- tongued (adj.)
- "speaking (in a certain manner)," late 14c., in compounds and combinations, from tongue (n.).
- tongueless (adj.)
- late 14c., "having no tongue;" early 15c. as "speechless, silent," from tongue (n.) + -less. Related: Tonguelessly; tonguelessness.
- tonic (adj.)
- 1640s, "relating to or characterized by muscular tension," from Greek tonikos "of stretching," from tonos "a stretching" (see tenet). The meaning "maintaining the healthy firmness of tissues" is recorded from 1680s, first extended 1756 to "having the property of restoring to health." Related: Tonical (1580s).
- tonic (n.1)
- "a tonic medicine," 1799, from tonic (adj.). From 1873 (in gin and tonic) as short for tonic water (1861 as a commercial product, water infused with quinine), so called because held to aid digestion and stimulate appetite.
- tonic (n.2)
- in the musical sense, 1760, short for tonic note, from tone (n.) in the musical sense + -ic. Related: Tonicity.
- tonify (v.)
- 1786, from ton (n.2) + -ify. Related: Tonified; tonifying.
- tonight (adv.)
- Old English toniht "in the coming night," from to "at, on" (see to) + niht (see night). As a noun, "in the night after the present day," early 14c. Written as two words until 18c., after which it was to-night until early 20c.
- tonite (adv.)
- colloquial shortening of tonight, attested by 1918.
Present-day student notices on bulletin boards, etc., read oftener than not, "Party Friday Nite," "Meeting Tonite," "Kum Tonite," etc. [Louise Pound, Spelling-Manipulation and Present-Day Advertising, "Dialect Notes," 1923]
- tonite (n.)
- explosive used in blasting, 1881, from Latin tonare "to thunder" (see thunder (n.)) + -ite (2).
- tonnage (n.)
- early 15c., "tax or duty on wine imported in tuns," from ton (n.1) + -age, and from Old French tonnage "duty levied on wine in casks" (c. 1300). Meaning "carrying capacity of a ship" is from 1718.
- tonne (n.)
- 1877, French form of ton (n.1), adopted for English use to denote a metric ton (1,000 kg.).
- tonneau (n.)
- 1901, rear part of an automobile, from French tonneau, literally "cask, tun" (see tun).
- tonsil (n.)
- c. 1600, from Latin tonsillae, tosillae (plural) "tonsils," diminutive of toles "goiter," which is perhaps of Gaulish origin. Related: Tonsils.
- tonsillectomy (n.)
- 1899, from comb. form of tonsil + -ectomy. A hybrid with a Latin front end and a Greek ending. A correct formation all from Greek would be amygdalectomy.
- tonsillitis (n.)
- also tonsilitis, "inflammation of the tonsils," 1801, from comb. form of tonsil + -itis "inflammation."
- tonsillolith (n.)
- 1894, from tonsillo-, comb. form of tonsil + -lith "stone."
- tonsorial (adj.)
- "pertaining to barbers," 1765, from -al (1) + Latin tonsorius "of or pertaining to shearing or shaving," from tonsor "a shaver, barber, shearer, clipper," from tonsus, past participle of tondere "to shear, shave" (see tonsure). Generally used in an attempt at humor. Tonsorious in the same sense is attested from 1650s.
- tonsure (n.)
- late 14c., "shaving of the head or part of it," especially as a religious rite, from Anglo-French tonsure (mid-14c.), Old French tonsure "ecclesiastical tonsure; sheep-shearing" (14c.), from Latin tonsura "a shearing, clipping," from tonsus, past participle of tondere "to shear, shave, clip, crop," from PIE *tend-, from root *tem- "to cut" (see tome). The verb is attested from 1706 (implied in tonsured). Related: Tonsuring.
- tontine (n.)
- 1765, from French tontine, named for Lorenzo Tonti, Neapolitan banker in Paris who in 1653 first proposed this method of raising money in France.
- Tonto
- former term for the Western Apaches, from Spanish, literally "foolish;" probably a translation of a name given to the people by other branches of the Apache, such as Chiricahua Apache /bini:'édiné/, Mescalero Apache /bini:'édinendé/, both literally "people without minds," and used to designate the Western Apaches. Spanish tonto is said to be originally a nursery word, used for its sound [Buck], but in some sources it is given as perhaps literally "thunderstruck," from Latin attonius, whence also Spanish atonar "to stupefy."
- tony (adj.)
- "of a high tone, affecting social elegance," 1877, American English slang, from tone (n.) + -y (2). It was the name of a reddish-brown fashion color in the 1920s.
- Tony
- 1947, awards given by American Theatre Wing (New York), from nickname of U.S. actress, manager, and producer Antoinette Perry (1888-1946).
- Tony
- masc. proper name, short for Anthony. Tony Curtis, style of men's haircut (usually with a D.A. at the back), is from 1956, from screen name of U.S. film star Bernard Schwarz (1925-2010).
- too (adv.)
- "in addition, in excess," late Old English, stressed variant of Old English preposition to "in the direction of, furthermore" (see to). The spelling with -oo is from late 16c. Use after a verb, for emphasis (as in did, too!) is attested from 1914. German zu unites the senses of English to and too. Slang too-too "excessive in social elegance" first recorded 1881. Too much is from 1530s as "more than can be endured;" sense of "excellent" first recorded 1937 in jazz slang.
- toodle-oo
- colloquial "good-bye" word, 1904, said in early uses to be "cockney," of unknown origin; variant tooraloo is recorded from c. 1921.
- took
- past tense of take (v.), from late Old English toc, past tense of tacan.
- tool (n.)
- Old English tol "instrument, implement used by a craftsman or laborer, weapon," from Proto-Germanic *to(w)lam "implement" (source also of Old Norse tol), from a verb stem represented by Old English tawian "prepare" (see taw). The ending is the instrumental suffix -el (1). Figurative sense of "person used by another for his own ends" is recorded from 1660s. Slang meaning "penis" first recorded 1550s.
- tool (v.)
- "to drive a vehicle," 1812, probably from tool (n.) as if "to manage skillfully." The meaning "to work or shape with a tool" is recorded from 1815; that of "equip (a factory) with machine tools" is from 1927. Related: Tooled; tooling.
- toolbar (n.)
- 1960 as a frame fitted to a tractor to hold tools; from tool (n.) + bar (n.1). Computer sense is attested from 1991.
Among 100-odd new features in Excel 3.0 is a row of "buttons" on the screen called the Toolbar. Located under the pull-down menus, the Toolbar provides rapid access to frequently used commands. ["Popular Science," April 1991.]
- toolbox (n.)
- also tool-box, 1801, from tool (n.) + box (n.1).
- toolkit (n.)
- also tool-kit, 1908, from tool (n.) + kit (n.1).
- toon (n.)
- colloquial shortening of cartoon (n.), attested by 1985.
- toot (v.)
- c. 1500, of horns, ultimately imitative, also found in Middle Low German and Low German tuten "blow a horn." Related: Tooted; tooting. Tooting as a strong affirmative (as in you're damned tootin') is attested from 1932, American English.
- toot (n.)
- 1640s, from toot (v.); meaning "cocaine" is attested by 1977.
- toot sweet (adv.)
- "right away, promptly," 1917, American English, representing U.S. soldiers' mangled adaptation of French tout de suite.
- tooth (n.)
- Old English toð (plural teð), from Proto-Germanic *tan-thuz (source also of Old Saxon, Danish, Swedish, Dutch tand, Old Norse tönn, Old Frisian toth, Old High German zand, German Zahn, Gothic tunþus), from PIE *dent- "tooth" (source also of Sanskrit danta, Greek odontos, Latin dens, Lithuanian dantis, Old Irish det, Welsh dent). Plural form teeth is an instance of i-mutation.
The loss of -n- before spirants is regular in Old English, Old Frisian, and Old Saxon: compare goose (n.), five. Also thought, from stem of think; couth from the stem of can (v.1); us from *uns.
Application to tooth-like parts of other objects (saws, combs, etc.) first recorded 1520s. Tooth and nail as weapons is from 1530s. The tooth-fairy is attested from 1964.
- tooth-ache (n.)
- also toothache, Old English toðece; see tooth + ache (n.).
- toothbrush (n.)
- also tooth-brush, 1650s, from tooth + brush (n.1).
- toothless (adj.)
- Old English toðleas, in the literal sense; see tooth + -less. Figurative sense of "dull" is recorded from 1590s; that of "lacking enforcement powers" is first recorded 1961. Related: Toothlessly; toothlessness.
- toothpaste (n.)
- also tooth-paste, 1832, from tooth + paste (n.). Earlier substances were tooth-powder (1540s); tooth-soap (c. 1600).
- toothpick (n.)
- also tooth-pick, late 15c., from tooth + pick (n.). Old English had toðsticca.
- toothsome (adj.)
- "pleasant to the taste," 1560s, from -some (1) + tooth in a figurative sense of "appetite, taste, liking" attested from late 14c. (compare sweet tooth, also figurative use of palate). The extended sense of "attractive" (1550s) is attested earlier. Related: Toothsomely; toothsomeness.
- tootle (v.)
- 1820, frequentative of toot (v.). Related: Tootled; tootling.
- toots (n.)
- slang familiar form of address to a woman or girl, 1936, American English, short for tootsie, tootsy, from tootsy-wootsy (1895), a familiar form of address to a sweetheart, originally a playful or nursery name for a small foot, from childish pronunciation of foot (n.); compare tootsy.
- tootsy (n.)
- also tootsie, 1854, baby-talk substitution for foot (n.). Candy bar Tootsie Roll patent claims use from 1908.
- top (n.1)
- "highest point," Old English top "summit, crest, tuft," from Proto-Germanic *tuppaz (source also of Old Norse toppr "tuft of hair," Old Frisian top "tuft," Old Dutch topp, Dutch top, Old High German zopf "end, tip, tuft of hair," German Zopf "tuft of hair"); no certain connections outside Germanic except a few Romanic words probably borrowed from Germanic.
Few Indo-European languages have a word so generic, which can be used of the upper part or surface of just about anything. More typical is German, which has Spitze for sharp peaks (mountains), oberfläche for the upper surface of flat things (such as a table). Meaning "highest position" is from 1620s; meaning "best part" is from 1660s. To go over the top is World War I slang for "start an attack," in reference to the top of the trenches; as "beyond reasonable limits, too far" it is recorded from 1968. Top of the world as "position of greatest eminence" is from 1670s. Top-of-the-line (adj.) is by 1950.
- top (n.2)
- "toy that spins on a point," late Old English top, probably a special use of top (n.1), but the modern word is perhaps via Old French topet, which is from or influenced by a Germanic source akin to the root of English top (n.1). As a type of seashell, first recorded 1680s.
- top (v.)
- "put a top on," 1580s, perhaps mid-15c., from top (n.1). Earlier "cut the top off, shave the head" (c. 1300). The meaning "be higher or greater than" also is first recorded 1580s. Meaning "strike (a ball) towards its top" is from 1881. Related: Topped; topping. To top off "to finish" is colloquial from 1836; in sense "fill up, add more to to bring to fullness" it is from 1917.
- top (adj.)
- "being at the top," 1590s, from top (n.1). Top dollar "high price" is from 1942. Top-drawer (1920) is from British expression out of the top drawer "upper-class." Top ten in popular music is from 1945 ("Billboard"). The top dog is the one uppermost in a fight, from 1868 in figurative use, opposed to the underdog.
But if the under dog in the social fight runs away with a bone in violation of superior force, the top dog runs after him bellowing, "Thou shalt not steal," and all the other top dogs unite in bellowing, "This is divine law and not dog law;" the verdict of the top dog so far as law, religion, and other forms of brute force are concerned settles the question. [Van Buren Denslow, "Modern Thinkers: What They Think and Why," 1880]
- top-hamper (n.)
- 1791, originally the upper masts, sails, and rigging of a sailing ship, from top (n.1) + hamper (n.) in the nautical sense of "things necessary but often in the way."