Tete de Chevalement, Fr. A cross beam which lies upon two upright stays, and supports any part of a wall, &c. whilst it is in repair.
Faire (ou tenir) Tete à quelqu’un, Fr. To oppose a person; to keep him at bay.
Avoir quelqu’un en tête, Fr. To have any person opposed to one, viz. Turenne avoit en Tête Montecuculli; Turenne was opposed by Montecuculli.
Tetes, Fr. In the plural number, are the same as men or lives, viz. La prise d’une place a coute bien des Tetes. The reduction or taking of a place has cost many lives or men.
Avoir la Tete de tout, Fr. To be the most advanced.
Tete de Pont, Fr. That part of a bridge which is on the enemy’s side. When the bridge is fortified on both sides, the French say, Les deux tetes de pont.
Tete de Porc, Fr. This word means literally a hog’s head. It is used to denote a military arrangement of the triangular kind. Those mentioned under the term [wedge], were composed of ranks, greater one than another, in a regular progression from the incisive angle to the base. The tete de porc was formed of small bodies ranged in lines in the same sense, and in the same progression as the ranks in the preceding wedges; that is to say, a small body (probably square) was placed at the head, another of the same size was posted behind it, having two others, one on its right, the other on its left, both extending the full length of their front beyond the wings of the first. Behind those three, five others were ranged in the same order, and so on successively until all were placed.
This arrangement is equal to the former (viz. that of the wedge) with regard to defects; as to advantages it has but one only, which will never be of weight enough to gain it any degree of reputation; it is this, that being composed of small bodies, each having its leader or commander, all the different parts are more or less capable of defence should they be attacked at the time they are forming or dividing; and if the enemy attempted to form the Tenaille, they might detach some of those small bodies to interrupt their motions, or to attack them in flank.
This disposition corresponds with the movement by echellons from the centre, or both wings thrown back; it is in the modern mode a most imposing and important disposition, where the force that uses it is inferior in number, and well disciplined to rapid evolution.
TETHER. A string by which horses are held from pasturing too wide. We say, figuratively, to go the length of one’s tether; to speak or act with as much freedom as circumstances will admit.