Tenure is inseparable from the idea of property in land, according to
the theory of the English law; and this idea of tenure pervades, to a
considerable extent, the law of real property in the United States,
where the title to land is essentially allodial, and almost all lands
are held in fee simple, not of a superior, but the whole right and
title to the property being vested in the owner. Tenure, in general,
then, is the particular manner of holding real estate, as by exclusive
title or ownership, by fee simple, by fee tail, by courtesy, in dower,
by copyhold, by lease, at will, etc.
3. The consideration, condition, or service which the occupier of land
gives to his lord or superior for the use of his land.
4. Manner of holding, in general; as, in absolute governments, men hold
their rights by a precarious tenure.
All that seems thine own, Held by the tenure of his will alone.
Cowper.
Tenure by fee alms. (Law) See Frankalmoigne.
Te`o*cal"li (?), n.; pl. Teocallis (#). [Mexican.] Literally, God's
house; a temple, usually of pyramidal form, such as were built by the
aborigines of Mexico, Yucatan, etc.
And Aztec priests upon their teocallis Beat the wild war-drums made of
serpent's skin.
Longfellow.
Te`o*sin"te (?), n. (Bot.) A large grass (Euchlæna luxurians) closely
related to maize. It is native of Mexico and Central America, but is
now cultivated for fodder in the Southern United States and in many
warm countries. Called also Guatemala grass.
Tep"al (?), n. [F. tépale, fr. pétale, by transposition.] (Bot.) A
division of a perianth. [R.]
Tep*ee" (?), n. An Indian wigwam or tent.
Tep`e*fac"tion (?), n. Act of tepefying.
Tep"e*fy (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Tepefied (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Tepefying (?).] [L. tepere to be tepid + -fy; cf. L. tepefacere. See
Tepid.] To make or become tepid, or moderately warm. Goldsmith.
Teph"ra*man`cy (?), n. [Gr. &?; ashes + - mancy.] Divination by the
ashes of the altar on which a victim had been consumed in sacrifice.
Teph"rite (?), n. [Gr. &?; ashes.] (Geol.) An igneous rock consisting
essentially of plagioclase and either leucite or nephelite, or both.
Teph"ro*ite (?), n. [See Tephrosia.] (Min.) A silicate of manganese of
an ash-gray color.
||Te*phro"si*a (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; ash- colored, from &?; ashes.]
||(Bot.) A genus of leguminous shrubby plants and herbs, mostly found
||in tropical countries, a few herbaceous species being North American.
||The foliage is often ashy-pubescent, whence the name.
||
The Tephrosia toxicaria is used in the West Indies and in Polynesia for
stupefying fish. T. purpurea is used medicinally in the East Indies. T.
Virginia is the goat's rue of the United States.
Tep"id (?), a. [L. tepidus, fr. tepere to be warm; akin to Skr. tap to
be warm, tapas heat.] Moderately warm; lukewarm; as, a tepid bath;
tepid rays; tepid vapors. — Tep"id*ness, n.
Te*pid"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. tépidité.] The quality or state of being
tepid; moderate warmth; lukewarmness; tepidness. Jer. Taylor.
Te"por (?), n. [L., fr. tepere to be tepid.] Gentle heat; moderate
warmth; tepidness. Arbuthnot.
Te*qui"la (?), n. An intoxicating liquor made from the maguey in the
district of Tequila, Mexico.
Ter- (?). A combining form from L. ter signifying three times, thrice.
See Tri-, 2.
Ter`a*con"ic (?), a. [Terebic + citraconic.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or
designating, an acid obtained by the distillation of terebic acid, and
homologous with citraconic acid.
Ter`a*cryl"ic (?), a. [Terpene + acrylic.] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to,
or designating, an acid of the acrylic series, obtained by the
distillation of terpenylic acid, as an only substance having a peculiar
cheesy odor.
Ter"aph (?), n.; pl. Teraphs (&?;). See Teraphim.
Ter"a*phim (?), n. pl. [Heb. terphm.] Images connected with the magical
rites used by those Israelites who added corrupt practices to the
patriarchal religion. Teraphim were consulted by the Israelites for
oracular answers. Dr. W. Smith (Bib. Dict.).
Ter"a*pin (?), n. (Zoöl.) See Terrapin.
Te*rat"ic*al (?), a. [Gr. &?; a wonder.] Wonderful; ominous;
prodigious. [Obs.] Wollaston.
Ter`a*tog"e*ny (?), n. [Gr. &?;, &?;, a wonder, monster + the root of
&?; to be born.] (Med.) The formation of monsters.
Ter"a*toid (?), a. [Gr. &?;, &?;, monster + -oid.] Resembling a
monster; abnormal; of a pathological growth, exceedingly complex or
highly organized. S. D. Gross.
Ter`a*to*log"ic*al (?), a. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to teratology; as,
teratological changes.
Ter`a*tol"o*gy (?), n. [Gr. &?;, &?;, a wonder, monster + -logy: cf.
Gr. &?; a telling of wonders, and F. tératologie.] 1. That branch of
biological science which treats of monstrosities, malformations, or
deviations from the normal type of structure, either in plants or
animals.