Tmesis, tmē′sis, n. (gram.) the separation of the parts of a compound word by one or more words inserted between them, as 'Saxo cere-comminuit-brum;' 'of whom be thou ware also' (2 Tim. iv. 15). [L.,—Gr. tmēsis—temnein, to cut.]
To, tōō, prep. in the direction of: in order to: as far as; in accordance with, in the character of: regarding, concerning, in connection with: expressing the end or purpose of an action, as in many uses of the gerundial infinitive, the sign of the infinitive mood: (B.) sometimes=for.—adv. to a place in view, forward: to its place, together.—To and fro, backwards and forwards. [A.S. tó; Ger. zu, Goth. du.]
Toad, tōd, n. a genus of amphibians, typical of the family Bufonidæ, represented in Britain by two species—the Common Toad and the Natterjack.—ns. Toad′-eat′er, a fawning sycophant—originally a mountebank's assistant, whose duty was to swallow, or pretend to swallow, any kind of garbage; Toad′-eat′ing, sycophancy.—adj. sycophantic.—ns. Toad′-fish, the sapo of the United States Atlantic coast; Toad′-flax, a genus of herbaceous plants, closely allied to the Snapdragon; Toad′-in-a-hole, a piece of beef baked in batter; Toad′-spit, cuckoo-spit.—adj. Toad′-spot′ted, thickly stained or spotted like a toad.—ns. Toad′-stone, a soft and earthy variety of trap-rock of a brownish-gray colour, looking like an argillaceous deposit; Toad′stool, a poisonous kind of mushroom; Toad′y, a mean hanger-on and flatterer.—v.t. to fawn as a sycophant:—pa.t. and pa.p. toad′ied.—adj. Toad′yish.—n. Toad′yism, the practice of a toady. [A.S. tádige, tádie, a toad.]
Toast, tōst, v.t. to dry and scorch at the fire: to name when a health is drunk: to drink to the health of.—v.i. to drink toasts.—n. bread toasted: a slice of such dipped in liquor: the person or thing named whose health is to be drunk.—ns. Toast′er, one who, or that which, toasts; Toast′ing-fork, -ī′ron, a long-handled fork for toasting bread: a sword; Toast′-mas′ter, the master and announcer of toasts at public dinners; Toast′-rack, a stand, with partitions for slices of toast, for setting on the table. [O. Fr. toster—L. tostus, roasted, pa.p. of torrēre.]
Tobacco, to-bak′ō, n. a plant of genus Nicotiana, order Solanaceæ, esp. one of several species, the most generally cultivated being the stately Nicotiana Tabacum, a native of America—the dried leaves used for the sedative effects for smoking in pipes, &c., and also in the form of snuff.—ns. Tobaccanā′lian, a smoker; Tobacc′o-heart, a functional disorder of the heart, due to excessive use of tobacco; Tobacc′onist, one who sells or manufactures tobacco; Tobacc′o-pipe, a pipe used for smoking tobacco; Tobacc′o-pouch, a small pouch for holding tobacco; Tobacc′o-stop′per, an instrument for pressing down the tobacco in a pipe. [Through Sp. tabaco, from the Haytian.]
Tobit, tō′bit, n. an apocryphal Old Testament book, containing the story of Tobit.
Toboggan, tō-bog′gan, n. a kind of sled turned up at the front, much used in Canada for sliding down snow-covered slopes.—v.i. to slide down over snow on such.—Earlier also Tobog′gin, Tabog′gan, Tarbog′gin.—ns. Tobog′ganer; Tobog′ganing; Tobog′ganist. [A native word.]
To-brake, tōō-brāk′, v.t. (Judges ix. 53) broke in pieces. [A.S. tóbrecan—pfx. tó-, asunder, and brecan, to break.]
Toby, tō′bi, n. a beer-mug shaped like an old man with three-cornered hat.
Toccata, tok-kä′tä, n. (mus.) a work primarily intended to display the performer's touch.—ns. Toccatel′la, Toccatina (-tē′na), a short toccata. [It.,—toccare, to touch.]