OBSCURE WORDS T

tachydidaxy
n. - quick instruction or teaching

tachyphylaxis
n. - rapid development of immunity to the effects of a drug,
especially to those of a poison through previous ingestion of small
amount of same.

tachypnea
n. - abnormally rapid breathing.

tachytelic
adj. - pertaining to abnormally rapid evolution.

tedium vitae
n. - 'weariness of life'.

talionic
adj. -pertaining to revenge in kind

tamarisk
n. - heathlike shrub or tree of warm regions.

tanquam
n. - someone educated enough to go to college

taphephobia
n. - fear of being buried alive

tappon
n. - heavy metal gate used as a dam in irrigation ditches

tardigrade
adj. - slow-moving, sluggish

tarhood
n. - group of sailors, or state of being a sailor

tatami
n. - (pl. -mi, -mis) straw mat of standard size.

tathagatagarbha
n. - the eternal and absolute essence of all reality according to buddhism

tattogey
n. - someone who cheats by using loaded dice

tauromachian
adj. - pertaining to bullfights

tautegorical
adj. - saying the same thing with differentwords, opposite of allegorical

tautoousious
adj. - being absolutely the same

teknonymy
n. - naming the parent after the child

telestich
n. - a poem in which the consecutive final lettersof the lines spell a name

temulance
n. - drunkenness

tendentious
adj. - promoting a particular view or tendency; hence, biased, not impartial

tenebrific
adj. - dark or obscure

tenesmic
adj. - pertaining to a painful but ineffectual effort to urinate or defecate

tentiginous
adj. - sensuous, lascivious

teratology
n. - the study of monsters

tergiversation
n. - abandoning a religion or cause

terrarium
n. - (pl. -riums, -ria) enclosure for small land animals; glass
container for growing plants.

testa
n. - (pl. -tae ) hard external covering of a seed.

testudineous
adj. - slow, like a tortoise

tetricity
n. - austerity, harshness, gloominess

thalassophobia
n. - fear of the sea

thanatism
n. - the belief in life before death, not after it

thaumaturgic
adj. - or or involving the supposed working of miracles; magic

theanthropism
n. - attaching human traits to one's god

thebaine
n. - poisonous alkaloid obtained from opium.

thelymachy
n. - a war of women

thelyphthoric
adj. - that which corrupts women

thermoduric
adj. - resistant to high temperatures.

thersitical
adj. - loud and grossly abusive foulmouthed; scurrilous

thesicle
n. - small thesis or proposition

thibble
n. - wooden stirring stick

thob
v. - to explain your beliefs and opinions

thrasonical
adj. - given to or marked by boasting and bragging

threpterophilia
n. - a fondness for female nurses

thrion
n. - Adam and Eve's fig leaf coverings

thylacine
n. - Tasmanian wolf.

tiki
n. - carved figure of ancestor, worn as an amulet.

tilbury
n. - kind of two-wheeled carriage.

tilde
n. - wavy mark indicating ny sound of Spanish ñ (as in cañon or canyon.)

timbal
n. - kettledrum.

timbre
n. - distinctive quality of a sound.

timbrel
n. - tambourine.

timocracy
n. - state in which possession of property is required for
participation in government; ideal state in which love of honour is
ruling principle. timocratic, adj.

timonism
n. - misanthropy

tinction
n. - act of dyeing. tinctorial, adj. pertaining to tinction or colors.
tinctumutation, n. change of color.

tinea
n. - ringworm, or similar disease. tineal, adj.

tintinnabulate
v. -i. ring; tinkle. tintinnabulant, tintinnabular(y), tintinnabulous,
adj. tintinnabulation, n.

tiqueur
n. - person suffering from tics.

tirailleur
n. - infantry soldier.

tiro
n. - beginner. tirocinium, n. (pl. - ia) first experience.

tisane
n. - medicinal beverage of barley, camomile, etc.; ptisan.

Titan
n. - one of a race of giants in Greek mythology; giant; genius. titanic, adj.

tithe
n. - tenth part; tax payable to church.

Titian
adj. - reddish-brown.

titivate
v. - smarten up.

titrate
v. - Chemistry, determine strength of, or analyse, etc., by finding
the smallest amount of the substance that will produce a given effect
with another known quantity. titre, n. such smallest amount.
titrimetry, n. measuring by such means. titration, n.

tittup
v. -i. prance.

titubant
adj. - staggering. titubancy, n.

tmesis
n. - introduction of word, etc., between parts of a compound word.

toadstone
n. - any stone or stone-like concretion believed to be formed in a
toad and to have magic powers.

toccata
n. - brilliant, quick, fantasia-like musical composition.

tocology
n. - midwifery. tocological, adj. tocologist, n.

tocsin
n. - alarm bell.

toddick
n. - very small quantity of something

toga praetexta
n. - toga with broad purple border, worn by magistrates, etc.

toga virilis
n. - toga adopted as sign of manhood.

toison
n. - sheep's fleece. toison d'or Golden Fleece.

tombac
n. - alloy of zinc and copper used for cheap jewellery, etc.; Dutch gold.

tombolo
n. - narrow spit linking an island with another island or the mainland.

tomentose, tomentous
adj. - bearing thickly matted hairs. tomentulose, adj. slightly
tomentose. tomentum, n. Botany, covering of matted woolly hairs;
Anatomy, network of minute blood vessels in the brain.

tomography
n. - X-ray photography in which parts of body in front of, or behind,
the part under examination are not shown. tomogram, n. such
photograph. tomographic(al), adj.

tonant
adj. - making loud, deep noise.

tondo
n. - a circular painting or relief sculpture.

tonetics
n. - study of intonation in languages. tonetician, n.

tonitruous
adj. - thundering. tonitruone, n. musical instrument imitating thunder.

tonka
n. - bean-like tree and seed, used in perfumes, vanilla extract, etc.

tonneau
n. - rear seating compartment of car.

tonometer
n. - instrument measuring pitch of tones; Medicine, instrument
measuring tension or pressure. tonograph, n. recording tonometer.

tonsorial
adj. - pertaining to barber or hairdressing.

tontine
n. - allocation of certain benefits, as annuities, etc., among a group
of persons such that at the death of one member the remainder share
his or her portion; annuity, etc., so shared.

tonus
n. - normal response to stimuli; muscular spasm.

toparch
n. - ruler, especially of toparchy. toparchy, n. petty state under a toparch.

tophaceous
adj. - gritty. tophus, n. (pl. -phi ) tufa; bodily concretion.

toponym
n. - name of, or designating, a place; name derived from a place-name.
toponymic, adj. toponymics n. study of place-names. toponymy, n.
region's place-names.

topophobia
n. - dread of certain places.

toque
n. - woman's turban-like brimless hat.

torchon
n. - kind of coarse lace or paper.

torcular
n. - tourniquet.

toreutic
adj. - pertaining to metal ornamented with small engraved patterns;
chased. toreutics, n. art of doing such work.

torii
n. - Japanese gateway of curved posts and lintel only.

tormentum
n. - (pl. -ta) ancient catapult-like war machine.

tormina
n. -pl. pl. gripes. torminal, torminous, adj.

torose
adj. - bulging, knobbly; muscular. torous, adj. torosity, n.

torpid
adj. - numb; sleepy; dull. torpidity, n. torpify, v. make torpid.
torpor, n. torpid state; apathy. torporific, adj. torpifying.

torque
n. - collar, especially of twisted metal; force tending to produce
rotation. torquate(d), adj. having a collar.

torsade
n. - twisted cord.

torticollis
n. - Medicine, condition in which neck is permanently twisted and head
held at an unusal angle.

tortile
adj. - twisted; capable of being twisted. tortility, n.

tortious
adj. - causing or committing tort.

torulose, torulous
adj. - slightly torose.

torvous
adj. - stern. torvity, n.

totara
n. - timber tree, with reddish wood, of N.Z.; mahogany pine.

totem
n. - animal or plant adopted as ancestor by savage tribe, and held in
great veneration. totemic, adj. totemism, n.

touché
adj. - 'touched' by opponent's rapier in fencing; hit; defeated in argument.

tourbillion
n. - whirlwind; any whirling object.

tourmaline
n. - kind of black, blue, red and green silicate cut as gem.

tourniquet
n. - device to stop bleeding, as a bandage twisted tight by a stick, etc.

tournure
n. - grace; poise; expressive phrase.

toxemia
n. - blood poisoning due to toxins in blood.

toxoid
n. - toxin treated to reduce toxicity and used in immunisation.

toxophily
n. - archery. toxophilite, n. person fond of toxophily. toxophilous, adj.

trabeate(d)
adj. - constructed of horizontal beams. trabeation, adj.

trabecula
n. - (pl. -lae ) small bar, rod, etc. trabecular, adj. trabeculate,
adj. crossbarred.

trachoma
n. - chronic form of conjunctivitis. trachomatous, adj.

trachycarpous
adj. - rough-fruited. trachyglossate, adj. rough-tongued.
trachyphonia, n. roughness of voice. trachyspermous, adj.
rough-seeded.

tractile
adj. - ductile. tractility, n.

tractive
adj. - pulling.

traduce
v. - slander. traduction, traducement, n.

tragopan
n. - kind of bright-hued Asiatic pheasant.

tragus
n. - (pl. -gi ) prominence in front of opening of ear.

tralatition
n. - metaphor. tralatitious, adj. metaphorical; handed down from father to son.

tralatitiously
adv. - metaphorically; figuratively

trammel
n. - net to catch fish, birds, etc.; shackle on horse's leg; check;
obstacle; instrument for drawing ellipses; v.t. restrain; hamper.

tramontane
adj. - (from) across the mountains; transalpine.

transalpine
adj. - on the other (i.e. the north) side of the Alps; crossing the Alps.

transcalent
adj. - pervious to heat. transcalescent, adj. transcalency, n.

transducer
n. - electronic device transmitting received energy in a different form.

transect
v. - cut across; n. cross section. transection, n.

transfluent
adj. - flowing across. transflux, n.

transforation
n. - perforation.

transgenic
adj. - which has had a foreign gene added to it.

transhume
v. - move (cattle) to summer pastures or winter quarters. transhumance, n.

transilient
adj. - passing abruptly from one state to another. transilience, n.

transilluminate
v. - pass light through, especially through body for medical examination..

transire
n. - ship's document for customs declaration, showing cargo, etc.

translunary
adj. - beyond the moon; spiritual; unearthly.

transmarine
adj. - across or beyond the sea.

transmigrate
v. -i. pass from one body or place into another; transfer.
transmigration, n. transmigrative, adj.

transpadane
adj. - on the other (i.e. the north) side of the river Po.

transpicuous
adj. - easily seen through or understood. transpicuity, n.

transpontine
adj. - on the other (i.e. the south) side of the bridges over the
Thames; pertaining to or like the lurid melodrama played in theatres
there in the 19th century.

transrhenane
adj. - on the other (i.e. the east) side of the river Rhine; German.

transubstantiate
v. - transmute. transubstantiation, n.; Theology, conversion of
Communion bread and wine into body and blood of Christ.

transude
v. - to pass or ooze through or out, as sweat through pores

transumptive
adj. - transferred; metaphorical.

transuranic
adj. - denoting any chemical element having atomic number beyond
uranium (92), not occuring in nature but artificially produced by
bombardment of atoms.

transverbate
v. - translate word for word. transverbation, n.

transverberate
v. - pierce. transverberation, n.

transvest
v. - disguise; wear clothes of another, especially of other sex.
transvestism, n. transvestite, n. & a.

transvolation
n. - flying higher than normal.

trapezium
n. - (pl. -ia) quadrilateral with two parallel sides; any irregular
quadrilateral; American, trapezoid. trapezial, trapeziform, adj.
trapezoid, n. quadrilateral with no sides parallel; American,
trapezium.

traulism
n. - stammering.

traumatology
n. - scientific description of wounds.

trave
n. - crossbeam; space between crossbeams. travated, adj.

trecento
n. - thirteenth century. trecentist, n. writer or artist of that period.

trechometer
n. - device measuring distance travelled by a vehicle.

treen
adj. - made of wood. treenware, n. cups, dishes etc. made of wood.

trefoil
n. - clover, or other plants with leaf divided into three lobes;
architectural ornament of that shape.

tregetour
n. - a juggling magician

trematode
n. - kind of parasitic flatworm.

trenchant
adj. - sharp; cutting.

trente et quarante
n. - 'thirty and forty'; gambling card game with betting on red and black.

trepan
n. - surgical saw for incision into skull; v.t. use trephine on;
decoy; swindle. trepanation, n.

trepang
n. - sea cucumber.

trephine
n. - form of trepan; v.t. use trephine on. trephination, n.

tresayle
n. - grandfather's grandfather

tressilate
v. -i. quiver. tressilation, n.

triagonal
adj. - triangular.

triarch
n. - triumvir. triarchy, n.

tribade
n. - homosexual woman. tribadism, n.

tribology
n. - scientific study of friction and lubrication.

tribuloid
adj. - yielding prickly fruit.

tricenary
adj. - pertaining to or consisting of thirty; lasting thirty days.

tricephalous
adj. - having three heads. tricephalus, n. (pl. - li ) such monster.

trichiasis
n. - ingrowing eyelashes.

trichinosis
n. - disease due to eating pork infested with certain kind of nematode
worms. trichinize, v. infest with such worms. trichinotic, trichinous,
adj.

trichotomy
n. - division into three parts or categories. trichotomic, trichotomous, adj.

trichromatic
adj. - pertaining to or in three colors; having normal color vision.
trichromatism, n. use of the three primary colors for color
reproduction; normal color vision.

tricipital
adj. - pertaining to triceps; tricephalous.

triclinic
adj. - having three unequal axes meeting at oblique angles.

tricorn
adj. - having three corners or horns. tricorne, n. three-cornered hat.

tricot
n. - silk, rayon, nylon or woollen fabric resembling knitting.
tricotine, n. double-twilled worsted fabric.

tridactyl
adj. - having three fingers or toes. tridentate, adj. having three
teeth. tridigitate, adj. tridactyl.

tridiurnal
adj. - lasting three days; happening every three days.

triennial
adj. - happening every three years; lasting three years; n. such
plant; third anniversary.

trieteric
adj.,n. - (festival) occuring each third year (i.e. in alternate years).

trifarious
adj. - facing three ways.

trifid
adj. - divided into three parts.

triforium
n. - gallery over nave and choir. triforial, adj.

trifurcate
adj. - divide into three forks; a. so dividing. trifurcation, n.

trigamy
n. - state of being married to three living spouses. trigamist, n.
trigamous, adj.

trigeminal
adj. - pertaining to pair of nerves from cranium to jaw. trigeminous,
adj. (one of) three born together; threefold.

trigeneric
adj. - belonging to three kinds or genera; having three genders.

triglot
adj.,n. - (book) in three languages.

triglyph
n. - architectural ornament of tablet bearing two V-shaped channels.
triglyphal, triglyphic, adj.

trigonal
adj. - pertaining to or having three angles.

trigonous
adj. - having triangular cross-section.

trigram
n. - figure of three lines; inscription of three letters. trigrammatic, adj.

trigraph
n. - three letters having one sound, as eau. trigraphic a.

trihedron
n. - solid figure of three planes. trihedral, adj.

trihoral
adj. - happening every three hours.

trijugate
adj. - with three pairs of leaflets.

trilabiate
adj. - having three lips. trilaminar, adj. having three layers.

trilateral
adj. - three-sided (figure).

trilemma
n. - dilemma-like position offering three choices.

trilinear
adj. - pertaining to, having or bounded by three lines.

trilingual
adj. - pertaining to, in or speaking three languages.

triliteral
adj.,n. - (word) of three letters.

trilith(on)
n. - ancient monument of two upright stones bearing one transverse stone.

trilocular
adj. - having three cells. triloculate, adj.

trimacular, trimaculate
adj. - bearing three spots.

trimensual
adj. - happening every three months.

trimerous
adj. - having its parts in threes.

trimeter
n. - verse-line of three feet. trimetric, adj.

trimorph
n. - substance crystallising into three forms. trimorphism, n. trimorphous, adj.

trin
n. - triplet. trinal, trine, adj. threefold. trinary, n. group of three.

tringoid
adj. - pertaining to sandpipers.

trinoctial
adj. - lasting three nights.

trinomial
adj. - pertaining to or using three names; having name of three terms;
pertaining to such scientific nomenclature; n. mathematical expression
of three terms joined by + or - trinominal, adj.

trioecious
adj. - having male, female and hermaphrodite flowers on different
plants. trioecism, n.

triolet
n. - eight-lined poem, with repetition of first line as fourth and
seventh, and of second line as eighth; and with first, third, fourth,
fifth and seventh lines, and second, sixth and eighth lines, rhyming.

tripara
n. - woman who has had three childbirths.

tripartite
adj. - in three parts; between three parties or States. tripartient,
adj. dividing into three parts. tripartition, n.

tripedal
adj. - having three feet.

triphibian
adj. - equipped to operate from land or water and in the air;
triphibous. triphibious, adj. involving land, sea and air forces.

triphthong
n. - three vowel sounds pronounced as one.

triphyllous
adj. - three-leaved.

triplegia
n. - hemiplegia with paralysis of a part on the other side.

triplopia
n. - triple vision.

tripsis
n. - shampoo or massage

triptote
adj.,n. - Grammar, (noun) with three cases only.

triptych
n. - painting in three parts, especially altar piece with one central
and two hinged side panels.

triquetra
n. - triangular-shaped pattern, object, etc. triquetral, triquetric,
triquetrous, adj.

trireme
n. - ancient galley with three banks of oars.

triskelion
n. - pattern of three curved branches, especially of three bent legs
as badge of Isle of Man.

trismus
n. - lockjaw. trismic, adj.

tristachyous
adj. - three-spiked.

triste
adj. - 'sad'. tristesse, n. sadness.

tristich
n. - stanza of three lines. tristichic, adj. tristichous, adj. in three rows.

tristiloquy
n. - mournful manner of speech. tristisonous, adj. mournful-sounding.

trisulcate
adj. - with three ridges, forks or furrows.

trisyllable
n. - word of three syllables. trysyllabic, adj.

tritanopia
n. - inability to distinguish properly between blue and yellow.
tritanope, n. sufferer from this.

tritheism
n. - belief that members of Trinity are three separate gods. tritheist, n.

triticism
n. - trite remark.

triticoid
adj. - like wheat.

tritium
n. - isotope of hydrogen of mass number 3.

triton
n. - positively charged atomic particle consisting of a proton and two
neutrons, equivalent to the nucleus of an atom of tritium.

triturate
v. - to rub, grind, or otherwise crush into fine particles; pulverize; comminute

triumvir
n. - (pl. -viri ) member of triumvirate. triumvirate, n. ruling body
of three men.

triune
adj. - three in one. triunity, n.

trivirgate
adj. - bearing three linear markings.

troche
n. - circular lozenge, especially for throat affection.

trochilic
adj. - rotary; able to turn. trochilics, n. study of rotary motion.

trochlea
n. - pulley-like structure of shoulder, thigh, or orbit of eye.
trochleiform, trochlear, trochleariform, trochleate, adj. like a
pulley.

trochocephalic
adj. - having abnormally round head. trochocephalia, trochocephalus,
trochocephaly, n. such condition.

trompe-l'oeil
phr. - 'deceives the eye'; n. type of painting exactly imitating
reality, and of interior decoration producing an illusion of space,
height, length, etc.

tronc
n. - 'alms-box'; system of pooling tips among waiters.

trope
n. - figure of speech; heading; Music, interpolation into a plainsong
setting of the Mass.

trophic
adj. - pertaining to nutrition. trophesy, n. disease due to fault in
such nerves. trophism, n. nutrition. trophogenic, adj. due to
differences in food. trophopathy, n. disorder of nutritional
processes. trophoplasm, n. nutritive substance of cell. trophotropism,
n. growth direction by nutritional factors.

tropism
n. - movement of an organism, especially direction of growth of plant,
in response to a stimulus; innate inclination. tropismatic, tropistic,
adj.

tropology
n. - figurative style of writing; interpretation of Bible stressing
figurative nature of language. tropological, adj.

tropometer
n. - instrument measuring rotation.

tropopause
n. - level where troposphere ends and stratosphere begins.

tropophilous
adj. - flourishing in seasonal extremes of climate. tropophyte, n. such plant.

trotyl
n. - trinitrotoluene.

trouvaille
n. - lucky find; ingenious idea.

trucidation
n. - slaughter.

trumeau
n. - (pl. -eaux) pier glass; pillar supporting tympanum of doorway.

trunnion
n. - one of a pair of projecting pivots.

truttaceous
adj. - pertaining to or like trout.

tryma
n. - kind of nut-like fruit, as walnut.

trypsin
n. - pancreatic enzyme digesting protein. tryptic, adj.

tsiology
n. - treatise on tea.

tubercle
n. - small knob or outgrowth; small tuber; Medicine, small diseased
nodule, especially of tuberculosis. tubercular, adj. pertaining to
tubercles or tuberculosis. tuberculation, n. formation of tubercles.
tuberculin, n. culture of products of tubercular bacilli used as test
for tuberculosis. tuberculous, adj.

tubicinate
v. -i. blow a trumpet. tubicination, n.

tubicolous
adj. - spinning a tubular web; living in a self-constructed tube.

tubicorn(ous)
adj. - hollow-horned. tubifacient, adj. constructing a tube. tubifex,
n. freshwater tubicolous worm used as bait. tubiform, adj. tube-like.
tubinarial, adj. with tubular nostrils. tubiparous a. secreting matter
used in making tube.

tubulure
n. - tubular opening.

tucket
n. - flourish on trumpet.

tucuma
n. - fibre-yielding Brazilian palm.

tuism
n. - use of second person (thou, you); philosophical theory stressing
existence of a second, or other, self.

tumbrel
n. - farm-cart, especially as used to carry condemned persons to the
guillotine in French revolution.

tumid
adj. - swollen; bombastic. tumidity, n. tumefacient, adj. producing
swelling. tumefy, v. swell. tumescent, adj. somewhat tumid.

tumulus
n. - (pl. -li ) mound over ancient grave; barrow. tumular, adj.
tumulose, adj. having many small mounds.

tunicate
n. - one of a class of marine animals, including ascidians; a. covered
with layers.

tup
n. - ram; head of pile-driver, steam-hammer, v. mate with.

turbellarian
n. - kind of flatworm.

turbid
adj. - muddy; not clear. turbidity, n.

turbinate
adj. - spirally rolled; like a spinning-top in shape; v.t. spin;
whirl. turbinal, adj. turbination, n.

turpitude
n. - depravity.

turrical
adj. - turret-like. turricular, turriculate a. turriferous, adj. bearing towers.

twibil
n. - a two-edged axe

tychism
n. - theory that chance plays an active role in the universe,
especially such theory of evolution.

tympanum
n. - (pl. -na ) ear-drum; Archtitecture, triangular face of pediment;
space within arch. tympanal, tympanic, adj. tympani, n.pl. (sing. -no)
timpani. tympaniform, adj. like a tympanum. tympanist, n. timpanist.
tympanites, n. distention of abdomen by flatulence. tympanitis n.
inflammation of the tympanum. tympany, n. inflation; turgidity.

typhlitis
n. - inflammation of caecum; archaic, appendicitis.

typhlology
n. - study of blindness. typhlosis, n. blindness.

typography
n. - art of printing; style and layout of printed matter. typographer,
n. typographic(al), adj.

typology
n. - study of types; theological doctrine of symbolization of New
Testament events in the Old Testament. typologist, n.

typtology
n. - theory concerning rappings by spirits. typtological, adj. typtologist, n.

tyrannicide
n. - killing or killer of tyrant.

tyremesis
n. - vomiting of curd-like matter.

tyroma
n. - (pl. -mata ) cheese-like matter. tyromatous, adj.



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