A porter in a British hotel comes upon an American tourist impatiently jabbing at the button for the lift.
"Sir, the lift will be here in a moment."
"Lift? Lift?" replies the American. "Oh, you mean the elevator."
"No sir, here we call it a lift."
"Well, as it was invented in the United States, it’s called an elevator."
"Yes sir, but as the language was invented here, it’s called a lift."
suffix forming nouns denoting quality or condition (cruelty; plenty). [french from latin -tas -tatis]
- suffix denoting tens (ninety). [old english -tig]
TAB
—n. - small flap or strip of material attached for grasping, fastening, or hanging up, or for identification.
- us colloq. Bill (picked up the tab).
- distinguishing mark on a staff officer's collar. —v. (-bb-) provide with a tab or tabs. keep tabs (or a tab) on colloq. - keep account of.
- have under observation or in check. [probably dial.]
- n. = *tabulator 2. [abbreviation]
TAG
end n. Esp. Us last remnant.
- —n. - label, esp. On an object to show its address, price, etc.
- metal etc. Point on a shoelace etc.
- loop or flap for handling or hanging a thing.
- loose or ragged end.
- trite quotation or stock phrase. —v. (-gg-) 1 provide with a tag or tags.
- (often foll. By on, on to) join or attach. tag along (often foll. By with) go along, accompany passively. [origin unknown]
- —n. Children's chasing game. —v. (-gg-) touch in a game of tag. [origin unknown]
TAI
chi n. (in full t'ai chi ch'uan) chinese martial art and system of callisthenics with slow controlled movements. [chinese, = great ultimate boxing]
TAN
—n. - = *suntan.
- yellowish-brown colour.
- bark, esp. Of oak, used to tan hides. —adj. Yellowish-brown. —v. (-nn-) 1 make or become brown by exposure to sunlight.
- convert (raw hide) into leather.
- slang beat, thrash. [medieval latin tanno, perhaps from celtic]
- abbr. Tangent.
TAP
root n. Tapering root growing vertically downwards.
- —n. - device by which a flow of liquid or gas from a pipe or vessel can be controlled.
- tapping of a telephone etc.
- taproom. —v. (-pp-) 1 provide (a cask) or let out (liquid) with a tap.
- draw sap from (a tree) by cutting into it.
- obtain information or supplies from.
- extract or obtain; discover and exploit (mineral wealth waiting to be tapped; tap skills of young people).
- connect a listening device to (a telephone etc.). on tap 1 ready to be drawn off by tap.
- colloq. Freely available. [old english]
- —v. (-pp-) 1 (foll. By at, on) strike a gentle but audible blow.
- (often foll. By against, on, etc.) Strike or cause (a thing) to strike lightly (tapped me on the shoulder).
- (often foll. By out) make by a tap or taps (tapped out the rhythm).
- tap-dance. —n. - a light blow; rap. B sound of this.
- a tap-dancing. B metal attachment on a tap-dancer's shoe. [imitative]
TAR
—n. - dark thick inflammable liquid distilled from wood or coal etc., used as a preservative of wood and iron, in making roads, as an antiseptic, etc.
- similar substance formed in the combustion of tobacco etc. —v. (-rr-) cover with tar. tar and feather smear with tar and then cover with feathers as a punishment. Tarred with the same brush having the same faults. [old english]
- n. Colloq. Sailor. [from *tarpaulin]
TAT
n. Colloq. Tatty things; rubbish, junk. [back-formation from *tatty]
- v. (-tt-) do, or make by, tatting. [origin unknown]
- see *tit2.
TAU
n. Nineteenth letter of the greek alphabet (t, t). [greek]
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