Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.

Toothbrush

Definition: Toothbrush

Toothbrush

Noun

1. Small brush; has long handle; used to clean teeth.

2. (informal) slang terms for a mustache.

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "toothbrush" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1868. (references)


Synonym: Toothbrush

Synonym: soup-strainer (n). (additional references)

Top     

Specialty Definition: Toothbrush

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

The toothbrush is a common tool used to clean teeth.

Many traditional cultures around the world have cleaned their teeth by rubbing twigs or pieces of wood against them since ancient times. Rubbing baking soda or chalk against the teeth was also common.

According to the American Dental Association, the first toothbrush was built in 1498 by an emperor in China who had hog bristles embedded in a bone handle. They were not common in the West until the 17th century, and became much more common in the 19th century. (A common older method of tooth cleaning, by rubbing with a piece of rag cloth, was in use in Europe at least since Roman times). Natural bristles (from animal hair) were replaced by synthetic materials, usually nylon, by DuPont in 1938.

Toothpaste is commonly added to a toothbrush to aid in cleaning.

In January 2003, the toothbrush was selected as the number one invention Americans could not live without, beating out the automobile, personal computer, cell phone, and microwave, according to the Lemelson-MIT Invention Index[1].

External Link

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Toothbrush."

Top     

Crosswords: Toothbrush

English words defined with "toothbrush": dentifriceelectric toothbrushmustard treeSalvadora persicatoothbrush tree. (references)
Specialty definitions using "toothbrush": ACHYRANTHES ASPERA, ACHYROCLINE SATUREOIDESBEVELER, PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS. (references)

Top     

Modern Usage: Toothbrush

DomainUsage

Screenplays

If you wanted a toothbrush, I wouldn't ask questions. (The Shawshank Redemption; writing credit: Frank Darabont)

Just the toothbrush and the gun. (Bulldog Drummond; writing credit: Herman C. McNeile; Sidney Howard)

Is this toothbrush approved by the American Dental Association? (Home Alone; writing credit: John Hughes)

The toothbrush has been in my mouth. (Friends; writing credit: Jörn O. Jensen; Birger Larsen)

Get your toothbrush and whatever! (Flash Gordon; writing credit: Michael Allin; Alex Raymond)

Movie/TV Titles

The Old Family Toothbrush (1925)

Don't Forget Your Toothbrush (2000)

The Toothbrush Family (1999)

Don't Forget Your Toothbrush (1995)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Top     

Commercial Usage: Toothbrush

DomainTitle

References

  • The 2003-2008 World Outlook for Bathroom Toothbrush Holders (reference)

    (more reference examples)

  

Books

  • Brush Them Bright/Book and Toothbrush (reference)

  • Crocodile's Toothbrush (reference)

  • Danny's Smelly Toothbrush (Panda Series, 4) (reference)

  • Germany Electric Toothbrush Report 2002 [DOWNLOAD: PDF] (reference)

  • Lady Gregory's Toothbrush (reference)

    (more book examples)

  

Theater & Movies

  • The Toothbrush Family - A Visit from the Tooth Fairy (reference)

  • Toothbrush Family (reference)

  • Toothbrush Family:Visit From the Toot (reference)

  • Toothbrush Family-Vol. 1 & 2 (reference)

    (more DVD examples; more video examples)

  

Consumer Goods

  • Braun Oral-B D15535 3D Pulsating Toothbrush with Storage Tower (reference)

  • Braun Oral-B EB17-3 Power Toothbrush Replacement Brush Heads, 3 Adult Refills (reference)

  • Braun Oral-B D10 Kid's Mickey Mouse Power Toothbrush, Purple (reference)

  • Conair Interplak ELB15BC Battery Operated Toothbrush (reference)

  • Braun Oral-B EB10-1 Power Toothbrush Replacement Brush Head, 1 Kids Refill, Buzz Lightyear (reference)

    (more baby examples; more wireless phone examples; more garden examples; more kitchen examples; more tool examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Top     

Image Slideshow: Toothbrush

Photos:
Toothbrush

More pictures...

Computer Images:
Toothbrush

More pictures...

Top     

Photo Album: Toothbrush

ThumbnailDescription & CreditThumbnailDescription & Credit

Toothbrush drill in New York City. Credit: National Library of Medicine.

You never outgrow your toothbrush. Credit: National Library of Medicine.

[Showing a toothbrush, toothpaste and a smile]. Credit: National Library of Medicine.

  

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Top     

Familiar Quotations: Toothbrush

AuthorQuotation

Prince William and Sweden

In America you must live life with a smile, even before your toothbrush has had time to reach your mouth.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Top     

Non-Fiction Usage: Toothbrush

SubjectTopicQuote

Health

Use a soft toothbrush. (references)

Use a very soft toothbrush to clean your teeth. (references)

Teeth should be brushed after each meal, using a soft toothbrush. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Top     

Usage Frequency: Toothbrush

"Toothbrush" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 95.38% of the time. "Toothbrush" is used about 130 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted)
Parts of SpeechPercentUsage per
100 Million Words
Rank in English
Noun (singular)95.38%12428,785
Lexical Verb (infinitive)1.54%2245,945
Lexical Verb (base form)1.54%2245,945
Noun (proper)1.54%2245,945
                    Total100.00%130N/A

Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.

Top     

Expressions: Toothbrush

Expressions using "toothbrush": electric toothbrush toothbrush moustache toothbrush tree. Additional references.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Top     

Frequency of Internet Keywords: Toothbrush

The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com.
 
ExpressionFrequency
per Day
ExpressionFrequency
per Day

toothbrush

441

bracelet toothbrush

16

sonicare toothbrush

306

ultrasonic toothbrush

15

electric toothbrush

294

crest toothbrush

14

sonic toothbrush

216

free toothbrush

14

cybersonic toothbrush

115

power toothbrush

13

braun toothbrush

86

best electric toothbrush

13

toothbrush holder

72

toothbrush rug

13

sonicare electric toothbrush

69

ionic toothbrush

13

sonic care toothbrush

61

radius toothbrush

13

oral b toothbrush

54

toothbrush invention

12

braun electric toothbrush

43

toothbrush sterilizer

11

braun oral b toothbrush

35

elite sonicare toothbrush

11

electronic toothbrush

28

invented toothbrush who

11

toothbrush history

24

toothbrush sanitizer

10

reach toothbrush

22

oral b electric toothbrush

9

toothbrush picture

20

extra soft toothbrush

9

disposable toothbrush

20

toothbrush manufacturer

9

electric toothbrush review

18

colgate toothbrush

8

butler toothbrush

17

toothbrush cover

8

interplak toothbrush

17

travel toothbrush

8
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Top     

Modern Translation: Toothbrush

Language Translations for "toothbrush"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses.

Albanian

  

furçë dhëmbësh. (various references)

   

Arabic 

  

‏فرشاة أسنان. (various references)

   

Asturian

  

cepiyu dientes. (various references)

   

Bemba

  

umuswaki. (various references)

   

Bulgarian 

  

четка за зъби. (various references)

   

Cebuano

  

sipilyo. (various references)

   

Chamorro

  

guesgues nifen. (various references)

   

Chinese 

  

牙刷 . (various references)

   

Cornish

  

scüber dyns. (various references)

   

Czech

  

kartáèek na zuby (tooth brush). (various references)

   

Danish

  

tandboersteholder (toothbrush holder). (various references)

   

Dutch

  

tandenborstelhouder (toothbrush holder). (various references)

   

Faeroese

  

tannbust. (various references)

   

Farsi 

  

مسواک دندان . (various references)

   

Finnish

  

hammasharja (tooth-brush). (various references)

   

French

  

brosse dents (tooth-brush). (various references)

   

Frisian

  

toskboarstel (tooth-brush). (various references)

   

German

  

Zahnbürste (tooth brush, tooth-brush). (various references)

   

Greek 

  

οδοντόβουρτσα. (various references)

   

Hebrew 

  

מברשת ש ים. (various references)

   

Hungarian

  

fogkefe (tooth-brush). (various references)

   

Indonesian

  

sikat gigi. (various references)

   

Inuktitut

  

kigutisiut. (various references)

   

Italian

  

spazzolino da denti. (various references)

   

Japanese Kanji 

  

歯ブラシ . (various references)

   

Japanese Katakana 

  

はブラシ. (various references)

   

Korean 

  

칫". (various references)

   

Macedonian

  

cetka za zabi. (various references)

   

Manx

  

skeaban feeackle. (various references)

   

Maori

  

paraahi niho. (various references)

   

Pig Latin

  

oothbrushtay

   

Portuguese

  

resguardo para escova de dentes (toothbrush holder). (various references)

   

Provencal

  

fretadents. (various references)

   

Romansch

  

barschun da dents. (various references)

   

Ruanda

  

umujigiti. (various references)

   

Russian 

  

зубная щетка (tooth brush, tooth-brush). (various references)

   

Samoan

  

palasi fulunifo. (various references)

   

Serbo-Croatian

  

četkica za zube (tooth brush). (various references)

   

Spanish

  

cepillo de dientes (tooth-brush). (various references)

   

Swazi

  

sí-cubho. (various references)

   

Swedish

  

tandborste (tooth-brush). (various references)

   

Turkish

  

diş fırçası. (various references)

   

Ukrainian

  

зубна щітка. (various references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references.

Top     

Derivations: Toothbrush

Derivations

Words beginning with "toothbrush": toothbrushes, toothbrushing, toothbrushings. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

Top     

Rhyming with "Toothbrush"

# of Phoneme MatchesPronunciationWord(s) rhyming with "toothbrush" (pronounced tuw"thbru'sh)
4-b r u' shpaintbrush, sagebrush, underbrush.
3-r u' shbulrush.

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Top     

Anagrams: Toothbrush

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

Words within the letters "b-h-h-o-o-r-s-t-t-u"

-1 letter: outthrobs.

-2 letters: outthrob.

-3 letters: hotshot, outshot, turbots.

-4 letters: bhoots, booths, borsht, broths, robots, robust, rouths, throbs, thrush, thrust, tooths, toroth, torous, troths, trouts, truths, turbos, turbot, tutors.

-5 letters: bhoot, bhuts, boors, boost, booth, boots, borts, botts, bouts, broos, broth, brush, buhrs, burst, butts, hobos, hoots, horst, hours, hurst, hurts, ortho, ottos, robot, roost, roots, rotos.

 Words containing the letters "b-h-h-o-o-r-s-t-t-u"
 

+2 letters: toothbrushes.

 

+3 letters: toothbrushing.

 

+4 letters: toothbrushings.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro.

Top     

Alternative Orthography: Toothbrush


Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)

54 6F 6F 74 68 62 72 75 73 68

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)

American Sign Language (origins from 1620-1817 in Italy and, especially, France) (references)

=

Semaphore (1791, in France) (references)

Braille (1829, in France) (references)

Morse Code (1836) (references)

-    ---    ---    -    ....    -...    .-.    ..-    ...    ....

Dancing Men (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1903) (references)

Binary Code (1918-1938, probably earlier) (references)

01010100 01101111 01101111 01110100 01101000 01100010 01110010 01110101 01110011 01101000

HTML Code (1990) (references)

&#84 &#111 &#111 &#116 &#104 &#98 &#114 &#117 &#115 &#104

ISO 10646 (1991-1993) (references)

0054 006F 006F 0074 0068 0062 0072 0075 0073 0068

British Sign Language (Fingerspelling, BSL; 1992, British Deaf Association Dictionary of British Sign Language) (references)

Encryption (beginner's substitution cypher): (references)

54818186746884878574

Top     



INDEX

1. Definition
2. Synonyms
3. Crosswords
4. Usage: Modern
5. Usage: Commercial
6. Images: Slideshow
7. Images: Photo Album
8. Quotations: Familiar
9. Quotations: Non-fiction
10. Usage Frequency
11. Expressions
12. Expressions: Internet
13. Translations: Modern
14. Derivations
15. Rhymes
16. Anagrams
17. Orthography
18. Bibliography


  

Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.