tee

[ tee ]

/ ti /

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noun

the letter T or t.

something shaped like a T, as a three-way joint used in fitting pipes together.

T-bar.

T-shirt.

the mark aimed at in various games, as curling.

adjective

having a crosspiece at the top; shaped like a T.

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Idioms about tee

to a tee. T¹ (def. 6).

Origin of tee

Spelling form of the letter name

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH tee

tea, tee

Other definitions for tee (2 of 3)

tee²

[ tee ]

/ ti /

noun

Golf.

Also called teeing ground. the starting place, usually a hard mound of earth, at the beginning of play for each hole.
a small wooden, plastic, metal, or rubber peg from which the ball is driven, as in teeing off.

Football. a device on which the ball may be placed to raise it off the ground preparatory to kicking.

verb (used with object), teed, tee·ing.

Golf. to place (the ball) on a tee.

Verb Phrases

tee off,

Golf. to strike the ball from a tee.
Slang. to reprimand severely; scold: He teed off on his son for wrecking the car.
Informal. to begin: They teed off the program with a medley of songs.
Baseball, Softball. to make many runs and hits, especially extra-base hits: teeing off for six runs on eight hits, including three doubles and a home run.
Baseball, Softball. to hit (a pitched ball) hard and far: He teed off on a fastball and drove it into the bleachers.
Boxing. to strike with a powerful blow, especially to the head: He teed off on his opponent with an overhand right.
Slang. to make angry, irritated, or disgusted: She was teed off because her dinner guests were late.

Origin of tee

First recorded in 1665–75; origin uncertain

Other definitions for tee (3 of 3)

TEE

or T-E-E

abbreviation

Trans-Europe Express.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use tee in a sentence

Both defending champion Tiger Woods and pre-tournament favorite Bryson DeChambeau teed off shortly after play resumed.
The Masters 2020: Live updates|Matt Bonesteel, Barry Svrluga|November 12, 2020|Washington Post
When the gates open in the morning, they race in with their folding chairs, high-tailing it to their traditional spots — by the 12th tee or ringing the 18th green — that they can stake out for the day.
Masters golfers won’t see the blooms, but they will really miss hearing the roars|Barry Svrluga|November 12, 2020|Washington Post
Shorter hitters are not going to get much in the way of roll on their tee shots, giving the bombers an edge.
Masters forecast looking wet early, which could pose problems later in the weekend|Matt Bonesteel|November 11, 2020|Washington Post
Usually, players hit a normal tee shot and then walk up to front of the pond, take another ball out and see it they can hit that one low but leave it high and dry.
Jon Rahm’s pond-skipping hole-in-one at Augusta has been done before but was still incredible|Des Bieler|November 11, 2020|Washington Post

Bigger hitters still will have an edge off the tee, but precision on approach will be even more crucial considering the possibly longer and trickier second shots.
The Masters in 2020 will be unlike any other. Here’s what you need to know.|Matt Bonesteel|November 9, 2020|Washington Post
They also frequented online chat rooms where fellow Islamic zealots teed off with venomous rants about their hate for infidels.
Post Office Robbers More Wanted Than ISIS|M.L. Nestel|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Anxious labor activists know well that the Court has teed up a future challenge to all mandatory dues.
The Conservative Case for Unions After the Harris v. Quinn Decision|James Poulos|July 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Rizzo even writes that he tried to stop the destruction of the tapes when he was told the decision was being teed up in 2005.
Ex-CIA Top Lawyer: Release the ‘Black Site’ Report|Eli Lake|March 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With immigration reform teed up in the House, “2014 needs to be a year of action,” he said.
Obama Counters an Agitated Press Corps With Optimism|Eleanor Clift|December 20, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Obama himself teed off on Romney in a Wednesday interview with Diane Sawyer.
‘Proudly Pro-Life’ Romney’s Wriggle on Abortion Seen as ‘Pragmatic’|Michelle Cottle|October 11, 2012|DAILY BEAST
He had already teed his ball for the second hole, which was poised on a rolling hill one hundred and thirty-five yards away.
Murder in Any Degree|Owen Johnson
Grasping the proffered club he severely threatened with it the new ball which Rapp, Senior, had obligingly teed up for him.
The Wrong Twin|Harry Leon Wilson
Crouching just behind the line on which the new football lay teed, Buck Claxton nodded his head.
The Boy Scouts of Lakeville High|Leslie W. Quirk
He teed his ball, swung his club a couple of times, and shook his head.
Fore!|Charles Emmett Van Loan
Then I teed up and drove with a good follow-through action that carried me round several circles before I could stop.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 158, February 4, 1920|Various

British Dictionary definitions for tee (1 of 3)

tee¹

/ (tiː) /

noun

a pipe fitting in the form of a letter T, used to join three pipes

a metal section with a cross section in the form of a letter T, such as a rolled-steel joist

any part or component shaped like a T

British Dictionary definitions for tee (2 of 3)

tee²

/ (tiː) golf /

noun

Also called: teeing ground an area, often slightly elevated, from which the first stroke of a hole is made

a support for a golf ball, usually a small wooden or plastic peg, used when teeing off or in long grass, etc

verb tees, teeing or teed

(when intr, often foll by up) to position (the ball) ready for striking, on or as if on a tee

Word Origin for tee

C17 teaz, of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for tee (3 of 3)

tee³

/ (tiː) /

noun

a mark used as a target in certain games such as curling and quoits

Word Origin for tee

C18: perhaps from T-shaped marks, which may have originally been used in curling

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