teem
1 Americanverb (used with or without object)
verb
-
to be prolific or abundant (in); abound (in)
-
obsolete to bring forth (young)
verb
-
(intr; often foll by down or with rain) to pour in torrents
it's teeming down
-
(tr) to pour or empty out
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of teem1
before 900; Middle English temen, Old English tēman, tīeman to produce (offspring), derivative of tēam team
Origin of teem2
1250–1300; Middle English temen < Old Norse tæma to empty, derivative of tōmr empty, cognate with Old English tōm free from
Explanation
If your neighborhood seems to teem with cats, that means there are a lot of cats running around. When something teems, it swarms or overflows with a large number of things. Don't confuse teem with team. The two words may sound the same, but they have different meanings. Use the noun team when describing a group of people with a common goal, and turn to the verb teem for those times when you need to say that something is overflowing or crowded. Teem is almost always used with the preposition with, as when the busy streets teem with activity.
Vocabulary lists containing teem
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Touching Spirit Bear
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Teem Pheebs’ Seattle contingent is more than primed for her first proper solo headliner here since the indie rock star’s certified blowup, settling in for two nights at the Eastside’s chillest park venue.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 11, 2022
“To have a kindergartner and a fifth grader who have social emotional needs in the same program — while numbers wise it makes sense, support wise and investment wise it doesn’t,” Teem said.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 27, 2021
Teem with hubris Icarus quickly forgot his father's advice and fell to his death.
From New York Times • Jan. 7, 2018
On the menu: croissants, Teem and sugary schadec juice, made with Haitian grapefruits.
From Time Magazine Archive
Teem, tēm, v.i. to bring forth or produce: to bear or be fruitful: to be pregnant: to be full or prolific.—n.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
