tee

dressed to a/the tee

Very well-dressed and fashionable, as or as if for a formal event. I have to be dressed to a tee at this gala tonight—a lot of important people will be there. The whole family will be dressed to the tee at the wedding, I'll make sure of it. You can't just wear a cocktail dress to an event with the president—you have to come in dressed to a tee!

See also: dress, tee, to

fit (one) to a tee

1. To be exactly the right size for one. I was worried the dress would be too snug, but it actually fits me to a tee! That sweater never fit me right, but you look great—it fits you to a tee. Why don't you keep it? Nothing ever fits me to a tee off the rack—I have to get everything altered.

2. To be ideal or perfectly appropriate for one; to be completely in line with one's tastes, preferences, interests, style, etc. A: "Gosh, it's been sweltering lately!" B: "I'm cold all the time, so this hot weather fits me to a tee." I was nervous when he said he was buying a purple tuxedo, but it somehow fits him to a tee. That kind of work fitted her to a tee, but when the company closed, she had to settle for something a bit more mundane.

See also: fit, tee, to

have (something) down to a T

To be able to do something very easily, adroitly, or efficiently, typically due to one's extensive experience at it. I'm a working mom of three, so I've got lunch-making down to a T on schooldays. Just keep practicing, and before long you'll have it down to a T. I had my routine down to a T so there wouldn't be any room for error during the performance.

See also: down, have, to

have (something) down to a tee

To be able to do something very easily, adroitly, or efficiently, typically due to one's extensive experience at it. I'm a working mom of three, so I've got lunch-making down to a tee on schooldays. Just keep practicing, and before long you'll have it down to a tee. I had my routine down to a tee so there wouldn't be any room for error during the performance.

See also: down, have, tee, to

suit (one) to a tee

To be ideal or perfectly appropriate for one; to be completely in line with one's tastes, preferences, interests, style, etc. A: "Gosh, it's been sweltering lately!" B: "I'm cold all the time, so this hot weather suits me to a tee." I was nervous when he said he was buying a purple tuxedo, but it somehow suits him to a tee. That kind of work suited her to a tee, but when the company closed she had to settle for something a bit more mundane.

See also: suit, tee, to

tee many martoonies

A humorous misstatement of the expression "too many martinis," intended to sound like it was pronounced by a drunk person. The phrase is often used to imply that someone is not sober. A: "Uh oh, Karen's up on the stage doing karaoke again!" B: "Oh yeah, she's definitely had tee many martoonies."

See also: many, tee

tee off

1. To begin a game of golf by hitting the ball on the first hole. We tee off at 9 AM, so you should arrive at the golf course around 8:30. It was already nearing 90 degrees when we teed off, so we weren't sure if we would make it through all 18 holes.

2. By extension, to begin or mark the beginning of something; to kick something off. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "tee" and "off." They teed off the party with a game of musical chairs. Let's tee things off with some brainstorming exercises.

3. To make someone particularly annoyed, angry, or frustrated. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "tee" and "off." It really tees me off the way people drive in the bus lane, when they clearly aren't supposed to! Nothing teed my mom off more than having guests come into the house with dirty shoes.

See also: off, tee

tee up

1. To place a golf ball on a tee and line oneself up to take a shot. Please by quiet while other players are teeing up. He teed up and hit the ball, only to see it disappear into the sand trap.

2. To put a ball of some kind into the proper position ahead of a shot. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "tee" and "up." The kicker teed the ball up and delivered an amazing shot through the keeper's hands to the top-right corner of the net.

3. To put someone or something into a position of readiness for some imminent action. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "tee" and "up." Senators from both political parties helped tee up the legislation, with a vote expected as early as Tuesday. The reduction of interest rates by the federal reserve has teed the economy up for explosive growth in the coming year. The mayor's statement teed up his opponent for a barrage of scathing accusations.

See also: tee, up

teed (off)

Exceptionally annoyed, angry, or frustrated. There's no use getting teed off about something that's out of your control! I was so teed by the end of the presentation that I had to just leave the conference room before I shouted at someone.

See also: tee

tee-tee

childish slang

1. noun Urine. You have to be careful when you use the potty that no tee-tee gets on the floor or your clothes.

2. verb To urinate. Do you need to poo-poo or tee-tee, sweetie? Mommy, Daddy? I tee-teed in my bed while I was sleeping.

to a tee

Perfectly; completely; exactly. More commonly seen as "to a T." The origin of the phrase is uncertain. You look beautiful. That color really suits you to a tee. You have to make sure the fabric lines up to a tee, or the stitching will start coming out before too long. Bold, reckless, and daring—that fits him to a tee all right.

See also: tee, to

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

tee off

 

1. Lit. to start the first hole in a game of golf. It's time to tee off. Let's get on the course. What time do we tee off?

2. Fig. to begin [doing anything]; to be the first one to start something. The master of ceremonies teed off with a few jokes and then introduced the first act. Everyone is seated and ready to begin. Why don't you tee off?

See also: off, tee

tee someone off

Sl. to make someone angry. (See also teed off.) That really teed me off! Well, you sure managed to tee off everybody!

See also: off, tee

teed off

Inf. angry. I'm not teed off! I'm enraged. I was so teed off I could have spit!

See also: off, tee

teed (up)

Sl. intoxicated. She was totally teed up by midnight. Tom was too teed to drive.

See also: tee

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

tee off

1. Start or begin, as in We teed off the fundraising drive with a banquet. This usage is a metaphor taken from golf, where tee off means "start play by driving a golf ball from the tee." [Second half of 1900s]

2. Make angry or irritated, as in That rude comment teed him off, or I was teed off because it rained all weekend. [Slang; mid-1900s] Also see tick off.

See also: off, tee

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

to a tee

or

to a T

COMMON People use to a tee or to a T to mean that something is perfectly or exactly right. The description of the thieves fitted them to a tee. Note: People also say down to a tee or down to a T. The job suits him down to a tee. Lucy wanted perfection, and everything had to be exactly right, rehearsed down to a T. Note: People say that someone has something down to a tee or down to a T to mean that they have practised it and are now able to do it perfectly. He had the organization of the event down to a tee, writing each person an individual letter about it all. Note: T stands for `tittle', a small mark in printing such as the dot over an i. The expression refers to writing being very clear and exactly right.

See also: tee, to

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

to a ˈT/ˈtee

(British English, informal) exactly; perfectly: This new job suits me to a T (= it is perfect for me). ♢ This portrait is excellent — it’s Rosemary to a T. This may be a short form of the old phrase to a tittle which meant ‘to the smallest detail’. A tittle was a small mark or point on a letter.

See also: tee, to

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

tee off

v.

1. To drive a golf ball from the tee: The golfer teed off with a 300-yard drive.

2. To hit something or someone solidly with a sweeping blow or stroke: The batter teed off on the pitch and the ball flew over the outfield wall. The boxer was staggering, and his opponent teed off with a hard right-hand punch.

3. To start or begin something: They teed off the fundraising campaign with a dinner. We teed the evening off with cocktails at the hotel.

4. To start; begin: The conference will tee off Saturday morning.

5. Slang To make someone angry or disgusted: These phone solicitations really tee me off. The rude remarks teed off the speaker.

6. tee off on Slang To attack someone verbally: Critics teed off on the mayor for failing to balance the budget.

See also: off, tee

tee up

v.

To place some ball on a tee: The golfer bent over and teed the ball up. The kicker teed up the football and stepped backward. The golfer pulled out a golf club and teed up.

See also: tee, up

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

tee someone off

tv. to make someone angry. (see also teed off.) Well, you sure managed to tee off everybody!

See also: off, someone, tee

teed off

mod. angry. I was so teed off I could have spit!

See also: off, tee

teed (up)

mod. alcohol or drug intoxicated. She was totally teed up by midnight.

See also: tee, up

teed

verb

See teed up

See also: tee

tee-tee

(ˈtiti)

1. in. to urinate. (Juvenile. Usually objectionable.) Jimmy, please go tee-tee before we leave.

2. n. urine. (Juvenile. Usually objectionable.) There’s tee-tee on the floor.

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

to a tee

Perfectly; exactly: a plan that suits me to a tee.

See also: tee, to

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.