English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

TMZ

name

An American celebrity news and gossip outlet, its name short for "thirty-mile zone."

tn

symbol

An abbreviation for trillion.

to

particle

Used before a verb to form the infinitive.

toa

noun

A small hand-painted marker traditionally made by the Diyari Aboriginal people of Australia, likely used as a signpost or way-marker.

toad

noun

A squat, warty-skinned amphibian related to frogs, typically with drier skin and shorter legs.

toady

noun

Someone who flatters and fawns over others, especially those in power, to gain favor.

toast

noun

Sliced bread browned by heat.

toasted

adj

Browned by heat, as bread.

toaster

noun

An electrical appliance used to brown slices of bread.

toasting

noun

The act of making a celebratory toast while drinking.

toasty

adj

Pleasantly warm.

tobacco

noun

A plant of the genus Nicotiana, grown for its leaves.

tobacconist

noun

A shopkeeper who sells tobacco products such as cigars, cigarettes, and pipe tobacco.

tobe

noun

A loose cotton garment traditionally worn in parts of northern Africa.

Tobey

name

An English surname.

Tobias

name

A male given name of Hebrew origin, also the name of the central figure in the Book of Tobit.

Tobin

name

A surname of Irish origin.

Tobruk

name

A port city in eastern Libya on the Mediterranean coast.

toby

noun

A drinking mug shaped like a seated man wearing a hat, also called a Toby jug.

tock

noun

A clicking sound like that made by a clock's hands.

tod

noun

A male fox, or a fox generally, in older or dialect English.

Toda

noun

A small Dravidian ethnic group native to the Nilgiri hills of Tamil Nadu, India.

today

adv

On the current day.

Todd

name

An English and Scottish surname originally derived from a dialect word for "fox."

toddler

noun

A young child, typically between one and three years old, who has just learned to walk.

toe

noun

Any of the five digits at the end of the human foot.

toenail

noun

The hard, flat covering on the upper surface of the tip of a toe.

toffee

noun

A chewy sweet made by boiling sugar and butter (or milk) until it hardens on cooling.

tofu

noun

A soft food made by pressing curdled soy milk into blocks, high in protein.

toga

noun

A loose, draped garment worn by citizens in Ancient Rome.

toge

noun

A toga; also, an old word for a coat.

together

adverb

In the same place or at the same time; in close company with each other.

togetherness

noun

A shared sense of closeness or unity that comes from being together.

Togo

name

A country in West Africa, officially the Togolese Republic.

toh

verb

To collapse or break down internally; to fall asleep or collapse from exhaustion (informal/dialectal).

toho

interjection

A shout used to urge on hounds during a fox hunt; a variant of "tallyho."

Toi

name

A given name used in Polynesian cultures, most often for males in Māori and Samoan communities, though also used as a female name in Louisiana Creole culture.

toil

noun

Hard, exhausting work.

toilet

noun

A fixture, usually with a bowl and seat, used for urination and defecation and flushed with water.

toiling

noun

Hard, sustained work; the act of labouring.

Tojo

name

A Japanese surname.

Tok

name

A census-designated place in Alaska.

toke

noun

A puff or inhalation of marijuana smoke.

token

noun

A small object, coin, or piece of metal or plastic used in place of money, such as for a subway turnstile or arcade machine.

toki

noun

The Japanese crested ibis, a rare bird native to Japan (Nipponia nippon).

Tokugawa

name

A Japanese surname, and the name of the shogun family that ruled Japan from the 17th to 19th centuries.

Tokyo

name

The capital city and a prefecture of Japan.

tol

adjective

A dialectal or eye-dialect spelling of "tall."

toledo

noun

A finely crafted sword or sword blade, so called after the Spanish city famous for its swordmaking.

tolerable

adjective

Able to be endured or put up with; bearable.

tolerance

noun

Acceptance of beliefs, practices, or people different from one's own, without prejudice.

tolerant

adjective

Willing to accept or respect beliefs, practices, or people different from one's own.

tolerate

verb

To allow something to happen or continue, even if one disapproves of it.

tolerated

adjective

Endured or permitted, even if not fully approved of.

tolerating

verb

Currently putting up with or permitting something.

toll

noun

A fee charged for using a road, bridge, or similar route.

tolling

noun

The act of ringing a bell slowly and repeatedly.

Tolliver

name

An English surname.

Tolly

name

A diminutive nickname for the male given name Bartholomew; also used as a surname.

Tolson

name

An English surname.

Tolstoy

name

A Russian surname, most famously associated with the novelist Leo Tolstoy.

tom

name

A common diminutive of the male given name Thomas, also used as a name in its own right.

toma

noun

A semi-hard Italian cheese made in Piedmont.

tomahawk

noun

A light axe traditionally used by Native American warriors, originally made of stone, bone, or antler.

tomato

noun

The red, juicy fruit of the plant Solanum lycopersicum, used as a vegetable in cooking.

tomb

noun

A structure or chamber, often built of stone, that holds the remains of the dead.

tomboy

noun

A girl who enjoys activities or behaviour typically associated with boys, such as rough play or sports.

Tombs

name

An English surname, originally derived as a patronymic from "Tom."

tombstone

noun

A stone slab or marker placed at a grave, usually inscribed with the deceased's name and dates.

tomcat

noun

A male cat, especially one that has not been neutered.

tome

noun

A large, heavy, or scholarly book, especially one volume in a series.

Tomek

name

A Polish masculine given name, a diminutive form of Tomasz (Thomas).

tomfoolery

noun

Silly or foolish behaviour; playful nonsense.

Tomiko

name

A Japanese feminine given name, often meaning "child of wealth" or "fortunate child."

Tomlin

name

An English surname meaning "little Thomas."

Tommie

name

A male given name.

Tommy

noun

Informal nickname for a British soldier, especially historically.

tomo

noun

A shaft formed in limestone rock dissolved by groundwater.

tomoe

noun

A circular design of swirling water, commonly used in Japanese family crests and corporation logos.

Tomoko

name

A Japanese feminine given name, often meaning "wise child" or "friend child," depending on the characters used.

tomorrow

adv

On the day after today.

Tompkins

name

An English surname meaning "son of Tomkin," a diminutive of Thomas.

Toms

name

An English surname meaning "son of Tom."

ton

noun

A unit of weight — roughly 907 kg (short ton, US), 1016 kg (long ton, UK), or exactly 1000 kg (metric tonne).

tone

noun

The quality or character of a sound, especially its pitch, timbre, or emotional colouring.

toned

adj

Having a specified quality of sound or colour.

toner

noun

A fine powder used in laser printers and photocopiers to form printed text and images.

tong

noun

A gripping tool with two hinged arms, used to pick up or hold something (usually hot or awkward) without touching it directly.

Tonga

name

A Pacific island kingdom in Polynesia, made up of more than 170 islands, with its capital at Nuku'alofa.

tongs

noun

A tool with two hinged arms used for gripping and lifting objects without touching them by hand.

tongue

noun

The flexible muscular organ in the mouth used for tasting, moving food, and forming speech sounds.

Toni

name

A given name, commonly a short form of Antonia or Antonio.

Tonia

name

A feminine given name, a variant of Antonia.

tonic

noun

A drink or medicine believed to restore health, energy, or well-being.

tonight

adv

During the evening or night of the present day.

Tonkin

name

A historical name for the region of northern Vietnam, also the source of the name for the Gulf of Tonkin.

tonne

noun

A metric unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms.

tons

noun

Informal: a large quantity or number of something.

tonsils

noun

The two small soft-tissue glands at the back of the throat.

tonto

noun

A foolish or stupid person (informal, especially British slang, borrowed from Spanish).

Tony

adj

Fashionable and upscale; high-toned.

Tonya

name

A diminutive of the female given names Antonina or Antonia, from Russian

too

adv

Also; in addition.

toodles

intj

A cheerful, old-fashioned way of saying goodbye.

Took

verb

Past tense of "take."

tool

noun

A physical device used to carry out a task, especially one held in the hand.

toolbox

noun

A case or box used to store and carry tools.

toon

noun

Informal: a cartoon, especially an animated show or character.

toot

noun

A short blast of sound from a horn or whistle.

tooth

noun

A hard structure in the mouth used for biting and chewing.

toothache

noun

A pain in or around a tooth.

toothbrush

noun

A small brush with a long handle used with toothpaste to clean the teeth.

toothless

adj

Having no teeth.

toothpaste

noun

A paste used with a toothbrush to clean the teeth.

toothpick

noun

A small pointed stick used to remove bits of food from between the teeth.

tootie

noun

A barbiturate.

Tooting

noun

The act or sound of tooting, as of a horn.

toots

noun

An informal, affectionate way of addressing someone, often a woman ("babe" or "sweetheart").

tootsie

noun

An affectionate or informal word for a foot, especially a child's or woman's.

top

noun

The highest point or part of something.

Topanga

name

A canyon and community in the Santa Monica Mountains of California, also used as a feminine given name.

topaz

noun

A hard mineral often used as a gemstone, typically yellowish-brown but found in other colours too.

Topeka

name

The capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas.

toph

noun

A kind of sandstone.

Topher

name

A masculine given name, a short form of Christopher.

topic

noun

A subject that is being discussed, written about, or thought about.

topical

adj

Relating to a subject that is currently of interest or in the news.

topless

adj

Not wearing anything covering the upper body; bare-chested.

topo

noun

A topographic map, especially one showing terrain features like hills, trails, and elevation.

topography

noun

The physical shape and features of an area of land, such as its hills, valleys, and rivers.

topped

adj

Having a top or covering layer.

Topper

noun

Something that goes on top of something else, especially as a finishing touch.

topping

noun

Food added on top of a dish for flavour or decoration.

topple

verb

To fall over, or to cause something to fall over, especially from being top-heavy or unstable.

tops

adv

At the most; as an upper limit (informal).

topside

noun

The upper part or side of something, especially the part of a ship's hull above the waterline.

topsoil

noun

The uppermost, most fertile layer of soil.

Topsy

noun

Something (or someone) that seems to grow, spread, or develop on its own, without any real plan behind it.

tor

noun

A rocky hill or a craggy rock outcrop on a hilltop, formed by erosion.

tora

noun

Synonym of tora hartebeest.

Torah

name

The five books traditionally attributed to Moses at the start of the Hebrew Bible — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

torch

noun

A small portable light powered by a battery (British usage); in American English, a stick with a flaming end used as a light source.

torching

noun

An act of deliberately setting fire to something.

torchwood

noun

Wood from certain resin-rich trees or shrubs that burns readily and was traditionally used to make torches.

tore

verb

Past tense of "tear" — pulled something apart or ripped it.

tori

noun

In martial arts practice, the partner who performs the technique on the training partner (the uke).

Tories

name

A common nickname for the British Conservative Party and its members.

torment

noun

Severe physical or mental suffering.

tormented

adj

Suffering great mental or physical distress, often from guilt, grief, or anxiety.

tormenting

adj

Causing severe distress or suffering.