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9 dictionary results for: Tea
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
tea 
[tee] Pronunciation Key
—Related forms
[tee] Pronunciation Key –noun
—Idiom
| 1. | the dried and prepared leaves of a shrub, Camellia sinensis, from which a somewhat bitter, aromatic beverage is prepared by infusion in hot water. |
| 2. | the shrub itself, extensively cultivated in China, Japan, India, etc., and having fragrant white flowers. Compare tea family. |
| 3. | the beverage so prepared, served hot or iced. |
| 4. | any kind of leaves, flowers, etc., so used, or any plant yielding them. |
| 5. | any of various infusions prepared from the leaves, flowers, etc., of other plants, and used as beverages or medicines. |
| 6. | beef bouillon. |
| 7. | British. any meal, whether a light snack or one consisting of several courses, eaten in the late afternoon or in the evening; any meal other than dinner, eaten after the middle of the afternoon. |
| 8. | an afternoon reception at which tea is served. |
| 9. | Slang. marijuana. |
| 10. | one's cup of tea, something suitable, appropriate, or attractive to one: Horror movies and westerns are just not my cup of tea. |
[Origin: 1590–1600; 1940–45 for def. 9; < dial. Chin (Xiamen) t'e, akin to Chin chá]
] —Related forms
tealess, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| tea
(tē) Pronunciation Key
n.
[Probably Dutch thee, from Malay teh, from Chinese (Amoy) te (equivalent to Chinese (Mandarin) chá).] Word History: "Here thou, great Anna! whom three realms obey,/ Dost sometimes counsel take—and sometimes tea." When Alexander Pope wrote these lines from The Rape of the Lock in 1714, tea still rhymed with obey. This was true of many words spelled with ea, and it was just about in Pope's time that nearly all these words started changing their pronunciation from (ā) to (ē), as in our modern pronunciation of tea (tē). Most modern English words whose main vowel sound is spelled -ea- were pronounced with long vowels in Middle and Old English. Many of these vowels were shortened in the 16th and 17th century to their modern pronunciations, as in our words dead and sweat. But those words that were pronounced with an (ā) sound in Middle English did not undergo this sound change and kept their long vowels, undergoing the further change in Pope's time to the modern "long e" sound. There were several exceptions to this last sound change, most notably the words break, great, and steak. Interestingly, the old pronunciation is also retained in Irish family names, such as Reagan, Shea, Beatty, and Yeats (in contrast to British family names such as Keats). |
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
tea
tea
1655, earlier chaa (1598, from Port. cha), from Malay teh and directly from Chinese (Amoy dialect) t'e, in Mandarin ch'a. The distribution of the different forms of the word reflects the spread of use of the beverage. The modern Eng. form, along with Fr. the, Sp. te, Ger. Tee, etc., derive via Du. thee from the Amoy form, reflecting the role of the Dutch as the chief importers of the leaves (through the Dutch East India Company, from 1610). First known in Paris 1635, the practice of drinking tea was first introduced to England 1644. The Port. word (attested from 1559) came via Macao; and Rus. chai, Pers. cha, Gk. tsai, Arabic shay and Turk. çay all came overland from the Mandarin form. Meaning "afternoon meal at which tea is served" is from 1738. Slang meaning "marijuana" (which sometimes was brewed in hot water) is attested from 1935, felt as obsolete by late 1960s. Tea bag first recorded 1940; tea ball is from 1895.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
| tea | |
noun | |
| 1. | a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water; "iced tea is a cooling drink" |
| 2. | a light midafternoon meal of tea and sandwiches or cakes; "an Englishman would interrupt a war to have his afternoon tea" |
| 3. | a tropical evergreen shrub or small tree extensively cultivated in e.g. China and Japan and India; source of tea leaves; "tea has fragrant white flowers" |
| 4. | a reception or party at which tea is served; "we met at the Dean's tea for newcomers" |
| 5. | dried leaves of the tea shrub; used to make tea; "the store shelves held many different kinds of tea"; "they threw the tea into Boston harbor" |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This
Tea, SD (city, FIPS 63100) Location: 43.44808 N, 96.83726 W
Population (1990): 786 (261 housing units)
Area: 0.9 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 57064
U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Tea
Tea\, n. [Chin. tsh[=a], Prov. Chin. te: cf. F. th['e].]1. The prepared leaves of a shrub, or small tree (Thea, or Camellia, Chinensis). The shrub is a native of China, but has been introduced to some extent into some other countries. Note: Teas are classed as green or black, according to their color or appearance, the kinds being distinguished also by various other characteristic differences, as of taste, odor, and the like. The color, flavor, and quality are dependent upon the treatment which the leaves receive after being gathered. The leaves for green tea are heated, or roasted slightly, in shallow pans over a wood fire, almost immediately after being gathered, after which they are rolled with the hands upon a table, to free them from a portion of their moisture, and to twist them, and are then quickly dried. Those intended for black tea are spread out in the air for some time after being gathered, and then tossed about with the hands until they become soft and flaccid, when they are roasted for a few minutes, and rolled, and having then been exposed to the air for a few hours in a soft and moist state, are finally dried slowly over a charcoal fire. The operation of roasting and rolling is sometimes repeated several times, until the leaves have become of the proper color. The principal sorts of green tea are Twankay, the poorest kind; Hyson skin, the refuse of Hyson; Hyson, Imperial, and Gunpowder, fine varieties; and Young Hyson, a choice kind made from young leaves gathered early in the spring. Those of black tea are Bohea, the poorest kind; Congou; Oolong; Souchong, one of the finest varieties; and Pekoe, a fine-flavored kind, made chiefly from young spring buds. See Bohea, Congou, Gunpowder tea, under Gunpowder, Hyson, Oolong, and Souchong. --K. Johnson. Tomlinson. Note: "No knowledge of . . . [tea] appears to have reached Europe till after the establishment of intercourse between Portugal and China in 1517. The Portuguese, however, did little towards the introduction of the herb into Europe, and it was not till the Dutch established themselves at Bantam early in 17th century, that these adventurers learned from the Chinese the habit of tea drinking, and brought it to Europe." --Encyc. Brit. 2. A decoction or infusion of tea leaves in boiling water; as, tea is a common beverage. 3. Any infusion or decoction, especially when made of the dried leaves of plants; as, sage tea; chamomile tea; catnip tea. 4. The evening meal, at which tea is usually served; supper. Arabian tea, the leaves of Catha edulis; also (Bot.), the plant itself. See Kat. Assam tea, tea grown in Assam, in India, originally brought there from China about the year 1850. Australian, or Botany Bay, tea (Bot.), a woody clambing plant (Smilax glycyphylla). Brazilian tea. (a) The dried leaves of Lantana pseodothea, used in Brazil as a substitute for tea. (b) The dried leaves of Stachytarpheta mutabilis, used for adulterating tea, and also, in Austria, for preparing a beverage. Labrador tea. (Bot.) See under Labrador. New Jersey tea (Bot.), an American shrub, the leaves of which were formerly used as a substitute for tea; redroot. See Redroot. New Zealand tea. (Bot.) See under New Zealand. Oswego tea. (Bot.) See Oswego tea. Paraguay tea, mate. See 1st Mate. Tea board, a board or tray for holding a tea set. Tea bug (Zo["o]l.), an hemipterous insect which injures the tea plant by sucking the juice of the tender leaves. Tea caddy, a small box for holding tea. Tea chest, a small, square wooden case, usually lined with sheet lead or tin, in which tea is imported from China. Tea clam (Zo["o]l.), a small quahaug. [Local, U. S.] Tea garden, a public garden where tea and other refreshments are served. Tea plant (Bot.), any plant, the leaves of which are used in making a beverage by infusion; specifically, Thea Chinensis, from which the tea of commerce is obtained. Tea rose (Bot.), a delicate and graceful variety of the rose (Rosa Indica, var. odorata), introduced from China, and so named from its scent. Many varieties are now cultivated. Tea service, the appurtenances or utensils required for a tea table, -- when of silver, usually comprising only the teapot, milk pitcher, and sugar dish. Tea set, a tea service. Tea table, a table on which tea furniture is set, or at which tea is drunk. Tea taster, one who tests or ascertains the quality of tea by tasting. Tea tree (Bot.), the tea plant of China. See Tea plant, above. Tea urn, a vessel generally in the form of an urn or vase, for supplying hot water for steeping, or infusing, tea.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Tea
Tea\, v. i. To take or drink tea. [Colloq.]
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
American Heritage Abbreviations Dictionary 3rd Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
| TEA torque equilibrium attitude |
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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