tu be top (tube tops ) N‑COUNT A tube top is a piece of women's clothing that is made of stretchy material and covers her chest but leaves her shoulders bare. [AM ] in BRIT, use boob tube
tub|ing /tjuː b I ŋ, [AM ] tuː -/ N‑UNCOUNT Tubing is plastic, rubber, or another material in the shape of a tube. □ …metres of plastic tubing.
tubu|lar /tjuː bjʊlə r , [AM ] tuː -/ ADJ Something that is tubular is long, round, and hollow in shape, like a tube. □ …a modern table with chrome tubular legs.
TUC /tiː juː siː / N‑PROPER In Britain, the TUC is an organization which represents trade unions, and to which most trade unions belong. TUC is an abbreviation for 'Trades Union Congress'.
tuck /tʌ k/ (tucks , tucking , tucked )
1 VERB If you tuck something somewhere, you put it there so that it is safe, comfortable, or neat. □ [V n prep] He tried to tuck his flapping shirt inside his trousers. □ [V -ed] She found a rose tucked under the windscreen wiper of her car one morning.
2 N‑COUNT You can use tuck to refer to a form of plastic surgery which involves reducing the size of a part of someone's body. □ She'd undergone 13 operations, including a tummy tuck.
▸ tuck away
1 PHRASAL VERB If you tuck away something such as money, you store it in a safe place. □ [V P n] The extra income has meant Phillippa can tuck away the rent. □ [V n P ] I tucked the box away in the linen drawer.
2 PHRASAL VERB [usu passive] If someone or something is tucked away , they are well hidden in a quiet place where very few people go. □ [be V -ed P ] We were tucked away in a secluded corner of the room.
▸ tuck in
1 PHRASAL VERB If you tuck in a piece of material, you keep it in position by placing one edge or end of it behind or under something else. For example, if you tuck in your shirt, you place the bottom part of it inside your trousers or skirt. □ [V P n] 'Probably,' I said, tucking in my shirt. □ [V n P ] Tuck the sheets in firmly.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you tuck a child in bed or tuck them in , you make them comfortable by straightening the sheets and blankets and pushing the loose ends under the mattress. □ [V n P n] I read Lili a story and tucked her in her own bed. □ [V n P ] My mother would tuck me in, turn out the lights and tiptoe out.
▸ tuck into or tuck in PHRASAL VERB If someone tucks into a meal or tucks in , they start eating enthusiastically or hungrily. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V P n] She tucked into a breakfast of scrambled eggs. □ [V P ] Tuck in, it's the last hot food you'll get for a while.
▸ tuck up PHRASAL VERB If you tuck a child up in bed, you tuck them in. [BRIT ] □ [V n P ] She tucked them up in bed. □ [V P n] He mostly stayed at home tucking up the children. □ [V -ed P ] She had gone to work believing Helen was safely tucked up in bed.
tuck|er /tʌ kə r / N‑UNCOUNT Tucker is food. [mainly AUSTRALIAN , INFORMAL ] □ …a man who knows what constitutes decent tucker and how to go about serving it up.
tuck|ered out /tʌ kə r d aʊ t/ or tuckered ADJ If you are tuckered or tuckered out , you are extremely tired. [mainly AM , INFORMAL ]
Tues. also Tue. Tues. is a written abbreviation for Tuesday .
Tues|day /tjuː zde I , -di, [AM ] tuː z-/ (Tuesdays ) N‑VAR Tuesday is the day after Monday and before Wednesday. □ He phoned on Tuesday, just before you came. □ On Tuesdays and Saturdays the market comes to town. □ They left Zeebrugge on Tuesday evening.
tuft /tʌ ft/ (tufts ) N‑COUNT A tuft of something such as hair or grass is a small amount of it which is growing together in one place or is held together at the bottom. □ [+ of ] He had a small tuft of hair on his chin.
tuft|ed /tʌ ft I d/ ADJ Something that is tufted has a tuft or tufts on it.
tug /tʌ g/ (tugs , tugging , tugged )
1 VERB If you tug something or tug at it, you give it a quick and usually strong pull. □ [V + at ] A little boy came running up and tugged at his sleeve excitedly. □ [V n] She kicked him, tugging his thick hair. [Also V ] ● N‑COUNT Tug is also a noun. □ [+ at ] I felt a tug at my sleeve.
2 N‑COUNT A tug or a tug boat is a small powerful boat which pulls large ships, usually when they come into a port.
tu g-of-lo ve N‑SING [usu N n] Journalists sometimes use tug-of-love to refer to a situation in which the parents of a child are divorced and one of the parents tries to get the child from the other, for example by taking him or her illegally. [BRIT ] □ A mother yesterday won a tug-of-love battle for custody of her twin daughters.
tu g-of-wa r (tugs-of-war ) also tug of war
1 N‑VAR A tug-of-war is a sports event in which two teams test their strength by pulling against each other on opposite ends of a rope.
2 N‑VAR You can use tug-of-war to refer to a situation in which two people or groups both want the same thing and are fairly equally matched in their struggle to get it. □ The team's No 8 was at the centre of a tug-of-war for his services between England and Wales.
tui|tion /tju I ʃ ə n, [AM ] tu-/
1 N‑UNCOUNT If you are given tuition in a particular subject, you are taught about that subject. □ [+ in ] The courses will give the beginner personal tuition in all types of outdoor photography.