tooth
noun /tuːθ/
/tuːθ/
(plural teeth
Idioms /tiːθ/
/tiːθ/
)
enlarge imageany of the hard white structures in the mouth used for biting food- I've just had a tooth out at the dentist's.
- to brush/clean your teeth
- tooth decay
- She answered through clenched teeth (= opening her mouth only a little because of anger).
- The cat sank its teeth into his finger.
- She had to have a tooth pulled (= removed).
Collocations Physical appearancePhysical appearancesee also buck teeth, false teeth, milk tooth, wisdom toothTopics Bodya1- A person may be described as having:
- (bright) blue/green/(dark/light) brown/hazel eyes
- deep-set/sunken/bulging/protruding eyes
- small/beady/sparkling/twinkling/(informal) shifty eyes
- piercing/penetrating/steely eyes
- bloodshot/watery/puffy eyes
- bushy/thick/dark/raised/arched eyebrows
- long/dark/thick/curly/false eyelashes/lashes
- a flat/bulbous/pointed/sharp/snub nose
- a straight/a hooked/a Roman/(formal) an aquiline nose
- full/thick/thin/pouty lips
- dry/chapped/cracked lips
- flushed/rosy/red/ruddy/pale cheeks
- soft/chubby/sunken cheeks
- white/perfect/crooked/protruding teeth
- a large/high/broad/wide/sloping forehead
- a strong/weak/pointed/double chin
- a long/full/bushy/wispy/goatee beard
- a long/thin/bushy/droopy/handlebar/pencil moustache
- pale/fair/olive/dark/tanned skin
- dry/oily/smooth/rough/leathery/wrinkled skin
- a dark/pale/light/sallow/ruddy/olive/swarthy/clear complexion
- deep/fine/little/facial wrinkles
- blonde/blond/fair/(light/dark) brown/(jet-)black/auburn/red/(British English) ginger/grey hair
- straight/curly/wavy/frizzy/spiky hair
- thick/thin/fine/bushy/thinning hair
- dyed/bleached/soft/silky/dry/greasy/shiny hair
- long/short/shoulder-length/cropped hair
- a bald/balding/shaved head
- a receding hairline
- a bald patch/spot
- a side/centre(British English) parting
- a long/short/thick/slender/(disapproving) scrawny neck
- broad/narrow/sloping/rounded/hunched shoulders
- a bare/broad/muscular/small/large chest
- a flat/swollen/bulging stomach
- a small/tiny/narrow/slim/slender/28-inch waist
- big/wide/narrow/slim hips
- a straight/bent/arched/broad/hairy back
- thin/slender/muscular arms
- big/large/small/manicured/calloused/gloved hands
- long/short/fat/slender/delicate/bony fingers
- long/muscular/hairy/shapely/(both informal, often disapproving) skinny/spindly legs
- muscular/chubby/(informal, disapproving) flabby thighs
- big/little/small/dainty/wide/narrow/bare feet
- a good/a slim/a slender/an hourglass figure
- be of slim/medium/average/large/athletic/stocky build
Extra Examples- Billy's first tooth is now through.
- Her smile showed crooked teeth.
- Her teeth flashed as she smiled.
- His pipe was firmly clamped between his teeth.
- I lost three teeth in the fight.
- I used to be self-conscious of my prominent teeth.
- Mink have razor-sharp teeth.
- She answered the phone with a cigarette between her teeth.
- She wore a brace to correct her gappy teeth.
- The cat came in with a mouse in its teeth.
- Sugar rots your teeth.
- Their teeth were chattering with cold.
- Skyscrapers rose like jagged teeth.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- big
- huge
- gappy
- …
- have
- brush
- clean
- …
- bite somebody/something
- sink into somebody/something
- snap together
- …
- against the/your tooth
- between the/your tooth
- in the/your tooth
- …
- a narrow, pointed part that sticks out of an object
enlarge image- the teeth on a saw
- The teeth of the cog should fit into these grooves.
Word OriginOld English tōth (plural tēth), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch tand and German Zahn, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin dent-, Greek odont-.
Idioms
armed to the teeth
- having many weapons
bare your teeth
- to show your teeth in an aggressive and threatening way
- The dog bared its teeth and growled.
by the skin of your teeth
- (informal) if you do something by the skin of your teeth, you only just manage to do it
- He escaped defeat by the skin of his teeth.
cut your teeth on something
- to do something that gives you your first experience of a particular type of work
- She cut her teeth on local radio.
cut a tooth
- (of a baby) to grow a new tooth
an eye for an eye (and a tooth for a tooth)
- (saying) used to say that you should punish somebody by doing to them what they have done to you or to somebody else
- They advocate a justice system that works on the principle of an eye for an eye.
fight tooth and nail
- to fight in a very determined way for what you want
- The residents are fighting tooth and nail to stop the new development.
- She fought tooth and nail to keep custody of the children.
get the bit between your teeth
- (informal) to become very enthusiastic about something that you have started to do so that you are unlikely to stop until you have finished
get your teeth into something
- (informal) to put a lot of effort and enthusiasm into something that is difficult enough to keep you interested
- Choose an essay topic that you can really get your teeth into.
give your eye teeth for something/to do something
- (British English, informal) used when you are saying that you want something very much
- I'd give my eye teeth to own a car like that.
gnash your teeth
- to press or hit your teeth together because you feel angry; to feel very angry and upset about something, especially because you cannot get what you want
- He'll be gnashing his teeth when he hears that we lost the contract.
- The news caused great wailing and gnashing of teeth.
grit your teeth
- to bite your teeth tightly together
- She gritted her teeth against the pain.
- ‘Stop it!’ he said through gritted teeth.
- to be determined to continue to do something in a difficult or unpleasant situation
- It started to rain harder, but we gritted our teeth and carried on.
have a sweet tooth
- (informal) to like food that contains a lot of sugarTopics Preferences and decisionsc2
have teeth
- (informal) (of an organization, a law, etc.) to be powerful and effective
Hell’s teeth
- (British English, old-fashioned, informal) used to express anger or surprise
- Hell’s teeth, I promised I’d be back by two.
in the teeth of something
- despite problems, opposition, etc.
- The new policy was adopted in the teeth of fierce criticism.
- in the direction that a strong wind is coming from
- They crossed the bay in the teeth of a howling gale.
kick somebody in the teeth
- to treat somebody badly or fail to give them help when they need it
a kick in the teeth
- (informal) something that hurts somebody/something emotionally; a great disappointment
- The job losses are a kick in the teeth for the union.
lie through your teeth
- (informal) to say something that is not true at all
- The witness was clearly lying through his teeth.
like pulling teeth
- (informal) used to say that it is very difficult to make somebody do something
- It's like pulling teeth trying to get him to talk.
long in the tooth
- (humorous, especially British English) old or too old
red in tooth and claw
- involving opposition or competition that is violent and without sympathy
- nature, red in tooth and claw
set somebody’s teeth on edge
- (of a sound or taste) to make somebody feel physically uncomfortable
- Just the sound of her voice sets my teeth on edge.