team

A set of draught animals, such as two horses in front of a carriage.

Interjection

  1. Used to propose that another player team up with the speaker.

Origin

From Middle English tem, teem, teme, from Old English tēam (“child-bearing, offspring, brood, set of draught animals”), from Proto-West Germanic *taum, from Proto-Germanic *taumaz (“that which draws or pulls”), from Proto-Germanic *taugijaną, *tugōną, *teuhōną, *teuhaną (“to lead, bring, pull, draw”), from Proto-Indo-European *dewk- (“to pull, lead”). Cognate with Scots team, teem (“a chain, harness”), Saterland Frisian Toom (“bridle; breeding”), West Frisian team (“bridle, team”), Dutch toom (“bridle, reins, flock of birds”), German Low German Toom (“bridle”), German Zaum (“bridle”), Danish tømme (“rein”), Swedish töm (“leash, rein”). More at teem, tie, tow.

Noun

  1. A set of draught animals, such as two horses in front of a carriage.
    • It happened almost every day that coaches stuck fast, until a team of cattle could be procured from some neighbouring farm to tug them out of the slough. - 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter III, in The...
    • The adjacent alleys were choked with tethered wagons, the teams reversed and nuzzling gnawed corn-ears over the tail-boards. - 1931, William Faulkner, Sanctuary, Vintage, published 1993, page 111:
  2. Any group of people involved in the same activity, especially sports or work.
    • We need more volunteers for the netball team.
    • The IT manager leads a team of three software developers.
  3. A group of animals moving together, especially young ducks.
    • she will wonder to have a teeme of ducklings about her - 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “(please specify |book=I to XXXVII)”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly...
    • a long team of snowy swans on high - 1697, Virgil, “Aeneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
  4. A royalty or privilege granted by royal charter to a lord of a manor, of having, keeping, and judging in his court, his bondmen, neifes, and villains, and their offspring, or suit, that is, goods and chattels, and appurtenances thereto.
    • TEAM, Theam, Tem, Them. Sax. [from tyman, to propagate, to teem.] In old English law. Literally, an offspring, race or generation. A royalty or privilege granted by royal charter to a lord of a manor, of having, keeping...
  5. A group of people who favor one side of a binary debate that is divided and lacks a well-established clear consensus.
    • As Jan. 1, 2020, approaches, it turns out there is a Team Zero and a Team 1 – those who believe the new decade will begin after midnight on the upcoming New Year's Eve and those who believe the burgeoning celebrations...

Forms

teams

Derived

A team away team bat for the other team blue team B team bubble team Cinderella team country team crack team crash team crisis response team cyberteam dog team don't change a winning team double team dream team expansion team factory team farm team fireteam first team foreteam go team go-team

Verb Entry 3

  1. To form a group, as for sports or work.
    • They teamed to complete the project.

    Synonyms: team up

  2. To go together well; to harmonize.
    • Rich, creamy avocado is cut back by the citrus sharpness of grapefruit in this Israeli-inspired salad. It's brilliant for a brunchy breakfast, and teams well with grilled salmon, tuna, or mackerel for dinner. - 2005,...
  3. To convey or haul with a team.
    • to team lumber
    • the farmer has been all winter teaming wood along the river - 1857, Henry David Thoreau journal entry for Feb. 4 1857
  4. To form together into a team.
    • to team oxen
  5. To give work to a gang under a subcontractor.

Forms

teams teaming teamed

Derived

double-team team up team up with

Verb alt of, misspelling

  1. Misspelling of teem.