- (intransitive) usually followed by with: to be prolific or abundant (in); abound (in)
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
teem•ing1
(tē′ming),USA pronunciation adj.
teem′ing•ly, adv.
teem′ing•ness, n.
teem•ing2 (tē′ming),USA pronunciation adj.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- abounding or swarming with something, as with people:We elbowed our way through the teeming station.
- prolific or fertile.
- teem1 + -ing2 1525–35
teem′ing•ness, n.
teem•ing2 (tē′ming),USA pronunciation adj.
- falling in torrents:a teeming rain.
- teem2 + -ing2 1685–95
teem1 /tim/USA pronunciation
v. [no object;
(~ + with + object)]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026(~ + with + object)]
- to have plenty of;
to abound with:The lake was teeming with fish.
teem1 (tēm),USA pronunciation
v.i.
v.t.
teem′er, n.
teem2 (tēm),USA pronunciation v.t., v.i.
- to abound or swarm;
be prolific or fertile (usually fol. by with). - [Obs.]to be or become pregnant;
bring forth young.
v.t.
- [Obs.]to produce (offspring).
- Middle English temen, Old English tēman, tīeman to produce (offspring), derivative of tēam team bef. 900
- 1. overflow, brim, overrun, bristle.
teem2 (tēm),USA pronunciation v.t., v.i.
- to empty or pour out;
discharge.
- Old Norse tæma to empty, derivative of tōmr empty, cognate with Old English tōm free from
- Middle English temen 1250–1300
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
teem /tiːm/ vb
teem /tiːm/ vb
- (intransitive; often followed by down or with rain) to pour in torrents
- (transitive) to pour or empty out
'teeming' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):