Tee*to"tum (?), n. [For T-totum. It
was used for playing games of chance, and was four-sided, one side having
the letter T on it, standing for Latin totum all, meaning,
take all that is staked, whence the name. The other three sides each had a
letter indicating an English or Latin word; as P meaning put down,
N nothing or L. nil, H half. See Total.] A
child's toy, somewhat resembling a top, and twirled by the
fingers.
The staggerings of the gentleman . . . were like those of a
teetotum nearly spent.
Dickens.
Tee*to"tum (?), n. [For T-totum. It
was used for playing games of chance, and was four-sided, one side having
the letter T on it, standing for Latin totum all, meaning,
take all that is staked, whence the name. The other three sides each had a
letter indicating an English or Latin word; as P meaning put down,
N nothing or L. nil, H half. See Total.] A
child's toy, somewhat resembling a top, and twirled by the
fingers.
The staggerings of the gentleman . . . were like those of a
teetotum nearly spent.
Dickens.
