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Tempe·rance ,move·ment n an effort by an organization
to persuade people not to drink alcohol. Such movements
began in the US, Britain, and N Europe in the 19th century
because of the increase in alcoholism. ➞ see also PROHIBI-
TION
tem·pe·rate /'tempərɪt; -rət/ adj 1 (of parts of the world, CLIMATE etc) free from very high or very low temperatures: the temperate zones of the world are found to the north and south of the tropics.
tem·pe·rate plants (=that live in a
temperate climate) 2 (usually derog) practising or showing self-control: temperate habits/behaviour ➞ see also INTEMPERATE
tem·per·a·ture /'tempərɪtuː/ n 1 [C] the degree of heat or
coldness of a place, object etc: What's the average tempera-
ture in London on a summer's day? | a sudden rise/fall/
change in temperature | high temperatures | These divers work
in sub-zero temperatures. 2 [U] a bodily temperature higher
than the correct one; a fever: If you have got/are running
a temperature you should stay in bed.
tem·pest /'tempɪst/ n especially lit a violent storm
Tem·pest, The a play by William SHAKESPEARE about PROS-
PERO, the Duke of Milan, who has been forced by his brother
to live alone on a distant island with his daughter MIRANDA.
The other main characters are Prospero's magical helper, Ariel,
and his SLAVE CALIBAN.
tem·pes·tu·ous /tem'pestʃuəs; tem'pestjuəs/ adj 1 very rough, stormy,
violent: the tempestuous sea/wind | 2 (of a relationship,
meeting of the city council etc) full of strong feelings, usu-
ally anger —ly adv [U]
temping ,agency also temp agency AmE — n a business
that makes its money by supplying people (especially secre-
taries) to work in an office for a short or limited period of
time while someone else is absent or while there is a great deal
of work etc
tem·plate, tem·plet /'templeɪt/ n, AmE — a thin board or
plate cut into a special shape or pattern, used as a guide for
cutting metal, wood, clay etc
tem·ple¹ /'templ/ n a building or place for the worship of a
god or gods, especially in the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Mor-
mon, or modern Jewish religions: The Temple of Heavenly
Peace in Peking | an ancient Greek temple
tem·ple² n [U] [usually pl.] 1 either of the two flat areas on each
side of the head ➞ see picture at HEAD 2 either of the
parts of a pair of glasses that hooks over the ears ➞ see
picture at GLASSES
Temple an area in central London which contains the INNER
TEMPLE and the MIDDLE TEMPLE, two parts of the INNS OF
COURT. Many lawyers and BARRISTERS work there.
Tem·ple, Shirl·ey /'ʃɜːli ˈtempl/ (1928– ) a US child actress
who was very popular during the 1930s. She sang and
danced and had BLOND curly hair, and is best known for
singing the song On the Good Ship Lollipop. Her films include
Little Miss Marker (1934) and Heidi (1937). As an adult she
became Shirley Temple Black, and worked as an AMBASSA-
DOR for the US government.
tem·po /'tempəʊ, AM -poʊ/ n pl -pos or (Mus) -pi /paɪ/ 1 the speed at
which music is or should be played: at a fast tempo 2 the
rate or pattern of movement, work, or activity: the busy
tempo of city life
tem·po·rary /ˈtemprəri, ˈtempə-erɪ/ adj lasting only for
a limited time: Students often find temporary jobs during
their studies.
tem·po·rarily /ˈtemprərɪli, ˈtempə-rerəli/ adv: The daily flight to Dallas has been temporarily suspended. —ness /ˈtemprərɪnəs, ˈtempə-rerə-/ n [U]
temporary re·'straining ,order abbrev. TRO n AmE law a
court order (ORDER) to make someone do or not to do
something immediately, that is usually given by a judge in a
situation where it is thought that action must be taken
immediately, before there is time for a full hearing in court.
tem·po·rize also -rise BrE /tempəraɪz/ v [I] 1 try to delay or
avoid making a decision in order to gain time (some-
one) to do something that seems pleasant or advantageous
but may be unwise or dishonest; make (someone) want to do
something: The Devil tempted Christ by offering him power
over all the world. | A rival company is trying to tempt her
away from her present job with an offer of more money. |
tempting offer | I think these enticing displays of goods in
shops only tempt people into stealing. (=encourage them to
steal) | [+obj+to-v] She tempted me but us to go outside. |
It's a very attractive offer, and I'm tempted to accept (I would
like to accept but am not sure if I should) | Can I tempt you to
another cream bun? 2 tempt fate/providence to risk failure
by depending too much on luck —er n —ingly adv
temp·ta·tion /tempteɪʃn/ n 1 [U] the act of tempting or
the state of being tempted 2 [C] something very attractive;
a thing or situation that tempts one: The temptations of a big
city life —ly adv —ness n [U]
tem·ptress /'temptres/ n, humor a woman who tempts
men to sexual immorality
tem·pus fu·git / ,tempəs 'fju:dʒɪt/ phrase Lat quote time flies
or passes very quickly (a phrase from Vergil's Georgics)
ten /ten/ determiner, numer 1 (the number) 10 ➞ see TABLE 1
2 ten a penny infml to be very common or of little
value 3 ten to one infml very likely: Ten to one the train will
be late.
ten·a·ble /'tenəbl/ adj 1 (especially of a belief, argument
etc) that can be successfully defended; reasonable: To say
that this Government couldn't afford it is simply not tenable
argument. — opposite UNTENABLE 2 (of a job, post etc) that
can be held by someone for a usually stated period of time:
How long is the post tenable for?
ten·a·cious /tɪ'neɪʃəs/ adj holding firm to a course of action;
especially in a courageous way; not easily letting go or
accepting defeat: PERSISTENT: He held on to my arm with a
tenacious grip | She is a very tenacious opponent of the new
road scheme. —ly adv —ness, -city tɪ'neɪʃəstɪ/ n [U]
ten·an·cy /'tenənsɪ/ n [usually sing. & pl. v.] 1 the length of time for which
someone uses a room, land, building etc, for which
they have to pay rent: 2 [U] the occupation
and use of a room, land, building etc, for which rent is paid: right of tenancy | a yearly agreement.
ten·ant /'tenənt/ n a person who pays rent for the use of a
room, building, land etc: the owner of the land etc | Do you own your house or are you a
tenant? | a council tenant ➞ compare OWNER-OCCUPIER; see
also SITTING TENANT
ten·ant ,farmer n a person who farms land rented from
someone else ➞ see also SHARECROPPER
ten·an·try /'tenəntrɪ/ n [the S+sing./pl. v.] all the tenant farmers
renting land from one person in one place
tench /tenʃ/ n, pl. tench or tenches a European fish that lives
in lakes and rivers
Ten Com·man·ments, the according to the Old Testa-
ment of the Bible, the set of rules that God gave to MOSES on
Mount Sinai, in order to tell people how they should
behave. They are supposed to have been written on two
stone TABLETS (=flat pieces of stone) and they appear in the
Christian, Jewish, and Islamic religions. The Ten Com-
mandments include Thou shalt not kill and Thou shalt not steal.
tend¹ /tend/ v [I] 1 to have a tendency; be likely to do or
be) something, do or be often or usually: [+to-v] Janet tends
to get [easily gets] angry if you disagree with her. | It tends
to rain here in the spring. 2 [+adj.] to move or develop in a
certain direction: Interest rates are tending upwards.
tend² v [T] old-fashioned 1 to take care of (a living thing); look after:
She tended her husband lovingly during his long illness. | The
nurses skillfully tended the soldiers' wounds. | a farmer tending
his sheep. 2 AmE to serve customers in (a store, bar etc): a
bartender tend to sb./sth. phr v 1 [T] to 2 [T]: The nurse tended to
the soldier's wounds.
Ten `Days that `Shook the `World (1919) a book by the
US JOURNALIST John Reed about the RUSSIAN REVOLUTION of