The AI-powered English dictionary
plural tandems
A carriage pulled by two or more draught animals (generally draught horses) harnessed one behind the other, both providing the pulling power but only the animal in front able to steer. quotations examples
Mr. Foker was no more like a gentleman now than in his school days: and yet Pen felt a secret pride in strutting down High Street with a young fellow who owned tandems, talked to officers, and ordered turtle and champagne for dinner.
1850-50, William Makepeace Thackeray, Pendennis, ch 3
(transferred sense) A bicycle or tricycle in which two people sit one behind the other, both able to pedal but only the person in front able to steer. examples
(figurative) A group of two or more people, machines etc. working together; close collaboration. examples
(education) A method of language learning based on mutual exchange, where ideally each learner is a native speaker in the language the other person wants to learn. quotations examples
Spanish and English tandem learners discuss the meaning of a given word in a semi-structured conversation.
2007, Jane Woodin, “Intercultural positioning: tandem conversations about word meaning”, in Regina Weinert, editor, Spoken Language Pragmatics, Bloomsbury Publishing
(medicine) a hollow metal tube containing radioactive material, inserted through the vagina into the uterus for treatment of gynecological cancer. quotations examples
This sagittal ultrasound shows the bright signal of the tandem in a good position in the uterus.
2007, Phillip M. Devlin, editor, Brachytherapy: Applications and Techniques, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, page 236
not comparable
One behind the other. examples
Together; working as one. examples