noun
teeth
TEETH
noun
1
Plural of tooth — the hard structures in the mouth used for biting and chewing.
"She brushes her teeth twice a day."
2
Real power or force behind a rule, threat, or law.
"The new regulation has no teeth without proper enforcement."
How to Use Teeth
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe plural of tooth; figuratively, the real power behind a law or threat.
Common pairings
give something teeth
sink your teeth into
grit your teeth
Word Forms
teethed past tense, teeths singular
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Etymology
From Old English teth, the plural of tooth, tracing back to Proto-Germanic and ultimately Proto-Indo-European roots.