tooth 
tooth (to̵̅o̅t̸h; for v., also to̵̅o̅t̸h)
noun pl. teethtēt̸h
- any of a set of hard, bonelike structures set in the jaws of most vertebrates and used for biting, tearing, and chewing: a tooth consists typically of a sensitive, vascular pulp surrounded by dentin and coated on the crown with enamel and on the root with cementum: normally 32 are in the permanent set and 20 in the deciduous set of a human
- any of various analogous processes in invertebrates
- denture (sense )
- something resembling a tooth; toothlike part, as on a saw, fork, rake, gearwheel, etc.; tine, prong, cog, etc.
- appetite or taste for something specified: now only in sweet tooth
- something that bites, pierces, or gnaws like a tooth the teeth of the storm
- a rough surface, as on paper, metal, etc.
- a sound or effective means of enforcing something to put teeth into a law
- Bot. any small, pointed lobe, as of a leaf or of the fringe surrounding the opening of a capsule in mosses
Etymology: ME < OE toth (< *tanth), akin to Ger zahn < IE *edont- (< base *ed-, to eat) > L dens (gen. dentis), Gr odous (gen. odontos)
transitive verb
- to provide with teeth
- to make jagged; indent
intransitive verb
to mesh, or become interlocked, as gears
long in the tooth
elderly; old
tooth and nail
with all one's strength or resources
tooth
n.
A dental process
fang, tusk, saber-tooth, tush, ivory, snag, artificial tooth, false tooth, edontate process, calcerous process, bony appendage. Types of human teeth include: incisor, canine, cuspid, eyetooth*, bicuspid, premolar, first bicuspid, second bicuspid, molar*, grinder*, first molar, second molar, third molar, wisdom tooth; deciduous teeth, baby teeth*, permanent teeth.
A toothlike or tooth-shaped object
tooth is the general, inclusive word for the hard, bonelike structures in the jaws of most vertebrates used for biting and chewing; tusk refers to a long, pointed, enlarged tooth projecting outside the mouth in certain animals, as the elephant, wild boar, and walrus, and used for digging or as a weapon; fang refers either to one of the long, sharp teeth with which meat-eating animals tear their prey or to the long, hollow tooth through which poisonous snakes inject their venom
get<strong> or </strong>sink one's teeth into*
in the teeth of
long in the tooth*
show one's teeth*
throw in someone's teeth*
Converse of object
- grit: Maddy made me laugh ( with gritted teeth ) today.
- clench: The ones who conquer fear through repetition, through sweat, through clenched teeth.
Adjective modifier
- canine: The mole's long canine teeth are sharp and pierce the hard outer skeleton of insect prey.
- molar: These tend to be the incisors in the middle of the lower jaw and the first permanent molar teeth.
- sharp: We know the Data Protection Act does not have sharp enough teeth to protect patient privacy.
- sweet: They are all there to tempt the sweet tooth.
- false: One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth in a glass.
- deciduous: In Scotland, for those with disease, the average was 5.0 deciduous teeth decayed, missing or filled.
Modifies a noun
- decay: Plain water doesn't cause tooth decay or erosion.
- whitening: In Cosmetic treatment How much does tooth whitening cost?
- enamel: Tooth enamel analysis proved they could not have been brought up in the local chalk area.
- fairy: My dentist even gave me it the tooth in a little tooth fairy envelope.
- comb: Always avoid brushing curly hair, use a wide tooth comb to just separate the curls instead.
Noun used with modifier
- incisor: This order is named due to the modifications of the incisor teeth that project forward, in a similar way to rodents.
- cheek: The jaws bore small chisel like incisors, small canines, and low-crowned cheek teeth with rounded conical cusps.
- shark: Sharks teeth at Barton can be picked up from the foreshore making this location ideal for all the family.
Preposition: of
- comb: Alternatively, hold the nail between the teeth of a comb.
- gale: And no Australian has smiled as much into the teeth of an oncoming gale.
Preposition: with
- plier: Another guard pulled out two of his upper teeth with pliers.
I emerged at last, stumbled a few steps in the mud and then I saw it: an ethereal mountain emerging from a tossing sea of clouds framed between two dark barracksöa massive, blue-black tooth of sheer rock inlaid with azure glaciers, austere yet floating fairy-like on the near horizon. It was the first17,000-foot peak I had ever seen. I stood gazing until the vision disappeared among the shifting cloud banks. For hours afterwards I remained spell-bound. I had definitely fallen in love.
I have had a drill to the tooth of America for the last two years.
Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
Why, a moral truth is a hollow tooth Which must be propped with gold.
Who trusted God was love indeed And love Creation's final lawö Though Nature, red in tooth and claw With ravine, shrieked against his creed.
Man, her last work, who seemed so fair, Such splendid purpose in his eyes, Who rolled the psalm to wintry skies, Who built him fanes of fruitless prayer, Who trusted God was love indeed And love Creation's final lawö Though Nature, red in tooth and claw With ravine, shrieked against his creed.
German memory was like a massivetongue seeking out, over and over, a sore tooth.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you,That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
Browse dictionary entries near tooth
- tooth and nail ›
- tooth fairy ›
- tooth powder ›
- tooth-shaped ›
- tooth shell ›
- toothache ›
- toothbrush ›
- toothed ›
- toothed whale ›
- toothpaste ›
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