[to bat] See: GO TO BAT FOR.
[to bay] See: BRING TO BAY.
[to-be]{adj.} That is going to be; about to become. — Used after the noun it modifies. •/Bob kissed his bride-to-be./ •/The principal of the high school greeted the high school students-to-be on their last day in junior high./
[to bed] See: PUT TO BED, PUT TO BED WITH A SHOVEL.
[to be on the safe side]{adv. phr.} To take extra precautions; reduce or eliminate the possibility of a mistake, an error, or even danger. •/Dad always keeps his valuables in a bank’s safe deposit box, just to be on the safe side./ Compare: JUST IN CASE.
[to be sure]{adv. phr.} Without a doubt; certainly; surely. •/"Didn’t you say Mr. Smith would take us home?" "Oh, yes. To be sure, I did."/ — Often used before a clause beginning with "but". •/He works slowly, to be sure, but he does a good job./ •/To be sure, Jim is a fast skater, but he is not good at doing figures./ Syn.: OF COURSE.
[to blame]{adj. phr.} Having done something wrong; to be blamed; responsible. •/John was to blame for the broken window./ •/The teacher tried to find out who was to blame in the fight./
[to boot]{adv. phr.} In addition; besides; as something extra. •/He not only got fifty dollars, but they bought him dinner to boot./ Compare: FOR GOOD MEASURE, IN THE BARGAIN, THROW IN.
[to date]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} Up to the present time; until now. •/To date twenty students have been accepted into the school./ •/The police have not found the runaway to date./ •/Jim is shoveling snow to earn money, but his earnings to date are small./ Syn.: SO FAR.
[to death]{adv. phr.}, {informal} To the limit; to the greatest degree possible. — Used for emphasis with verbs such as "scare", "frighten", "bore". •/Cowboy stories bore me to death, but I like mysteries./ •/Sara is scared to death of snakes./ •/John is tickled to death with his new bike./
[to do] See: HAVE TO DO WITH.
[toe] See: CURL ONE’S HAIR or CURL ONE’S TOES, ON ONE’S TOES, STEP ON THE TOES OF.
[toe the line] or [toe the mark] {v. phr.} To be very careful to do just what you are supposed to do; obey the rules and do your duties. •/The new teacher will make Joe toe the line./ •/Bill’s father is strict with him and he has to toe the mark./ Compare: WALK THE CHALK.
[to first base] See: GET TO FIRST BASE.
[together] See: GET IT ALL TOGETHER.
[together with]{prep.} In addition to; in the company of; along with. •/John, together with his brother, has gone to the party./ •/The police found a knife, together with the stolen money, hidden in a hollow tree./
[to grips] See: COME TO GRIPS WITH.
[to heart] See: TAKE TO HEART also LAY TO HEART.
[to heel]{adj. phr.} 1. Close behind. •/The dog ran after a rabbit, but Jack brought him to heel./ 2. Under control; to obedience. •/When Peter was sixteen, he thought he could do as he pleased, but his father cut off his allowance, and Peter soon came to heel./
[to hell with] or [the hell with] {prep. phr.}, {informal} Used to express disgusted rejection of something. •/It’s slop; the hell with what the cook calls it./ Compare: FED UP, GIVE A HANG.
[to it] See: PUT ONE’S BACK TO IT.
[to light] See: BRING TO LIGHT, COME TO LIGHT.
[toll] See: TAKE ITS TOLL.
[toll call]{n. phr.} A long distance telephone call for which one has to pay. •/We had several toll calls on last month’s telephone bill./
[toll free]{adv. phr.} Calling an (800) telephone number with the call paid by the business whose number one has dialed. •/You can call us day and night, seven days a week, toll free./
[Tom] See: PEEPING TOM.
[Tom, Dick, and Harry]{n. phr.} People in general; anyone; everyone. — Usually preceded by "every" and used to show scorn or disrespect. •/The drunk told his troubles to every Tom, Dick and Harry who passed by./
[tone down]{v.} To make softer or quieter; make less harsh or strong; moderate. •/He toned down the sound of the TV./ •/She wanted the bright colors in her house toned down./ •/When the ladies arrived, he toned down his language./ •/The strikers were asked to tone down their demands for higher pay so that there might be a quicker agreement and an end to the strike./
[tong] See: GO AT IT HAMMER AND TONGS.
[tongue] See: AT THE TIP OF ONE’S TONGUE, CAT GET ONE’S TONGUE, HOLD ONE’S TONGUE, KEEP A CIVIL TONGUE IN ONE’S HEAD, SLIP OF THE TONGUE.
[tongue-in-cheek]{adj. phr.} In an ironic or insincere manner. •/When the faculty complained about the poor salary increments, the university’s president said that he was not a psychiatrist, thus making an inappropriate tongue-in-cheek remark./
[tongue-lashing]{n.} A sharp scolding or criticism. •/Jim’s mother gave him a tongue-lashing for telling family secrets./ Syn.: PIECE OF ONE’S MIND.
[tongues wag]{informal} People speak in an excited or gossipy manner; people spread rumors. •/If married women go out with other men, tongues will wag./ •/When the bank clerk showed up in an expensive new car, tongues wagged./
[tongue-tied] See: TIGHT-LIPPED.
[tongue twister]{n.} A word or group of words difficult to pronounce whose meaning is irrelevant compared to the difficulty of enunciation. •/"She sells sea shells by the seashore" is a popular American tongue twister./
[to no avail] or [of no avail(1)] {adj. phr.}, {formal} Having no effect; useless, unsuccessful. •/Tom’s practicing was of no avail. He was sick on the day of the game./ •/Mary’s attempts to learn embroidering were to no avail./
[to no avail(2)]{adv. phr.}, {formal} Without result; unsuccessfully. •/John tried to pull the heavy cart, but to no avail./ •/Mary studied hard for the test but to no avail./ Compare: IN VAIN.
[too] See: EAT ONE’S CAKE AND HAVE IT TOO.
[too bad]{adj.} To be regretted; worthy of sorrow or regret; regrettable. — Used as a predicate. •/It is too bad that we are so often lazy./ •/It was too bad Bill had measles when the circus came to town./