"the mind in its primary state," 1530s, from Latin tabula rasa, literally "scraped tablet," from which writing has been erased, thus "blank and ready to be written on," from tabula (see table (n.)) + rasa, fem. past participle of radere "to scrape away, erase" (see raze (v.)).

A loan-translation of Aristotle's pinakis agraphos, literally "unwritten tablet" ("De anima," 7.22). Compare modern colloquial blank slate, etc. in similar senses.

Latin, "weariness of life; a deep disgust with life tempting one to suicide."

Korean art of unarmed combat, 1967, from Korean, said to represent tae "kick" + kwon "fist" + do "art, way, method."

1736, the "supreme ultimate" in Taoism and Neo-Confucianism, from Chinese tai "extreme" + ji "limit." As the name of a form of martial arts training (said to have been developed by a priest in the Sung dynasty, 960-1279) it is first attested 1962, in full, tai chi ch'uan, with Chinese quan "fist."

1972, short for tits and ass (a phrase attributed to Lenny Bruce), in reference to salacious U.S. mass media; earlier it was medical shorthand for "tonsils and adenoids" (1942).

"sleeveless upper garment," similar to the top of a swimsuit, 1968, from tank suit "one-piece bathing costume" (1920s), so called because it was worn in a swimming tank (n.1), i.e. pool.

also tea-party, 1772, "social event at which tea and other refreshments are served," from tea + party (n.). Jocular colloquial alternative tea-fight is attested by 1849.

Political references to tea party all trace to the Boston Tea Party of Dec. 16, 1773 (that jocular name for it is attested by 1824), in which radicals in Massachusetts colony boarded British ships carrying tea and threw the product into Boston Harbor in protest against the home government's taxation policies.

It since has been a model for libertarian political actions in the U.S. (generally symbolic), including citizen gatherings begun in early 2009 to protest government spending.

1906, named for U.S. president Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt (1858-1919), a noted big-game hunter, whose conservationist fervor inspired a comic illustrated poem in the New York Times of Jan. 7, 1906, about two bears named Teddy B. and Teddy G., whose names were transferred to two bears presented to the Bronx Zoo that year. The name was picked up by toy dealers in 1907 for a line of "Roosevelt bears" imported from Germany. The meaning "big, lovable person" is attested by 1957 from the song popularized by Elvis Presley.

ancient Latin hymn sung at matins and in services of thanksgiving, early 12c., from Late Latin Te Deum laudamus "Thee God we praise," the first words of it. From te "thee," accusative singular personal pronoun, + accusative singular of deus "god" (see Zeus).

a Modern Latin phrase, literally "firm land," from Latin terra "earth, land" (from PIE root *ters- "to dry") + firma, fem. of firmus "strong, steadfast" (from suffixed form of PIE root *dher- "to hold firmly, support").

It is attested in English c. 1600 specifically as "the part of the Italian mainland ruled by Venice." The broad meaning "the land" (as distinct from "the sea") is attested in English by 1690s. Hakluyt and Sandys also used English firm (n.) to mean "the firm land, the mainland, terra firma."