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

toluene --- colorless liquid hydrocarbon, 1871, from Ger. toluin (Berzelius, 1842), from Tolu, place in Colombia (now Santiago de Tolu) from which balsam of Tolu was obtained from the bark of certain trees. The chemical so called because it was first distilled from balsam of Tolu.

Tom --- familiar shortening of masc. proper name Thomas, used by 1377 as a type of a nickname for a common man. Applied 17c. as a nickname for several exceptionally large bells. Short for Uncle Tom in the sense of "black man regarded as too servile to whites" is recorded from 1959. Tom Walker, U.S. Southern colloquial for "the devil" is recorded from 1833. Tom and Jerry is first attested 1828 in many extended senses, originally the names of the two chief characters (Corinthian Tom and Jerry Hawthorn) in Pierce Egan's "Life in London" (1821); the U.S. cat and mouse cartoon characters debuted 1940 in "Puss Gets the Boot." Tom Thumb (1579) was a miniature man in popular tradition before P.T. Barnum took the name for a dwarf he exhibited.

tomahawk --- 1612, tamahaac, from Algonquian (probably Powhatan) tamahack "what is used in cutting," from tamaham "he cuts." Cognate with Mohegan tummahegan, Delaware tamoihecan, Micmac tumeegun.

tomato --- 1753, earlier tomate (1604), from Sp. tomate (1554) from Nahuatl tomatl "a tomato," lit. "the swelling fruit," from tomana "to swell." Spelling probably influenced by potato (1565). A member of the nightshade family, which all contain poisonous alkaloids. Introduced in Europe from the New World, by 1550 they were regularly consumed in Italy but only grown as ornamental plants in England and not eaten there or in the U.S. at first. An encyclopedia of 1753 describes it as "a fruit eaten either stewed or raw by the Spaniards and Italians and by the Jew families of England." Introduced in U.S. as part of a program by Sec. of State Thomas Jefferson (1789), but not commonly eaten until after c.1830. Alternate name love apple and alleged aphrodisiac qualities have not been satisfactorily explained; perhaps from It. name pomodoro, taken as from adorare "to adore," but probably actually from d'or "of gold" (in reference to color) or de Moro "of the Moors." Slang meaning "an attractive girl" is recorded from 1929.

tomb --- c.1275, from Anglo-Fr. tumbe, O.Fr. tombe (12c.), from L.L. tumba (cf. It. tomba, Fr. tombe, Sp. tumba), from Gk. tymbos "burial mound, grave, tomb," from PIE base *teu- "to swell" (see thigh). The final -b began to be silent 14c. (cf. lamb, dumb). The Tombs, slang for "New York City prison" is recorded from 1840. A tombstone (1565) originally was a horizontal stone covering a grave (or the lid of a stone coffin); meaning "gravestone, headstone" is attested from 1711.

tombola --- 1880, "Italian lotto-style lottery," from It. tombolare "to tumble, fall upside down."

tomboy --- 1553, "rude, boisterous boy," from Tom + boy; meaning "bold or immodest woman" is attested from 1579; that of "girl who acts like a spirited boy" is first recorded 1592.

tomcat --- 1809, from Tom + cat; probably influenced by Tom the Cat in the popular children's book "The Life and Adventures of a Cat" (1760); replaced earlier Gib-cat, from dim. of Gilbert, though Tom was applied to male kittens c.1303. Used of the males of other beasts and birds since 1791. Cf. also Tibert. The verb meaning "to pursue women promiscuously for sexual gratification" is recorded from 1927.

tome --- 1519, from M.Fr. tome, from L. tomus "section of a book, tome," from Gk. tomos "volume, section of a book," originally "section, piece cut off," from temein "to cut," from PIE *tom-/*tem- "to cut" (cf. second element in L. aestimare "to value, appraise," O.C.S. tina "to cleave, split," M.Ir. tamnaim "I cut off," Welsh tam "morsel"). Originally "a single volume of a multi-volume work;" sense of "a large book" is attested from 1573.

tomfool --- buffoon, clown, 1650, from M.E. Thom Foole, personification of a mentally deficient man (1338), see Tom + fool. Tomfoolery is recorded from 1812.

Tommy --- British soldier, 1884, from Thomas Atkins, since 1815 the sample name for filling in army forms. Tommy gun (1929) is short for Thompson gun (see Thompson). Soon extended to other types of sub-machine gun, especially those favored by the mob.

tommyrot --- 1884, from tommy in sense of "a simpleton" (1829), dim. of Tom (as in tomfool) + rot.

tomorrow --- c.1275, to morewe, from O.E. to morgenne "on (the) morrow," from to "at, on" (see to) + morgenne, dative of morgen "morning." Written as two words until 16c., then as to-morrow until early 20c.

tom-tom --- 1693, "drum" (originally used in India), from Hindi tam-tam, probably of imitative origin (cf. Sinhalese tamat tama and Malay tong-tong).

-tomy --- comb. form meaning "a cutting," from Gk. -tomia "a cutting of," from tome "a cutting, section" (see tome).

ton --- 1379, tonne, unit for measuring the carrying capacity of a ship, originally "space occupied by a tun or cask of wine," thus identical to tun (q.v.). The two words were not differentiated until c.1688. The measure of weight is first recorded 1485; the spelling ton is from 1538, and became firmly established 18c. Tonnage (1422) was originally "tax or duty on wine imported in tuns." Modern tonne (1877) is the Fr. form of the word, adopted for Eng. use to denote a metric ton (1,000 kg.).

tone --- 1340, from O.Fr. ton (13c.), from L. tonus "a sound, tone, accent," lit. "stretching" (in M.L., a term peculiar to music), from Gk. tonos "vocal pitch, raising of voice, accent, key in music," originally "a stretching, taut string," related to teinein "to stretch" (see tenet). Sense of "manner of speaking" is from 1610. First reference to firmness of body is from 1669. The verb meaning "to impart tone to" is recorded from 1811. Tonal is attested from 1776; atonal first attested 1922; tonality is from 1838.

Tong --- Chinese secret society, 1883, from Cantonese t'ong "assembly hall."

tongs --- O.E. tange, tang "tongs," from P.Gmc. *tango (cf. O.S. tanga, O.N. töng, Swed. tång, O.Fris. tange, M.Du. tanghe, Du. tang, O.H.G. zanga, Ger. Zange), lit. "that which bites," from PIE base *dank- "bite" (cf. Skt. dasati "biter;" Gk. daknein "to bite," dax "biting"). For sense evolution, cf. Fr. mordache "tongs," from mordre "to bite."

tongue --- O.E. tunge "organ of speech, speech, language," from P.Gmc. *tungon (cf. O.S., O.N. tunga, O.Fris. tunge, M.Du. tonghe, Du. tong, O.H.G. zunga, Ger. Zunge, Goth. tuggo), from PIE *dnghwa- (cf. L. lingua "tongue, speech, language," from Old L. dingua; O.Ir. tenge, Welsh tafod, Lith. liezuvis, O.C.S. jezyku). The substitution of M.E. -o- for O.E. -u- before -m- or -n- was a scribal habit (cf. some, monk, etc.) to avoid misreading the letters in the old style hand, which jammed them together; and the spelling of the ending of the word apparently is a 14c. attempt to indicate proper pronunciation, but the result is "neither etymological nor phonetic, and is only in a very small degree historical" [OED]. Meaning "foreign language" is from 1535. The verb meaning "to touch with the tongue, lick" is attested from 1687. Tongue-tied is first recorded 1529; tongue-in-cheek (adj.) is recorded from 1933, from phrase to speak with one's tongue in one's cheek "to speak insincerely" (1748), which somehow must have been suggestive of sly irony or humorous insincerity, but the exact notion is obscure.

tonic (adj.) --- 1649, "relating to or characterized by muscular tension," from Gk. tonikos "of stretching," from tonos "a stretching" (see tenet). The meaning "maintaining the healthy firmness of tissues" is recorded from 1684, first extended 1756 to "having the property of restoring to health." The noun meaning "a tonic medicine" is attested from 1799. The musical sense is first attested 1760, from tone (q.v.).

tonight --- O.E. toniht "tomorrow night" (Anglo-Saxon day began at sunset), from to "at, on" (see to) + niht (see night). Written as two words until 18c., after which it was to-night until early 20c.

tonsil --- 1601, from L. tonsillæ (plural) "tonsils," dim. of toles "goiter," which is perhaps of Gaulish origin. Tonsillitis is from 1801; tonsillectomy is from 1899, a hybrid with a Gk. ending. A correct formation all from Gk. would be amygdalectomy.

tonsorial --- pertaining to barbers, 1813, from L. tonsorius "of or pertaining to shearing or shaving," from tonsor "a shaver or barber," from tonsus, pp. of tondere "to shear, shave" (see tonsure). Tonsorious in the same sense is attested from 1656.

tonsure --- 1387, "shaving of the head or part of it as a religious rite," from Anglo-Fr. tonsure (1351), from O.Fr. tonsure (14c.), from L. tonsura "a shearing, clipping," from tonsus, pp. of tondere "to shear, shave," from PIE *tend-, from base *tem- "to cut" (see tome). The verb is attested from 1793.

Tonto --- former term for the Western Apaches, from Sp., lit. "foolish;" probably a translation of a name given to the people by other branches of the Apache, e.g. Chiricahua Apache /bini:'édiné/, Mescalero Apache /bini:'édinendé/, both lit. "people without minds," and used to designate the Western Apaches. Sp. tonto is originally a nursery word, used for its sound.

tony --- 1877, Amer.Eng. slang, from high-toned. It was the name of a reddish-brown fashion color in the 1920s.

Tony --- 1947, awards given by American Theatre Wing (New York), from nickname of U.S. actress, manager, and producer Antoinette Perry (1888-1946).

Tony Curtis --- style of men's haircut (usually with a DA at the back), 1956, from screen name of U.S. film star Bernard Schwarz (b.1925).

too (adv.) --- in addition, in excess, late O.E., stressed variant of O.E. prep. to "in the direction of, furthermore" (see to). The spelling with -oo is first recorded 1590. Use after a verb, for emphasis (e.g. did, too!) is attested from 1914. Ger. zu unites the senses of Eng. to and too. Slang too-too "excessive in social elegance" first recorded 1881. Too much "excellent" first recorded 1937 in jazz slang.

toodle-oo --- colloquial "good-bye" word, 1907, of unknown origin; variant tooraloo is recorded from c.1921.

took --- past tense of take, from late O.E. toc, past tense of tacan (see take).

tool --- O.E. tol "instrument, implement," from P.Gmc. *tolan (cf. O.N. tol), from a verb stem represented by O.E. tawian "prepare." The ending is the instrumental suffix -l (e.g. shovel). Fig. sense of "person used by another for his own ends" is recorded from 1663. Slang meaning "penis" first recorded 1553. The verb "to drive a vehicle" is first attested 1812, probably from the noun. The meaning "to work or shape with a tool" is recorded from 1815; that of "equip (a factory) with machine tools" is from 1927. Tool-box first recorded 1832.

toon --- colloquial shortening of cartoon, attested by 1985.

toot (v.) --- 1510, ult. imitative, also found in M.L.G. and Low Ger. tuten "blow a horn." The noun is recorded from 1641. Meaning "cocaine" is attested by 1977. Tooting as a strong affirmative (e.g. you're damned tootin') is attested from 1932, Amer.Eng. Toots as a slang familiar form of address to a woman or girl is recorded from 1936, Amer.Eng. Toot sweet "right away, promptly," 1917, Amer.Eng., represents U.S. soldiers' mangled adaptation of Fr. toute de suite.

tooth --- O.E. toð (plural teð), from P.Gmc. *tanth, *tunth (cf. O.S., Dan., Swed., Du. tand, O.N. tönn, O.Fris. toth, O.H.G. zand, Ger. Zahn, Goth. tunþus), from PIE *dont-/*dent- "tooth" (cf. Skt. danta, Gk. odontos, L. dens, Lith. dantis, O.Ir. det, Welsh dent). Application to tooth-like parts of other objects (saws, combs, etc.) first recorded 1523. Toothache is attested from 1377. Toothbrush is first recorded 1651; toothpaste first attested 1832; toothpick is from 1488. Toothsome "pleasant to the taste" is c.1565; the fig. sense of "attractive" (1551) is a bit older.

toothless --- 1398, in literal sense, from tooth + -less. Fig. sense of "dull" is recorded from 1592; that of "lacking enforcement powers" is first recorded 1961.

tootle (v.) --- 1820, frequentative of toot.

tootsy --- 1854, baby-talk substitution for foot. Candy bar Tootsie Roll patent claims use from 1908.

top (1) --- highest point, O.E. top "summit, crest, tuft," from P.Gmc. *tuppaz (cf. O.N. toppr "tuft of hair," O.Fris. top "tuft," O.Du. topp, Du. top, O.H.G. zopf "end, tip, tuft of hair," Ger. Zopf "tuft of hair"); no certain connections outside Gmc. except a few Romanic words probably borrowed from Gmc. Few IE languages have a word so generic, which can be used of the upper part or surface of just about anything. More typical is Ger., which has Spitze for sharp peaks (mountains), oberfläche for the upper surface of flat things (such as a table). The verb meaning "put a top on" is from 1581; the meaning "be higher or greater than" is first recorded 1582. To top off "finish" is colloquial from 1836; top-hat is from 1881; topper "the best (of anything)" first recorded in slang, 1709; topping "top layer" is first attested 1839. Top-heavy is first attested 1533. Top dog first attested 1900; top-drawer (1920) is from Brit. expression out of the top drawer "upper-class." Topless "bare-breasted" first recorded 1966 (earlier it was used of men's bathing suits, 1937); tops "the best" is from 1935.

top (2) --- toy that spins on a point, late O.E. top, probably a special use of top (1), but the modern word is perhaps via O.Fr. topet, which is from a Gmc. source akin to the root of Eng. top (1). As a type of seashell, first recorded 1682.

topaz --- colored crystalline gem, c.1272, from O.Fr. topace (11c.), from L. topazus, from Gk. topazos, topazion, of obscure origin. Pliny says it was named for an island in the Red or Arabian Sea, where it was mined; linguists conjecture a connection with Skt. tapas "heat, fire."

tope --- to drink heavily, 1651, of unknown origin, perhaps ult. from It. toppa "done!" a word signifying acceptance of a bet.

Topeka --- city in Kansas, U.S.A., from Kansa (Siouan), lit. "a good place to dig potatoes."

topiary --- 1592, from L. topiarius "of or pertaining to ornamental gardening," from topia "ornamental gardening," from Gk. topia, pl. of topion, originally "a field," dim. of topos "place." The noun is first recorded 1908, from the adj.

topic --- 1634, "argument suitable for debate," singular form of "Topics" (1568), the name of a work by Aristotle on logical and rhetorical generalities, from L. Topica, from Gk. Ta Topika, lit. "matters concerning topoi," from topoi "commonplaces," neut. pl. of topikos "commonplace, of a place," from topos "place." The meaning "matter treated in speech or writing, subject, theme" is first recorded 1720. Topical "of or pertaining to topics of the day" is recorded from 1873.

topography --- 1432, from L.L. topographia, from Gk. topographia "a description of a place," from topographos "describing a place" (as a noun, "one who is skilled in topography"), from topos "place" + graphein "to write."

topple --- 1590, "tumble down," earlier "to tumble or roll about" (1542), from a verb derived from top (1) + freq. suffix -le.

top-sider --- kind of casual shoe, 1937, from topside in nautical sense of "upper deck of a ship," where the rubber soles would provide good traction.

topsy-turvy --- 1528, "but prob. in popular use from an earlier period" [OED], likely from tops, pl. of top (1) "highest point" + obsolete terve "turn upside down, topple over," from O.E. tearflian "to roll over, overturn," from P.Gmc. *terbanan (cf. O.H.G. zerben "to turn round").

toque --- kind of round hat, 1505, from M.Fr. toque (15c.), from Sp. toca "woman's headdress," possibly from Arabic *taqa, from O.Pers. taq "veil, shawl."

tor --- high, rocky hill, O.E. torr "tower, rock." Obviously cognate with Gael. torr "lofty hill, mound," O.Welsh twrr "heap, pile;" and probably ult. from L. turris "high structure" see tower). But sources disagree on whether the Celts borrowed it from the Anglo-Saxons or the other way round.

Torah --- the Pentateuch, 1577, from Heb. torah, lit. "instruction, law," verbal noun from horah "he taught, showed."

torch --- c.1290, from O.Fr. torche, originally "twisted thing," hence "torch formed of twisted tow dipped in wax," probably from V.L. *torca, alteration of L.L. torqua, variant of classical L. torques "collar of twisted metal," from torquere "to twist" (see thwart). In Britain, also applied to the battery-driven version (in U.S., flashlight). Verb meaning "set fire to" is first attested 1931. Torch song is 1927 ("My Melancholy Baby," performed by Tommy Lyman, is said to have been the first so-called), from carry a torch "suffer an unrequited love" (also 1927), an obscure notion from Broadway slang.

toreador --- bullfighter, 1618, from Sp. toreador, from torear "to fight in a bullfight," from toro "bull," from L. taurus (see steer (n.)).

torment (n.) --- c.1290, "inflicting of torture," also "state of great suffering," from O.Fr. tourment (11c.), from L. tormentum "twisted sling, rack," related to torquere "to twist" (see thwart). The verb is first recorded c.1290, from O.Fr. tormenter (12c.).

torn --- p.p. of tear, from O.E. getoren, p.p. of teran (see tear (v.)).

tornado --- 1556, navigator's word for violent windy thunderstorm in the tropical Atlantic, probably a mangled borrowing from Sp. tronada "thunderstorm," from tronar "to thunder," from L. tonare "to thunder" (see thunder). Metathesis of -o- and -r- in modern spelling infl. by Sp. tornar "to twist, turn," from L. tornare "to turn." Meaning "extremely violent whirlwind" is first found 1626.

Toronto --- city in Ontario, Canada, from an Iroquoian source, original form and sense unknown.

torpedo --- c.1520, "electric ray," from L. torpedo, originally "numbness" (from the effect of being jolted by the ray's electric discharges), from torpere "be numb" (see torpor). The sense of "explosive device used to blow up enemy ships" is first recorded 1776, as a floating mine; the self-propelled version is from 1860s. The verb is first recorded 1873; the fig. sense is attested from 1895.

torpid --- 1613, from L. torpidus "benumbed," from torpere "be numb or stiff" (see torpor).

torpor --- 1607, from L. torpor "numbness," from torpere "be numb," from PIE base *ster- "stiff" (cf. O.C.S. trupeti, Lith. tirpstu "to become rigid;" Gk. stereos "solid;" O.E. steorfan "to die;" see sterile).

torque --- rotating force, 1884, from L. torquere "to twist" (see thwart). The verb is attested from 1954. The word also is used (since 1834) by antiquarians and others as a term for the twisted metal necklace worn anciently by Gauls, Britons, Germans, etc., from L. torques in this sense. Earlier it had been called in Eng. torques (1693).

torrent --- 1601, from Fr. torrent, from L. torrentem (nom. torrens) "rushing stream," originally "roaring, boiling, burning, parching," prp. of torrere "to parch" (see terrain). Sense of "any onrush" (of words, feelings, etc.) first recorded 1647. Torrential first attested 1849.

torrid --- 1586, in torrid zone "region of the earth between the tropics," from L. torrida zona, from fem. of torridus "dried with heat, scorching hot," from torrere "to parch," from PIE base *ters- "to dry" (see terrain). Sense of "very hot" is first attested 1611.

torsion --- c.1425, "wringing pain in the bowels," from O.Fr. torsion (1314), from L.L. torsionem (nom. torsio) "a wringing or gripping," from L. tortionem (nom. tortio) "torture, torment," from tortus, pp. of torquere "to twist" (see thwart). Meaning "action or process of twisting as by opposing forces" is first recorded 1543.

torso --- 1797, from It. torso "trunk of a statue," originally "stalk, stump," from V.L. *tursus, from L. thyrsus "stalk, stem," from Gk. thyrsos (see thyrsus).

tort --- c.1250, "injury, wrong," from O.Fr. tort (11c.), from M.L. tortum "injustice," noun use of neut. of tortus "wrung, twisted," pp. of L. torquere "turn, turn awry, twist, wring, distort" (see thwart). Legal sense of "breach of a duty, whereby someone acquires a right of action for damages" is first recorded 1586.

torte --- sweet cake, tart, 1748, from Ger. Torte; earlier sense of "round cake, round bread" (1555) is from M.Fr. torte; both from L.L. torta "flat cake," also "round loaf of bread" (cf. It. torte, Sp. torta), probably related to tart (n.1); not considered to be from the source of tort.

tortellini --- 1937, from It., pl. of tortellino, dim. of tortello "cake, fritter," itself a dim. of torta (see torte).

tortilla --- 1699, from Amer.Sp. tortilla, from Sp., "a tart," lit. "a little cake," dim. of torta "cake," from L.L. torta "flat cake" (see torte).

tortoise --- 1552, altered (perhaps by infl. of porpoise) from M.E. tortuse (1495), tortuce (1440), tortuge (1398), from M.L. tortuca (c.1255), perhaps from L.L. tartaruchus "of the underworld" (see turtle). Others propose a connection with L. tortus "twisted," based on the shape of the feet. The classical L. word was testudo, from testa "shell." First record of tortoise shell as a coloring pattern is from 1782.

tortuous --- c.1391, from Anglo-Fr. tortuous (12c.), from L. tortuosus "full of twists, winding," from tortus "a twisting, winding," from stem of torquere "to twist, wring, distort" (see thwart).

torture (n.) --- c.1495 (implied in torturous), from M.Fr. torture "infliction of great pain, great pain, agony," from L.L. torture "a twisting, writhing, torture, torment," from stem of L. torquere "to twist, turn, wind, wring, distort" (see thwart). The verb is 1588, from the noun. Tortuous "full of twists" is recorded from 1426.

Tory --- 1566, "an outlaw," specifically "a robber," from Ir. toruighe "plunderer," originally "pursuer, searcher," from O.Ir. toirighim "I pursue," related to toracht "pursuit." About 1646, it emerged as a derogatory term for Irish Catholics dispossessed of their land (some of whom subsequently turned to outlawry); c.1680 applied by Exclusioners to supporters of the Catholic Duke of York (later James II) in his succession to the throne of England. After 1689, Tory was the name of a British political party at first composed of Yorkist Tories of 1680. Superseded c.1830 by Conservative, though it continues to be used colloquially. In American history, Tory was the name given after 1769 to colonists who remained loyal to George III of England.

toss (v.) --- 1506, possibly from a Scand. source (cf. dialectal Norw. tossa "to strew, spread"). Food preparation sense (with ref. to salad, etc.) is recorded from 1723. The noun meaning "an act of throwing" is first recorded 1660. Tosspot "heavy drinker" is from 1568. Toss-up "even matter" first recorded 1809, from earlier sense of "a flipping of a coin to arrive at a decision" (c.1700). Tosser as a term of contempt in British slang is recorded from 1977, probably from slang toss off "masturbate" (1969); cf. jerk (n.).

tostada --- 1945, from Mex.Sp., from pp. of Sp. tostar "to toast."

tot (1) --- little child, 1725, Scottish, of uncertain origin, perhaps a shortened form of totter, or related to O.N. tottr, nickname of a dwarf (cf. Swed. tutte "little child," Dan. tommel-tot "little child," in which the first element means "thumb").

tot (2) --- to reckon up, 1760, from tot (n.), first recorded 1690, short for total.

total (adj.) --- c.1386, from O.Fr. total, from M.L. totalis "entire, total" (as in summa totalis "sum total"), from L. totus "all, whole, entire," of unknown origin. The noun is 1557, from the adj.; the verb is 1716, from the noun; meaning "to destroy one's car" first recorded 1954. Totality is from 1598; in the eclipse sense, 1842. Total war is attested from 1937, in ref. to a concept developed in Germany.

totalitarian (adj.) --- 1926, first in ref. to Italian fascism, formed in Eng. on model of It. totalitario "complete, absolute, totalitarian," from the It. cognate of Eng. total (q.v.). The noun is recorded from 1938.