tee
tee Lexical Profile
tee Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A casual, collarless, short-sleeved shirt; a phonetic spelling of T-shirt.
"He wore a vintage graphic tee and faded jeans to the concert."
A small peg with a slightly concave top, used to elevate a golf ball for an initial stroke.
"She pushed a wooden tee into the grass and carefully balanced her golf ball on top of it."
The designated starting area on a golf course from which the first stroke of a hole is played.
"The players gathered at the first tee early in the morning for the tournament."
• verb
To make preparations, arrange, or organize an event or project (usually followed by 'up').
"The executive director teed up the new initiative during the quarterly meeting."
To place a golf ball on a small peg in preparation for a drive (often followed by 'up').
"After he teed his ball up, he took a few practice swings."
Word Nuance & Usage
As a verb, 'tee' is overwhelmingly used in the phrasal verb 'tee up', which means to prepare or arrange something, drawing from the literal action of preparing a golf ball for a drive.
• Rhymes for tee
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The golf term originated in the 17th century, possibly from the Scottish word 'teaz' or 'tigh' (meaning house or mark). As a clothing term, it emerged in the 20th century as a phonetic spelling of the letter 'T', referencing the shape of a T-shirt.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.