Emily Dickinson Lexicon

TAST-Y, a.

1. Having a good taste, or nice perception of excellence; applied to persons; as, a tasty lady.
2. Being in conformity to the principles of good taste; elegant; as, tasty furniture; a tasty dress.

TAT'TER, n.

A rag, or a part torn and hanging to the thing; chiefly used in the plural, Tatters.

TAT'TER, v.t. [Qu. Sax. totæran; compounded of tæran, to tear, and the prefix to, or D. tod, Scot. dud, a rag.]

To rend or tear into rags. [Not used except in the participle.]

TAT-TER-DE-MAL'ION, n.

A ragged fellow. L'Estrange.

TAT'TER-ED, pp. [or adj.]

Rent; torn; hanging in rags; as, a tattered garment. Where wav'd the tatter'd ensigns of Rag-fair. Pope.

TAT'TLE, n.

Prate; idle talk or chat; trifling talk. They told the tattle of the day. Swift.

TAT'TLE, v.i. [D. tateren; It. tattamellare.]

1. To prate; to talk idly; to use many words with little meaning. Excuse it by the tattling quality of age, which is always narrative. Dryden.
2. To tell tales; to communicate secrets; as, a tattling girl.

TAT'TLER, n.

One who tattles; an idle talker; one that tells tales.

TAT'TLING, ppr.

1. Talking idly; telling tales.
2. adj. Given to idle talk; apt to tell tales.

TAT'TLING-LY, adv.

In a tattling, tell-tale manner.

TAT-TOO', n.¹ [If this word was originally taptoo or tapto, it is from the Fr. tapoter, to beat; tapotez tous, beat, all of you; from taper, Gr. τυπτω, Eng. tap.]

A beat of drum at night, giving notice to soldiers to retreat, or to repair to their quarters in garrison, or to their tents in camp. Cyc.

TAT-TOO', n.²

Figures on the body made by punctures and stains in lines and figures.

TAT-TOO', v.t. [In the South Sea isles.]

To prick the skin, and stain the punctured spots with a black substance, forming lines and figures upon the body. In some isles, the inhabitants tattoo the face, in others only the body. The same practice exists among other rude nations. Barrow. Makenzie.

TAT-TOO'ED, pp.

Marked by stained lines and figures on the body.

TAT-TOO'ING, ppr.

Marking with various figures by stained lines.

TAU, n.

1. The toad fish of Carolina, a species of Gadus. (G. tau.) Cyc.
2. A species of beetle; also, a species of moth, (Phalena;) also, a kind of fly, (Musca.) Cyc.

TAUGHT, a. [taut. from the root of tight.]

Stretched; not slack. Mar. Dict.

TAUGHT, pp. [pret. and pp. of Teach, pron. taut. L. doctus.]

Experience taught him wisdom. He has been taught in the school of experience.

TAUNT, n.

Upbraiding words; bitter or sarcastic reproach; insulting invective. With scoffs and scorns, and contumelious taunts. Shak. With sacrilegious taunt and impious jest. Prior.

TAUNT, v.t. [Qu. Fr. tancer, to rebuke or chide; W. tantiaw, to stretch; or Pers. تََواَنِِيدَنْ, tauanidan, to pierce with words.]

1. To reproach with severe or insulting words; to revile; to upbraid. When I had at my pleasure taunted her. Shak.
2. To exprobate; to censure. Rail thou Fulvia's phrase, and taunt my faults. Shak.

TAUNT-ED, pp.

Upbraided with sarcastic or severe words.

TAUNT-ER, n.

One who taunts, reproaches or upbraids with sarcastic or censorious reflections.

TAUNT-ING, ppr.

Treating with severe reflections; upbraiding.

TAUNT-ING-LY, adv.

With bitter and sarcastic words; insultingly; scoffingly.

TAUR'I-CORN-OUS, a. [L. taurus, a bull, and cornu, horn.]

Having horns like a bull. Brown.