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Definition of 'tee'

COBUILD frequency band

tee

(tiː IPA Pronunciation Guide )
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense tees , present participle teeing , past tense, past participle teed
1. countable noun
In golf, a tee is a small piece of wood or plastic which is used to support the ball before it is hit at the start of each hole.
2. countable noun
On a golf course, a tee is one of the small flat areas of ground from which people hit the ball at the start of each hole.
3.  to a T
Phrasal verbs:
See tee off
See tee up
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

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tee

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COBUILD frequency band

tee in British English 1

(tiː IPA Pronunciation Guide )
noun
1. 
a pipe fitting in the form of a letter T, used to join three pipes
2. 
a metal section with a cross section in the form of a letter T, such as a rolled-steel joist
3. 
any part or component shaped like a T
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
 
COBUILD frequency band

tee in British English 2

(tiː IPA Pronunciation Guide ) golf
noun
1.  Also called: teeing ground
an area, often slightly elevated, from which the first stroke of a hole is made
2. 
a support for a golf ball, usually a small wooden or plastic peg, used when teeing off or in long grass, etc
verbWord forms: tees, teeing, teed
3. (when intr, often foll by up)
to position (the ball) ready for striking, on or as if on a tee
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C17 teaz, of unknown origin
 
COBUILD frequency band

tee in British English 3

(tiː IPA Pronunciation Guide )
noun
a mark used as a target in certain games such as curling and quoits
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C18: perhaps from T-shaped marks, which may have originally been used in curling
 
COBUILD frequency band

tee in American English 1

(ti )
nounWord forms: plural tees
1. 
the letter T
2. 
something shaped like T
3.  short for T-shirt
adjective
4. 
shaped like T
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 5th Digital Edition. Copyright © 2025 HarperCollins Publishers.
 
COBUILD frequency band

tee in American English 2

(ti )
nounOrigin: < tee1: the mark was orig. T-shaped
a mark aimed at in quoits, curling, etc.
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 5th Digital Edition. Copyright © 2025 HarperCollins Publishers.
 
COBUILD frequency band

tee in American English 3

(ti )
nounOrigin: prob. contr. < Scot dial. teaz (< ?), but now assoc. with tee2 in form and sense
1.  golf
a.  history
a small, cone-shaped mound as of sand, on which a golf ball was placed to be driven
b. 
a small, slender, pointed piece wood, plastic, etc. designed to support a golf ball just above the ground during a drive: the pointed end is inserted into the ground
c. 
the designated starting area of each hole, where a golfer is permitted to use a tee
2.  US
a. 
a small holder on which a football is positioned for a kickoff
b. 
a tall device for holding a ball up for a hitter in T-ball
verb transitive, verb intransitiveWord forms: teed, ˈteeing
3. 
to place (a ball) on a tee [usually with up]
Idioms:
tee off
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 5th Digital Edition. Copyright © 2025 HarperCollins Publishers.
 
COBUILD frequency band

tee in American English 1

(ti)
noun
1. 
the letter T or t
2. 
something shaped like a T, as a three-way joint used in fitting pipes together
3. 
T-bar
4. 
T-shirt
5. 
the mark aimed at in various games, as curling
6.  See to a tee
adjective
7. 
having a crosspiece at the top; shaped like a T
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[sp. form of the letter name]
 
COBUILD frequency band

tee in American English 2

(ti) (verb teed, teeing)
noun
1. Golf
a.  Also called: teeing ground
the starting place, usually a hard mound of earth, at the beginning of play for each hole
b. 
a small wooden, plastic, metal, or rubber peg from which the ball is driven, as in teeing off
2. American Football
a device on which the ball may be placed to raise it off the ground preparatory to kicking
transitive verb
3. Golf
to place (the ball) on a tee
4.  See tee off
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1665–75; orig. uncert.]
 
COBUILD frequency band

TEE in American English

Trans-Europe Express
Also: T-E-E
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

Examples of 'tee' in a sentence
tee

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content that does not reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company HarperCollins.
We welcome feedback: report an example sentence to the Collins team. Read more…
First comes the humbling move to the forward tee boxes.
Wall Street Journal (2021)
Remember when gym attire meant running shorts and an oversize tee?
Wall Street Journal (2023)
On the first tee yesterday, they tossed a coin to see who would hit the opening shot.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Players talk of how difficult it can be just to grip a club on the first tee at the Ryder Cup.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Wear with a plain white tee and trainers.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Wear it open with a white tee underneath.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Just reserved a load of tee times tomorrow for the England cricketers and commentary team!
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
With the new back tees this hole is much more like it used to be 20 years ago.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The trophy will be on display on the 1st tee this week before it is packaged up and sent back.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The Englishman appeared to have done the hard work after finding the fairway off the 18th tee.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)

Word lists with
tee

golf

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Question: 1
-

Score: 0 / 5

Which golf term am I?
the centre area of a golf club, from which the cleanest shots are made
golf ball hosel sweetspot
Which golf term am I?
(in golf, tennis, etc) a the flight of a ball that travels obliquely because it has been struck off centre
carry golf ball slice
Which golf term am I?
a person in charge of a golf course or bowling green
fairway golf ball green keeper
Which golf term am I?
the part of the fairway leading onto the green
apron putting green shank
Which golf term am I?
a former name for a No. 3 wood
driver golf ball spoon
Your score:

More idioms containing
tee

to a tee

Trends of
tee

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Source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

In other languages
tee

British English: tee /tiː/ NOUN
In golf, a tee is a small piece of wood or plastic which is used to support the ball before it is hit at the start of each hole.
  • American English: tee /ˈti/
  • Arabic: نُقْطَةُ الاِنْطِلَاقِ في لُعْبِةِ الـجُولْف
  • Brazilian Portuguese: suporte para a bola golfe
  • Chinese: 球座
  • Croatian: trojnik
  • Czech: podstavec pod golfový míček při odpalu
  • Danish: tee
  • Dutch: tee
  • European Spanish: tee
  • Finnish: tii
  • French: té
  • German: Tee
  • Greek: κοντομάνικο ρούχο
  • Italian: tee
  • Japanese: ティー ゴルフ
  • Korean: 티 골프
  • Norwegian: tee
  • Polish: rzutnia
  • European Portuguese: suporte para a bola golfe
  • Romanian: țintăgolf
  • Russian: тройник
  • Latin American Spanish: punto de salida
  • Swedish: utslagsplats
  • Thai: หมุดตั้งลูกกอล์ฟ
  • Turkish: golf sopası
  • Ukrainian: мітка для м'яча
  • Vietnamese: vật đỡ bóng gôn

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Browse alphabetically
tee

  • tedious process
  • tedious task
  • tedium
  • tee
  • tee off
  • tee time
  • tee up

  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'T'

Related terms of
tee

  • tee up
  • air tee
  • tee-hee
  • tee off
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