rulers in India, and an old Tibetan silver coin.

tangency

noun

The condition of being tangent, or one case of this.

tangent

noun

A straight line that touches a curve at exactly one point without crossing it.

tangential

adj

Relating to a tangent, or moving along a tangent to something.

tangerine

noun

A small, sweet citrus fruit with loose, easy-to-peel orange skin, related to the mandarin.

tangible

adj

Able to be touched or physically felt.

Tangier

name

A port city in northern Morocco, on the Strait of Gibraltar.

tanginess

noun

The quality of tasting tangy.

tangle

verb

To twist together into a knotted, confused mass.

tangled

adj

Twisted together into a confused, knotted mass.

tango

noun

A passionate ballroom dance in 4/4 time, originally from Argentina, or the music written for it.

tangy

adj

Having a sharp, zesty flavor.

Tani

name

A Japanese surname meaning "valley," also used as a given name in other cultures.

Tania

noun

A short form of the female names Tatiana or Tetyana.

Tanja

name

A feminine given name, a variant of Tatiana used in German and Scandinavian countries.

tank

noun

A large container built to hold a liquid or gas.

tankard

noun

A large drinking cup with one handle, sometimes made of pewter or with a glass base, and often fitted with a hinged lid.

tanked

adj

Very drunk.

tanker

noun

A large ship, truck, or aircraft built to carry and transport a bulk liquid such as oil, fuel, or water.

tankful

noun

As much liquid as is needed to fill a tank.

tanking

noun

The act of deliberately losing a game or match for a perceived future benefit.

tanned

adj

Having skin darkened by exposure to sunlight.

tanner

noun

Someone whose trade is turning animal hides into leather.

tanning

noun

The process of turning animal hides into leather.

tannoy

noun

A public address system used to make announcements over loudspeakers.

Tano

name

A surname of Spanish origin.

Tans

noun

Plural of tan, meaning suntans, or informally, the Black and Tans, a British paramilitary force active in Ireland in 1920-21.

tansy

noun

A herb with clusters of small yellow flowers, traditionally used in old-fashioned remedies and cooking.

tantalise

verb

A non-Oxford British English standard spelling of tantalize.

tantalize

verb

To tease someone by showing them something they want, without letting them have it.

tantalizing

adj

So tempting or desirable that it is hard to resist, especially something just out of reach.

tantalum

noun

A rare, hard, blue-grey metallic element with the symbol Ta and atomic number 73, which resists corrosion very well.

tantamount

adj

Equal in effect or seriousness to something else, even if not literally the same.

tanto

noun

A short traditional Japanese blade, often carried alongside a katana.

tantric

adj

Relating to tantra — esoteric spiritual and yogic traditions and practices originating in India.

tantrum

noun

A sudden outburst of bad temper, especially a childish one.

tanuki

noun

A Japanese raccoon dog, a wild canine species native to East Asia.

Tanya

noun

A short form of the female names Tatiana or Tetyana.

Tanzania

name

A country in East Africa, officially the United Republic of Tanzania.

tao

name

In Taoism, the fundamental principle underlying and unifying the universe, and the natural way of living in harmony with it.

Taoist

adj

Relating to Taoism, the Chinese philosophical and religious tradition centred on living in harmony with the Tao.

tap

noun

A fitting on a pipe or container that controls the flow of a liquid or gas.

tapa

noun

A cloth that Polynesian peoples make from the paper mulberry tree's inner bark.

tapas

noun

Small Spanish savoury dishes served as snacks or appetisers, often shared among a group.

tape

noun

A long, narrow strip of material with a sticky side, used for sealing, fastening or mending things.

taper

verb

To become gradually narrower toward one end.

tapered

adjective

Becoming gradually narrower towards one end.

tapering

noun

The act of reducing something in stages instead of stopping it suddenly, especially the dose of a drug.

tapestry

noun

A thick, woven fabric, often decorated with pictures or patterns, traditionally hung on walls.

tapetum

noun

A thin, membrane-like layer of tissue.

tapeworm

noun

A long, flat parasitic worm that lives in the intestines of humans and animals.

taping

noun

The act of recording something, or of sticking things together with adhesive tape.

tapioca

noun

A starchy substance extracted from the cassava root, used to make puddings and drinks.

tapir

noun

An odd-toed hoofed mammal of the genus Tapirus, with a long flexible upper lip.

tapis

noun

The cover of a council table.

tapori

noun

(informal) A streetwise trader known for a showy style.

tappa

noun

A semi-classical style of Indian singing.

tapped

adj

Fitted with a tap, or having had a tap or listening device attached.

tapper

noun

A person or thing that makes a tapping sound.

tapping

noun

The act of striking something lightly and repeatedly.

taproom

noun

A room where drinks are served on tap; another term for a bar or barroom.

taps

name

A bugle call played by the US military at day's end, at flag ceremonies, and at funerals.

taqaza

noun

In Urdu and Hindi, a demand or pressing request, especially a repeated reminder that a debt or promised duty should now be settled.

tar

noun

A thick, dark, sticky substance made from coal or wood, used in roofing and road-making.

Tara

name

An Irish place name, associated with the Hill of Tara, seat of ancient Irish kings.

Taran

name

A male first name.

tarantella

noun

A fast Italian dance with a swinging six-beat rhythm, or music written for it.

Tarantino

noun

A person from Taranto, a city in southern Italy.

tarantism

noun

An uncontrollable urge to dance, once believed in parts of Italy to be caused by a tarantula's bite.

tarantula

noun

A large, hairy spider found mainly in the tropics and warmer regions of the Americas.

tarboosh

noun

A red cap with a tassel, traditionally worn by men in Arab countries; also called a fez.

tard

noun

(offensive) Someone with an intellectual disability.

tardigrade

noun

An animal that belongs to the group known as Tardigrada.

tardily

adv

In a late or delayed way.

tardiness

noun

The habit or state of being late.

TARDIS

noun

The time-and-space-traveling ship used by the Doctor in the British TV series Doctor Who, famous for looking like a small police box outside but being enormous inside.

tardy

adj

Arriving or happening later than expected; late.

tare

noun

The tare is the weight of an empty container, deducted from a total weight to find the weight of its contents.

tarek

noun

Another name for the pearl mullet.

target

noun

Something aimed at, such as a mark used for shooting practice.

target audience

noun

The particular group of people that a product, advertisement, film or piece of writing is created for and aimed at.

targeted

adj

Aimed specifically at a particular person, group, or outcome, rather than general.

targeting

noun

The act or process of aiming something, or directing effort, at a specific person, group, or objective.

tariff

noun

A tax charged by a government on goods coming into or leaving a country.

Tariq

name

A male given name of Arabic origin.

tarmac

noun

A tar-based surfacing material used on roads, or the road surface itself.

tarmacadam

noun

A material made from tar mixed with small stones, used to surface roads.

tarn

noun

A small mountain lake, especially one formed in a hollow left by a glacier.

tarnation

intj

(old-fashioned, informal) Used to express anger, annoyance, or surprise, as a mild substitute for a stronger curse.

tarnish

noun

A dull discoloured film that forms on the surface of a metal, especially one exposed to air.

tarnished

adj

Discoloured or dulled, especially of metal.

tarnishing

noun

The process of becoming tarnished, or making something tarnished.

taro

noun

A tropical plant grown mainly for its starchy underground stem, which is eaten as food and resembles a potato.

tarot

noun

A deck of 78 illustrated cards traditionally used for fortune-telling or divination.

tarp

noun

A large waterproof sheet, especially one used to cover or protect something.

tarpaulin

noun

A thick sheet of waterproof material used to cover things and shield them from the weather.