Touchwood to Towhee
Touchwood
(Touch"wood`) n. [Probably for tachwood; OE. tache tinder (of uncertain origin) + wood.]
1. Wood so decayed as to serve for tinder; spunk, or punk.
2. Dried fungi used as tinder; especially, the Polyporus igniarius.
Touchy
(Touch"y) a. [For techy, tetchy.] Peevish; irritable; irascible; techy; apt to take fire. [Colloq.]
It may be said of Dryden that he was at no time touchy about personal attacks.
Saintsbury. Tough
(Tough) a. [Compar. Tougher ; superl. Toughest.] [OE. tough, AS. toh, akin to D. taai, LG.
taa, tage, tau, OHG. zahi, G. zähe, and also to AS. getenge near to, close to, oppressive, OS. bitengi.]
1. Having the quality of flexibility without brittleness; yielding to force without breaking; capable of resisting
great strain; as, the ligaments of animals are remarkably tough. "Tough roots and stubs. " Milton.
2. Not easily broken; able to endure hardship; firm; strong; as, tough sinews. Cowper.
A body made of brass, the crone demands, . . .
Tough to the last, and with no toil to tire.
Dryden.
The basis of his character was caution combined with tough tenacity of purpose.
J. A. Symonds. 3. Not easily separated; viscous; clammy; tenacious; as, tough phlegm.
4. Stiff; rigid; not flexible; stubborn; as, a tough bow.
So tough a frame she could not bend.
Dryden. 5. Severe; violent; as, a tough storm. [Colloq.] " A tough debate. " Fuller.
To make it tough, to make it a matter of difficulty; to make it a hard matter. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Tough-cake
(Tough"-cake`) n. See Tough- pitch (b).
Toughen
(Tough"en) v. i. & t. [imp. & p. p. Toughened ; p. pr. & vb. n. Toughening.] To grow or
make tough, or tougher.
Tough-head
(Tough"-head`) n. (Zoöl.) The ruddy duck. [ Local U. S. ]
Toughish
(Tough"ish), a. Tough in a slight degree.
Toughly
(Tough"ly), adv. In a tough manner.
Toughness
(Tough"ness), n. The quality or state of being tough.
Tough-pitch
(Tough"-pitch`) n. (Metal.) (a) The exact state or quality of texture and consistency of
well reduced and refined copper. (b) Copper so reduced; — called also tough-cake.
Touite
(Tou"ite) n. The wood warbler. [Prov. Eng.]
Toupee
(Tou*pee" Tou*pet") (?; 277) n. [F. toupet, dim. of OF. top a tuft; of Teutonic origin, and akin to
E. top. See Top apex, and cf. Topet.]
1. A little tuft; a curl or artificial lock of hair.
2. A small wig, or a toppiece of a wig.
Her powdered hair is turned backward over a toupee.
G. Eliot.
