tusk
(in certain animals) a tooth developed to great length, usually one of a pair, as in the elephant, walrus, and wild boar, but singly in the narwhal.
a long, pointed, or protruding tooth.
a projection resembling the tusk of an animal.
Also called gain. Carpentry. a diagonally cut shoulder at the end of a timber for strengthening a tenon.
to dig up or tear off with the tusks.
to gore with a tusk.
to dig up or thrust at the ground with the tusks.
Origin of tusk
1Other words from tusk
- tuskless, adjective
- tusklike, adjective
- un·tusked, adjective
Words Nearby tusk
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use tusk in a sentence
Classifying these remains as tusks or teeth, and understanding when the creatures they came from existed and how they are related, helps give a more complete picture of the history of dicynodonts, and how tusks in mammals today came to be.
When is a tooth a tusk? It’s surprisingly complex. | Margo Milanowski | October 27, 2021 | Popular-ScienceElephants use their tusks for a variety of tasks, including stripping bark off of trees and digging for subterranean minerals and water sources.
Ivory poaching has triggered a surge in elephants born without tusks | Kate Baggaley | October 22, 2021 | Popular-ScienceThe post Ivory poaching has triggered a surge in elephants born without tusks appeared first on Popular Science.
Ivory poaching has triggered a surge in elephants born without tusks | Kate Baggaley | October 22, 2021 | Popular-ScienceSpecial banks accept pig tusks, which are considered sacred in the region and have been used as ceremonial currency since ancient times.
Poaching was also ruled out, because the elephants’ bodies were intact with their tusks.
Elephants are dying in droves in Botswana. Scientists don’t know why | Tawanda Karombo | May 14, 2021 | Science News
In the film world, it was really Kevin Smith who brought Osment back into the fold with tusk.
Johnny Depp has a pretty sizeable role in tusk as the Montreal private eye Guy LaPointe.
Kevin Smith's Marijuanaissance: On 'Tusk,' 'Falling Out' with Ben Affleck, and 20 Years of 'Clerks' | Marlow Stern | September 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe first sequence of the show was set to "tusk" by Fleetwood Mac.
‘The Americans’ Showrunners Dissect the Secrets of Season 2 | Andrew Romano | February 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAs a patron of tusk Trust, a conservation charity, Williamtravelled to Botswana in 2010 to raise awareness of the issue.
Charles, William and Tyke Launch Fresh Anti-Poaching Campaign | Tom Sykes | May 21, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTPolish Prime Minister Donald tusk is making his first visit to Canada this week.
Some of them are found to have but one tusk, the other being torn out in fighting with each other, or falling out through age.
Buffon's Natural History. Volume IX (of 10) | Georges Louis Leclerc de BuffonAs for his face, all tusk and jaw and no brow, where had Parr gotten such an idea of it?
The Devil's Asteroid | Manly Wade WellmanHe held in his hand a curious wooden spear with a loose barb tipped with the tusk of a walrus.
The Norsemen in the West | R.M. BallantyneI was therefore very desirous of adding the tusk of one of these wild boars to my trophies of the chase.
The Hunters' Feast | Mayne ReidThe three elephants killed were all bulls, that of Mr. Wallace having only one tusk.
The Blind Lion of the Congo | Elliott Whitney
British Dictionary definitions for tusk
/ (tʌsk) /
a pointed elongated usually paired tooth in the elephant, walrus, and certain other mammals that is often used for fighting
the canine tooth of certain animals, esp horses
a sharp pointed projection
Also called: tusk tenon building trades a tenon shaped with an additional oblique shoulder to make a stronger joint
to stab, tear, or gore with the tusks
Origin of tusk
1Derived forms of tusk
- tusked, adjective
- tusklike, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for tusk
[ tŭsk ]
A long, pointed tooth, usually one of a pair, projecting from the mouth of certain animals, such as elephants, walruses, and wild pigs. Tusks are used for procuring food and as weapons.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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