English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

tormentor

noun

A person, animal, or thing that causes ongoing suffering or distress.

torn

adj

Unable to choose between two or more options because you feel pulled in different directions.

tornado

noun

A violently spinning column of air that reaches down from a storm cloud to touch the ground, capable of destroying almost everything in its path.

toro

noun

A traditional Japanese stone or wooden lantern, often seen in gardens and at shrines.

Toronto

name

The largest city in Canada, capital of the province of Ontario.

torpedo

noun

A self-propelled underwater explosive weapon fired from a ship, submarine, or aircraft to strike another vessel.

Torquay

name

A seaside town in Devon, England, part of the area known as the English Riviera.

torque

noun

A twisting or rotational force that makes something turn around an axis.

Torre

name

A surname of Italian and Spanish origin meaning "tower."

Torrence

name

A surname and given name, a variant of Torrance, of Scottish place-name origin.

torrent

noun

A violent, fast-moving stream of water or other liquid.

torrential

adj

Falling or flowing extremely heavily, like a torrent.

Torres

name

A common Spanish and Portuguese surname meaning "towers."

Torrey

name

A surname and given name, a variant of Torrance or Torre.

torrid

adj

Extremely hot and dry.

torso

noun

The main part of the body, not counting the head, arms, and legs.

tort

noun

In law, a wrongful act (other than breaking a contract) that harms someone and can be addressed through a civil lawsuit.

tortellini

noun

Small ring-shaped pasta parcels stuffed with meat, cheese, or vegetables, usually served in broth or with a sauce.

tortilla

noun

A thin, round flatbread made from corn or wheat flour, popular in Mexican cooking and used to wrap fillings.

tortoise

noun

A land-dwelling reptile with a hard domed shell into which it can withdraw its head and legs for protection.

torture

noun

The deliberate infliction of severe pain, especially to punish someone or force information out of them.

tortured

adj

Showing the effects of great suffering or inner turmoil.

torturer

noun

A person who tortures someone else.

torturing

noun

The act of subjecting someone to torture.

torturous

adj

Extremely painful or agonizing.

Tory

noun

A member or supporter of Britain's Conservative Party.

tosa

noun

A large Japanese breed of dog originally bred for fighting.

Tosca

noun

A variety of pear.

tosh

noun

British informal: nonsense or rubbish.

Toshiko

name

A Japanese female given name.

toss

verb

To throw something lightly or carelessly, usually with an upward motion.

tosser

noun

British slang, mildly vulgar: an annoying or contemptible person.

tossing

noun

The action of throwing something, or of moving restlessly back and forth.

tot

noun

A small child.

total

noun

The full amount reached by adding everything together.

totaled

adj

American spelling: describing a vehicle damaged beyond economical repair.

totalitarian

adj

Describing a system of government in which the state has total control over public and private life, and opposition is not tolerated.

totality

noun

The whole amount or extent of something; completeness.

totally

adv

Completely; to the fullest extent.

tote

noun

A large bag with handles, used for carrying everyday items (short for tote bag).

totem

noun

An animal, plant, or natural object treated as a sacred emblem of a family, clan, or tribe, believed to have a spiritual connection to that group.

totes

adverb

Totally; completely (informal, often used for emphasis or humor).

Toth

name

A common Hungarian surname meaning "Slovak," historically used to denote someone from a Slavic background.

toto

noun

Used mainly in the fixed Latin phrase "in toto," meaning entirely or as a whole.

Tottenham

name

A district in north London, England, and the name of the football club Tottenham Hotspur.

touch

verb

To make physical contact with something using the hand, finger, or another part of the body.

touchdown

noun

In American football, a scoring play worth six points, made by getting the ball into the opponent's end zone.

touched

adjective

Emotionally moved, often with gratitude or tenderness.

touching

adjective

Causing feelings of sadness, sympathy, or tenderness.

touchstone

noun

A dark stone once used to test the purity of gold or silver by rubbing the metal on it and examining the streak left behind.

touchy

adjective

Easily upset or offended; quick to take offense.

tough

adjective

Strong and resilient; not easily broken, worn out, or damaged.

toughen

verb

To make something stronger or more resistant to damage.

toughness

noun

The quality of being resistant to breaking, wear, or damage.

Toulon

proper noun

A port city in southeastern France, capital of the Var department, known as a major French naval base.

Toulouse

proper noun

A city in southwestern France, capital of the Occitanie region, sometimes called "the Pink City" for its brick architecture.

Touma

name

A surname of Arabic origin, a form of Thomas, common among Arab Christian families.

toupee

noun

A hairpiece worn by a man to cover a bald spot or thinning hair.

tour

noun

A trip or visit through a place, often for sightseeing or inspection.

tourette

verb

To display the sudden, involuntary tics — movements or sounds — associated with Tourette syndrome.

touring

adjective

Relating to travel through a country or region, especially for sightseeing.

tourism

noun

The activity of traveling to and visiting places for pleasure, especially away from one's home area.

tourist

noun

A person who travels to a place for pleasure or sightseeing rather than for work.

tournament

noun

A series of games or contests played to determine an overall winner.

tourney

noun

A tournament, especially in informal or sporting contexts.

tourniquet

noun

A tight band or device wrapped around a limb to stop severe bleeding by cutting off blood flow.

Tours

proper noun

A city in central France, capital of the Indre-et-Loire department, known for its historic old town.

tout

verb

To promote or praise something enthusiastically, often to sell it.

TOV

noun

In Ukraine, the abbreviation used after a company name to show it is a limited liability company.

tow

verb

To pull a vehicle or object behind another using a rope, chain, or line.

toward

preposition

In the direction of a place, person, or thing.

towards

preposition

In the direction of something or someone.

towel

noun

A piece of absorbent cloth used for drying the body or wiping surfaces.

tower

noun

A tall, narrow structure, either standing alone or forming part of a larger building.

towering

adjective

Extremely tall, especially compared to the surroundings.

Towers

name

An English surname, originally denoting someone who lived near a tower or worked as a tower guard.

towing

noun

The act of pulling a vehicle or object using another vehicle and a line or hitch.

Towler

name

An English surname, an occupational name for a tax collector or toll gatherer.

town

noun

A populated area with its own local government, shops, and services, generally smaller than a city.

Towne

name

An English surname, a variant spelling of "Town," originally denoting someone who lived in or near a settlement.

townhouse

noun

A tall, narrow house that shares one or both side walls with the houses next to it, typically in a city or town.

townie

noun

A person who lives in a town or city, especially as opposed to someone from the university or the countryside.

Towns

name

An English surname, a variant of "Towne," denoting association with a settlement.

Townsend

name

An English surname meaning "end of the town," originally a place name.

townsfolk

noun

The ordinary people who live in a particular town.

Townshend

name

An English surname, a variant spelling of Townsend, notably borne by musician Pete Townshend of The Who.

township

noun

A small administrative division of a county or district, often rural.

tox

adj

Under the influence of a drug or poison; showing signs of toxicity.

toxic

adjective

Poisonous; capable of causing illness or death if it enters the body.

toxicity

noun

The degree to which a substance is poisonous or harmful.

toxicology

noun

The scientific study of poisons and how they affect living things.

toxin

noun

A poisonous substance, especially one produced naturally by a living organism such as bacteria, a plant, or an animal.

toy

noun

An object made for a child (or sometimes an adult) to play with.

Toya

name

A feminine given name, often a short form of Latoya.

Toyama

name

A city and prefecture in Japan, located on the coast of the Sea of Japan.

toying

noun

The act of playing with something idly, or of treating a person or idea carelessly rather than seriously.

toyo

noun

Soy sauce, especially in Filipino cooking and English.

Toyota

noun

A car made by the Japanese manufacturer Toyota.

Toyotomi

name

A Japanese surname, borne by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a powerful 16th-century daimyo who unified Japan.

tp

verb

To pelt a house, tree, or yard with rolls of toilet paper as a prank.

tra

noun

A large freshwater catfish farmed widely in Southeast Asia, also called the iridescent shark or pangasius.

trace

noun

A small mark, sign, or amount left behind that shows something existed or happened.

traceable

adjective

Able to be traced back to its origin or source.

tracer

noun

A substance, such as a radioactive isotope or dye, used to track how something moves or changes through a system.

Tracey

name

A given name, a variant spelling of Tracy, ultimately from a Norman surname.

trachea

noun

The windpipe: the tube that carries air from the throat down to the lungs.

tracheotomy

noun

A surgical operation that cuts an opening into the windpipe through the neck, usually to help a patient breathe.

Traci

name

A feminine given name, a variant spelling of Tracy.

tracing

noun

A copy of a drawing made by following its outlines through transparent paper.

track

noun

A rough path or trail, often left by repeated use.

tracked

adjective

Moving on continuous belt tracks rather than wheels.

tracking

noun

The act or system of following and monitoring the progress or location of something.

tracksuit

noun

A loose, matching set of a jacket and trousers worn for sport, exercise, or casual comfort.

tract

noun

A large stretch or area of land.

traction

noun

The grip a wheel, tyre, or foot has on a surface, preventing it from slipping.

tractor

noun

A powerful farm vehicle used to pull ploughs, trailers, and other heavy equipment.

Tracy

name

A given name and surname of Norman origin, from a place name in France, used for both men and women.

trade

verb

To buy and sell goods, services, or securities.

trademark

noun

A registered word, symbol, or phrase that legally identifies a company's product and sets it apart from competitors.

trader

noun

A person who buys and sells goods, currencies, or financial instruments for a living.

tradesman

noun

A person skilled in a manual craft or trade, such as a plumber, electrician, or carpenter.

trading

noun

The activity of buying and selling goods, currency, or financial assets.

tradition

noun

A custom, belief, or practice passed down within a family, community, or culture over generations.

traditional

adj

Relating to or based on tradition; customary.

traditionally

adv

In a way that follows established custom.

Trafalgar

name

A cape in southern Spain, site of the famous 1805 naval Battle of Trafalgar, and namesake of Trafalgar Square in London.

traffic

noun

Vehicles or pedestrians moving along a road, or the general flow of such movement.

trafficked

adj

Illegally transported or traded, especially referring to people or goods.

trafficker

noun

A person who illegally trades in goods or people.

trafficking

noun

The illegal trade of goods or people.

Trafford

name

An English place name and surname, also the name of Old Trafford, home stadium of Manchester United.

tragedy

noun

A serious play or story in which the main character comes to ruin, often through a personal flaw or fate.

Trager

name

A surname of German and Jewish origin, an occupational name for a porter or carrier.

tragic

adj

Causing great sadness, suffering, or loss.

tragically

adv

In a way that causes great sadness; sadly and disastrously.

trail

verb

To follow closely behind someone or something.

trailer

noun

An unpowered vehicle towed behind a car or truck to carry cargo or equipment.

trailing

adj

Following behind, especially something attached and pulled along.

train

noun

A line of connected railway carriages pulled by an engine, used to carry passengers or freight.

trained

adj

Having received instruction or practice in a particular skill.

trainee

noun

Someone currently being taught the skills needed for a job.

training

noun

Instruction and practice given to develop a skill or ability.

traipsing

noun

The act of walking somewhere slowly or wearily, often unwillingly.

trait

noun

A distinguishing quality or characteristic of a person or thing.

traitor

noun

A person who betrays their country, cause, or the trust placed in them.

traitorous

adj

Disloyal; guilty of or resembling betrayal.

trajectory

noun

The curved path an object follows as it moves through space.

tram

noun

A passenger vehicle that runs on tracks laid into a city street.

tramp

noun

A homeless person who travels from place to place, often on foot.

tramping

noun

Walking with heavy steps, or hiking through the countryside for pleasure.