English English Dictionary

English English Dictionary

The online English-English dictionary from The Project Gutenberg

Dictionary

Tapetum (n.)

An area in the pigmented layer of the choroid coat of the eye in many animals, which has an iridescent or metallic luster and helps to make the eye visible in the dark. Sometimes applied to the whole layer of pigmented epithelium of the choroid.

Tapeworm (n.)

Any one of numerous species of cestode worms belonging to Taenia and many allied genera. The body is long, flat, and composed of numerous segments or proglottids varying in shape, those toward the end of the body being much larger and longer than the anterior ones, and containing the fully developed sexual organs. The head is small, destitute of a mouth, but furnished with two or more suckers (which vary greatly in shape in different genera), and sometimes, also, with hooks for adhesion to the walls of the intestines of the animals in which they are parasitic. The larvae (see Cysticercus) live in the flesh of various creatures, and when swallowed by another animal of the right species develop into the mature tapeworm in its intestine. See Illustration in Appendix.

Taphouse (n.)

A house where liquors are retailed.

Taphrenchyma (n.)

Same as Bothrenchyma.

Tapinage (n.)

A lurking or skulking.

Tapioca (n.)

A coarsely granular substance obtained by heating, and thus partly changing, the moistened starch obtained from the roots of the cassava. It is much used in puddings and as a thickening for soups. See Cassava.

Tapir (n.)

Any one of several species of large odd-toed ungulates belonging to Tapirus, Elasmognathus, and allied genera. They have a long prehensile upper lip, short ears, short and stout legs, a short, thick tail, and short, close hair. They have three toes on the hind feet, and four toes on the fore feet, but the outermost toe is of little use.

Tapiroid (a.)

Allied to the tapir, or the Tapir family.

Tapis (n.)

Tapestry; formerly, the cover of a council table.

Tapis (v. t.)

To cover or work with figures like tapestry.

Tapiser (n.)

A maker of tapestry; an upholsterer.

Tapish (v. i.)

To lie close to the ground, so as to be concealed; to squat; to crouch; hence, to hide one's self.

Taplash (n.)

Bad small beer; also, the refuse or dregs of liquor.

Taplings (n. pl.)

The strong double leathers by which the two parts of a flail are united.

Tapoa tafa

A small carnivorous marsupial (Phascogale penicillata) having long, soft fur, and a very long tail with a tuft of long hairs at the end; -- called also brush-tailed phascogale.

Tapped (imp. & p. p.)

of Tap

Tappen (n.)

An obstruction, or indigestible mass, found in the intestine of bears and other animals during hibernation.

Tapper (n.)

The lesser spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopus minor); -- called also tapperer, tabberer, little wood pie, barred woodpecker, wood tapper, hickwall, and pump borer.

Tappester (n.)

A female tapster.

Tappet (n.)

A lever or projection moved by some other piece, as a cam, or intended to tap or touch something else, with a view to produce change or regulate motion.