turd

turd
\ \ [OE] Turd is an ancient word, traceable right back to Indo-European *drtom. This was formed from the base *dr-, *der- ‘flay, tear’ (source also of English tear), and so etymologically denoted that which is ‘separated’ from the body, like flayed skin, and hence ejected or excreted from the body. It passed into English via prehistoric Germanic *turdam. A distant relative is Latvian dirstidefecate’.
\ \ Cf.TEAR

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • turd — [tə:d US tə:rd] n informal [: Old English; Origin: tord] 1.) not polite a piece of the solid brown waste material you pass from your body 2.) taboo an insulting word for an unpleasant person. Do not use this word ▪ You stupid little turd! …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • turd — [ tɜrd ] noun count 1. ) a solid piece of waste from a person s or an animal s body 2. ) OFFENSIVE an unpleasant person …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • turd — (n.) O.E. tord, from P.Gmc. *turdam (Cf. M.Du. torde piece of excrement, O.N. tord yfill, Du. tort wevel dung beetle ), from PIE *drtom, pp. of root *d(e)r flay, tear, thus that which is separated (or torn off) from the body (Cf. SHIT (Cf …   Etymology dictionary

  • turd — ► NOUN vulgar slang 1) a lump of excrement. 2) an obnoxious or contemptible person. ORIGIN Old English …   English terms dictionary

  • turd — [tʉrd] n. [ME < OE tord, akin to MHG zurch, dung, Latvian dirsa, anus < IE base * der , to split > TEAR1] a piece of excrement: now a vulgar term …   English World dictionary

  • turd — 1. n. a formed mass of fecal material; a fecal bolus. (Usually objectionable.) □ Don’t step on that dog turd. □ There’s a turd floating in the swimming pool! 2. n. a wretched or worthless person. (Rude and derogatory.) □ You stupid turd! …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • turd — [[t]tɜ͟ː(r)d[/t]] turds 1) N COUNT A turd is a lump of faeces. [INFORMAL, RUDE] 2) N COUNT (disapproval) People sometimes insult someone they do not like by referring to them as a turd. [INFORMAL, RUDE] …   English dictionary

  • turd — UK [tɜː(r)d] / US [tɜrd] noun [countable] Word forms turd : singular turd plural turds 1) impolite a solid piece of waste from a person s or an animal s body 2) offensive an unpleasant person …   English dictionary

  • turd —    This word, meaning a lump of excrement, is not used in polite circles, but it has a fine oral history as an insulting term of address. There is documentary evidence of its use from the fifteenth century, and it is still in use on both sides of …   A dictionary of epithets and terms of address

  • turd — noun Etymology: Middle English tord, turd, from Old English tord; akin to Middle Dutch tort dung and probably to Old English teran to tear more at tear Date: before 12th century 1. sometimes vulgar a piece of fecal matter 2. usually vulgar a… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • turd — noun /tɜː(r)d/ a) A piece of solid animal or human feces. I went to the toilet to drop a turd. b) A pejorative term, typically directed at a person …   Wiktionary

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