[tower of strength]{n. phr.} Someone who is strong, helpful, and sympathetic, and can always be relied on in times of trouble. •/John was a veritable tower of strength to our family while my father was in the war and my mother lay ill in the hospital./
[town] See: GO TO TOWN, ON THE TOWN, PAINT THE TOWN RED.
[town and gown]{n.} The residents of a college town and the students and teachers of the college. •/The senator made a speech attended by both town and gown./ •/There were fights between town and gown./
[toy with an] or [the idea] {v. phr.} To consider an idea or an offer periodically without coming to a decision. •/He was toying with the idea of accepting the company’s offer of the vice presidency in Tokyo, but he was unable to decide./
[to your hat] See: HANG ON TO YOUR HAT or HOLD ON TO YOUR HAT.
[trace] See: KICK OVER THE TRACES also JUMP THE TRACES.
[track] See: COVER ONE’S TRACKS, IN ONE’S TRACKS, INSIDE TRACK, JUMP THE TRACK, KEEP TRACK, LOSE TRACK, MAKE TRACKS, OFF THE BEATEN TRACK, ON THE TRACK OF, THE TRACKS.
[track down]{v.} To find by or as if by following tracks or a trail. •/The hunters tracked down game in the forest./ •/She spent weeks in the library tracking the reference down in all their hooks on the subject./ Compare: HUNT DOWN.
[trade] See: CARRIAGE TRADE, HORSE TRADE, TRICKS OF THE TRADE.
[trade in]{v.} To give something to a seller as part payment for another thing of greater value. •/The Browns traded their old car in on a new one./ Syn.: TURN IN(3).
[trade-in]{n.} Something given as part payment on something better. •/The dealer took our old car as a trade-in./ — Often used like an adjective. •/We cleaned up the car at trade-in time./
[trade on]{v.} To use as a way of helping yourself. •/The coach traded on the pitcher’s weakness for left-handed batters by using all his southpaws./ •/The senator’s son traded on his father’s name when he ran for mayor./
[trading stamp]{n.} One of the stamps that you get (as from a store or gas station) because you buy something there; a stamp you get with a purchase and save in special books until you have enough to take to a special store and trade for something you want. •/Mother always buys things in stores where they give trading stamps./
[trail] See: BLAZE A TRAIL, ON THE TRACK OF or ON THE TRAIL OF.
[trail-blazer] See: BLAZE A TRAIL.
[trap] See: MIND LIKE A STEEL TRAP, SAND TRAP, SPEED TRAP.
[travel light]{v. phr.} To travel with very little luggage or with very little to carry. •/Plane passengers must travel light./ •/Tom and Fred traveled light on their camping trip./
[tread on the toes of] or [tread on one’s toes] See: STEP ON THE TOES OF or STEP ON ONE’S TOES.
[tread water]{v. phr.} To keep the head above water with the body in an upright position by moving the feet as if walking. •/He kept afloat by treading water./
[treat] See: TRICK OR TREAT.
[tree] See: BARK UP THE WRONG TREE, CAN’T SEE THE WOOD FOR THE TREES, UP A TREE.
[trembling] See: FEAR AND TREMBLING.
[trial] See: ON TRIAL.
[trial and error]{n.} A way of solving problems by trying different possible solutions until you find one that works. •/John found the short circuit by trial and error./ •/The only way Tom could solve the algebra problem was by the method of trial and error./
[trial balloon]{n.} A hint about a plan of action that is given out to find out what people will say. •/John mentioned the class presidency to Bill as a trial balloon to see if Bill might be interested in running./ •/The editorial was a trial balloon to test the public’s reaction to a change in the school day./
[trice] See: IN A FLASH also IN A TRICE.
[trick] See: DO THE TRICK, TURN THE TRICK.
[trick of the trade]{n. phr.}, {usually in plural}, {informal} 1. A piece of expert knowledge; a smart, quick, or skillful way of working at a trade or job. •/Mr. Olson spent years learning the tricks of the trade as a carpenter./ •/Any one can learn how to hang wallpaper, but only an expert can show you the tricks of the trade./ 2. A smart and sometimes tricky or dishonest way of doing something in order to succeed or win. •/The champion knows all the tricks of the boxing trade; he knows many ways to hurt his opponent and to get him mixed up./
[trick or treat]{n.} The custom of going from house to house on Halloween asking for small gifts and playing tricks on people who refuse to give. •/When Mrs. Jones answered the doorbell, the children yelled "Trick or treat." Mrs. Jones gave them all some candy./ •/On Halloween Bill and Tom went out playing trick or treat./
[trigger] See: QUICK ON THE TRIGGER.
[trigger happy] See: QUICK ON THE TRIGGER(1).
[triple threat]{n.} A football player who is able to pass, kick, and run all very well. •/The triple threat halfback was the star of the team./
[tripped out]{adj.}, {slang}, {informal} Incoherent, confused, faulty of speech, illogical; as if under the influence of drugs or alcohol. •/It was hard to make sense of anything Fred said yesterday, he sounded so tripped out./ See: SPACED OUT.
[trip up]{v.} 1. To make (someone) unsteady on the feet; cause to miss a step, stumble, or fall. •/A root tripped Billy up while he was running in the woods, and he fell and hurt his ankle./ 2. To cause (someone) to make a mistake. •/The teacher asked tricky questions in the test to trip up students who were not alert./
[trolley] See: OFF ONE’S ROCKER or OFF ONE’S TROLLEY.
[trot out]{v. phr.} To bring out for inspection; display. •/Don’t mention compact disks to Joe, or he’ll trot out his entire collection and we’ll be stuck here all night./
[trouble] See: BORROW TROUBLE, GO TO THE TROUBLE or TAKE THE TROUBLE.
[troubled waters] See: POUR OIL ON TROUBLED WATERS.
[trousers] See: WEAR THE TROUSERS.
[trowel] See: LAY IT ON.
[truck] See: PANEL TRUCK.
[true] See: COME TRUE, HOLD TRUE, RUN TRUE TO FORM.
[trump] See: HOLD ALL THE TRUMPS.
[trump card]{n.} Something kept back to be used to win success if nothing else works. •/The coach saved his star pitcher for a trump card./ •/Mary had several ways to get Joan to come to her party. Her trump card was that the football captain would be there./
[trump up]{v.} To make up (something untrue); invent in the mind. •/Every time Tom is late getting home he trumps up some new excuse./ •/The Russians were afraid he was a spy, so they arrested him on a trumped-up charge and made him leave the country./
[trust] See: IN TRUST.
[truth] See: CHILDREN AND FOOLS SPEAK THE TRUTH.
[try on]{v.} To put (clothing) on to see if it fits. •/She tried on several pairs of shoes before she found one she liked./ •/The clerk told him to try the coat on./
[try one’s hand]{v. phr.} To make an inexperienced attempt (at something unfamiliar.) •/I thought I would try my hand at bowling, although I had never bowled before./
[try one’s wings]{v. phr.} To try out a recently acquired ability. •/Marjorie just had her twelfth French lesson and wants to try her wings by speaking with our visitors from Paris./
[tryout]{n.} An audience at a theater or opera for would-be actors and singers. •/The Civic Opera is holding tryouts throughout all of next week. Maybe I’ll go and see if I can sing in the chorus./
[try out]{v. phr.} 1. To test by trial or by experimenting. •/He tried golf out to see if he would like it./ •/The scientists tried out thousands of chemicals before they found the right one./ •/The coach wants to try the new play out in the first game./ 2. To try for a place on a team or in a group. •/Tom tried out for the basketball team./ •/Shirley will try out for the lead in the play./ Compare: OUT FOR.
[tuck] See: NIP AND TUCK.
[tucker] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER.
[tuck in]{v. phr.} To place the covers carefully around the person (usually a child) in bed. •/When I was a child, my mother used to tuck me into bed every night./
[tug-of-war]{n.} 1. A game in which two teams pull on opposite ends of a rope, trying to pull the other team over a line marked on the ground. •/The tug-of-war ended when both teams tumbled in a heap./ 2. A contest in which two sides try to defeat each other; struggle. •/A tug-of-war developed between the boys who wanted to go fishing and those who wanted to go hiking./ •/Betty felt a tug-of-war between her wish to go to the movies and her realizing she had to do her homework./ •/The tug of war between the union men and management ended in a long strike./
[tune] See: CALL THE TUNE, CHANGE ONE’S TUNE, IN TUNE, SING A DIFFERENT TUNE or WHISTLE A DIFFERENT TUNE also SING A NEW TUNE, TO THE TUNE OF.
[tune in] To adjust a radio or television set to pick up a certain station. •/Bob tuned in his portable radio to a record show./ •/Tom tuned in to Channel 11 to hear the news./
[tune out]{v. phr.} To not listen to something. •/"How can you work in such a noisy environment?" Jane asked Sue. "Well, I simply tune it out," she answered./
[tune up]{v.} 1a. To adjust (a musical instrument) to make the right sound. •/Before he began to play, Harry tuned up his banjo./ 1b. To adjust a musical instrument or a group of musical instruments to the right sound. •/The orchestra came in and began to tune up for the concert./ 2. To adjust many parts of (car engine) which must work together so that it will run properly. •/He took his car to the garage to have the engine tuned up./
[tune-up]{n.} 1. The adjusting or fixing of something (as a motor) to make it work safely and well. •/Father says the car needs a tune-up before winter begins./ 2. Exercise or practicing for the purpose of getting ready; a trial before something. •/The team went to the practice field for their last tune-up before the game tomorrow./ Syn.: WARM UP.
[turkey] See: TALK TURKEY.
[turn] See: AT EVERY TURN, BLOOD RUN COLD or BLOOD TURNS TO ICE, BY TURNS, CALL THE TURN at CALL ONE’S SHOTS(2), EVERY TIME ONE TURNS AROUND, IN TURN, NOT KNOW WHICH WAY TO TURN, OUT OF TURN, TAKE A TURN, TAKE TURNS, TO A T or TO A TURN.
[turn a blind eye]{v. phr.} To pretend not to see; not pay attention. •/The corrupt police chief turned a blind eye to the open gambling in the town./ •/Bob turned a blind eye to the "No Fishing" sign./ Compare: CLOSE ONE’S EYES.
[turn a cold shoulder] See: COLD SHOULDER.
[turn a deaf ear to]{v. phr.} To pretend not to hear; refuse to hear; not pay attention. •/Mary turned a deaf ear to Lois’s asking to ride her bicycle./ •/The teacher turned a deaf ear to Bob’s excuse./ Compare: COLD SHOULDER.
[turn a hand]{v. phr.} To do anything to help. — Usually used in the negative. •/When we were all hurrying to get the house ready for company, Mary sat reading and wouldn’t turn a hand./ Syn.: LIFT A FINGER.
[turn an honest penny]{v. phr.} To realize a good profit. •/Tom turned an honest penny in the soybean trading business./ Compare: PRETTY PENNY.
[turn back the clock] See: PUT BACK THE CLOCK.
[turn color]{v. phr.} To become a different color. •/In the fall the leaves turn color./ •/When the dye was added the solution turned color./
[turn down]{v.} 1. To reduce the loudness, brightness, or force of. •/The theater lights were turned down./ •/Turn down that radio, will you?/ •/The hose was throwing too much water so I turned down the water a little bit./ 2. To refuse to accept; reject. •/His request for a raise was turned down./ •/If she offers to help, I’ll turn her down./ •/Many boys courted Lynn, but she turned them all down./
[turn for the worse] See: FOR THE WORSE.
