1425
tear
spoken a humorous expression, said after someone has just said or done something embarrassing or shocking: ' *Sarah won't be very happy.* ' *I don't give a damn* ...... oops, *more tea, vicar?* | *'Gary's such an idiot ... Oh, hi, Gary.' 'More tea, vicar?'* ➔ see also ONE'S CUP OF TEA (CUP)
**tea-bag** /'ti:bæg/ *n* a small paper bag with tea leaves inside which makes enough tea for one person
**'tea break** also **coffee break** *n* a short pause from work in the middle of the morning or afternoon for a drink, a rest, something light to eat etc
**'tea ,caddy** also **caddy** *n* a small box, tin etc, in which (especially loose leaf) tea is kept
**tea-cake** /'ti:keik/ *n* BrE a small round cake made of a sweetened breadlike mixture with dried fruit (CURRANTS, RAISINS etc) in it, cut in two, and eaten hot or cold with butter
**teach** /ti:tʃ/ *v* **taught** /tɔ:t/ **1** [I;T(to)] to give (someone) training or lessons in (a particular subject, how to do something etc); pass on knowledge or skill (to): *I teach at the local junior school.* | *She prefers teaching older pupils.* | *I want to learn to drive; will you teach me?* | *She teaches English to foreign students.* | [+obj(i)+obj(d)] *My mother taught me this song.* | [+obj+wh-] *Didn't your parents teach you how to behave in this sort of situation?* | [+obj+to-v] *Who taught you to play the piano?* ➔ compare LEARN **2** [T] to (try to) make known and accepted: *Christianity teaches humility.* | [+obj(i)+obj(d)] *Experience teaches us our limitations.* **3** [T+obj+to-v] *infml* to show (someone) the bad results of doing something, so that they will not do it again: *'I got wet through.' 'That'll teach you to go out without an umbrella.'* | (in threats) *I'll teach you to be rude to me!* **4** He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches *quote a phrase from Maxims for Revolutionists by George Bernard Shaw* **5** teach one's grandmother to suck eggs BrE *infml* to give advice to someone who knows all about the matter already **6** teach someone a lesson to show someone the bad results of doing something, so that they will not do it again ➞ **-able** *adj*
Compare **teach**, **instruct**, **train**, and **coach**. **Teach** is the general word for helping a person or group of people to learn something. If you **instruct** (rather formal) a person or group of people you pass on knowledge to them, but you cannot be sure that they have learned anything: *He instructed us in Latin, but some of us made little progress.* You can **train** a person or group of people up to a necessary level in a particular skill or profession, and you can even train an animal: *It takes several years to train a doctor.* | *to train a dog to do tricks.* You can **coach** a person or group of people, often outside the ordinary educational system, such as in sports, and often for a particular examination which they find difficult and which they must pass: *Because he failed the chemistry examination at school, he had to be coached in chemistry at a private educational institution.*
**teach-er** /'ti:tʃə/ *n* a person who teaches, especially as a profession: *My husband's a history teacher at the local school.* | *the University Teachers' Association*
**teacher's 'pet** *n* *infml*, *usually derog* (usually said by children about one child in the class) the teacher's favourite, or believed favourite, student, often the subject of jealousy amongst the other students
**teacher 'training** *n* [U] the process of training people how to teach in schools: *a teacher training course* | *a teacher training college*
**'tea chest** *n* a large wooden box in which tea is packed, often used afterwards for storing things
**'teach-in** *n* an exchange of opinions about a subject of interest, held e.g. in a college by students, teachers, guest speakers etc
**teach-ing** /'ti:tʃɪŋ/ *n* [U] **1** the work or profession of a teacher: *She's planning to go into teaching.* (=become a teacher) **2** also **teachings** *pl.* that which is taught, especially the moral, political, or religious beliefs taught by a person of historical importance: *Christians try to follow Christ's teaching/teachings.* | *the teachings of Freud*
**'teaching ,hospital** *n* a hospital where medical students can practise medicine under the guidance of experienced doctors
**'teaching ,practice** BrE || **student teaching** AmE — *n* [U] a period of teaching children in a school, done by a person who is training to be a teacher
**teach your'self ,book** *n* a book that teaches a particular subject or skill: *Teach yourself typing/Japanese*
**'tea cloth** *n* **1** BrE a small cloth for spreading over a small table from which tea is to be served **2** a TEA TOWEL
**'tea ,cosy** *n* a thick covering put over a teapot to keep the contents hot
**tea-cup** /'ti:kʌp/ *n* a cup in which tea is served ➔ see also STORM IN A TEACUP (STORM)
**tea-gar-den** /'ti:gɑ:dənll-ær-/ *n* **1** an outdoor restaurant where drinks and light meals are served **2** a large area of land on which tea is grown; tea PLANTATION
**tea-house** /'ti:haus/ *n* *pl.* **-hous** /hauz/ a special house in China or Japan where tea is served, often with great ceremony
**teak** /ti:k/ *n* [C;U] (a large tree from India, Burma, and Malaysia that gives) a very hard yellowish brown wood that does not decay and is used for making especially ships and good quality furniture
**teal** /ti:l/ *n* *pl.* **teal** a small wild duck
**teal 'blue** *n* a dark greenish blue
**tea-leaf** /'ti:li:f/ *n* *pl.* **-leaves** /li:vz/ **1** any of the very finely cut pieces of leaf used for making tea, especially as left in a teapot or teacup after tea has been drunk **2** BrE *humor slang* a thief
**team**¹ /ti:m/ *n* [C+sing/pl. *v*] **1** a group of people who work, act, or especially play together: *John's in the school hockey team.* | *Our team is/are winning.* | *a team of researchers* | *The government is led by an able team of experienced ministers.* | *Cricket is a team game.* | *I didn't do it on my own; it was a team effort.* **2** two or more animals pulling the same vehicle: *The carriage was drawn by a team of four white horses.* | *a team of oxen* ➔ see also PAIR
**team**² *v*
**team up** *phr v* [I(with)] to work together for a shared purpose: *I teamed up with Jane to do the job.*
**'team-mate** *n* someone who plays in the same team as oneself
**'team ,player** *n* someone who works well as a member of a team, especially in business: *He was a good businessman, but never a team player.*
**team 'spirit** *n* [U] willingness to work with other people as part of a team: *Come on John, show some team spirit.*
**team-ster** /'ti:mstər/ *n* AmE a person who drives a TRUCK (=a large road vehicle)
**Team-sters, the** /'ti:mstəzll-ərz/ the largest TRADE UNION in the US. When Jimmy HOFFA was its leader (1957-67), some parts of the union were thought to be involved in various types of criminal activity, and to have connections with the MAFIA and with dishonest politicians.
**team-work** /'ti:mwɜ:kl-wɜ:rk/ *n* [U] the ability of a group of people to work together effectively; (work done through) combined effort
**'tea ,party** *n* a social gathering (usually made up of women) in the afternoon, at which tea is drunk ➔ see also BOSTON TEA PARTY
**tea-pot** /'ti:pptll-pa:t/ *n* a container with a handle and a SPOUT (=bent pouring pipe) in which tea is made and served
**tear**¹ /tɪə/ *n* **1** a drop of salty liquid that flows from the eye, especially because of pain or sadness: *I burst into tears* (=suddenly started crying) *when I heard the bad news.* | *Few of us shed any tears when he left.* (=we were not sorry) | *He reduced me to tears.* (=made me cry) | *Tears rolled down her cheeks/There were tears in her eyes as she waved goodbye.* | *tears of joy/gratitude/laughter* **2** *in tears* crying: *The little girl was in tears because she'd lost her mother.* ➔ see also CROCODILE TEARS
**tear**² /teə/ *v* **tore** /tɔ:r/, **torn** /tɔ:nlto:rn/ **1** [T] to pull apart or into pieces by force, intentionally or unintentionally, especially so as to leave irregular edges: *I tore my sleeve on a thorn.* | *an old torn dress* | *She tore his letter into little pieces.* | *I had to tear the photo out of the newspaper because I couldn't find the scissors.* | *She tore a hole in her dress* (=made a hole