tai

[ tahy ]

/ taɪ /

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noun, plural tai.

any of several sparoid fishes of the Pacific Ocean, as Pagrus major(red tai ), a food fish of Japan.

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

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Origin of tai

1615–25; <Japanese ta(w)i, earlier tafi

Words nearby tai

Tahoe, tahr, Tahrir Square, tahsil, tahsildar, tai, taiaha, t'ai chi ch'uan, Taichung, Taif, taig

Other definitions for tai (2 of 2)

Tai

[ tahy, tah-ee ]

/ taɪ, ˈtɑ i /

noun

a group of languages spoken in SE Asia, including Thai, Lao, and Shan.

Thai.

adjective

of, relating to, or characteristic of Tai.

Thai.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use tai in a sentence

When poorly treated wastewater from factories and farmlands flows into Tai, nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus accumulate in the lake, and algae blooms flourish.
What’s bigger than a megacity? China’s planned city clusters|Ling Xin|April 28, 2021|MIT Technology Review
The Senate on Wednesday approved Tai’s nomination 98-0, marking a rare bipartisan agreement in a deeply divided Washington.
House passes bills to open path to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants, legal status for farmworkers|John Wagner, Colby Itkowitz, Amy B Wang|March 19, 2021|Washington Post
Shortly after her swearing in, Tai did not respond to questions from reporters Thursday about maintaining tough trade policies on China.
House passes bills to open path to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants, legal status for farmworkers|John Wagner, Colby Itkowitz, Amy B Wang|March 19, 2021|Washington Post
The nomination of Tai, who has served as chief trade counsel on the House Ways and Means Committee, has drawn support from both parties and generated little controversy.
House scraps plans for Thursday session after security officials warn of possible plot to breach Capitol|Felicia Sonmez, Colby Itkowitz, John Wagner|March 4, 2021|Washington Post

Tai, the head cleaning-service worker on my floor, whom I had not seen in weeks, asked me how I was doing and we had a nice little chat.
Covid-19 and the surprising effects of casual human interactions|Markus Strobel|December 4, 2020|Quartz
The law professor, Benny Tai, urged the students to “retreat and take the spirit of the Umbrella Movement into the community.”
The Monuments Men of Occupy Hong Kong|Brendon Hong|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Last April, Kishinets invited every Donetsk lover of a healthy lifestyle, as he put it, to do Tai Bo exercises in Lenin Square.
A Coffin Convoy to Russia|Anna Nemtsova|May 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In 1996, the Muang Tai Army surrendered to the Burmese army, but not every member laid down their arms.
How China Used Drones to Capture a Notorious Burmese Drug Lord|Brendon Hong|April 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He joined the Muang Tai Army, a former resistance group in Myanmar, and fought against the military junta.
How China Used Drones to Capture a Notorious Burmese Drug Lord|Brendon Hong|April 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
[Laughs] Man of Tai Chi also, of course, deals with fighting.
Keanu Reeves Dishes On Kung Fu, Amazon Drones, Directing ‘Man of Tai Chi,’ And More|Marlow Stern|December 6, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He can't talk much, though; 'tain't good fur him; his lungs is out er kilter.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
Likewise 'tain't safe to buy mine stock till you know there's a mine.
Scattergood Baines|Clarence Budington Kelland
I don't jest sense what it is, but I know 'tain't all them things that makes a sure 'nough lady.
The Shepherd of the Hills|Harold Bell Wright
"'Tain't nothin'," she choked out, and she turned hurriedly ahead of him down the path.
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine|John Fox, Jr.
"'Tain't no fair thing for the whole police force to keep worrying at a little boy like me," he said, in shame-faced apology.
Gallegher and Other Stories|Richard Harding Davis

British Dictionary definitions for tai (1 of 2)

Tai

/ (taɪ) /

adjective, noun

a variant spelling of Thai

British Dictionary definitions for tai (2 of 2)

TAI

abbreviation for

International Atomic Time

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