Definition of 'teem'
Word forms: 3rd person singular present
tense teems
, present participle teeming
, past tense, past participle teemed
verb [usually cont]
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
teem
Word Frequency
teem in British English 1
verb
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
Old English tēman to produce offspring; related to West Saxon tīeman; see teamWord Frequency
teem in British English 2
verb
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
teemer (ˈteemer) noun
Word origin
C15 temen to empty, from Old Norse tœma; related to Old English tōm, Old High German zuomīg empty
Word Frequency
teem in American English 1
verb intransitive
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Examples of 'teem' in a sentence
teem
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.Read more…
Trends of
teem
View usage for:
In other languages
teem
British English: teem
VERB /tiːm/
If you say that a place is teeming with people or animals, you mean that it is crowded and the people and animals are moving around a lot.
For most of the year, the area is teeming with tourists.
Nearby words of
teem
Source
Definition of teem from theCollins English Dictionary
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
council or counsel?
Which version is correct?
gamble or gambol?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
gamble
gambol
They are not prepared to their careers.
gave or given?
Which version is correct?
canvas or canvass?
Which version is correct?
complement or compliment?
Which version is correct?
Your score:
Word of the day
silver
Silver is a valuable pale-grey metal that is used for making jewellery and ornaments .
Latest Word Submissions
pupper
Feb 16, 2021
compact heel
Feb 16, 2021
fall on one's sword
Feb 14, 2021
Pendemic
Feb 14, 2021
9 words to sweep you into the world of Bridgerton
2021 is set to be the renaissance of Regency romance, as Netflix viewers indulge themselves in the delicious escapism of Bridgerton, a period romance with a modern twist.
Read more
TikTok’s Sea Shanties: Explore their vocabulary
Well, blow me down. Improbable as it may seem, there’s no denying that sea shanties are having a very real moment in the spotlight.
Near the end of 2020, a video from a young Scottish singer started to do the rounds on the social media platform TikTok.
Read more
Ten US political terms to baffle Brits
The United States will inaugurate a new president on January 20th when Joe Biden will be sworn in as the forty-sixth person to hold the office.
Read more
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more
Join the Collins community
All the latest wordy news, linguistic insights, offers and competitions every month.
Read more
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
seam or seem?
Which version is correct?
taken or took?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
taken
took
I've never a holiday since starting this job.
road or rode?
Which version is correct?
grate or great?
Which version is correct?
populace or populous?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
populous
populace
China is the most country in the world.
Your score: