A musical director was having a lot of trouble with one drummer. He talked and talked and talked with the drummer, but his performance simply didn"t improve.
Finally, before the whole orchestra, he said, "When a musician just can"t handle his instrument and doesn"t improve when given help, they take away the instrument, and give him two sticks, and make him a drummer."
A stage whisper was heard from the percussion section: "And if he can"t handle even that, they take away one of his sticks and make him a conductor."
—n. Insult; provocation. —v. Insult; provoke contemptuously. [french tant pour tant tit for tat, smart rejoinder]
TAUPE
adj. & n. Grey tinged with esp. Brown. [french, = *mole1]
TAWNY
adj. (-ier, -iest) orange-brown or yellow-brown. [anglo-french taune: related to *tan1]
- owl n. Reddish-brown european owl.
TAXON
n. (pl. Taxa) any taxonomic group. [back-formation from *taxonomy]
TBONE
n. T-shaped bone, esp. In steak from the thin end of a loin.
TEACH
v. (past and past part. Taught) 1 a give systematic information, instruction, or training to (a person) or about (a subject or skill) (taught me to swim). B (absol.) Practise this professionally. C communicate, instruct in (suffering taught me patience).
- advocate as a moral etc. Principle (taught forgiveness).
- (foll. By to + infin.) A instruct (a person) by example or punishment (that will teach you not to disobey). B colloq. Discourage (a person) from (that will teach you to laugh). teachable adj. [old english]
TEASE
—v. (-sing) (also absol.) 1 a make fun of playfully, unkindly, or annoyingly; irritate. B allure, esp. Sexually, while withholding satisfaction.
- pick (wool etc.) Into separate fibres.
- dress (cloth) esp. With teasels. —n. - colloq. Person fond of teasing.
- act of teasing (only a tease). tease out separate by disentangling. [old english]
TEDDY
boy n. Colloq. Youth, esp. Of the 1950s, wearing edwardian-style clothes, hairstyle, etc. [teddy, pet form of edward]
- n. (also teddy) (pl. -ies) (in full teddy bear) soft toy bear. [teddy, pet form of theodore roosevelt]
TEENS
n.pl. Years of one's age from 13 to 19 (in his teens).
A cat will clean itself with paw and tongue after a dangerous experience or when it has fought with another cat. This is an attempt by the animal to soothe its nerves by doing something natural and instinctive.
