Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A television set.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Television
  • noun A television set

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an electronic device that receives television signals and displays them on a screen

Etymologies

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Examples

  • The terrestrial box we call telly, that is as there is no way I am wasting money on cable or satellite.

    British TV Christmas Preview 2009 | miscellani.org 2009

  • Staying at home watching telly is worse than jail?

    Welcome ‘Times’ Readers « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2009

  • Saturday night telly is pretty dire at the moment.

    Happy Families « We Don't Count Your Own Visits To Your Blog 2009

  • It takes quite a lot of time to change things in telly and it takes viewers a lot of time to notice.

    Daybreak still watched by fewer viewers than its predecessor GMTV James Robinson 2010

  • The television was moved into a new room made vacant (the original living space) and set into a built in wall-unit book case that gave the room the feeling of an old fashioned library or drawing room. the telly is very small and doesn't detract from the rooms atmosphere.

    Arranging Living Room Furniture 2007

  • Pamer: I see that we share the same high standards in telly-viewing.

    Sphincterine MJ 2006

  • Ah, se, Diego, I work in telly and agree that tv can do drama very well.

    Attention TV Professionals - :: gia’s blog :: 2006

  • I thought it was some kind of sign of moral superiority, but have since come to realise its cos swiss telly is so utterly dire!!!

    travelogue 1.0 2004

  • Anyway, now that she’s on the telly – and everyone knows that being on the telly is the only way you can ever be truly happy – Cheryl Cole is truly happy again, and she’s been on Jonathan Ross to tell everyone that, although it was hard, she’s completely forgiven Ashley and he’s free to go and cheat on her again whenever he wants.

    Cheryl Cole Does A Runner From Ashley 2008

  • I need to sort some stuff out in my sewing room (no work for three days, but lots of new stuff coming in and being dumped on the table - ack!) and I need to do laundry and a bunch of other stuff before the kids finish school at 1.30 today for the summer (well, Alex finished yesterday, but as he's really tired and it's pouring rain, I think a day of vegging in front of the telly is in order).

    Archive 2007-07-01 katelnorth 2007

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  • ...in music-hall days

    we could trick em with

    'Gredd and gutter' - see? -

    distance it was. Nah,

    telly spoiled all that...

    - Peter Reading, 5x5x5x5x5, 1983

    July 1, 2008

  • Mary Jo, living alone

    Drinking gin, the telly's on

    She wants

    The night to follow day and back again

    She doesn't want to sleep, well who could blame her if she wants?

    (Mary Jo, by Belle and Sebastian)

    September 21, 2008