Toponymy To·pon"y·my noun A system of toponyms; the use of toponyms. --
To*pon"y*mal ,
Top`o*nym"ic ,
Top`o*nym"ic*al adjective
Topophone Top"o·phone noun [ Greek ... place + Greek ... sound.]
A double ear trumpet for estimating the direction from which sounds proceed, esp. for the use of navigators.
Topper Top"per noun 1. One that tops, in any sense of the verb; specif.:
(a) A cover of a top layer or part. [ Colloq.]
(b) One that excels, surpasses, or is extraordinary of its kind. [ Slang]
(c) Any device for cutting off tops; as, a turnip topper . (d) One who tops steel ingots. (e) A three-square float (file) used by comb makers. 2. A top hat. [ Slang or Colloq.]
3. Tobacco left in the bottom of a pipe bowl; -- so called from its being often taken out and placed on top of the newly filled bowl. Also, a cigar stump. [ Slang]
Toppiece Top"piece` noun A small wig for the top of the head; a toupee.
Topping Top"ping adjective 1. Rising above; surpassing. 2. Hence, assuming superiority; proud. The great and flourishing condition of some of the topping sinners of the world.
South. 3. Fine; gallant. [ Slang]
Johnson.
Topping Top"ping noun 1. The act of one who tops; the act of cutting off the top. 2. (Nautical) The act of raising one extremity of a spar higher than the other. 3. plural That which comes from hemp in the process of hatcheling. Topping lift (Nautical) ,
a large, strong tackle employed to raise or top the end of a gaff, or of a boom.
Topping Top"ping noun (Angling) The tail of an artificial fly.
Toppingly Top"ping·ly adverb In a topping or proud manner.
Toppingly Top"ping·ly adjective Same as Topping , adjective , 3. [ Obsolete] "
Topping quests."
Tusser.
Topple Top"ple intransitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Toppled ;
present participle & verbal noun Toppling .] [ From
Top summit.]
To fall forward; to pitch or tumble down. Though castles topple on their warders' heads.
Shak.
Topple Top"ple transitive verb To throw down; to overturn. He topple crags from the precipice.
Longfellow.
Tops-and-bottoms Tops"-and-bot`toms noun plural Small rolls of dough, baked, cut in halves, and then browned in an oven, -- used as food for infants. 'T is said that her top-and-bottoms were gilt.
Hood.
Topsail Top"sail` noun (Nautical) In a square-rigged vessel, the sail next above the lowermost sail on a mast. This sail is the one most frequently reefed or furled in working the ship. In a fore-and-aft rigged vessel, the sail set upon and above the gaff. See Cutter , Schooner , Sail , and Ship . Topsail schooner .
(Nautical) See Schooner , and Illustration in Appendix.
Topsman Tops"man noun ;
plural Topsmen 1. The chief drover of those who drive a herd of cattle. P. Cyc. 2. The uppermost sawyer in a saw pit; a topman. Simmonds.
Topsoil Top"soil` noun The upper layer of soil; surface soil.
Topsoiling Top"soil`ing noun (Engineering) The act or art of taking off the top soil of land before an excavation or embankment is begun.
Topstone Top"stone` noun A stone that is placed on the top, or which forms the top.
Topsy-turvy Top"sy-tur"vy adverb [ Earlier
topside- turvey ,
topsy-tervy ; probably for
top so turvy ; that is, the top as turvy, as it were turvy; where
turvy probably means, overturned, from
AS .
torfian to throw.]
In an inverted posture; with the top or head downward; upside down; as, to turn a carriage topsy-turvy .
Toque Toque (tōk)
noun [ French
toque ; of Celtic origin; confer W.
toc .]
1. A kind of cap worn in the 16th century, and copied in modern fashions; -- called also toquet . His velvet toque stuck as airily as ever upon the side of his head.
Motley. 2. (Zoology) A variety of the bonnet monkey.
Toquet To·quet" noun See Toque , 1.
Tor Tor noun [ Anglo-Saxon
torr ; confer Gael.
torr . Confer
Tower .]
1. A tower; a turret. [ R.]
Ray. 2. High-pointed hill; a rocky pinnacle. [ Prov. Eng.]
A rolling range of dreary moors, unbroken by tor or tree.
C. Kingsley.
Torace, Torase To·race", To·rase" transitive verb [ Prefix
to- +
OE .
r...sen to rage.]
To scratch to pieces. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Torah To"rah To"ra noun ; plural Toroth . [ Hebrew tōrāh .] (Jewish Lit.) (a) A law; a precept. A considerable body of priestly Toroth .
S. R. Driver. (b) Divine instruction; revelation. Tora , . . . before the time of Malachi, is generally used of the revelations of God's will made through the prophets.
T. K. Cheyne. (c) The Pentateuch or "Law of Moses." The Hebrew Bible is divided into three parts: (1) The Torah , "Law," or Pentateuch. (2) The Prophets . . . (3) The Kethubim, or the "Writings," generally termed Hagiographa.
C. H. H. Wright.
Toran To"ran To"ra*na noun [ Sanskrit tōrana an arch, a gate.] (Indian Arch.) A gateway, commonly of wood, but sometimes of stone, consisting of two upright pillars carrying one to three transverse lintels. It is often minutely carved with symbolic sculpture, and serves as a monumental approach to a Buddhist temple.
Torbernite Tor"bern·ite noun [ So named after
Torber Bergmann, a Swedish chemist.]
(Min.) A mineral occurring in emerald-green tabular crystals having a micaceous structure. It is a hydrous phosphate of uranium and copper. Called also copper uranite , and chalcolite .
Torc Torc (tôrk)
noun Same as Torque , 1.
Torch Torch (tôrch)
noun [ Middle English
torche , French
torche a torch, rag, wisp, pad; probably from a derivative of Latin
torquere ,
tortum , to twist, because twisted like a rope; confer French
torcher to rub, wipe, Italian
topcia a torch,
torciare to wrap, twist, Old French
torse a torse. Confer
Torture .]
A light or luminary formed of some combustible substance, as of resinous wood; a large candle or flambeau, or a lamp giving a large, flaring flame. They light the nuptial torch .
Milton. Torch thistle .
(Botany) See under Thistle .
Torch race Torch race A race by men carrying torches, as in ancient Greece.
Torchbearer Torch"bear`er noun One whose office it is to carry a torch.
Torcher Torch"er noun One who gives light with a torch, or as if with a torch. [ Obsolete]
Shak.
Torchlight Torch"light` noun The light of a torch, or of torches. Also adjectively; as, a torchlight procession.
Torchon lace Tor"chon lace` [ French torchon a kind of coarse napkin.] a simple thread lace worked upon a pillow with coarse thread; also, a similar lace made by machinery.
Torchon paper Tor"chon pa"per [ French papier torchon .] Paper with a rough surface; esp., handmade paper of great hardness for the use of painters in water colors.
Torchwood Torch"wood` noun (Botany) The inflammable wood of certain trees ( Amyris balsamifera , A. Floridana , etc.); also, the trees themselves.
Torchwort Torch"wort` noun (Botany) The common mullein, the stalks of which, dipped in suet, anciently served for torches. Called also torch , and hig-taper .
Tore Tore imperfect of Tear .
Tore Tore noun [ Probably from the root of
tear ; confer W.
tór a break, cut,
tóri to break, cut.]
The dead grass that remains on mowing land in winter and spring. [ Prov. Eng.]
Mortimer.
Tore Tore noun [ See
Torus .]
1. (Architecture) Same as Torus . 2. (Geom.) (a) The surface described by the circumference of a circle revolving about a straight line in its own plane. (b) The solid inclosed by such a surface; -- sometimes called an anchor ring .
Toreador To"re·a·dor` noun [ Spanish ,fr.
torear to fight bulls, from Latin
taurus a bull.]
A bullfighter.
Toret Tor"et noun [ Probably dim. from
tore ,
torus .]
A Turret. [ Obsolete]
Toret Tor"et noun A ring for fastening a hawk's leash to the jesses; also, a ring affixed to the collar of a dog, etc. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Toreumatography To"reu`ma·tog"ra·phy noun [ Greek ..., ..., embossed work, work in relief (from ... to bore through, to work in relief) +
-graphy .]
A description of sculpture such as bas-relief in metal.
Toreumatology To·reu`ma·tol"o·gy noun [ Greek ... embossed work +
-logy .]
The art or the description of scupture such as bas-relief in metal; toreumatography.
Toreutic To·reu"tic adjective [ Greek ... belonging to work in relief.]
(Sculp.) In relief; pertaining to sculpture in relief, especially of metal; also, pertaining to chasing such as surface ornamentation in metal.
Torgoch Tor"goch noun The saibling. [ Prov. Eng.]
Torilto To·ril"to noun [ Confer Spanish
torillo a little bull.]
(Zoology) A species of Turnix ( Turnix sylvatica ) native of Spain and Northen Africa.
Torinese To`rin·ese" adjective [ Italian ]
Of or pertaining to Turin. --
noun sing. & plural A native or inhabitant of Turin; collectively, the people of Turin.
Torment Tor"ment noun [ Old French
torment , French
tourment , from Latin
tormentum an engine for hurling missiles, an instrument of torture, a rack, torture, from
torquere to turn, to twist, hurl. See
Turture .]
1. (Mil. Antiq.) An engine for casting stones. [ Obsolete]
Sir T. Elyot. 2. Extreme pain; anguish; torture; the utmost degree of misery, either of body or mind. Chaucer. The more I see
Pleasures about me, so much more I feel
Torment within me.
Milton. 3. That which gives pain, vexation, or misery. They brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments .
Matt. iv. 24.
Torment Tor·ment" transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle tormented ;
present participle & verbal noun tormenting .] [ Old French
tormenter , French
tourmenter .]
1. To put to extreme pain or anguish; to inflict excruciating misery upon, either of body or mind; to torture. " Art thou come hither to
torment us before our time? "
Matt. viii. 29. 2. To pain; to distress; to afflict. Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented .
Matt. viii. 6. 3. To tease; to vex; to harass; as, to be tormented with importunities, or with petty annoyances. [ Colloq.]
4. To put into great agitation. [ R.] "[ They], soaring on main wing,
tormented all the air."
Milton.
Tormenter Tor·ment"er noun 1. One who, or that which, torments; a tormentor. 2. An executioner. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.