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tabula rasa
T,t
T, t /ti:/ pl. T's, t's n 1 [C,U] the 20th letter of the English alphabet 2 to a T/tee infml perfectly or exactly: That dress suits you to a T. → see also T-BONE, T-JUNCTION, T-SHIRT, T-SQUARE
t 1 written abbrev. for tonne or tonnes 2 written abbrev. for ton or tons
't /t/ old use or poet it (in the words 'tis, 'twas, 'twere, 'twill, 'twould): 'Twas (=it was) a chill winter's day.
ta /ta:/ interj BrE slang thank you
TA, the /,ti: 'e:/ abbrev. for the TERRITORIAL ARMY
tab /tæb/ n 1 a small piece or narrow length of cloth, paper etc, fixed to something to help in opening or handling it, or to show what it is, who owns it etc: You open the can by pulling the metal tab. 2 infml a bill, especially for a meal or drinks; the whole cost of something: Don't expect me always to pick up the tab. (=pay the bill) 3 keep tabs/a tab on infml to watch closely (especially someone who is believed to have bad or criminal intentions): The police have been keeping tabs on him.
Ta-bas-co /tə'bæskəʊ/ also ta,basco 'sauce trademark a type of hot-tasting red SAUCE made from CHILLI which is sold in small bottles and used for adding a special taste to food and to some alcoholic drinks
tab-bou-leh /'tæ'bu:leɪ|tə'bu:lə/ n [U] a SALAD dish from the Middle East, made from cracked wheat, vegetables, oil, and HERBS
tab-by /'tæbi/ n 1 a cat with usually dark bands and marks on its grey or brown fur, or orange bands on light fur: grey tabby | orange tabby 2 rare a female cat → compare TOMCAT
tab-er-nac-le /'tæbənækl||-bər-/ n 1 a movable tent-like structure used in worship by the Jews in ancient times 2 a building of worship in certain Christian churches: the Baptist Tabernacle 3 a small decorated box in which the holy bread and wine are kept in Roman Catholic churches
ta-ble¹ /'teɪbl/ n 1 [C] a piece of furniture with a flat top supported by one or more upright legs: a kitchen table | a card table (=for playing cards on) | a table lamp (=made to be placed on a table) | a table knife (=for eating with) | I've booked a table for two at the restaurant. | new efforts to get them back to the negotiating table (=where opponents can talk about their disagreements) → see also COFFEE TABLE, HIGH TABLE 2 [C+sing/ pl. v] the people sitting at a table: John's clever stories kept the whole table amused. 3 [S] especially old-fash or pomp the stated kind or quality of food served at a meal: Cyril keeps an excellent table. (=serves very good meals) | I always choose something from the cold table in restaurants. (=from the cold meat or vegetable dishes) 4 [C] a printed or written set of figures, facts, or information arranged in orderly rows across and down the page: There is a table of contents at the front of this dictionary. 5 [C] also multiplication table — a list which young children repeat to learn what number results when a number from 1 to 12 is multiplied by any of these numbers: The three times table starts: once three is three, two threes are six, three threes are nine. (1 × 3 = 3, 2 × 3 = 6, 3 × 3 = 9) 6 at table BrE fml or pomp during a meal; having a meal: It's bad manners to blow your nose at table. 7 on the table a) having been suggested or offered for consideration: The management has put a reasonable wage offer on the table, so it's up to the unions to decide whether to accept it. b) AmE remaining to be talked about at a later time: The proposal is still on the table. 8 under the table infml (of money) given in order to influence someone dishonestly: They offered me £500 under the table if I would vote against the government's plans. → see also drink someone under the table (DRINK) 9 turn the tables (on someone) to suddenly take a position of strength or advantage that was formerly held by someone else, and change from being weaker to being stronger: She played badly in the first set, but then she turned the tables on her opponent and won the match.
table² v [T] 1 BrE to suggest (a subject, report etc) for consideration by a committee, parliament etc: The opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill. 2 especially AmE to leave (a subject, report etc) until a later date for consideration
tab-leau /'tæbləʊ||'tæbloʊ, tə'bloʊ/ n pl. -leaux /ləʊz/ or -leafs a lifelike representation, on a stage, of a famous scene or historical event by a group of people who do not move or speak
ta-ble-cloth /'teɪblklɔθ||-klɔ:θ/ n a cloth for covering a table, especially during a meal
'table ,dancing n [U] dancing with sexy movements that is performed close to a customer's table in a restaurant or NIGHTCLUB
ta-ble d'hôte, the /,tæbl 'dəʊt/ Fr a complete meal of several dishes served at a fixed price in a hotel or restaurant: I'll have the table d'hôte (dinner). → compare A LA CARTE
'table ,football n [U] BrE a game played on a special table by two players or teams. You score goals by moving rows of model football players from side to side so that they can kick the ball, using handles attached to the players → compare FOOSBALL
ta-ble-land /'teɪbl-lænd/ also tablelands pl. — n a large area of high flat land; a PLATEAU
'table ,linen n [U] tablecloths and NAPKINS
'table ,manners n [P] the way someone follows the customary rules and correct social behaviour when attending and eating a meal: His table manners were atrocious.
ta-ble-mat /'teɪblmæt/ n a small mat made of material that will not let heat pass, placed under hot dishes to protect a table's surface
'Table ,Mountain a high mountain in South Africa with steep sides and a flat top like a table. It stands behind the city of Cape Town.
ta-ble-spoon /'teɪblspu:n/ n 1 || usually serving spoon AmE — a large spoon used for serving food 2 AmE (a spoon which holds) a unit of measurement equal to 1/128 of a US pint of liquid 3 [(of)] also ta-ble-spoon-ful /'teɪbl,spu:nfʊl/ pl. -spoonfuls, -spoonsful — the amount held by these
tab-let /'tæblɪt/ 1 a small round solid piece of medicine; a PILL: The doctor told me to take two tablets before every meal. | sleeping tablets 2 a small block (of soap) 3 a shaped flat piece of stone or metal with words cut into it: Her memorial is carved on that stone tablet. → see also TABLETS OF STONE
'table ,tennis also ping-pong infml — n [U] an indoor game played on a table by two or four players who use small BATS to hit a small hollow plastic ball to each other across a net
,tablets of 'stone n [P] written in tablets of stone stated or written in a very firm, definite way and not able to be changed
ta-ble-ware /'teɪblwɛə/ n [U] the plates, glasses, knives, forks, spoons etc, used when eating a meal
'table ,wine n [U] wine intended for drinking with a meal, especially wine that is not very expensive
tab-loid /'tæblɔɪd/ n a newspaper of which two pages make up one printing PLATE and which contains many pictures, and short accounts of the main points of the news: I never read the tabloids. | The story is being dismissed as the irresponsible gossip of the tabloid press. → compare QUALITY PAPER —tabloid adj
ta-boo¹ /tə'bu:, tə'bu:/ adj 1 strongly forbidden by social custom, especially because offensive or likely to cause social discomfort: There are certain rude words that are taboo in ordinary conversation. | Don't talk to her about her divorce – it's a taboo subject. → see Cultural Note at FOUR-LETTER WORD, SWEARWORD 2 [no comp.] tech too holy or evil to be touched, named, or used: This land is the burial place of tribal chiefs and is therefore taboo.
taboo² n pl. -boos [C;U] (a) strong social or religious custom forbidding a particular act or word: Is there a taboo against sex before marriage in your society?
tab-u-lar /'tæbjʊlə/ adj arranged in the form of a TABLE: The information is shown in tabular form.
tab-u-la ra-sa /,tæbjʊlə 'ra:sə/ n pl. tabulae rasae /-li: