# what does teem mean?... not in my dictionary **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 3, 2000, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-teem-mean-not-in-my-dictionary/31862 "2000-09-03T12:50:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![morris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/morris)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-teem-mean-not-in-my-dictionary/31862/1 "2000-09-03T12:50:59Z")
as above ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-teem-mean-not-in-my-dictionary/31862/2 "2000-09-03T12:56:13Z")
Swarm. ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-teem-mean-not-in-my-dictionary/31862/3 "2000-09-03T13:04:40Z")
[Moderator Hat: ON] This is not a Great Debate, but more of a General Question. I’m moving it there. * * * David B, SDMB Great Debates Moderator [Moderator Hat: Handed Off to manhattan] ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-teem-mean-not-in-my-dictionary/31862/4 "2000-09-03T13:31:51Z")
_From Merriam-Webster_: > [@](#): > > Main Entry: teem > Pronunciation: 'tEm > Function: verb > Etymology: Middle English temen, from Old English tIman, t[AE]man; akin to Old English tEam offspring – more at TEAM > Date: before 12th century > transitive senses archaic : BRING FORTH : give birth to : PRODUCE > intransitive senses > 1 obsolete : to become pregnant : CONCEIVE > **2 a : to become filled to overflowing : ABOUND b : to be present in large quantity** > > - teem·ing·ly /'tE-mi[ng]-lE/ adverb > - teem·ing·ness noun The meaning in bold is the one you’re looking for, I’d say. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-teem-mean-not-in-my-dictionary/31862/5 "2000-09-03T16:02:07Z")
It means you need a better dictionary. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-teem-mean-not-in-my-dictionary/31862/6 "2000-09-03T17:14:12Z")
It’s used round here to mean To pour liquid - usually a fairly large amount like a washing up bowl full. Swarm as previously mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-teem-mean-not-in-my-dictionary/31862/7 "2000-09-03T17:18:50Z")
In central PA I heard more than a few people use “teem” as slang for “piss.” Gives a whole new meaning to “The Teeming Millions,” don’t you think? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-teem-mean-not-in-my-dictionary/31862/8 "2000-09-03T22:44:01Z")
There used to be a lemon flavoured soft drink that I remember as a kid and it was called _Teem_. Given Dukes’ definition, I can see why it isn’t on the market anymore. ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2000, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-teem-mean-not-in-my-dictionary/31862/9 "2000-09-04T05:35:04Z")
It might be the other way around though–teem means piss in PA because of the soda, maybe. Or maybe they spell it “team.” Aren’t there some knitany lines up there? ---
**Author:** ![MysterEcks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MysterEcks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysterEcks)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2000, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-teem-mean-not-in-my-dictionary/31862/10 "2000-09-05T06:55:54Z")
**Duke** said: > [@](#): > > In central PA I heard more than a few people use “teem” as slang for “piss.” Huh? I’ve lived in Central Pennsylvania since 1974, with a few interruptions here and there, and I have _never_heard “teem” (or “team”) used as slang for “piss.” Maybe I always hung out with the wrong people. **RM Mentock** said: > [@](#): > > Or maybe they spell it “team.” Aren’t there some knitany lines up there? If you mean Nittany Lions…well, they sure are a piss-poor team this year. ---
**Author:** ![Blitzzen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Blitzzen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blitzzen)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2000, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-teem-mean-not-in-my-dictionary/31862/11 "2000-09-05T07:00:23Z")
Maybe there are several definations because most of the replies so far seem to be different. But iv’e never heard of teem meanig “piss”, thats for sure…