tooth

[[t]tu͟ːθ[/t]]

♦♦♦

teeth

1) N-COUNT: oft poss N Your teeth are the hard white objects in your mouth and which you use for biting and chewing.

She had very pretty straight teeth...

If a tooth feels very loose, your dentist may recommend that it's taken out.

2) N-PLURAL The teeth of something such as a comb, saw, cog, or zip are the parts that stick out in a row on its edge.

The front cog has 44 teeth.

3) N-PLURAL If you say that something such as an official group or a law has teeth, you mean that it has power and is able to be effective.

The opposition argues that the new council will be unconstitutional and without teeth...

The law must have teeth, and it must be enforced.

Syn:

power, authority

4) → See also wisdom tooth

5) PHRASE: usu v-link PHR Someone who is armed to the teeth is armed with a lot of weapons or with very effective weapons.

Both sides were armed to the teeth.

6) PHRASE: V inflects, PHR prep, PHR -ing If you say that someone cut their teeth doing a particular thing, at a particular time, or in a particular place, you mean that that is how, when, or where they began their career and learned some of their skills.

...director John Glen, who cut his teeth on Bond movies...

He cut his teeth in the sixties as director of Edinburgh's Traverse Theatre.

7) PHRASE: V inflects If you say that something sets your teeth on edge, you mean that you find it extremely unpleasant or irritating.

Their voices set your teeth on edge.

8) PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR to-inf If you fight tooth and nail to do something, you do everything you can in order to achieve it. If you fight something tooth and nail, you do everything you can in order to prevent it.

He fought tooth and nail to keep his job...

Unions pledged to fight any compulsory redundancies `tooth and nail'.

9) PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR n (approval) If you describe a task or activity as something you can get your teeth into, you mean that you like it because it is interesting, complex, and makes you think hard. [INFORMAL]

This role gave her something to get her teeth into...

They have to get involved and get their teeth into some police work.

10) PHRASE: PHR n If you do something in the teeth of a difficulty or danger, you do it in spite of the difficulty or danger.

I was battling my way along the promenade in the teeth of a force ten gale...

In the teeth of the longest recession since the 1930s, the company continues to perform well.

Syn:

despite

11) PHRASE: V inflects (emphasis) If you say that someone is lying through their teeth, you are emphasizing that they are telling lies. [INFORMAL]

12) PHRASE: v-link PHR (disapproval) If you describe someone as long in the tooth, you are saying unkindly or humorously that they are old or getting old. [INFORMAL]

Aren't I a bit long in the tooth to start being an undergraduate?

13) PHRASE: usu PHR after v If you have a sweet tooth, you like sweet food very much.

Add more honey if you have a sweet tooth.

14) to get the bit between your teeth → see bit

to give one's eye teeth for something → see eye

to gnash one's teeth → see gnash

to grit your teeth → see grit

a kick in the teeth → see kick

by the skin of your teeth → see skin