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temerity
(n.) foolhardiness
Temerity can result in tragedy if the activity is dangerous.
temper
(v.) to moderate, as by mingling with something else; to bring to the
proper condition by treatment
She drew a hot bath, but then realized she'd have to temper it with a
little cool water or end up scalded.
The craftsman tempered the steel before being able to twist it to form
a table leg.
temperament
(n.) one's customary frame of mind
The girl's temperament is usually very calm.
tenacious
(adj.) holding; persistent
With a tenacious grip, the man was finally able to pull the nail from
the wall.
After his tenacious pleas, she finally conceded.
His hold on his dreams is as tenacious as anyone I know.
tenet
(n.) a principle accepted as authoritative
The tenets of socialism were explained in the book.
tensile
(adj.) undergoing or exerting tension
The pipeline was capable of flexing to withstand the tremendous tensile
strain that might accompany an seismic movement.
tentative
(adj.) not confirmed; indefinite
Not knowing if he'd be able to get the days off, Al went ahead anyway
and made tentative vacation plans with his pal.
tenuous
(adj.) thin, slim, delicate; weak
The hurricane force winds ripped the tenuous branches from the tree.
The spectators panicked as they watched the cement block dangle from one
tenuous piece of twine.
tepid
(adj.) lacking warmth, interest, enthusiasm; lukewarm
The tepid bath water was perfect for relaxing after a long day.
termagant
(n.) a constantly quarrelsome woman
Agreement with the termagant was an impossibility.
terrestrial
(adj.) pertaining to the earth
Deer are terrestrial animals; fish are aquatic.
terse
(adj.) concise; abrupt
She believed in getting to the point, so she always gave terse answers.
The terse speech contained only the essential comments.
tether
(n.) the range or limit of one's abilities; rope or chain used to keep
a boat from drifting or an animal from wandering
My tether of playing basketball is shooting air balls.
The bulldog was tethered to his doghouse.
thrall
(n.) a slave
The worker was treated like a thrall, having to work many hours of overtime.
thrifty
(adj.) frugal, careful with money
Being thrifty, the woman would not purchase the item without a coupon.
The thrifty couple saved money by taking the bus to work.
throe
(n.) spasm or pang; agony
A particularly violent throe knocked her off her feet.
The wounded soldier squirmed in throes of agony.
thwart
(v.) prevent from accomplishing a purpose; frustrate
Their attempt to take over the country was thwarted by the palace guard.
timbre
(n.) the quality of sound which distinguishes one from another
The timbre of guitar music is different from that of piano music.
timorous
(adj.) lacking courage; timid
The timorous child hid behind his parents.
Hillary came to accept him as a timorous soul who needed succor.
torpid
(adj.) being dormant; slow, sluggish
When we came upon the hibernating bear, it was in a torpid state.
A torpid animal does not act with energy.
The old, torpid dog spent most of his time sleeping.
tortuous
(adj.) full of twists and turns; not straight forward; possibly deceitful
The suspect confessed after becoming confused by the tortuous questioning
of the captain.
toxic
(adj.) poisonous
It's best to store cleansing solutions out of children's reach because
of their toxic contents.
tractable
(adj.) easily managed (opposite: intractable)
The boat was so lightweight it was tractable by one person.
Having a tractable staff made her job a lot easier.
traduce
(v.) to defame or slander
His actions traduced his reputation.
tranquillity
(n.) peace; stillness; harmony
The tranquillity of the tropical island was reflected in its calm blue
waters and warm sunny climate.
transmutation
(n.) a changed form
Somewhere in the network's entertainment division, the show underwent
a transmutation from a half-hour sitcom into an hour-long drama.
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