Of a person, reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little. (NOA)
Habitually untalkative. Characterized by reserve or a lack of expression. (AHD)
Habitually silent, reserved, or uncommunicative; not inclined to conversation. (CDC)
Tending not to speak much. Usually speaking very little. (CD)
Arabic
In Islam, concealment and dissimulation; concealment of one's thoughts, feelings, or character; pretense. (Greg Davis, Islam 101, JihadWatch.org)
The principle of practicing the dissimulation of outward conformity permitted Muslims in a hostile or persecuting non-Muslim environment for the sake of their personal safety. (MW)
In Islam, concealment and dissimulation; concealment of one's thoughts, feelings, or character; pretense. (Greg Davis, Islam 101, JihadWatch.org)
The principle of practicing the dissimulation of outward conformity permitted Muslims in a hostile or persecuting non-Muslim environment for the sake of their personal safety. (MW)
The practice of denying one's religion, permissible when one is faced with persecution; regarded as a means of protecting the religion. (CDC)
In Islam, the practice of concealing one’s belief and foregoing ordinary religious duties when under threat of death or injury. Defies easy translation; English renderings such as precautionary dissimulation or prudent fear partly convey the term’s meaning of self-protection in the face of danger to oneself or, by extension and depending upon the circumstances, to one’s fellow Muslims. Thus, taqiyyah may be used for either the protection of an individual or the protection of a community. (EB)
A trifling lie; nonsense; twaddle. (CDC)
A petty falsehood; a fib. Silly pretentious speech or writing; twaddle. (AHD)
See: Note on Terms for Describing Nonsense
tarmacadam (noun)
Tarmac: Material used for surfacing roads or other outdoor areas, consisting of crushed rock mixed with tar. (NOA)
A pavement constructed by spraying or pouring a tar binder over layers of crushed stone and then rolling. A material of tar and aggregates mixed in a plant and shaped on the roadway. (MW)
tarmacadam (noun)
Tarmac: Material used for surfacing roads or other outdoor areas, consisting of crushed rock mixed with tar. (NOA)
A pavement constructed by spraying or pouring a tar binder over layers of crushed stone and then rolling. A material of tar and aggregates mixed in a plant and shaped on the roadway. (MW)
A pavement consisting of layers of crushed stone with a tar binder pressed to a smooth surface. (AHD)
A mixed material for making roads, consisting of some kind of broken stone or ironstone slag in a matrix of tar alone, or of tar with some mixture of pitch or creosote. (OED)
A brand name (Tarmac, trademark in the UK) for a black material used for building roads, etc., that consists of tar mixed with small stones, or an area covered with this material. (CD)
Tar + Macadam (John Loudon McAdam, 1756-1836, who developed method for covering roads).
Also as verb and adjective: tarmacadamed. (OED)
temerity (noun)
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X-Y Z
Also as verb and adjective: tarmacadamed. (OED)
Note: Today, the term tarmac seems to be used exclusively for the paved surfaces around an airport. I remember reading in a Colin Dexter novel about a tarmacadamed car park (parking lot). But surely Dexter was being intentionally quaint. Even airports do not extend the use of tarmac to parking lots.
tarry (verb)
To delay or be tardy in beginning or doing anything, especially in coming or going; to wait before doing something; to linger, loiter. (OED)
tarry (verb)
To delay or be tardy in beginning or doing anything, especially in coming or going; to wait before doing something; to linger, loiter. (OED)
Stay longer than intended; delay leaving a place. (NOA)
To delay or be tardy in acting or doing. To linger in expectation; wait. (MW)
To stay somewhere for longer than expected and delay leaving. To stay somewhere longer than you should. (CD)
To delay in coming or going; linger. To remain temporarily or briefly. To wait or stay. (CDC)
See: dally, dawdle, dillydally, lollygag
See: dally, dawdle, dillydally, lollygag
See: Note on Terms Describing Wasteful Use of Time
tattoo (noun)
tattoo (noun) (1 of 2)
An evening drum or bugle signal recalling soldiers to their quarters. (NOA)
A call sounded shortly before taps as notice to go to quarters. (MW)
A signal sounded on a drum or bugle to summon soldiers or sailors to their quarters at night. (AHD)
A signal made, by beat of drum or bugle call, in the evening, for soldiers to repair to their quarters in garrison or tents in camp. (OED)
tattoo (noun) (2 of 2) Chiefly British
An entertainment consisting of music, marching, and the performance of displays and exercises by military personnel. (NOA)
A display of military exercises and music offered as evening entertainment. (AHD)
Outdoor military exercise given by troops as evening entertainment. (MW)
An outside show, with several military performances especially of marching and music. (CD)
A military entertainment consisting of an elaboration of the tattoo by extra music and performance of exercises by troops, generally at night and by torch or other artificial light. (OED)
temerity (noun)
Rashness or boldness. (CDC)
Excessive confidence or boldness; audacity. (NOA)
Excessive boldness or rashness; foolhardiness or recklessness. (AHD)
A willingness to do or say something that shocks or upsets other people. (CD)
Excessive confidence or boldness; audacity. (NOA)
Excessive boldness or rashness; foolhardiness or recklessness. (AHD)
A willingness to do or say something that shocks or upsets other people. (CD)
Rashness or boldness; an unreasonable lack of fear. (CHM)
Fearless daring. The quality of being unafraid of danger or punishment. Someone who has the temerity to do something is usually considered to be bold in a foolish way. (VC)
tetchy (adjective)
Fearless daring. The quality of being unafraid of danger or punishment. Someone who has the temerity to do something is usually considered to be bold in a foolish way. (VC)
tetchy (adjective)
Irritably or peevishly sensitive; touchy. (MW)
Easily made angry, unhappy, or upset. (CD)
Being or inclined to be cross, irritable, or touchy. (CDC)
tetchiness (noun)
tetchily (adverb)
timorous (adjective)
tetchiness (noun)
tetchily (adverb)
timorous (adjective)
Full of apprehensiveness; timid. (AHD)
Nervous and without much confidence. (CD)
Fearful or timid. Indicating fear or timidity. (CDC)
Of a timid disposition; fearful. Expressing or suggesting timidity. (MW)
Showing or suffering from nervousness, fear, or a lack of confidence. (NOA)
timorously (adverb)
tipple (verb and noun)
verb:
tipple (verb and noun)
verb:
Drink moderately but regularly. (VC)
Drink alcohol, especially habitually. (NOA)
To drink liquor especially by habit or to excess. To drink liquor especially continuously in small amounts. (MW)
To drink (alcoholic liquor) or engage in such drinking, especially habitually or to excess. (AHD)
noun:
noun:
Alcoholic liquor. (AHD)
torpor (noun)
truffery (noun)
A thing of no importance; a trifle, a triviality. (OED)
Note: OED lists this term as obsolete and rare. All other reference sites state that truffery is not a word. But it is so perfect in meaning and sound that we'll have to find a use for it.
torpor (noun)
Apathy, dullness. (MW)
A state of a physical or mental inactivity; lethargy. (NOA)
A state of mental or physical inactivity or insensibility. Lethargy; apathy. (AHD)
The state of not being active and having no energy or enthusiasm. (CD)
Inactivity resulting from lethargy and lack of vigor or energy. A state of mental and physical inactivity. (VC)
Note: I found this term in the comments to a WSJ article on French elections.
Note: I found this term in the comments to a WSJ article on French elections.
Comment: Poor guy has been trying to roust the permanently socialist French from their catatonic torpor. It is a tough climb for any leader in France unless they also go with the socialist flow and then things are easy. Just up the anesthesia for a deeper sleep, and everything will be just fine. Mother France will keep you cozy and comfortably numb. Fred R (@FredR273)
To make false or malicious statements about (someone) in order to cause humiliation or disgrace. (AHD)
To strongly criticize someone, especially in a way that harms their reputation. (CD)
Speak badly of or tell lies about (someone) so as to damage their reputation. (NOA)
To speak ill of, falsely or maliciously; to defame, malign, vilify, slander; to blame, censure. To expose to contempt; to bring discredit upon; to dishonor, disgrace.
Speak badly of or tell lies about (someone) so as to damage their reputation. (NOA)
To speak ill of, falsely or maliciously; to defame, malign, vilify, slander; to blame, censure. To expose to contempt; to bring discredit upon; to dishonor, disgrace.
To falsely or maliciously speak of as; to falsely or maliciously blame for, accuse of. (OED)
traducement (noun)
Tragedy of the Commons (economic theory)
A term used to describe a situation in a shared-resource system where individual users acting independently according to their own self-interest behave contrary to the common good of all users by depleting or spoiling that resource through their collective action. The concept and phrase originated in an essay written in 1833 by the British economist William Forster Lloyd, who used a hypothetical example of the effects of unregulated grazing on common land (also known as a common) in the British Isles. The concept became widely known over a century later due to an article written by the American ecologist and philosopher Garrett Hardin in 1968. In this modern economic context, commons is taken to mean any shared and unregulated resource such as atmosphere, oceans, rivers, fish stocks, or even an office refrigerator. (Wikipedia)
Note: Here is the Grok summary.
tranche (noun)
A portion of something, especially money. (NOA)
Tragedy of the Commons (economic theory)
A term used to describe a situation in a shared-resource system where individual users acting independently according to their own self-interest behave contrary to the common good of all users by depleting or spoiling that resource through their collective action. The concept and phrase originated in an essay written in 1833 by the British economist William Forster Lloyd, who used a hypothetical example of the effects of unregulated grazing on common land (also known as a common) in the British Isles. The concept became widely known over a century later due to an article written by the American ecologist and philosopher Garrett Hardin in 1968. In this modern economic context, commons is taken to mean any shared and unregulated resource such as atmosphere, oceans, rivers, fish stocks, or even an office refrigerator. (Wikipedia)
Note: Here is the Grok summary.
tranche (noun)
A portion of something, especially money. (NOA)
A portion of a total, especially of a block of assets such as cash or securities. (AHD)
One of several parts of a financial arrangement, payment, amount, etc. One of the parts into which a particular financial arrangement, payment, investment, etc. is divided. (CD)
A portion or installment, especially of a loan or share issue. A portion of a type of financial instrument that is divided into risk classes. (CDC)
treacle (noun) or black treacle
Chiefly British
A portion or installment, especially of a loan or share issue. A portion of a type of financial instrument that is divided into risk classes. (CDC)
treacle (noun) or black treacle
Chiefly British
A blend of molasses, invert sugar (a mixture of glucose and fructose), and corn syrup, used as syrup. (MW)
A thick, sticky dark syrup made from partly refined sugar; molasses. (NOA)
A thick, sticky dark syrup made from partly refined sugar; molasses. (NOA)
A sweet, dark, thick liquid that is used in cooking sweet dishes and sweets. (CD)
A dark viscous syrup obtained during the refining of sugar. Another name for golden syrup. Anything sweet and cloying. (CDC)
The thick dark sticky liquid that remains after the crystallization and removal of sugar from extracts of sugar-cane or sugar-beet. (CHM)
Difference with molasses: Both have a deep, aromatic flavor that adds a unique finish to food and drink recipes, but they are subtly different, with treacle tending to be a sweeter product that has less of a bitter profile than molasses. Compared to treacle, molasses is thicker in consistency and darker in color. (Ragus.co.uk)
tripe (noun)
tripe (noun)
Nonsense; rubbish. (NOA)
Something poor, worthless, or offensive. (MW)
Something of no value; rubbish. (AHD)
Ideas, suggestions, or writing that are stupid, silly, or have little value. (CD)
Nonsensical talk or writing. Any nonsense or rubbish, particularly if it's written or spoken. (VC)
Something of no value; rubbish. (AHD)
Ideas, suggestions, or writing that are stupid, silly, or have little value. (CD)
Nonsensical talk or writing. Any nonsense or rubbish, particularly if it's written or spoken. (VC)
See: balderdash, drivel, guff, malarkey, piffle, taradiddle
See: Note on Terms for Describing Nonsense
trope (noun)
A recurring theme or idea. (CDC)
A common or overused theme or device; cliche (MW)
A significant or recurrent theme, especially in a literary or cultural context; a motif. (OED)
A common or overused theme or device; cliche (MW)
A significant or recurrent theme, especially in a literary or cultural context; a motif. (OED)
A theme, motif, plot, or literary device that commonly recurs within a genre or work of fiction, especially when considered clichéd. An often recurring idea or image. (AHD)
A common or clichéd plot device, idea, or theme in a creative work. Used to describe a convention that you can easily recognize and understand because you've seen it so often. (VC)
truffery (noun)
A thing of no importance; a trifle, a triviality. (OED)
Note: OED lists this term as obsolete and rare. All other reference sites state that truffery is not a word. But it is so perfect in meaning and sound that we'll have to find a use for it.
A simple vehicle with an engine and three wheels, often used as a taxi in some parts of the world. (CD)
In Thailand, a motorized samlor (a three-wheeled vehicle, used as a taxi). (OED)
In Thailand, a three-wheeled motor vehicle used as a taxi. (CDC)
In Thailand, a motorized samlor (a three-wheeled vehicle, used as a taxi). (OED)
In Thailand, a three-wheeled motor vehicle used as a taxi. (CDC)
A tuk tuk is a three-wheeled motorized vehicle commonly used for transportation in many parts of the world, particularly in Southeast Asia. These compact vehicles evolved from motorized versions of pulled rickshaws or cycle rickshaws, combining the maneuverability of a motorcycle with the passenger capacity of a small car. Tuk tuks typically feature three wheels and do not tilt, making them stable and easy to operate in congested urban areas. Their origins can be traced back to the mid-20th century when the need for affordable, efficient transportation in crowded cities led to their development. Typically, tuk tuks have a canvas roof and open sides. The term tuk tuk mimics the distinctive puttering sound made by the small two-stroke engines used in early models of these vehicles. (Tuktuks.com)
twilight (noun)
A period of decline. (MW)
A period or state of obscurity, ambiguity, or gradual decline. (NOA)
Any late period, when the end of something is near. (CD)
twilight (noun)
A period of decline. (MW)
A period or state of obscurity, ambiguity, or gradual decline. (NOA)
Any late period, when the end of something is near. (CD)