test run
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'test run n an occasion when you try doing something or using something before you really need to use it, to make sure everything works properly
'test tube n a small tube of thin glass, closed at one end, used in scientific tests
'test-tube baby n 1 a baby born as the result of ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION 2 a baby started outside the body and then planted inside a female to develop naturally
tes·ty /'testi/ adj impatient and bad-tempered; IRRITABLE: a testy old man | testy remarks —tily adv —tiness n [U]
tet·a·nus /'tetənəs/ also lockjaw infml —n [U] a serious disease caused by bacteria that enter the body through cuts and wounds and stiffen the muscles, especially of the jaw. If a person is badly cut, he or she can get a course of INJECTIONS to prevent tetanus.
tetch·y /'tetʃi/ adj sensitive in a bad-tempered way; easily offended: She's so tetchy; she flares up at the least little criticism. —ily adv —iness n [U]
tête-à-tête¹ /ˌtet ɑː ˈteɪt, ˌtet ə ˈteɪt/ n a private conversation between two people. The word is sometimes used instead of, e.g. CHAT by people who want to show their wide command of language: a cosy tête-à-tête
tête-à-tête² adv fml or pomp (of two people) together in private (used in the same way as the noun): We dined tête-à-tête.
teth·er¹ /'teðər/ n 1 a rope or chain to which an animal is tied so that it is free to move within a limited area 2 the end of one's tether the condition of having used up all one's patience, strength etc, and of being able to bear nothing more: After a difficult day at work, she just about reached the end of her tether when her car broke down on the way home.
tether² v [T] to fasten (an animal) with a tether
Tet·ley /'tetli/ trademark a popular BRAND (=type) of tea sold in the UK
Teu·ton·ic /tju:'tɒnɪk||tu:'tɑː-/ adj 1 humor having qualities that are thought to be typical of German people: Teutonic efficiency 2 connected with the ancient German peoples of northwestern Europe
Tex·a·co /'teksəkəʊ/ trademark a large international oil company that has many PETROL STATIONS in the UK and the US
Tex·as /'teksəs/ written abbrev. TX a large state in the south of the US, which has a long border with Mexico. It is an important centre of the oil and gas industries, and also of cattle and crop farming. Its cities include Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, and El Paso. Before it became part of the US in 1845, Texas was briefly an independent country. Partly because of this, Texans are very proud of their state and often feel that they are different from other people in the US. When people think of Texas, they often think of COWBOYS and of the oil industry. It is also sometimes thought of as the place where everything is bigger than anywhere else. —Texan n, adj
,Texas 'Longhorn → see LONGHORN
,Texas 'Rangers, the 1 a LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY (=police force) that operates in the state of Texas 2 a Major League Baseball team who play at The Ballpark STADIUM in Arlington, Texas
Tex·mex /ˌteks meks/ adj related to a style of cooking and music from the southwestern US, based on American and Mexican styles. Tex-mex food includes dishes such as TACOS and BURRITOS.
text¹ /tekst/ n 1 [U] the main body of writing, especially in a book, as opposed to notes, pictures etc: Children won't like this book because there is too much text and too few pictures. | This disk can store the equivalent of 500 pages of text. 2 [the S(of)] the exact original words of a speech, article etc: Our newspaper is printing the full text of the President's speech. 3 [C(of)] any of the various forms in which a book, article etc, exists; copy: the original text of 'War and Peace' 4 [C] a sentence from the Bible that is read and talked about by a priest in church: The text for my sermon today comes from Matthew 1:4. 5 [C] a textbook: 'Hamlet' is a set text (=one of the books that must be studied) for this year's English exam.
text² v [I;T] to send someone a written message on a MOBILE PHONE —texting n [U]
text·book¹ /'tekstbʊk/ n a book containing information for the study of a particular subject, especially one that is used by students because it is generally regarded as providing information that can be trusted → see also COURSE BOOK
textbook² adj [A] 1 as good as everyone thinks it ought to be; IDEAL: She'd tried her best to be a textbook mum. | That shot of Becker's was superb – textbook stuff. 2 typical: This is an absolutely textbook example of what I've been talking about.
tex·tile /'tekstaɪl/ n a material made by weaving: Their main exports are textiles, especially silk and cotton. | a textile factory
'text message¹ n a written message that is sent or received on a MOBILE PHONE or PAGER
text message² also text v [T] to send someone a written message on a MOBILE PHONE or PAGER: She's always text messaging her friends. —text-messaging n [U]
tex·tu·al /'tekstʃuəl/ adj of the text: There are significant textual differences between the two editions of this book.
tex·ture /'tekstʃər/ n [C;U] 1 the degree of roughness or smoothness, coarseness (COARSE) or fineness, of a surface, substance, or material, especially as felt by touch: the delicate texture of her skin | the smooth texture of silk | a soil with a loose sandy texture | (fig.) the rich texture of Shakespeare's English 2 -textured /tekstʃədli-ərd/ having a texture of the stated kind: coarse-textured cloth —tural adj —turally adv
,textured 'vegetable 'protein abbrev. TVP n [U] a substance made from beans that is used in place of meat
TGIF /ˌtiː dʒiː aɪ ˈef/ interj abbrev. for Thank God It's Friday; a phrase used by people at the end of a working week when they are looking forward to two days of rest at the weekend
TGWU, the /ˌtiː dʒiː dʌbəljuː ˈjuː/ also T&G abbrev. for the Transport and General Workers' Union; the largest TRADE UNION in the UK
Thack·e·ray, Wil·liam Make·peace /'θækəri, 'wɪljəm 'meɪkpiːs/ (1811–63) a British writer, born in India, best known for his novel VANITY FAIR
Thai /taɪ/ n pl. Thai or Thais 1 [C] someone who comes from Thailand 2 [U] the language of Thailand —Thai adj
Thai·land /'taɪlənd, -lənd/ a country in southeast Asia, between Malaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. Population 64,265,276 (2003). Capital: Bangkok. Thailand has developed its industry very rapidly since the early 1980s. It is also known as a popular place for tourists to visit, both for its beaches and for its beautiful old buildings. Before 1949, Thailand was called Siam.
Tha·lid·o·mide /θə'lɪdəmaɪd/ trademark a type of drug which, in the 1960s, was given to PREGNANT women to help prevent MORNING SICKNESS. Scientists did not test the drug enough to find out whether it was safe, and some women who used it had babies with badly developed arms and legs.
Thames, the /temz/ 1 the longest river in England, which flows from the west into the North Sea. In London, many well-known bridges across the Thames connect the north and south of the city, and many important buildings, including the Houses of Parliament and the Tower of London, are built next to the river: She lives south of the Thames 2 set the Thames on fire [usually in negatives] BrE old-fash to achieve something unusually good or interesting which makes people notice you: Phil was making a living as a writer, but nothing to set the Thames on fire.
,Thames 'Valley, the the area of land next to the River THAMES, between London and Oxford
than¹ /ðən; strong ðæn/ conj 1 (used for introducing the second part of an unequal comparison): I know him better than you (do). (=you may know him well, but I know him better) | Jean runs faster than John. | Paul is taller than I am. | Profits are higher than they were last year. | Don't tell them any more than they need to know. | Nothing is more unpleasant than finding/than to find insects in your bath. They work better together than if they're alone. 2 (used for introducing the less acceptable choice in statements of what one wants to do): I'd rather play football than go swimming. She said she'd rather leave her job than be forced to work for such an unpleasant man. 3 fml except; OTHER than: You leave me with no option than to resign. 4 (used especially afte