Teeth Tooth Tuːθ Answered Mouth I Difficult Feel

• i've just had a tooth out at the dentist's.
• to brush/clean your teeth
• tooth decay
• she answered through clenched teeth (= opening her mouth only a little because of anger).

tooth

1. any of the hard white structures in the mouth used for biting food
• SEE ALSO buck teeth
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/buck-teeth
• I've just had a tooth out at the dentist's.
• to brush/clean your teeth
• tooth decay
• She answered through clenched teeth (= opening her mouth only a little because of anger).
• The cat sank its teeth into his finger.
• She had to have a tooth pulled (= removed).

Extra Examples

• Billy's first tooth is now through.
• Her smile showed crooked teeth.
• Her teeth flashed as she smiled.
• His pipe was firmly clamped between his teeth.
• I lost three teeth in the fight.
• I used to be self-conscious of my prominent teeth.
• Mink have razor-sharp teeth.
• She answered the phone with a cigarette between her teeth.
• She wore a brace to correct her gappy teeth.
• The cat came in with a mouse in its teeth.
• Sugar rots your teeth.
• Their teeth were chattering with cold.
• Skyscrapers rose like jagged teeth.
2. a narrow, pointed part that sticks out of an object
• SEE ALSO fine-tooth comb
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/fine-tooth-comb
• the teeth on a saw
• The teeth of the cog should fit into these grooves.
3. having many weapons
4. to show your teeth in an aggressive and threatening way
• The dog bared its teeth and growled.
5. if you do something by the skin of your teeth, you only just manage to do it
• He escaped defeat by the skin of his teeth.
6. to do something that gives you your first experience of a particular type of work
• She cut her teeth on local radio.
7. to grow a new tooth
8. used to say that you should punish somebody by doing to them what they have done to you or to somebody else
• They advocate a justice system that works on the principle of an eye for an eye.
9. to fight in a very determined way for what you want
• The residents are fighting tooth and nail to stop the new development.
• She fought tooth and nail to keep custody of the children.
10. to become very enthusiastic about something that you have started to do so that you are unlikely to stop until you have finished
11. to put a lot of effort and enthusiasm into something that is difficult enough to keep you interested
• Choose an essay topic that you can really get your teeth into.
12. used when you are saying that you want something very much
• I'd give my eye teeth to own a car like that.
13. to press or hit your teeth together because you feel angry; to feel very angry and upset about something, especially because you cannot get what you want
• He'll be gnashing his teeth when he hears that we lost the contract.
• The news caused great wailing and gnashing of teeth.
14. to bite your teeth tightly together
• She gritted her teeth against the pain.
• ‘Stop it!’ he said through gritted teeth.
15. to be determined to continue to do something in a difficult or unpleasant situation
• It started to rain harder, but we gritted our teeth and carried on.
16. to like food that contains a lot of sugar
17. to be powerful and effective
18. used to express anger or surprise
• Hell’s teeth, I promised I’d be back by two.
19. despite problems, opposition, etc.
• The new policy was adopted in the teeth of fierce criticism.
20. in the direction that a strong wind is coming from
• They crossed the bay in the teeth of a howling gale.
21. to treat somebody badly or fail to give them help when they need it
22. something that hurts somebody/something emotionally; a great disappointment
• The job losses are a kick in the teeth for the union.
23. to say something that is not true at all
• The witness was clearly lying through his teeth.
24. used to say that it is very difficult to make somebody do something
• It's like pulling teeth trying to get him to talk.
25. old or too old
26. involving opposition or competition that is violent and without sympathy
• nature, red in tooth and claw
27. to make somebody feel physically uncomfortable
• Just the sound of her voice sets my teeth on edge.

Word Origin

• Old English tōth (plural tēth), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch tand and German Zahn, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin dent-, Greek odont-.