Dentistryone of the hard bony parts attached in a row to each jaw, serving to bite and chew food or, esp. in animals, as weapons.
any part of something that sticks out and resembles a tooth, as a part of a comb, etc.
teeth, [plural] effective power, esp. to enforce something:to put teeth into the new law by increasing the penalty for disobeying it.
Idioms
Idiomsin the teeth of, straight into or in defiance of:The ship sailed on in the teeth of the storm.
Idiomslong in the tooth, elderly.
Idiomsset or put one's teeth on edge, to cause a feeling of irritation in one:The supervisor always sets my teeth on edge.
Idiomsshow one's teeth, to become menacing; reveal one's feelings of anger or hatred.
Idiomssink or get one's teeth into, [sink/get + one's + ~ + into + object] to work on (something) with enthusiasm:At last he found a project he could sink his teeth into.
Idiomsto the teeth, completely; fully; entirely:armed to the teeth.
tooth(to̅o̅th),USA pronunciationn., pl.teeth,v.,toothed(to̅o̅tht, to̅o̅ᵺd),USA pronunciationtooth•ing(to̅o̅′thing, -ᵺing).USA pronunciation n.
(in most vertebrates) one of the hard bodies or processes usually attached in a row to each jaw, serving for the prehension and mastication of food, as weapons of attack or defense, etc., and in mammals typically composed chiefly of dentin surrounding a sensitive pulp and covered on the crown with enamel.
(in invertebrates) any of various similar or analogous processes occurring in the mouth or alimentary canal, or on a shell.
any projection resembling or suggesting a tooth.
one of the projections of a comb, rake, saw, etc.
[Mach.]
any of the uniform projections on a gear or rack by which it drives, or is driven by, a gear, rack, or worm.
any of the uniform projections on a sprocket by which it drives or is driven by a chain.
[Bot.]
any small, toothlike marginal lobe.
one of the toothlike divisions of the peristome of mosses.
a sharp, distressing, or destructive attribute or agency.
taste, relish, or liking.
a surface, as on a grinding wheel or sharpening stone, slightly roughened so as to increase friction with another part.
a rough surface created on a paper made for charcoal drawing, watercolor, or the like, or on canvas for oil painting.
by the skin of one's teeth, barely:He got away by the skin of his teeth.
cast or throw in someone's teeth, to reproach someone for (an action):History will ever throw this blunder in his teeth.
cut one's teeth on, to do at the beginning of one's education, career, etc., or in one's youth:The hunter boasted of having cut his teeth on tigers.
in the teeth of:
so as to face or confront; straight into or against:in the teeth of the wind.
in defiance of; in opposition to:She maintained her stand in the teeth of public opinion.
long in the tooth, old; elderly.
put teeth in or into, to establish or increase the effectiveness of:to put teeth into the law.
set one's teeth, to become resolute; prepare for difficulty:He set his teeth and separated the combatants.
set or put one's teeth on edge:
to induce an unpleasant sensation.
to repel; irritate:The noise of the machines sets my teeth on edge.
show one's teeth, to become hostile or threatening; exhibit anger:Usually friendly, she suddenly began to show her teeth.
to the teeth, entirely; fully:armed to the teeth; dressed to the teeth in furs.
v.t.
to furnish with teeth.
to cut teeth upon.
v.i.
to interlock, as cogwheels.
bef. 900; Middle English; Old English tōth; cognate with Dutch tand, German Zahn, Old Norse tǫnn; akin to Gothic tunthus, Latin dēns, Greek odoús (Ionic odó̄n), Sanskrit dánta
tooth′like′, adj.
8.See corresponding entry in Unabridged fondness, partiality, predilection.