ENGLISH
REFERENCE

teem

v.
US //ˈtim// UK //tˈiːm// teem Archaic
Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English temen (“to bear, to support”), from Anglian Old English tēman (“to give birth”) (West Saxon Old English tīeman), from Proto-West Germanic taumijan (“to bridle”), from Proto-Germanic taumijaną, from *taumaz ("bridle", continued in Modern English as team).

Etymology 2

From Middle English temen (“to drain”), from Old Norse tœma, from Proto-Germanic *tōmijaną (“to empty, make empty”). Related to English toom (“empty, vacant”). More at toom.

Etymology 3

From Middle English temen (“to be suitable, befit”), from Old English teman, from Proto-Germanic temaną (“to fit”). Cognate with Low German temen, tamen (“to befit”), Dutch betamen (“to befit”), German ziemen. See also tame (adjective) and compare beteem.

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