Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - tooth

~ n plural teeth 1 »IN MOUTH« one of the hard white objects in your mouth that you use to bite and chew your food  (Brush your teeth twice a day. | I'm going to the dentist to have a tooth out. | cut a tooth (=grow a new tooth))  (The baby's cutting a tooth. | The Doberman sank its teeth into his leg.) 2 »ON A TOOL ETC« one of the pointed parts that sticks out from the edge of a comb, saw2 (1), cog (1) etc 3 fight tooth and nail to try with a lot of effort or determination to do something  (We fought tooth and nail to get our plans accepted.) 4 get your teeth into informal to start to do something with eagerness and energy  (I can't wait to get my teeth into the new course.) 5 in the teeth of a) in spite of opposition or danger from something  (The new law was passed in the teeth of public protest.) b) against a stormy wind  (sailing in the teeth of a storm) 6 set sb's teeth on edge if a sound, taste etc sets your teeth on edge, it makes you feel physically uncomfortable  (That scraping really sets my teeth on edge.) 7 »LAW« have teeth if a law, regulation etc has teeth, or if you give it teeth, it has the power to force people to obey it  (The agreement works because it has teeth.) 8 sharp-toothed/saw-toothed/fine-toothed etc having sharp parts that stick out of the edge, etc  (a fine-toothed comb)  (- see also armed to the teeth armed (1), cut your teeth on sth cut1 (16), by the skin of your teeth skin1 (5), be a kick in the teeth kick2 (4), lie through your teeth lie2 (1), have a sweet tooth sweet1 (7), take the bit between your teeth bit1 (17))