Tanglefish Tan"gle·fish` noun (Zoology) The sea adder, or great pipefish of Europe.

Tanglingly Tan"gling·ly adverb In a tangling manner.

Tangly Tan"gly adjective 1. Entangled; intricate.

2. Covered with tangle, or seaweed.

Prone, helpless, on the tangly beach he lay.

Falconer.

Tango Tan"go noun ; plural Tangos . [ Spanish , a certain dance.] (a) A difficult dance in two-four time characterized by graceful posturing, frequent pointing positions, and a great variety of steps, including the cross step and turning steps. The dance is of Spanish origin, and is believed to have been in its original form a part of the fandango. (b) Any of various popular forms derived from this.

Tangram Tan"gram noun [ Confer Trangram .] A Chinese toy made by cutting a square of thin wood, or other suitable material, into seven pieces, as shown in the cut, these pieces being capable of combination in various ways, so as to form a great number of different figures. It is now often used in primary schools as a means of instruction.

Tangue Tangue noun (Zoology) The tenrec.

Tangun Tan"gun noun (Zoology) A piebald variety of the horse, native of Thibet.

Tangwhaup Tang"whaup noun (Zoology) The whimbrel. [ Prov. Eng.]

Tanier Tan"i·er noun (Botany) An aroid plant ( Caladium sagittæfolium ), the leaves of which are boiled and eaten in the West Indies. [ Written also tannier .]

Tanist Tan"ist noun [ Ir. tanaiste , tanaise , second, the second person in rank, the presumptive or apparent heir to a prince.] In Ireland, a lord or proprietor of a tract of land or of a castle, elected by a family, under the system of tanistry.

This family [ the O'Hanlons] were tanists of a large territory within the present county of Armagh.

M. A. Lower.

Tanistry Tan"ist·ry noun [ See Tanist .] In Ireland, a tenure of family lands by which the proprietor had only a life estate, to which he was admitted by election.

» The primitive intention seems to have been that the inheritance should descend to the oldest or most worthy of the blood and name of the deceased. This was, in reality, giving it to the strongest; and the practice often occasioned bloody feuds in families, for which reason it was abolished under James I.

Tanite Ta"nite noun A firm composition of emery and a certain kind of cement, used for making grinding wheels, slabs, etc.

Tank Tank noun A small Indian dry measure, averaging 240 grains in weight; also, a Bombay weight of 72 grains, for pearls. Simmonds.

Tank Tank noun [ Portuguese tanque , Latin stangum a pool; or perhaps of East Indian origin. Confer Stank , noun ] A large basin or cistern; an artificial receptacle for liquids.

Tank engine , a locomotive which carries the water and fuel it requires, thus dispensing with a tender. -- Tank iron , plate iron thinner than boiler plate, and thicker than sheet iron or stovepipe iron. -- Tank worm (Zoology) , a small nematoid worm found in the water tanks of India, supposed by some to be the young of the Guinea worm.

Tank Tank noun A pond, pool, or small lake, natural or artificial.

We stood in the afterglow on the bank of the tank and saw the ducks come homa.

F. Remington.

The tanks are full and the grass is high.

Lawson.

Tank ship, Tank vessel Tank ship, Tank vessel (Nautical) A vessel fitted with tanks for the carrying of oil or other liquid in bulk.

Tanka Tan"ka noun (Nautical) A kind of boat used in Canton. It is about 25 feet long and is often rowed by women. Called also tankia . S. W. Williams.

Tankage Tank"age noun 1. The act or process of putting or storing in tanks.

2. Fees charged for storage in tanks.

3. The capacity or contents of a tank or tanks.

4. (Agriculture) Waste matter from tanks; esp., the dried nitrogenous residue from tanks in which fat has been rendered, used as a fertilizer.

Tankard Tank"ard noun [ Old French tanquart ; confer OD. tanckaert ; of uncertain origin.] A large drinking vessel, especially one with a cover.

Marius was the first who drank out of a silver tankard , after the manner of Bacchus.

Arbuthnot.

Tankia Tan"ki·a noun (Nautical) See Tanka .

Tankling Tank"ling noun A tinkling. [ Obsolete]

Tanling Tan"ling noun One tanned by the sun. [ R.]

Hot summer's tanlings and
The shrinking slaves of winter.

Shak.

Tannable Tan"na·ble adjective That may be tanned.

Tannage Tan"nage noun A tanning; the act, operation, or result of tanning. [ R.]

They should have got his cheek fresh tannage .

R. Browning.

Tannate Tan"nate noun [ Confer French tannate .] (Chemistry) A salt of tannic acid.

Tanner Tan"ner noun One whose occupation is to tan hides, or convert them into leather by the use of tan.

Tanner Tan"ner noun [ Etym. uncertain.] A sixpence. [ Slang, Eng.]

Tannery Tan"ner·y noun ; plural Tanneries . [ Confer French tannerie .] 1. A place where the work of tanning is carried on.

2. The art or process of tanning. [ R.] Carlyle.

Tannic Tan"nic adjective Of or pertaining to tan; derived from, or resembling, tan; as, tannic acid.

Tannic acid . (Chemistry) (a) An acid obtained from nutgalls as a yellow amorphous substance, C ₁₄ H ₁₀ O ₉ , having an astringent taste, and forming with ferric salts a bluish-black compound, which is the basis of common ink. Called also tannin , and gallotannic acid . (b) By extension, any one of a series of astringent substances resembling tannin proper, widely diffused through the vegetable kingdom, as in oak bark, willow, catechu, tea, coffee, etc.

Tannier Tan"ni·er noun (Botany) See Tanier .

Tannigen Tan"ni·gen noun [ Tann in + -gen .] (Pharm.) A compound obtained as a yellowish gray powder by the action of acetyl chloride or acetic anhydride or ordinary tannic acid. It is used as an intestinal astringent, and locally in rhinitis and pharyngitis.

Tannin Tan"nin noun [ Confer French tannin .] (Chemistry) Same as Tannic acid , under Tannic .

Tanning Tan"ning noun The art or process of converting skins into leather. See Tan , transitive verb , 1.

Tanrec Tan"rec noun (Zoology) Same as Tenrec .

Tansy Tan"sy noun [ Middle English tansaye , French tanaise ; confer Italian & Spanish tanaceto , New Latin tanacetum , Portuguese atanasia , athanasia , Greek 'aqanasi`a immortality, from 'aqa`natos immortal; 'a priv. + qa`natos death.] 1. (Botany) Any plant of the composite genus Tanacetum . The common tansy ( T. vulgare ) has finely divided leaves, a strong aromatic odor, and a very bitter taste. It is used for medicinal and culinary purposes.

2. A dish common in the seventeenth century, made of eggs, sugar, rose water, cream, and the juice of herbs, baked with butter in a shallow dish. [ Obsolete] Pepys.

Double tansy (Botany) , a variety of the common tansy with the leaves more dissected than usual. -- Tansy mustard (Botany) , a plant ( Sisymbrium canescens ) of the Mustard family, with tansylike leaves.

Tant Tant noun [ Confer Taint tincture.] (Zoology) A small scarlet arachnid.

Tantalate Tan"ta·late noun (Chemistry) A salt of tantalic acid.

Tantalic Tan·tal"ic adjective (Chemistry) Of or pertaining to tantalum; derived from, or containing, tantalum; specifically, designating any one of a series of acids analogous to nitric acid and the polyacid compounds of phosphorus.

Tantalism Tan"ta·lism noun [ See Tantalize .] A punishment like that of Tantalus; a teasing or tormenting by the hope or near approach of good which is not attainable; tantalization. Addison.

Is not such a provision like tantalism to this people?

Josiah Quincy.

Tantalite Tan"ta·lite noun [ Confer French tantalite .] (Min.) A heavy mineral of an iron-black color and submetallic luster. It is essentially a tantalate of iron.

Tantalization Tan`ta·li·za"tion noun The act of tantalizing, or state of being tantalized. Gayton.

Tantalize Tan"ta·lize transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Tantalized ; present participle & verbal noun Tantalizing .] [ From Tantalus : confer French tantaliser .] To tease or torment by presenting some good to the view and exciting desire, but continually frustrating the expectations by keeping that good out of reach; to tease; to torment.

Thy vain desires, at strife
Within themselves, have tantalized thy life.

Dryden.

Syn. -- To tease; vex; irritate; provoke. -- Tantalize , Disappoint . To disappoint is literally to do away with what was (or was taken to be) appointed ; hence the peculiar pain from hopes thus dashed to the ground. To tantalize , a much stronger term, describes a most distressing form of disappointment, as in the case of Tantalus, the Phrygian king. To tantalize is to visit with the bitterest disappointment -- to torment by exciting hopes or expectations which can never be realized.

Tantalizer Tan"ta·li`zer noun One who tantalizes.

Tantalizingly Tan"ta·li`zing·ly adverb In a tantalizing or teasing manner.

Tantalum Tan"ta·lum noun [ New Latin So named on account of the perplexity and difficulty encounterd by its discoverer (Ekeberg) in isolating it. See Tantalus .] (Chemistry) A rare nonmetallic element found in certain minerals, as tantalite, samarskite, and fergusonite, and isolated as a dark powder which becomes steel-gray by burnishing. Symbol Ta. Atomic weight 182.0. Formerly called also tantalium .

Tantalus Tan"ta·lus noun [ Latin , from Greek Ta`ntalos .] (Gr. Myth.) 1. A Phrygian king who was punished in the lower world by being placed in the midst of a lake whose waters reached to his chin but receded whenever he attempted to allay his thirst, while over his head hung branches laden with choice fruit which likewise receded whenever he stretched out his hand to grasp them.

2. (Zoology) A genus of wading birds comprising the wood ibises.

Tantalus's cup (Physics) , a philosophical toy, consisting of a cup, within which is the figure of a man, and within the figure a siphon, the longer arm of which passes down through the bottom of the cup, and allows the escape of any liquid that may be poured in, when it reaches as high as the bend of the siphon, which is just below the level of the mouth of the figure in the cup.

Tantamount Tan"ta·mount` adjective [ French tant so much (L. tantus ) + English amount .] Equivalent in value, signification, or effect.

A usage nearly tantamount to constitutional right.

Hallam.

The certainty that delay, under these circumstances, was tantamount to ruin.

De Quincey.

Tantamount Tan"ta·mount` intransitive verb To be tantamount or equivalent; to amount. [ Obsolete] Jer. Taylor.

Tantivy Tan·tiv"y adverb [ Said to be from the note of a hunting horn.] Swiftly; speedily; rapidly; -- a fox-hunting term; as, to ride tantivy .

Tantivy Tan·tiv"y noun A rapid, violent gallop; an impetuous rush. Cleverland.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
You are here: Webster > Letter T > Page 9 of 124.
« Previous ¦1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 ¦ Next »