teeth

American  

[teeth] / tiθ /

noun

1. plural of tooth.

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teeth British  

/ tiːθ /

noun

1. the plural of tooth

2. the most violent part

   the teeth of the gale

3. the power to produce a desired effect

   that law has no teeth

4. See skin

5. to become engrossed in

6. in direct opposition to; against

   in the teeth of violent criticism he went ahead with his plan

7. to threaten, esp in a defensive manner

8. to the greatest possible degree

   armed to the teeth

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teeth Idioms  

1. see armed to the teeth; bare one's teeth; by the skin of one's teeth; cut one's teeth on; fed to the gills (teeth); fly in the face (teeth) of; give one's eyeteeth; gnash one's teeth; grit one's teeth; in the teeth of; kick in the pants (teeth); lie through one's teeth; like pulling teeth; scarce as hen's teeth; set one's teeth on edge; sink one's teeth into; to the teeth. Also see under tooth.

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Other Word Forms

• teethless adjective

Example Sentences

Gary cut his teeth in the 1970s and early ’80s working for Milken, the Wall Street titan widely recognized as the architect of the high-yield bond market.

From The Wall Street Journal

When Mr. Cameron’s Na’vi growl and bare their teeth at one another, they come across as campy and catty critters—“Real Housewives of Pandora.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Thursday will be the anniversary of Ms McNally's death - and Mr McNally described the potential delay as "a kick in the teeth".

From BBC

Other sports are full of hunky types, and football and basketball players are more likely to have all their teeth.

From The Wall Street Journal

To reach these conclusions, the team compared the size and shape of the DAN5 face and teeth with fossils from the same geological age, as well as specimens that are older and younger.

From Science Daily