or teeth, subs. (colloquial).—A special taste, palate, or relish; a great liking. Hence TOOTHY (or TOOTHFUL) = palatable, to one’s liking; THE RUN OF ONE’S TEETH = keep, maintenance; SOMETHING FOR THE TOOTH = (1) food, and (2) a tit-bit (GROSE); TO LOVE THE TOOTH = to gourmandise; TOOTH-MUSIC = mastication (GROSE).

1

  1581.  J. LYLY, Euphues [ARBER], 308. I am glad that my Adonis hath a sweete TOOTH in his head.

2

  1607.  DEKKER, Northward Hoe, iv. 4. Having met one fit for his own TOOTH, you see, he skips from us.

3

  1610.  HOLLAND, trans. Camden, 543. Very delicate dainties, indeed, of service, meates for the Demigods, and greatly sought by these that LOVE THE TOOTH so well.

4

  1622.  MASSINGER, The Virgin Martyr, v. 1. If so TOOTHFULL, I will be banqueted.

5

  1697.  DRYDEN, Persius’s Satires, iii. 229. These are not dishes for thy dainty TOOTH.

6

  1769–78.  TUCKER, The Light of Nature Pursued, II. II. xxiii. My compatriots … are too squeamish in their taste, and fonder of the TOOTHSOME than the wholesome.

7

  1875.  M. COLLINS, Blacksmith and Scholar, i. The splendid saddle (the Squire’s own Southdowns) which melted so TOOTHSOMELY in the mouth.

8

  1889.  The Alienist and Neurologist, x. July, 459. A certain relaxation subsequently occurs, during which meat or game, which is at first tough, becomes more tender and TOOTHY.

9

  1889.  H. DE BLOWITZ, A Chapter from My Memoirs, in Harper’s Magazine, lxxviii. May, 867. Affable greetings, pressing invitations, great courtesy, but nothing, absolutely nothing, for the impatient TOOTH of a correspondent.

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  PHRASES AND COMBINATIONS.—HEN’S TEETH = anything imaginary or rare, a rara avis: cf. black swan; IN SPITE OF ONE’S TEETH = (1) in face of opposition; (2) under protest; IN THE TEETH = (1) with difficulty or much ado; (2) at long odds, or against the grain; and (3) to one’s face; TO CAST (or THROW) IN THE TEETH = to accuse, blame, or bring home to: see Matthew xxvii. 44; TO GRIND (or SHOW) ONE’S TEETH = to take amiss, to get angry; TO SET ONE’S TEETH = to steel oneself, to put one’s foot down; TO ONE’S TEETH = resolutely, boldly, openly; FROM ONE’S TEETH = reluctantly, as a matter of form, not seriously; TO HIT IN THE TEETH = to taunt, to twit; TO HIDE ONE’S TEETH = to dissemble, to feign friendship; TO LIE IN ONE’S TEETH = to tell unblushing falsehoods; WITH TEETH AND ALL (see TOOTH-AND-NAIL); BETWEEN THE TEETH = in a whisper, aside; TO SET THE TEETH ON EDGE = to repel, offend, or shock; TO TAKE THE BIT IN ONE’S TEETH = to cast aside restraint, ‘to kick over the traces’; TO HAVE CUT ONE’S EYE (or HIGH) TEETH = to be cute or knowing, to know WHAT’S WHAT (q.v.); OLD IN THE TOOTH = advanced in years: spec. in contempt of old maids; ARMED TO THE TEETH = fully prepared, alert, AWAKE (q.v.); BY THE SKIN OF THE TEETH = barely, ‘by a close shave’; CLEAN AS A HOUND’S TOOTH = as clean as may be, highly polished; TO CARRY A BONE IN THE TEETH (see BONE); TO HAVE THE TEETH WELL AFLOAT (or UNDER) = to be drunk; TO THE HARD TEETH = very severely; TO GO TO GRASS WITH TEETH UPWARDS = to be buried; TO DRAW TEETH = (medical students’: obsolete) to wrench off knockers; DOG’S-TOOTH = a snaggle tooth, a TOMBSTONE (q.v.); COLT’S-TOOTH (see ante); ‘He ought to have his teeth drawn’ = He should be curbed, SAT UPON (q.v.).

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  1542.  UDALL, The Apophthegmes of Erasmus, 355. Cicero mocked her TO THE HARDE TEETH.

12

  1593 (and after).  SHAKESPEARE [see quots. s.v. TEETH].

13

  1596.  DRAYTON, The Barons’ Wars, ii. 43.

        Mowbray in fight him matchless honour won; …
Gifford seemed danger TO HER TEETH to dare.

14

  1603.  The Court and Times of James the First. [Among the verbs is] SHOW OUR TEETH.

15

  1614.  FLETCHER, Wit at Several Weapons, v. i. If you have done me a good turn, do not HIT ME I’TH’ TEETH with’t, that’s not the Part of a Friend.

16

  1653.  URQUHART, Rabelais, i. 49. Four brigades … had no sooner reached the top of the hill but they met Picrochole IN THE TEETH, and those that were with him scattered.

17

  1663.  DRYDEN, The Wild Gallant, iv. 1. I am confident she’s angry but FROM THE TEETH OUTWARDS.

18

  d. 1713.  ELLWOOD, Life [HOWELL], 322. The jailer … HID HIS TEETH … putting on a show of kindness.

19

  1725.  YOUNG, Love of Fame, i. 17. When the Law SHEWS HER TEETH, but dare not bite.

20

  1790.  BRUCE, Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, I. 62. A strong, steady gale almost directly IN THEIR TEETH.

21

  1828.  MACAULAY, Hallam’s Constitutional History. As the oath taken by the clergy was IN THE TEETH of their principles, so was their conduct in the teeth of their oath.

22

  1876.  BLACKMORE, Cripps, the Carrier, i. The Carrier scarcely knew what to do IN THE TEETH of so urgent a message.

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