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单词 teetotum
释义

Definition of teetotum in English:

teetotum

noun tiːˈtəʊtəmtiˈtoʊdəm
  • A small spinning top spun with the fingers, especially one with four sides lettered to determine whether the spinner has won or lost.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • In England and Ireland, the game of totum or teetotum, first mentioned in approximately 1500, was especially popular at Christmastime.
    • A teetotum is essentially a stick with flat sides and a round stick through the middle.
    • To reinforce this, the games were played with teetotums, rather than dice which were associated with gambling.
    • Dominoes, playing cards, counters and teetotums were all used to play games in the 19th century but with adults more so than with children.
    • Each player places a coin in the pot and then take turns spinning the teetotum following the instructions when the teetotum stops spinning.
    • The Victorians believed that children should not play with dice because they were associated with gambling so instead they used teetotums, numbered tops, to determine the number of moves.
    • Another guest describes a patient who thought he was a spinning top, or teetotum, and liked to spin around, at which the guest prepares to demonstrate before being interrupted by another table guest who whispers into his ear.
    • However, variations of the game were invented when teetotums developed a body in the shape of a cube.
    • A six-sided teetotum or die and a playing piece of a different color for each player, are also needed.

Origin

Early 18th century (as T totum): from T (representing totum, inscribed on the side of the toy) + Latin totum 'the whole' (stake). The letters on the sides (representing Latin words) were T (= totum), A (= auferre 'take away'), D (= deponere 'put down'), and N (= nihil 'nothing').

Rhymes

factotum, Gotham, scrotum, totem
 
 

Definition of teetotum in US English:

teetotum

nountiˈtoʊdəmtēˈtōdəm
  • A small spinning top spun with the fingers, especially one with four sides lettered to determine whether the spinner has won or lost.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • Each player places a coin in the pot and then take turns spinning the teetotum following the instructions when the teetotum stops spinning.
    • The Victorians believed that children should not play with dice because they were associated with gambling so instead they used teetotums, numbered tops, to determine the number of moves.
    • However, variations of the game were invented when teetotums developed a body in the shape of a cube.
    • To reinforce this, the games were played with teetotums, rather than dice which were associated with gambling.
    • Dominoes, playing cards, counters and teetotums were all used to play games in the 19th century but with adults more so than with children.
    • Another guest describes a patient who thought he was a spinning top, or teetotum, and liked to spin around, at which the guest prepares to demonstrate before being interrupted by another table guest who whispers into his ear.
    • In England and Ireland, the game of totum or teetotum, first mentioned in approximately 1500, was especially popular at Christmastime.
    • A teetotum is essentially a stick with flat sides and a round stick through the middle.
    • A six-sided teetotum or die and a playing piece of a different color for each player, are also needed.

Origin

Early 18th century (as T totum): from T (representing totum, inscribed on the side of the toy) + Latin totum ‘the whole’ (stake). The letters on the sides (representing Latin words) were T (= totum), A (= auferre ‘take away’), D (= deponere ‘put down’), and N (= nihil ‘nothing’).

 
 
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更新时间:2024/12/25 0:21:38