The Facts on File Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Writers Reference) (73 page)

tirailleur (tiff) FRENCH [from
tirailler to fire in skirmishing order]
noun a sharpshooter or skirmisher
(usually referring to such troops in
the French army during the Napoleonic Wars): `;A line of French tirailleurs
approached the British positions from the
south but were easily beaten of"

tiramisu (tirameesoo, tiramizoo)
ITALIAN [from tira mi su pull me up]
noun (in Italian cuisine) a dessert
dish made with ladyfingers, mascarpone cheese, powdered chocolate, and
espresso.

tiro See TYRO.

tisane (titan) FRENCH [ultimately
from Greek ptisane crushed barley]
noun an infusion of dried herbs
or other ingredients used to make
herbal teas or other drinks (often
consumed for their supposed medicinal qualities).

tmesis (tmCCSis) GREEK [cutting]
noun (plural tmeses, tmeeseez) the
insertion of a word between two syllables or elements of another word,
e.g., "old" in any-old-how.

toccata (takahta) ITALIAN [touched,
from toccare to touch] noun a virtuoso musical composition for organ and harpsichord (or other keyboard instruments): "On the balcony, late in the evening,
while the others were listening indoors to the
low modulations of a young composer who
had embroidered his fancies on Browning's
`Toccata,' Susy found her chance" (Edith
Wharton, Glimpses of the Moon, 1922).

tofu (tofoo) JAPANESE [from Chinese
doufu, from dou beans and fu rot, turn
sour] noun bean curd.

toga (toga) LATIN [gown, garment]
noun a loose wrap or gown (of a type
worn originally by citizens in ancient
Rome): "They unearthed the statue of a
Roman patrician, complete with flowing
toga."

toilette (twahlet) FRENCH [diminutive of toile cloth] noun the process
of dressing and grooming; may also
refer to a particular costume or style of
dress: "The old lady insisted upon finishing
her toilette before going downstairs to be
interviewed by the detectives."

tokamak (tokamak), tokomak RUSSIAN
[from toroidal'naya kamera s aksial'nym
magnitnym polem toroidal chamber with
an axial magnetic field] noun a toroidal device for producing controlled
nuclear fusion.

tomatillo (tomateeyo, tomateclyo)
SPANISH [little tomato] noun the
small, edible, green, yellow, or purple
fruit of the Mexican ground cherry.

tombola (tombola) ITALIAN [tombo]are to tumble, to turn a somersault]
noun a lottery drum from which
winning tickets are drawn.

ton See HAUT TON.

tonneau (torso, tunO) FRENCH [barrel, cask] noun (plural tonneaus or
tonneaux) the seating compartment of an automobile (or the rear
area of such a compartment); may
also refer to the removable hood of
a convertible automobile: "Her eyes,
shining under a white veil, met his for
just the instant before she was quite by,
and when the machine had passed a little
handkerchief waved for a moment from the
side of the tonneau where she sat." (Booth
Tarkington, His Own People, 1907).

tontine (tonteen) FRENCH [after Italian banker Lorenzo Tonti (1635-95)]
noun a financial arrangement in
which investors contribute equally to
a common fund to be inherited by the
sole survivor of the group.

topee (to pee, topee), topi HINDI
[hat] noun a pith helmet: "Several men
wore sunhats or topees to protect themselves
from the glare."

toque (tok) FRENCH [soft hat, from
Spanish toca headdress or Portuguese
tocca cap] noun a style of soft, brimless hat for women: "The pale blue haze
of an autumn day crept between the treetrunks of the Park and made a background

for the gray dress, the black velvet toque
above the black hair, and the resolute profile." (Rud),ard Kipling, The Light That
Failed, 1890). May also refer to the
tall, brimless hats traditionally worn
by chefs.

Torah (tora) HEBREW [instruction,
teaching] noun the five books of
the Pentateuch; the sacred texts and
rabbinical interpretation of Jewish
religious law and wisdom.

torehere (torshair) FRENCH [from
torche torch] noun a tall ornamental
stand for a candlestick.

toreador (toree5dor) SPANISH [from
torear to fight bulls, from toro bull]
noun a bullfighter: "Her new lover
arrived at the party in the dress of a Spanish toreador."

torque (tork) FRENCH [from Latin
torquere to twist] noun a twisting
or turning force: "This machine measures the amount of torque put on an
aircraft's wing.."-verb to twist or cause
to twist.

tort (tort) FRENCH [from Latin tortus
wrong or injustice] noun (in law) a
civil wrong carried out against one
person by another, for which the victim is entitled to claim damages.

torte (torts, tort) GERMAN [tart,
pastry, probably from Italian torta
cake] noun (plural tortes or torten, tortan) a frosted cake or tart made
with eggs, nuts, or dry breadcrumbs.

tortellini (tortaleenee) ITALIAN [plural
of tortellino small cake, from torta
cake] plural noun a variety of pasta
shaped into small squares, rolled into
rings, and filled with meat or cheese.

tortilla (tortecya) SPANISH [diminutive of torta cake] noun (in Mexican
cookery) a round, thin cake made
with unleavened cornmeal or wheat
flour bread, usually filled with meat,
cheese, or beans.

torus (torus) LATIN [swelling] noun
(plural toruses or tori, tort) (in
architecture) a large rounded molding, especially one used on the base
of a column.

tostada (tostah(1a), tostado (tostahdo)
SPANISH [toasted, from tostar to toast]
noun (in Mexican cuisine) a deepfried or toasted tortilla, often topped
with refried beans, ground or sliced
meat, sour cream, and other ingredients.

totem (totem) ALGONQUIAN [from
ototcman his totem] noun an object
venerated as the emblem of a family,
clan, or tribe (or a carved or painted
depiction of such an object): "Kim,
with slightly raised head, was still staring
at his totem on the table, when the chaplain stepped on his right shoulder-blade"
(Rudyard Kipling, Kim, 1901).

toties quoties (totccayz kwotceayz)
LATIN [so often as often] adverb phrase
as often as, repeatedly, as occasion
demands.

toto caelo (toto silo) LATIN [by the
whole heaven] adverb phrase in an
entirely different fashion, utterly.

touche (tooSy) FRENCH [touched,
past participle of toucher to touch]
interjection good thrust! (acknowledgment of a hit in fencing and, by
extension, of any success, accusation,
witticism, or rejoinder).

toupee (toopy) FRENCH [from toupet
forelock] noun a wig or other hairpiece worn to conceal a bald patch:
"The wind dislodged the old man's toupee,
giving him a comic air."

tour de force (toor dd fors) FRENCH
[feat of strength] noun phrase (plural
tours de force) a remarkable performance or feat of skill, ingenuity,
or strength: "The following year he
delivered a tour de force in the role of
Hamlet."

tournedos (ternado) FRENCH [from
tourner to turn and dos back] noun a
small fillet of beef cut from the
tenderloin.

tourniquet (ternaket) FRENCH [turnstile, from tourner to turn] noun a
bandage or other device applied to a
limb to check blood flow: "The nurse tied a tourniquet around the girl's arm to
stop the bleeding."

tout de suite (toot sweet) FRENCH
[all in succession, immediately] adverb
phrase immediately, at once, now,
right away: "'I want someone over here
tout de suite,' he roared, before slamming the
phone down."

tout ensemble (toot on(g)sombla)
FRENCH [everything together] noun
phrase the overall effect, the whole
thing (referring to a work of art, for
example).

tout le monde (too la mond) FRENCH
[all the world] noun phrase all the
world, everybody.

traceur (trasar) FRENCH [from tracer
to trace, draw, go fast] noun a person who participates in the extreme
sport of parkour.

tragedienne (trajeedeeen) FRENCH
[from tragedienne actress in tragedy]
noun an actress who plays roles in
tragic drama: "As a tragedienne she has
few equals on the modern stage."

trahison des clercs (trayzon(g) day
clairk) FRENCH [treachery of the
clerks, from the book La Trahison des
Clercs (1927) by Julien Benda] noun
phrase the treason of intellectuals
(through the betrayal or compromise
of academic standards, for political or
other motives).

train a grande vitesse (tran(g) a grond
veetes) FRENCH [high speed train]
noun phrase a high speed train in
France. '"abbreviated from T.G.V.

tranche (tronch) FRENCH [slice, fromtrancher to cut] noun a portion
or installment of something (usually relating to finance); can also
refer to a block of shares or bonds:
"The payment will be made in three
tranches."

tranche de vie (tronch da vee)
FRENCH [slice of life] noun phrase a
representation of real life (usually
relating to literature or art).

trans- (trans, tranz) LATIN [across]
prefix across, beyond, e.g., transatlantic; also through, e.g., transparent.

trattoria (tratareed) ITALIAN [from trattore restaurateur, from traiter to treat]
noun (plural trattorias or trattorie,
tratareeay) a restaurant (especially
an Italian-style restaurant): "They spent
each evening of their vacation at the local
trattoria."

trauma (trowmd, troml) GREEK
[wound] noun (plural traumas or traumata, trowmata) a physical wound
or injury; may also refer to a state of
mental disorder resulting from emotional or physical stress: "This childhood
trauma continued to haunt her in adult
life."

trecento (traychento) ITALIAN [three
hundred] noun the 14th century
(especially in relation to Italian culture of the period).

trek (trek) AFRIKAANS [from Dutch
trekken to pull, to haul] noun a journey, trip, or migration (originally a
journey undertaken by ox wagon).
-verb to undertake an arduous journey (originally by ox wagon), to
migrate: "They trekked for miles through
the jungle before they found the crash
site."

tremolo (tremilo) ITALIAN [tremulous, from Latin tremere to tremble]
noun (in music) vibrato, a tremulous
or vibrating effect produced by a musical instrument or voice.

tres (tray) FRENCH [very] adverb too
much, very. -adjective very: "Her outfit
was judged tres chic by those who ought to
know."

tri- (tri) LATIN [from tres] prefix
three, e.g., tricentennial, trimester.

triage (trecahzh, treeahzh) FRENCH
[sorting, sifting, from trier to sort out]
noun the sorting of patients into
three categories on arrival at a hospital
or emergency aid station according to
the nature and severity of their injury
or illness; may also be applied to the
sorting and prioritization of projects,
commodities, and so on.

tricolor (trikular), tricolour FRENCH
[three colors] noun a flag made up
of blocks of three different colors,
specifically the French national flag,
which consists of bands of blue, white,
and red.

tricorne (trikorn), tricorn FRENCH
[three-cornered] noun a threecornered hat, a cocked hat. -adjective
of or relating to such a hat.

tricot (treeko, trikat) FRENCH [from
tricoter to knit] noun a fine warpknitted fabric used in clothing, or a
form of twilled cloth made from wool
or wool and cotton.

triforium (triforeeam) LATIN [from
tri- three and foris doorway] noun (plural triforia, triforeea) an arcade or
gallery in the wall, above the arches
between the body of a church and the
aisles.

trio (treeO) ITALIAN [from tre three]
noun a set of three objects or people;
may also refer to a musical composition written for three voices or instruments: "The three men decided to form
a trio, playing jazz in clubs all along the
west coast."

triptych (triptik), triptyque GREEK
[from triptychos having three folds]
noun a picture painted on three folding panels and, by extension, anything
comprising three parts: "The painting comprises a triptych, painted on three huge
wooden panels."

triskaidekaphobia (triskadekafobeea)
GREEK [treiskaideka thirteen and Phobos fear] noun fear of the number
thirteen.

triste (treest) FRENCH [sad, from
Latin tristis sad] adjective sad, melancholy, mournful, miserable, wistful,
dull.

tristesse (treestes) FRENCH [sadness,
sorrow] noun sadness, sorrow, melancholy, unhappiness.

triumvir (trlamver) LATIN [from trium
virum of three men] noun (plural triumvirs or triumviri, triamveri,
tribmvcree) a member of a commission or ruling body of three (i.e.,
a triumvirate).

trivia (triveea) LATIN [plural of trivium place where three roads meet,
influenced by trivialis trivial, commonplace, vulgar] plural noun unimportant details or facts, trifles: "The book
unearthed a lot Of trivia about the great
man's private life but little about his real
character."

troika (troika) RUSSIAN [group of
three, from troe three] noun a Russian carriage or vehicle drawn by
three horses abreast; by extension,
any group of three people or things

(especially a ruling body comprising
three people): "The prime minister, the
defense minister, and the war minister
formed a troika, effectively running the
country without reference to others."

troll (trol) OLD NORSE [demon] noun
(in Scandinavian folklore) an ugly,
malevolent creature, portrayed as
either a giant or a dwarf, that lives
in a cave.

trompe l'oeil (tromp loi, tromp
loiee) FRENCH [deceive the eye] noun
phrase a technique in visual art by
means of which a viewer is tricked
into thinking what is painted is real;
an optical illusion: "The staircase had
been decorated with a trompe I'oeil view
designed to deceive a visitor into thinking
he was entering a vast temple."-adjective
of or relating to such an effect.

troppo (tropo) ITALIAN [too much]
adverb (in music) too much.

trottoir (trotwah) FRENCH [from trotter to trot] noun a sidewalk, a pavement.

troubador (troobador) FRENCH ]composer, from trobar to compose] noun
an itinerant poet or musician of a
class who wandered parts of France
and northern Italy in the medieval
period, celebrating chivalry and
courtly love, and, by extension, any
poet or musician.