TEE

n. & v. --n. 1 Golf a a cleared space from which a golf ball is struck at the beginning of play for each hole. b a small support of wood or plastic from which a ball is struck at a tee. 2 a mark aimed at in bowls, quoits, curling, etc. --v.tr. (tees, teed) (often foll. by up) Golf place (a ball) on a tee ready to strike it. øtee off 1 Golf play a ball from a tee. 2 colloq. start, begin. [earlier (17th-c.) teaz, of unkn. orig.: in sense 2 perh. = TEE(1)]