English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

thyroid

noun

A gland in the neck that produces hormones controlling metabolism.

thyself

pron

An old-fashioned word for "yourself," used with "thou."

ti

noun

The seventh note of a major musical scale in solfège (do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti).

Tia

name

A feminine given name, often a short form of names like Tiana or Letitia, also the Spanish word for "aunt."

tian

noun

A shallow earthenware baking dish traditionally used in Provence, or a dish of layered baked vegetables cooked in one.

Tiana

name

A feminine given name, a variant of Tatiana, popularized further by the Disney character Princess Tiana.

Tianjin

name

A major port city in northern China, near Beijing.

tiara

noun

A jewelled, crown-like headpiece worn by women on formal occasions.

Tibbs

name

An English surname derived from "Tibb," a medieval short form of Theobald.

Tiber

name

The river that flows through Rome, Italy.

Tiberius

name

A masculine given name of Latin origin, borne by the second emperor of Rome, derived from the Tiber river.

Tibet

name

A high-altitude region in Central Asia, largely within China, and home to the Tibetan people.

Tibetan

adj

Relating to Tibet, its people, or its language.

tibia

noun

The shinbone — the larger of the two bones between the knee and ankle.

tic

noun

A sudden, repeated, involuntary movement or sound.

tick

noun

A small blood-feeding arachnid that attaches to the skin of animals and humans.

ticked

adj

Annoyed or irritated (informal).

ticker

noun

A scrolling display or strip that shows continuously updating information, such as stock prices or news headlines.

ticket

noun

A small printed or digital pass that allows entry to an event, or travel on transport.

ticking

noun

A tightly woven, durable fabric used to cover mattresses and pillows.

tickle

verb

To touch someone lightly and repeatedly in a way that causes laughter, twitching, or discomfort.

tickled

adj

Very pleased or delighted.

tickling

noun

The act of touching someone lightly to make them laugh or squirm, or a sensation similar to this.

ticklish

adj

Easily made to laugh or squirm when touched lightly; sensitive to tickling.

Tico

adj

Costa Rican; relating to Costa Rica or its people.

tidal

adj

Relating to, caused by, or affected by the tides.

tidbit

noun

A small, tasty piece of food.

tide

noun

The regular rise and fall of the sea, caused mainly by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun.

tidy

adj

Neatly arranged; not messy or cluttered.

tidying

noun

The process of making something neat and organized.

tie

noun

A narrow strip of fabric worn around the neck, usually with a shirt collar, as an item of formal clothing.

tied

adj

Closely linked or connected to something else.

Tien

name

A given name of Vietnamese and Chinese origin, often meaning "heaven" or "first."

tier

noun

One of a series of levels or rows, especially arranged one above another.

Tierney

name

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "O Tighearnaigh," meaning "descendant of the lord."

tiff

noun

A minor argument or quarrel.

Tiffany

noun

A very fine, sheer silk gauze once used for veils, trimmings, and delicate dresses.

tiffin

noun

A light midday meal, especially as the term is used in South Asia and parts of the former British Empire.

tig

noun

A children's chasing game where one player tries to touch another to pass on the role of chaser; also called tag.

tiger

noun

A large, powerful wild cat native to Asia, with an orange coat marked by black stripes.

Tigger

noun

An overly enthusiastic, bouncy, energetic person.

tight

adj

Fitting closely, firmly fixed, or held firmly in place; not loose.

tighten

verb

To make something tighter, firmer, or more secure.

tightening

noun

The process of making something firmer, stricter, or more restrictive.

tightly

adv

In a firm, close, or secure manner.

tightness

noun

The quality or state of being tight; firmness or a lack of looseness.

tightrope

noun

A rope or cable stretched tight, high above the ground, on which acrobats perform balancing feats.

tights

noun

A close-fitting garment covering the legs, hips, and feet, typically worn by women or dancers.

Tigre

name

A Semitic language of northern Eritrea, closely related to Tigrinya.

tigress

noun

A female tiger.

Tigris

name

A major river in the Middle East that flows through Turkey, Syria, and Iraq.

Tijuana

name

A city in Mexico on the border with California, part of the Baja California region.

tiki

noun

A carved human-like figure or talisman, traditional to Polynesian and other Pacific Island cultures.

til

prep

Up to the point in time when; used the same way as "till" or "until."

Tilda

name

A feminine given name, a short form of Matilda, meaning "mighty in battle."

Tilden

name

An English surname and given name meaning "fertile valley," originally a place name.

tile

noun

A thin, flat slab of material such as clay, stone, or ceramic, used to cover roofs, floors, or walls.

till

prep

Up to the time of; until.

tiller

noun

A handle attached to a boat's rudder, used to steer the boat.

Tillie

noun

Informal slang for an ATM (automated teller machine).

tillman

noun

A person who works the soil for a living; a farmer.

tilly

noun

A small extra item thrown in free with a purchase, as a gesture of goodwill.

tilt

verb

To lean or slant something, or to be at an angle.

tilted

adj

Set at an angle; leaning to one side.

tilting

noun

The act or motion of leaning or slanting.

Tim

name

A short form of the male name Timothy.

timber

noun

Wood that has been cut and prepared for building.

Timberlake

name

An English surname.

Timbers

name

A surname.

Timbuktu

name

A historic city in Mali, once a major centre of trade and Islamic scholarship.

time

verb

To measure how long something takes, or to choose the moment it happens.

timed

adj

Scheduled or set to happen at a specific moment.

timeless

adj

Never going out of style; enduringly appealing regardless of era.

timeline

noun

A visual representation of events set out in the order they happened or will happen.

timely

adj

Happening at just the right moment.

timepiece

noun

A device for telling the time, such as a clock or watch.

timer

noun

A device that measures or counts down an amount of time.

times

prep

Multiplied by.

timetable

noun

A schedule listing when events, classes, or transport services occur.

timid

adj

Easily frightened or lacking confidence, especially in unfamiliar situations.

timing

noun

The choice of when to do something, especially in relation to its effect.

Timmins

name

A surname.

Timmons

name

A surname.

Timmy

name

A short, affectionate form of the male name Timothy.

Timor

name

An island in Southeast Asia, split between Indonesia and East Timor.

Timothy

name

A male given name, also the name of two New Testament epistles.

timur

noun

Rattan pepper, a spice made from the small reddish-brown fruit of a prickly ash tree, used in South Asian and Himalayan cooking for its sharp, numbing flavour.

tin

noun

A soft, silvery metallic element used especially to coat steel against rust.

Tina

name

A female given name, often a short form of Christina or similar names.

tincture

noun

A medicine made by dissolving a substance in alcohol.

tinder

noun

Small, dry material such as twigs or fibre used to catch a spark and start a fire.

tine

noun

A pointed prong, such as one of the points of a fork or a comb tooth.

Tiner

name

A surname.

tinfoil

noun

A thin, flexible sheet of metal, often aluminium, used to wrap or cover food.

ting

noun

A short, high-pitched ringing sound, like a small bell.

tinge

noun

A small trace of colour, or by extension, of any quality.

tingle

verb

To feel a light prickling or stinging sensation on the skin.

tingling

adj

Producing a prickling or stinging sensation.

tingly

adj

Producing or experiencing a mild prickling sensation.

tink

verb

To make a light, sharp, metallic sound.

tinker

noun

A traveling mender of pots, pans, and other metal household items.

Tinkerbell

noun

Something that only exists or works because people believe in it — an idea kept alive purely by faith or attention.

tinkering

noun

A small, experimental adjustment or fix made to something.

tinkle

verb

To make a light, high-pitched ringing sound, like a small bell.

tinkling

noun

A light, repeated ringing sound.

tinned

adj

Coated with a thin layer of tin.

tinny

adj

Sounding thin, harsh, and metallic, as if coming from a cheap speaker.

tinsel

noun

Thin, shiny strips of metallic material used as festive decoration, especially draped over Christmas trees.

Tinsley

name

A surname and given name derived from an English place name meaning roughly "clearing belonging to Tynni."

tint

noun

A slight or pale shade of a color.

tinted

adj

Lightly colored or shaded.

tiny

adj

Extremely small in size.

tio

intj

Correct; that's right.

tip

noun

The pointed or outer end of something.

tipper

noun

A person who leaves a gratuity for a service worker.

tipping

noun

The practice of giving a small sum of money to a service worker.

tippy

adj

Unstable and likely to tip over.

tipsy

adj

Slightly drunk; unsteady from alcohol.

tiptoe

verb

To walk quietly on the balls of the feet, without letting the heels touch the ground.

Tipton

name

A surname, and the name of an industrial town in the West Midlands, England, as well as several towns in the United States.

tiramisu

noun

An Italian dessert made of coffee-soaked ladyfinger biscuits layered with a sweetened mascarpone cream, dusted with cocoa.

tire

verb

To become weary or worn out; to lose energy.

tired

adj

In need of rest or sleep; worn out.

tiredness

noun

The state of feeling tired.

tireless

adj

Never seeming to tire; working with constant energy and determination.

tirelessly

adv

In a way that shows no sign of tiring; with constant, unflagging effort.

tiresome

adj

Causing boredom or mild annoyance because it drags on or is repetitive.

tiring

adj

Causing tiredness; exhausting.

Tish

noun

A festive celebratory meal for a religious occasion, especially a Sabbath gathering, in Hasidic tradition.

tissue

noun

A soft, absorbent piece of paper used for blowing your nose or wiping up small messes.

tit

noun

A small songbird found across Europe and Asia, such as the chickadee family.

tita

noun

Filipino English term for one's aunt, or an affectionate word for an older female relative.

titan

noun

A person or thing of enormous size, power, or influence.

titanic

adj

Of enormous size, strength, or power.

titanium

noun

A strong, lightweight, corrosion-resistant metallic element used in aircraft, medical implants, and alloys.

titch

noun

British slang for a very small person, especially a child.

titi

noun

A small South American monkey with long, soft fur.

title

noun

The name given to a book, film, song, or other work.

titled

adj

Having a title, especially a title of nobility.

Tito

name

A male given name common in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian, and the nickname of Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito.

tits

intj

An exclamation of dismay or annoyance.

titty

noun

Informal, often childish or vulgar, term for a breast.

Titus

name

A New Testament epistle addressed to Titus, and the early Christian it was written to.

tivo

verb

To record a television programme digitally for later viewing.

Tivoli

name

An ancient town near Rome, Italy, famous for its historic villas and gardens.

Tiwari

name

A common Indian surname, particularly among Brahmin communities, indicating knowledge of three Vedic scriptures.

tizzy

noun

A state of nervous flustered confusion or agitation.

tk

adj

A placeholder used by writers and editors to mark text that will be added later, before publication.

TLC

name

An American cable television channel, originally launched as The Learning Channel.

TM

symbol

An abbreviation for "trademark", used to mark an unregistered brand name or logo.