transcription, транскрипция: [ ˈtī-gər ]
noun
( plural tigers )
Etymology: Middle English tigre, from Old English tiger & Anglo-French tigre, both from Latin tigris, from Greek, probably of Iranian origin; akin to Avestan tighra- pointed; akin to Greek stizein to tattoo — more at stick
Date: before 12th century
1. plural also tiger
a. : a large Asian carnivorous mammal ( Panthera tigris ) of the cat family having a usually tawny coat transversely striped with black
b. : any of several large wildcats (as the jaguar or cougar)
c. : a domestic cat with striped pattern
d. Australian : Tasmanian tiger
2.
a. : a fierce, daring, or aggressive person or quality
aroused the tiger in him
a tiger for work
b. : one (as a situation) that is formidable or impossible to control
how the tiger of inflation can be tamed — J. A. Davenport
— often used in the phrases ride a tiger and have a tiger by the tail
3. British : a groom in livery
• ti·ger·ish -g(ə-)rish adjective
• ti·ger·ish·ly adverb
• ti·ger·ish·ness noun
• ti·ger·like -gər-ˌlīk adjective
[
tiger 1a
]