A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

tuff --- 1569, "rock of consolidated volcanic fragments," from M.Fr. tuf, from It. tufa "tufa, porous rock," probably from L. tufus, tophus (see tufa).

tuffet --- 1553, "little tuft," from O.Fr. touffel (with exchange of dim. suffix -et for Fr. -el), dim. of touffe (see tuft). Obsolete except in the nursery rhyme "Little Miss Muffet" (19c.), where it has been felt to mean "hassock, footstool."

tuft --- c.1386, perhaps from O.Fr. touffe "tuft of hair," either from L.L. tufa "a kind of crest on a helmet" (also found in Late Gk. toupha), or from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. zopf, O.N. toppr "tuft, summit," see top (1)).

tug (v.) --- c.1225, from weak grade of O.E. teohan "to pull, drag," from P.Gmc. *teukh- "pull," from PIE *deuk- "to pull, to lead" (see duke). Related to tow (1). The noun is recorded from 1500; meaning "small steamer used to tow other vessels" is recorded from 1817. Phrase tug of war (1677) was originally figurative, "the decisive contest, the real struggle."

Tuileries --- former palace in Paris, begun by Catherine de Medici, 1564; so called because it was built on the site of an ancient tile-works, from O.Fr. tieule "tile," from L. tegula (see tile). The former residence of the royal court, it was destroyed by fire in 1871 and now is the site of the Jardin des Tuileries.

tuition --- 1436, "protection, care, custody," from Anglo-Fr. tuycioun (1292), from O.Fr. tuicion "guardianship," from L. tuitionem (nom. tuitio) "a looking after, defense, guardianship," from tuitus, pp. of tueri "to look after" (see tutor). Meaning "action or business of teaching pupils" is recorded from 1582. The meaning "money paid for instruction" (1828) is probably short for tuition fees, in which tuition refers to the act of teaching and instruction.

tulip --- 1578, via Du. or Ger. tulpe, Fr. tulipe "a tulip," all ult. from Turk. tülbent "turban," also "gauze, muslin," from Pers. dulband "turban;" so called from the fancied resemblance of the flower to a turban. Introduced from Turkey to Europe, where the earliest known instance of a tulip flowering in cultivation is 1559 in the garden of Johann Heinrich Herwart in Augsburg; popularized in Holland after 1587 by Clusius. The full form of the Turk. word is represented in It. tulipano, Sp. tulipan, but the -an tended to drop in Gmc. languages, where it was mistaken for a suffix. Tulip tree (1705), a North American magnolia, so called from its tulip-shaped flowers.

tulle --- fine silk bobbin-net, c.1818, from Tulle, town in central France, where the fabric was first manufactured.

tumble (v.) --- c.1300, "to perform as an acrobat," also "to fall down," perhaps from a frequentative form of O.E. tumbian "dance about," of unknown origin. Related to M.L.G. tummelen "to turn, dance," Du. tuimelen "to tumble," O.H.G. tumon, Ger. taumeln "to turn, reel." The noun is recorded from 1716. Tumble-down (1791) originally meant "habitually falling down" and was used first of horses; sense of "in a dilapidated condition" is recorded from 1818. Tumble-weed is attested from 1887.

tumbler --- c.1340, "acrobat," from tumble (v.). A fem. form was tumbester (c.1386). Meaning "drinking glass" is recorded from 1664, originally a glass with a rounded or pointed bottom which would cause it to "tumble," and thus it could not be set down until it was empty.

tumbrel --- c.1440, "two-wheeled cart," earlier an instrument of punishment of uncertain type (1223), from O.Fr. tumberel "dump cart," from tomber "(let) fall or tumble," possibly from a Gmc. source (cf. O.N. tumba "to tumble," O.H.G. tumon "to turn, reel;" see tumble). Notoriously used to take victims to the guillotine during the Reign of Terror.

tumescence --- 1859, from Fr. tumescence, from L. tumescentem (nom. tumescens) "swelling," prp. of tumescere "begin to swell," from tumere "to swell" (see thigh) + inchoative suffix -escere. The earliest attested form of the word in Eng. is tumefaction (1597).

tumid --- morbidly swollen, 1541, from L. tumidus, from tumere "to swell" (see thigh). Fig. sense (in ref. to prose, etc.) is attested from 1648.

tummy --- 1867, infantile for stomach. Tummy-ache is attested from 1926.

tumor --- 1541, from L. tumor "swelling, condition of being swollen," from tumere "to swell" (see thigh).

tumult --- c.1412, from O.Fr. tumulte (12c.), from L. tumultus "commotion, disturbance," related to tumere "to be excited, swell" (see thigh). Tumultuous is recorded from c.1548.

tumulus --- ancient burial mound, 1686, from L. tumulus "hillock," from tumere "to swell" (see thigh).

tun --- large cask, O.E. tunne, a general North Sea Gmc. word (cf. O.Fris. tunne, M.Du. tonne, O.H.G. tunna, Ger. tonne), also found in M.L. tunna (9c.) and O.Fr. tonne, perhaps from a Celtic source (cf. M.Ir., Gael. tunna, O.Ir. toun "hide, skin"). Tun-dish (1388) was a funnel made to fit into the bung of a tun.

tuna --- 1881, from Amer.Sp. (California) tuna, from Sp. atun, from Ar. tun, from L. thunnus "tunny" (see tunny).

tundra --- an Arctic steppe, 1841, from Rus. tundra, from Lappish tundar "elevated wasteland."

tune (n.) --- 1387, "a musical sound, a succession of musical notes," unexplained variant of tone. Meaning "state of being in proper pitch" is from 1440; the verb in this sense is recorded from 1505. Non-musical meaning "to adjust an organ or receiver" is recorded from 1887. Verbal phrase tune in in ref. to radio (later also TV) is recorded from 1913; fig. sense of "become aware" is recorded from 1926. Tune out "to eliminate radio reception" is recorded from 1908; fig. sense of "disregard, stop heeding" is from 1928. Tunesmith is a U.S. colloquial coinage first recorded 1926.

tune up (v.) --- bring to a state of effectiveness, 1718, in ref. to musical instruments, from tune (v.) + up. Attested from 1901 in ref. to engines. Tune-up (n.) "event that serves as practice for a later one" is a U.S. sporting coinage first attested 1934.

tuner --- device for varying the frequency of a radio or television, 1909, from tune.

tungsten --- rare metallic element, 1796, from Swed. tungsten "calcium tungstate," coined by its discoverer, Swed. chemist Karl Wilhelm Scheele (1742-86) from tung "heavy" + sten "stone." Used earlier as the name for calcium tungstate (1770). Atomic symbol W is from L. wolframium, from Ger. Wolfram "iron tungstate," of obscure etymology; it looks like "wolf-cream" (from rahm "cream"), but the second element might be from M.H.G. ram "dirty mark, soot."

tunic --- 1603, from M.Fr. tunique, from L. tunica (cf. Sp. tunica, It. tonica, O.E. tunece, O.H.G. tunihha), probably from a Semitic source (cf. Heb. kuttoneth "coat," Aramaic kittuna).

tuning fork --- 1799, from gerundive of tune (v.) + fork. Invented 1711 by John Shore.

tunnel (n.) --- c.1440, "funnel-shaped net for catching birds," from M.Fr. tonnelle "net," or tonel "cask," dim. of O.Fr. tonne "tun, cask for liquids," possibly from the same source as O.E. tunne (see tun). Sense of "tube, pipe" (1545) developed in Eng. and led to sense of "underground passage," which is first attested 1765, about five years after the first modern tunnel was built (on the Grand Trunk Canal in England). This sense subsequently has been borrowed into Mod.Fr. (1878). The earlier native word for this was mine. Meaning "burrow of an animal" is from 1873. The verb meaning "excavate underground" is first attested 1795. Tunnel vision first recorded 1949. The fig. phrase light at the end of the tunnel is attested from 1922.

tunny --- large sea-fish of the mackerel order, 1530, probably from M.Fr. thon (14c.), from O.Prov. ton, from L. thunnus "a tuna, tunny," from Gk. thynnos "a tuna, tunny," possibly in the literal sense of "darter," from thynein "dart along."

tupelo --- black gum tree, 1730, apparently from Cree (Algonquian) ito opilwa "swamp tree."

Tupperware --- 1956, trademark (reg. U.S.), from Earl S. Tupper, president of Tupper Corp., + -ware. Patent claims use from 1950.

turban --- 1561, from M.Fr. turbant, from It. turbante (O.It. tolipante), from Turk. tülbent "gauze, muslin, tulle," from Pers. dulband "turban." The change of -l- to -r- may have taken place in Portuguese India and thence been picked up in other European languages. A men's headdress in Muslim lands, it was popular in Europe and America c.1776-1800 as a ladies' fashion.

turbid --- 1626, from L. turbidus "muddy, full of confusion," from turbare "to confuse, bewilder," from turba "turmoil, crowd," probably from Gk. tyrbe "turmoil."

turbine --- 1838, from Fr. turbine, from L. turbinem (nom. turbo) "spinning top, eddy, whirlwind," related to turba "turmoil, crowd" (see turbid). Originally applied to a wheel spinning on a vertical axis, driven by falling water. Turbo in ref. to gas turbine engines is attested from 1904. Turbocharger is from 1934. Aeronautic turboprop is attested from 1945, with second element short for propeller.

turbo- --- formed c.1900 from turbine, influenced by L. turbo "spinning top."

turbot --- large flat fish, c.1300, from O.Fr. turbut (12c.), probably from a Scand. source (cf. O.Swed. törnbut, from törn "thorn" + but "flatfish;" see halibut). But OED says of uncertain origin and speculates on a connection to L. turbo "spinning top."

turbulent --- 1538, "disorderly, tumultuous, unruly" (of persons), from M.Fr. turbulent (12c.), from L. turbulentus "full of commotion, restless," from turba "turmoil, crowd" (see turbid). In ref. to weather, attested from 1573. Turbulence is first recorded 1598.

turd --- O.E. tord, from P.Gmc. *turdam (cf. M.Du. torde "piece of excrement," O.N. tord-yfill, Du. tort-wevel "dung beetle"), from PIE *drtom, pp. of base *d(e)r- "flay, tear," thus "that which is separated (or torn off) from the body" (cf. shit from root meaning "to split"). As a type of something worthless and vile, it is attested from c.1250; meaning "despicable person" is recorded from c.1450.

tureen --- 1706, from Fr. terrine "earthen vessel," from O.Fr. therine (1412), from terrin (adj.) "earthen," from Gallo-Romance *terrinus, from L. terrenus "of the earth" (see terrain).

turf (n.) --- O.E. turf, tyrf "slab of soil and grass," also "surface of grassland," from P.Gmc. *turb- (cf. O.N. torf, Dan. tørv, O.Fris. turf, O.H.G. zurba, Ger. Torf), from PIE base *drbh- (cf. Skt. darbhah "tuft of grass"). Fr. tourbe "turf" is a Gmc. loan-word. The O.E. plural was identical with the singluar, but in M.E. turves sometimes was used. Slang meaning "territory claimed by a gang" is attested from 1953 in Brooklyn, N.Y.; earlier it had a jive talk sense of "the street, the sidewalk" (1930s), which is attested in hobo use from 1899, and before that "the work and venue of a prostitute" (1860). The verb is attested from c.1430, originally "to cover (ground) with turf." Turf war is recorded from 1950s.

turgid --- 1620, from L. turgidus "swollen, inflated," from turgere "to swell," of unknown origin. Fig. use in reference to prose is from 1725.

Turing machine --- 1937, named for Eng. mathematician and computer pioneer Alan M. Turing (1912-54), who described such a device in 1936.

Turk --- c.1300, from Fr. Turc, from M.L. Turcus, from Byzantine Gk. Tourkos, Pers. turk, a national name, of unknown origin. Said to mean "strength" in Turkish. Cf. Chinese tu-kin, name given c.177 B.C.E. as that of a people living south of the Altai Mountains (identified by some with the Huns). In Persian, turk, in addition to the national name, also could mean "a beautiful youth," "a barbarian," "a robber." Meaning "person of Irish descent" is first recorded 1914 in U.S., apparently originating among Irish-Americans; of unknown origin (Ir. torc "boar, hog" has been suggested). The country name Turkey (c.1369) is from M.L. Turchia. Young Turk (1908) was a member of an early 20c. political group in the Ottoman Empire that sought rejuvenation of the Turkish nation. Turkish bath is attested from 1644; Turkish delight from 1877.

turkey --- 1541, "guinea fowl" (Numida meleagris), imported from Madagascar via Turkey, by Near East traders known as turkey merchants. The larger North American bird (Meleagris gallopavo) was domesticated by the Aztecs, introduced to Spain by conquistadors (1523) and thence to wider Europe, by way of North Africa (then under Ottoman rule) and Turkey (Indian corn was originally turkey corn or turkey wheat in Eng. for the same reason). The word turkey was first applied to it in Eng. 1555 because it was identified with or treated as a species of the guinea fowl. The Turkish name for it is hindi, lit. "Indian," probably via Fr. dinde (contracted from poulet d'inde, lit. "chicken from India"), based on the common misconception that the New World was eastern Asia. The New World bird itself reputedly reached England by 1524 at the earliest estimate, though a date in the 1530s seems more likely. By 1575, turkey was becoming the usual main course at an English Christmas. Meaning "inferior show, failure," is 1927 in show business slang, probably from the bird's reputation for stupidity. Meaning "stupid, ineffectual person" is recorded from 1951. Turkey shoot "something easy" is World War II-era, in ref. to marksmanship contests where turkeys were tied behind a log with their heads showing as targets.

Turkoman --- 1600, from M.L. Turcomannus, from Pers. Turkman, lit. "Turk-like," from Turk + -man "like."

turmeric --- 1538, from M.E. turmeryte (early 15c.), perhaps from M.Fr. terremérite "saffron," from M.L. terra merita, lit. "worthy earth," though the reason why it would be called this is obscure.

turmoil --- 1526, perhaps an alteration of M.Fr. tremouille "mill hopper," in reference to the hopper's constant motion to and fro, from L. trimodia "vessel containing three modii," from modius, a Roman dry measure, related to modus "measure." Attested earlier in Eng. as a verb (c.1511), though this now is obsolete.

turn (n.) --- c.1250, "action of rotation," from Anglo-Fr. tourn (O.Fr. tour), from L. tornus "turning lathe;" also partly a noun of action from turn (v.). Meaning "an act of turning, a single revolution or part of a revolution" is attested from 1481. Sense of "place of bending" (in a road, river, etc.) is recorded from 1412. Meaning "beginning of a period of time" is attested from 1853 (e.g. turn of the century, 1926). Sense of "act of good will" is recorded from c.1300. Meaning "spell of work" is from c.1375; that of "an individual's time for action, when these go around in succession" is recorded from c.1393. Turn about "by turns, alternately" is recorded from 1650. Phrase done to a turn (1780) suggests meat roasted on a spit. The turn of the screw (1796) is the additional twist to tighten its hold, sometimes with ref. to torture by thumbscrews.

turn (v.) --- late O.E. turnian "to rotate, revolve," in part also from O.Fr. torner "to turn," both from L. tornare "turn on a lathe," from tornus "lathe," from Gk. tornos "lathe, tool for drawing circles," from PIE base *ter- "to rub, rub by turning, turn, twist" (see throw). Expression to turn (something) into (something else) probably retains the classical sense of "to shape on a lathe" (attested in Eng. from c.1305). To turn up "arrive" is recorded from 1755. Turning-point in the fig. sense is attested from 1836. Turn-off "something that dampens one's spirits" first recorded 1975 (said to have been in use since 1968); to turn (someone) on "excite, stimulate, arouse" is recorded from 1903. Someone should revive turn-sick "dizzy," which is attested from c.1440. To turn (something) loose "set free" is recorded from 1598. Turn around (v.) "reverse" is first attested 1880, Amer.Eng. Turn down (v.) "reject" first recorded 1891, Amer.Eng. Turn in "go to bed" is attested from 1695, originally nautical. To turn the stomach "nauseate" is recorded from 1622. To turn up one's nose as an expression of contempt is attested from 1779.

turnbuckle --- 1703, "catch or fastening for windows and shutters," from turn + buckle. Meaning "coupling with internal screw threads for connecting metal rods" is attested from 1877.

turncoat (n.) --- 1557, from turn + coat. Originally one who tried to hide the badge of his party or leader. The expression to turn one's coat "change principles or party" is recorded from 1565.

turnip --- 1533, turnepe, probably from turn (from its shape, as though turned on a lathe) + M.E. nepe "turnip," from O.E. næp, from L. napus "turnip." The modern form of the word emerged late 18c.

turnkey (adj.) --- 1654, "jailer," from turn + key. In ref. to a job that only has to be done once, it is recorded from 1934. The notion is of locking up afterward.

turnout --- audience, 1816, from turn + out.

turnover --- 1660, "action of turning over," from turn + over; meaning "kind of pastry tart" is attested from 1798. Meaning "number of employees leaving a place and being replaced" is recorded from 1955.

turnpike --- c.1420, "spiked road barrier used for defense," from turn + pike (2) "shaft." Sense transf. to "horizontal cross of timber, turning on a vertical pin" (1547), which were used to bar horses from foot roads. This led to the sense of "barrier to stop passage until a toll is paid" (1678). Meaning "road with a toll gate" is from 1748, shortening of turnpike road (1745).

turnstile --- 1643, from turn + stile.

turntable --- 1835, originally in the railroad sense, from turn + table. The record player sense is attested from 1908.

turpentine --- 1322, terbentyn, from O.Fr. terebinte, from L. terebintha resina "resin of the terebinth tree," from Gk. rhetine terebinthe, from fem. of terebinthos, earlier terminthos "terebinth tree," probably from a non-I.E. language. By 16c. applied generally to resins from fir trees.

turpitude --- depravity, infamy, 1490, from M.Fr. turpitude (1417), from L. turpitudinem (nom. turpitudo) "baseness," from turpis "vile, ugly, base, shameful," used in both the moral and the physical senses; of unknown origin. Perhaps originally "what one turns away from" (cf. L. trepit "he turns").

turquoise --- precious stone, 1567, replacement from M.Fr. of M.E. turkeis, turtogis (1398), from O.Fr. turqueise, fem. adj. "Turkish," in pierre turqueise "Turkish stone," so called because it was first brought to Europe from Turkestan or some other Turkish dominion (Sinai peninsula, according to one theory). Cognate with Sp. turquesa, M.L. (lapis) turchesius, M.Du. turcoys, Ger. türkis, Swed. turkos. As a color name, attested from 1853.

turret --- c.1300, "small tower," from O.Fr. touret (12c.), dim. of tour "tower," from L. turris (see tower). Meaning "low, flat gun-tower on a warship" is recorded from 1862, later also of tanks.

turtle (1) --- reptile, 1609, "marine tortoise," from Fr. tortue "turtle, tortoise," of unknown origin. The Eng. word is perhaps a sailors' mauling of the French one, infl. by the similar sounding turtle (2). Later extended to land tortoises. Turtleneck "close-fitting collar" is recorded from 1895.

turtle (2) --- turtledove, O.E. turtle, dissimilation of L. turtur "turtledove," a reduplicated form imitative of the bird's call. Graceful, harmonious and affectionate to its mate, hence a term of endearment in M.E. Turtledove is attested from c.1300.

Tuscan --- 1387, from It. Toscano, from L.L. Tuscanus "belonging to the Tusci," a race of ancient Italy, from Tuscus, earlier *Truscus, aphetic form of Etruscus (cf. Etruscan).

Tuscarora --- Iroquoian people, 1650, from Iroquoian, lit. "hemp-gatherers."

tush (interj.) --- c.1440; see tut.

tush (n.) --- backside, buttocks, 1962, an abbreviation of tochus (1914), from Yiddish tokhes, from Heb. tahat "beneath."

tusk --- O.E. tux, tusc, cognate with O.Fris. tusk, probably from P.Gmc. *tunthskaz (cf. Goth. tunþus "tooth"), extended form of the root of tooth. But there are no certain cognates outside Anglo-Frisian.

tussive --- pertaining to cough, 1857, from L. tussis "cough," of unknown origin.

tussle (v.) --- c.1470, Scottish and northern English variant of touselen (see tousle). The noun is first recorded 1629 but rare before 19c.

tussock --- 1550, "tuft of hair," of uncertain origin; cf. earlier tusk (1530) with the same meaning (and also of obscure origin). Meaning "tuft of grass" is first recorded 1607.

tut --- 1529, along with tush (1440), a natural interjection expressing contempt.

tutelage --- 1605, from L. tutela "a watching, protection," from variant pp. stem of tueri "watch over" (see tutor). Meaning "instruction, tuition" first appeared 1857.

tutelary --- 1611, from L. tutelarius "a guardian," from tutela "protection, watching" (see tutor).

tutor --- 1377, "guardian, custodian," from O.Fr. tutour "guardian, private teacher," from L. tutorem (nom. tutor) "guardian, watcher," from tutus, variant pp. of tueri "watch over," of unknown origin. Specific sense of "senior boy appointed to help a junior in his studies" is recorded from 1689. The verb is attested from 1592; tutorial (adj.) is recorded from 1742; as a noun it is attested from 1923.

tutti-frutti --- 1834, from It. tutti frutti "all fruits," from tutti, pl. of tutto "all" + frutti, pl. of frutto "fruit."

tutu --- ballet skirt, 1910, from Fr. tutu, alteration of cucu, infantile reduplication of cul "bottom, backside."

tuxedo --- man's evening dress for semiformal occasions, 1889, named for Tuxedo Park, N.Y., site of a country club where it first was worn in 1886.

TV --- 1948, shortened form of television (q.v.). TV dinner (1954) is a proprietary name reg. by Swanson & Sons, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.

TWA --- formed May 16, 1928, as Transcontinental Air Transport, merged 1930 with Western Air Express to form Transcontinental and Western Air, Inc. (TWA). Name changed to Trans World Airlines 1950, but the moniker remained the same. Last remnants bought out by rival American Airlines in April 2001.

twaddle --- silly talk, 1782, probably from twattle (1556), of obscure origin.

twain --- O.E. twegen (masc.) "two" (masc. nom. and acc.), from P.Gmc. *twa- (see two). The word outlasted the breakdown of gender in M.E. and survived as a secondary form of two, especially in cases where the numeral follows a noun. Its continuation into modern times was aided by its use in KJV and the Marriage Service, in poetry (where it is a useful rhyme word), and in oral use where it is necessary to be clear that two and not to or too is meant.

twang (n.) --- 1553, of imitative origin. Originally of bows and strings; extension to "a nasal vocal sound" is first recorded 1661. The verb is first attested 1542.

twat --- 1656, of unknown origin. A general term of abuse since 1920s.

tweak (v.) --- probably from O.E. twiccian "to pluck," of obscure origin; perhaps related to twitch. Meaning "to make fine adjustments" is attested from 1966.

twee --- tiny, dainty, miniature, 1905, from childish pronunciation of sweet.

tweed --- 1847 (perhaps as early as 1831), a trade name said to have developed from a misreading (supposedly by London hatter James Locke) of tweel, Scottish variant of twill, possibly influenced by the river Tweed in Scotland. Tweedy "characteristic of the country or suburban set" first recorded 1912.

tweedledum --- paired with tweedledee to signify two things or persons nearly alike, differing in name, 1725, coined by Eng. poet John Byrom (1692-1767) in his satire "On the Feud Between Handel and Bononcini," a couple of competing musicians, from tweedle "to sing, to whistle" (1684), of imitative origin. The -dum and -dee perhaps suggest low and high sounds respectively.

tween --- abbreviation of between, recorded from c.1300.

tweet --- 1845, imitative of the sound made by a small bird. Tweeter "loudspeaker for higher tones" first recorded 1934.

tweezers --- 1654, extended from tweezes, plural of tweeze "case for tweezers" (1622), aphetic of etweese, considered as plural of etwee (1611) "a small case," from Fr. étui "small case," originally "a keeping safe," from O.Fr. estuier "to keep, shut up, imprison," of uncertain origin. Sense transf. from the case to the implement inside it. The verb tweeze "to pluck with tweezers" is a 1932 back-formation.