Part 492

TETE de Chevalement, Fr. A cross beam which lies upon two upright stays, and supports any part of a wall, &c. whilst it is in repair.

Faire (ou tenir) TETE à quelqu’un, Fr. To oppose a person; to keep him at bay.

Avoir quelqu’un en tête, Fr. To have any person opposed to one, viz. Turenne avoit en Tête Montecuculli; Turenne was opposed by Montecuculli.

TETES, Fr. In the plural number, are the same as men or lives, viz. La prise d’une place a coute bien des Tetes. The reduction or taking of a place has cost many lives or men.

Avoir la Tete de tout, Fr. To be the most advanced.

TETE de Pont, Fr. That part of a bridge which is on the enemy’s side. When the bridge is fortified on both sides, the French say, Les deux tetes de pont.

TETE de Porc, Fr. This word means literally a hog’s head. It is used to denote a military arrangement of the triangular kind. Those mentioned under the term wedge, were composed of ranks, greater one than another, in a regular progression from the incisive angle to the base. The tete de porc was formed of small bodies ranged in lines in the same sense, and in the same progression as the ranks in the preceding wedges; that is to say, a small body (probably square) was placed at the head, another of the same size was posted behind it, having two others, one on its right, the other on its left, both extending the full length of their front beyond the wings of the first. Behind those three, five others were ranged in the same order, and so on successively until all were placed.

This arrangement is equal to the former (viz. that of the wedge) with regard to defects; as to advantages it has but one only, which will never be of weight enough to gain it any degree of reputation; it is this, that being composed of small bodies, each having its leader or commander, all the different parts are more or less capable of defence should they be attacked at the time they are forming or dividing; and if the enemy attempted to form the Tenaille, they might detach some of those small bodies to interrupt their motions, or to attack them in flank.

This disposition corresponds with the movement by echellons from the centre, or both wings thrown back; it is in the modern mode a most imposing and important disposition, where the force that uses it is inferior in number, and well disciplined to rapid evolution.

TETHER. A string by which horses are held from pasturing too wide. We say, figuratively, to go the length of one’s tether; to speak or act with as much freedom as circumstances will admit.

TETRAEDRON, (Tetraëdre, Fr.) In geometry, one of the five regular bodies. It is a pyramid which is terminated by four equilateral triangles, that are equal to each other; in the same manner that the tetragon is a recontilineal figure of four equal sides, which has four right angles.

TETRAGONAL. Square, having equal sides and angles.

TETRARCH. A Roman governor of the fourth part of a province.

TEUTONIC, (Teutonique, Fr.) See ORDERS.

TEVEEL, Ind. The treasury.

TEVEELDAR, Ind. The treasurer.

THANE. An ancient military title of honor, now obsolete.

To THANK. In military matters, to make honorable mention of a person or persons for having behaved gallantly in an action, or otherwise rendered a public service.

To be THANKED. To receive a public testimony of good conduct. Officers, &c. are generally thanked in public orders.

THANKS. Public acknowlegements for gallant actions.

Vote of THANKS. It has been customary in all civilized countries for the legislature to pay a public tribute of applause to those warriors who have fought their country’s battles with success, and have otherwise distinguished themselves by particular feats of gallantry and good conduct. The French, during the progress of their revolution, have had frequent recourse to this mode of adding new zeal and fresh courage to their armies, and of expressing national gratitude.

THEATRE of war. Any extent of country in which war is carried on may be so called. The French say Théatre de la guerre. It signifies the same with us as seat of war. According to Turpin, page 21, in his essay on the Art of War, there are but three sorts of countries which may become the theatre of war; an open country divided by rivers, a woody, or a mountainous one. The dispositions for a march must of course be varied as the situation of places differ.

THEODOLITE. A mathematical instrument useful to engineers and artillerists, in taking heights and distances.

THEOREM, (Théoreme, Fr.) In mathematics, a proposition which is purely speculative and tends to the discovery of some hidden truth.

An universal THEOREM, in mathematics, is one that extends universally to any quantity without restriction; as that the rectangle of the sum, and difference of any two quantities, is equal to the difference of their squares.

A particular THEOREM is when it extends only to a particular quantity.

A negative THEOREM is one that demonstrates the impossibilities of an assertion, as that the sum of two biquadrate numbers cannot make a square.

A local THEOREM. That which relates to surface; as the triangles of the same base and altitude are equal.