teetotum
- noun
- /ˈtiːtəˌtʌm/
- Archaic
:
trompo
- The old wooden teetotum was passed down through generations.
Examples
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She explained the rules of the game that involved a teetotum to her friends.
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The teetotum spun gracefully on the table.
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As a child, he loved watching the teetotum spin on the kitchen floor.
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Children love to play with teetotums during recess.
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As a child, he loved watching the teetotum spin on the kitchen floor.
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She explained the rules of the game that involved a teetotum to her friends.
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Children love to play with teetotums during recess.
Synonyms
81
1.8
A small toy that spins on a point
1
1.3
A small toy that turns quickly on a sharp point
A small toy that spins quickly on a point like a top
A wooden toy shaped like a pear with a metal point you spin with a string
Surface Forms
Etymology
Teetotum names a small spinning toy used in games. It comes from older European words for things that 'turn', so a simple way to remember it is to think of a top, a little object players spin to choose what happens in a game. That's why a teetotum means this kind of game top.