Talegalla, tal-e-gal′a, n. the brush-turkey, a genus of gallinaceous birds, in the same family as the mound-building Megapodes.—Also Talegall′us. [The latter part is probably from L. gallus, a cock.]
Talent, tal′ent, n. an ancient weight or denomination of money—in the Attic system of money (N.T.), 100 drachmæ made a mnâ (pound, Luke xix. 13), and 6000 made a talent; this talent weighed 57 lb. avoirdupois, and in value may be put roughly at about £213-£235, the mnâ at about £4: faculty: any natural or special gift: special aptitude: eminent ability: abundance.—adjs. Tal′ented, possessing mental gifts; Tal′entless, without talent. [L. talentum—Gr. talanton, a weight, a talent, from a root meaning to lift, as in tlēnai, to bear; akin to L. tollĕre, Ger. dulden, Scot. thole.]
Tales, tā′lēz, n.pl. a list of persons, apparently a selection from spectators in court, made by the sheriff or judge at a trial, to supply any defect in a jury or panel.—n. Tā′lesman, a bystander so chosen.—Pray a tales, to plead that the number of jurymen be completed in this way. [From the phrase 'tales de circumstantibus,' tales, pl. of L. talis, such.]
Taliacotian, tal-i-a-kō′shi-an, adj. pertaining to the rhinoplastic operation of Tagliacozzi or Taliacotius (1546-99), in which the skin for the new nose was taken from the arm of the patient, the arm requiring to be kept in apposition with the face for about twenty days.
Talian, tal′i-an, n. an old Bohemian dance, or its music.
Talion, tal′i-on, n. the law of retaliation.—adj. Talion′ic. [L. talio, like punishment—talis, of such kind.]
Taliped, tal′i-ped, adj. club-footed: walking like the sloth.—n. a club-footed person.—n. Tal′ipes, a club-foot: club-footedness: the distorted formation of the feet of the sloth. [L. talus, the ankle, pes, the foot.]
Talipot, tal′i-pot, n. an East Indian palm with fan-shaped leaves.—Also Tal′iput, Tal′ipat. [Hind. tālpāt.]
Talisman, tal′is-man, n. a species of charm engraved on metal or stone when two planets are in conjunction, or when a star is at its culminating point, and supposed to exert some protective influence over the wearer of it: (fig.) something that produces extraordinary effects:—pl. Tal′ismans.—adjs. Talisman′ic, -al, pertaining to, or having the properties of, a talisman: magical. [Fr.,—Ar. tilsam—Late Ger. telesma, consecration, incantation—Gr. telein, to consecrate.]
Talk, tawk, v.i. to speak familiarly: to prattle: to reason.—n. familiar conversation: that which is uttered in familiar intercourse: subject of discourse: rumour.—adjs. Talk′able, capable of talking, or of being talked about; Talk′ative, given to much talking: prating.—adv. Talk′atively.—ns. Talk′ativeness; Talk′ee-talk′ee, a corrupt dialect: incessant chatter—also adj. Talk′y-talk′y.—n. Talk′er.—adj. Talk′ing, given to talking.—Talk against time, to keep on talking merely to fill up time, as often in parliament: Talk big, to talk boastfully; Talk down, to argue down; Talk from the point, to wander away from the proper question; Talk Greek, to talk above the understanding of one's hearers; Talking of, apropos of, with regard to; Talk over, to persuade, convince: to discuss, consider together; Talk round, to exhaust the subject: to bring to one's way of thinking by persuasive talk; Talk shop (see Shop); Talk to, to address: to rebuke; Talk up, to speak impudently or boldly to. [Prof. Skeat takes the M. E. talken from Scand., and that from Lithuanian; Sw. tolka (Ice. túlka), to interpret—Lith. tulkas, an interpreter. Prob., however, the M. E. talken is talen, talien, to speak, with formative -k, giving a freq. or dim. force; cf. Tale.]