1.
[syn: top, whirligig, teetotum, spinning top]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Teetotum \Tee*to"tum\, n. [For T-totum. It was used for playing
games of chance, and was four-sided, one side having the
letter T on it, standing for Latin totum all, meaning, take
all that is staked, whence the name. The other three sides
each had a letter indicating an English or Latin word; as P
meaning put down, N nothing or L. nil, H half. See Total.]
A child's toy, somewhat resembling a top, and twirled by the
fingers.
[1913 Webster]
The staggerings of the gentleman . . . were like those
of a teetotum nearly spent. --Dickens.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Tee-to-tum \Tee-to"-tum\, n. [Cf. Teetotaler.]
A workingmen's resort conducted under religious influences as
a counteractant to the drinking saloon. [Colloq. or Cant]
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
teetotum
n 1: a conical child's plaything tapering to a steel point on
which it can be made to spin; "he got a bright red top and
string for his birthday" [syn: top, whirligig,
teetotum, spinning top]