toothpick

/'tu:θpik/

Thân thiện

A man uses a toothpick after eating a meal.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small, thin piece of wood, plastic, or other material, pointed at one or both ends, used to remove food particles from between the teeth.

Usage

• The word "toothpick" is a countable noun. It refers to a specific object used for personal hygiene after eating.
• It is typically used in singular or plural forms to refer to one or more of these items.

Examples

• Noun:
  • After the meal, he used a toothpick discreetly.
  • The restaurant provides toothpicks at the counter for customers.
  • She carefully removed a piece of meat from her teeth with a toothpick.

Advanced Usage

• "to be as thin as a toothpick": An informal simile used to describe a person or object that is extremely slender.
  • After his illness, he was as thin as a toothpick.

Variants and Related Words

• There are no common variants of the word "toothpick" itself. Related concepts include:
  • Dental floss (n): A thread used to clean between the teeth.
  • Interdental brush (n): A small brush designed to clean between teeth.

Synonyms

• Dental pick: A more formal or technical term for a similar tool, though it may imply a different design or medical use.

Phrasal Verbs

• There are no common phrasal verbs using "toothpick."

Related Idioms

• "To have a toothpick leg": A very informal and humorous way to describe someone with very thin legs.
  • That model is famous, but she has toothpick legs. (Note: This is a creative, non-standard idiom for illustrative purposes.)

Học thuật

Noun

1. pick consisting of a small strip of wood or plastic; used to pick food from between the teeth