towhead 1470
tow·head /'təuhed/ n a person with very light-coloured hair
—ed *adj*: a *towheaded little boy*
town /taun/ n **1** [C] a large area with houses and other buildings where people live and work, usually smaller than a city and larger than a village **2** [C+sing./pl. v] all the people who live in such a place: *The whole town is/are furious about the council's education policy.* **3** [(the)U] the business or shopping centre of a town: *We went to (the) town to do some shopping today.* | *She's **out of town** on business at the moment.* **4** [U] the chief city of an area (in England, usually London): *I was in town on business last week.* **5** [the S] (life in) towns and cities in general: *I prefer the town to the country.* **6** **go to town** *infml* **a)** to behave wildly, especially by spending a lot of money: *He's really gone to town this time and bought a Rolls Royce.* **b)** to do something with great thoroughness and keenness: *The newspapers have gone to town on this scandal about the minister and his mistress.* (=printed many shocking stories about it) **7** **(out) on the town** *infml* enjoying oneself wildly, especially at night, in places of entertainment → see also GHOST TOWN, MAN-ABOUT-TOWN, MARKET TOWN, NEW TOWN, **blow town (BLOW)**, **paint the town red (PAINT)**
town and 'gown *n* [U] the ordinary people of a town or city, and its university or college students, between whom there are often thought to be differences of background and attitude which prevent a happy relationship —**town-and-** **gown** *adj*: *a real town-and-gown atmosphere*
town 'centre *BrE* || **downtown** *AmE* — *n* the area in the centre of a town, often the oldest part of the town and the place where official buildings are: *Few people live in the town centre – it is mostly made up of shops and offices.*
town 'clerk *n* an official who keeps records, advises on legal matters, and acts as secretary of a town
town 'council *especially BrE* || **city council** *AmE* — *n* a group of people responsible for arranging public services such as roads, the collection of waste, public parks, and (in Britain) council housing in a town: *She has served on the town council for 15 years.*
town 'crier *n* (especially in former times) a person employed to walk about the streets shouting out news, warnings etc. Town criers used to ring a bell and shout 'Oyez! Oyez!' to get people's attention.
town·ee *BrE* || **townie, towny** *AmE* /'tauni:/ *n infml*, often derog someone who lives in a town, especially one whose experience is limited to town life: *I found a couple of townees having a picnic in the bull field yesterday.*
town 'hall *n* a public building used for a town's local government → compare CITY HALL
'town house *n* **1** a house in a town or city, especially a fashionable one in a central area **2** a house in a town belonging to someone who also owns a house in the country **3** *AmE* a house in a group of houses which share one or more walls and often have no gardens → compare SEMIDETACHED, TERRACE
town 'meeting *n AmE* a meeting held by people in a town to decide and discuss questions that are important to the town. Town meetings are commonly held in New England states.
Town Mouse and the 'Country Mouse, the an old story about a mouse who lives in a town and who invites a poor mouse who lives in the country to come and stay with him. The country mouse does not like the town, and when he invites the town mouse to come and stay with him in the country, the town mouse does not like the country. The lesson of the story is that a way of life that is suitable for one person may not be suitable for another.
town 'planning *usually* **urban planning** *AmE* — *n* [U] the study of the way towns work, including traffic, where people live, services etc, and the planning of the way they are built to make them as effective as possible —**ner** *n*
town·scape /'taun,skeɪp/ *n* (a painting of) a view of a town
Towns·hend, Pete /'taunzend, pi:t/ (1945–) a British GUITAR player, and songwriter who performed with the POP GROUP THE WHO
town·ship /'taunʃɪp/ *n* **1** (in Canada and the US) a town, or town and the area around it, that has certain powers of local government **2** (in South Africa) a town where black citizens lived in the past
township 'violence *n* [U] cases of violence in South African townships between township people and the police, or especially between groups of blacks, e.g. supporters of the African National Congress and of the Inkatha Freedom Party
towns·man /'taunzmən/, towns·wom·an /-,wumən/ *fem* — *n pl.* -men /mən/ especially *lit* or *old use* a person who lives in a town
towns·peo·ple /'taunz,pi:pəl/ *also* towns·folk /-fəuk/ *n* **1** [the P] the people who live in a particular town considered as a group **2** [P] people who live in towns as opposed to the country
tow·path /'təupɑ:θl-pæθ/ *n* a path along the bank of a CANAL or river, used especially formerly by horses pulling boats
tow·rope /'təurəup/ *n* a rope, chain etc, by which something is towed (TOW)
'tow truck *n* a strong vehicle which can pull cars behind or on the back of it: *Call a tow truck to take the car to the mechanic's.*
tox·ae·mi·a, toxemia /tɒk'si:miə||ta:k-/ *n* [U] *med* a medical condition in which the blood contains poisons
tox·ic /'tɒksɪk||'ta:k-/ *adj* poisonous or caused by poisonous substances: *a toxic drug | The factory had been sending out toxic waste/fumes.* —**ity** /tɒk'sɪsəti||ta:k-/ *n* [U]
tox·i·col·o·gy /ˌtɒksɪ'kɒlədʒi||ˌta:ksɪ'ka:-/ *n* [U] the scientific and medical study of poisons, their nature and effects, and the treatment of poisoning —**gist** *n*
toxic 'shock syndrome *n* [U] a serious illness especially of young women, involving a high temperature and a sudden drop in blood pressure, which is thought to be connected with the use of TAMPONS
toxic 'waste *n* [C;U] waste products from industry which are harmful to the environment, people, or animals. Many people are concerned with the dangers of toxic waste and the safety of places that are supposed to get rid of it: *a toxic waste dump*
tox·in /'tɒksɪn||'ta:k-/ *n* a poisonous substance, especially one produced by bacteria in a living or dead plant or animal body and usually causing a particular disease
toy¹ /tɔ/ *n* an object for children to play with: *Don't play with that gun; it's not a toy. | a toy soldier | a toy shop*
toy² *adj* [A] being a small breed of dog kept as a pet: *a toy poodle*
toy³ *v*
**toy with sthg**, *phr v* [T] **1** to consider (an idea) not very seriously: *He toyed with the idea of becoming an actor.* **2** to handle or play with purposelessly: *While he was talking to me, he toyed with a pencil.*
'toy boy *n BrE infml* a young man taken as a lover or companion by an older woman
Toy·o·ta /tɔr'əutə/ *trademark* a type of car or other motor vehicle made by the Japanese company Toyota
Toys 'R' Us /tɔɪz ɑr ʌs/ *trademark* a very large children's store, in both the US and the UK, which sells all types of toys and games
Tra·bant /træ'bænt||tra:'ba:nt/ *trademark* a small, very simple type of car that used to be made in the former country of EAST GERMANY. People sometimes make jokes about Trabant because they had a very old-fashioned design, were very slow and did not look strong.
trace¹ /treɪs/ *v* [T] **1** [(to)] to find (a thing or person) by following their course: *Government scientists have been unable to trace the source of the epidemic. | I can't trace that letter you sent me. | The criminal was traced to London.* (=was discovered to be in London by searching) **2** [(BACK to)] to find the origins of by finding proof or by going back in time: *His family can trace its history back to the 10th century. | The whole rumour was traced (back) to someone who had a grudge against him.* **3** to follow the course, development, or history of: *His new book traces the beginnings of the Labour movement.* **4** to copy (a drawing, map etc) by drawing its lines on transparent paper placed on top of it —**able** *adj*
trace² *n* [(of)] **1** [C;U often in questions and negatives] a mark or sign showing the former presence or passing of some person, vehicle, or event: *Did the police find any trace of the murderer? | We've lost all trace of our daughter.* (=we no