tode

See also: Tode, tõde, and tɔɖe

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -əʊd

Etymology 1

Possibly related to Low German todden (“to drag”).

Noun

tode (plural todes)

1. (US) A sled used for hauling logs.

Etymology 2

Possibly related to Low German todden (“to drag”).

Noun

tode (plural todes)

1. (obsolete) Clipping of tode-boat: a small fishing boat used in the Netherlands.

Anagrams

• dote, toed

Middle English

Alternative forms

• toode, tade, tadde, toade

Etymology

From Old English *tāde, a shortening of tādie, tādiġe, of uncertain origin. Compared to Old Norse and modern Danish tudse (“toad”), but OED rejects this because the zero grade of ai is i, not u. Possibly from a common Proto-Germanic word *tod (“small”), compared to Proto-Germanic *tūdrijaz (“small, frail”) (modern English tidbit) or *taltōną (“to sway, dangle, hesitate”) (modern English toddle), referring to its short steps.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɔːd(ə)/
• (Northern ME) IPA^(key): /ˈtɑːd(ə)/

Noun

tode (plural todes or toden)

1. A toad (dry-skinned member of the order Anura)
2. The toad seen as a foul, devilish, and vile animal.
3. (rare, derogatory) A sinner; a nasty or loathsome person.
4. (rare, alchemy) The remnants of an element used in alchemical transmutation.

Descendants

• English: toad
• Scots: tade, taid, taed, ted

References

• “tōde, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-04-29.