TA (noun)
t-a; /tie@y/
Definition: Teaching Assistant, a student who assists professors and teaches some classes.
Attested: I first encountered this term when I was at my first biology lab, and the instructor was called a TA.
Example: "My TA went over the homework problems with us."
Etymology: This term is an abbreviation, and it is so commonly used because it is an easy way to say Teaching assistant. I think this term is unique to all colleges and universities, because I know people at other colleges also have TA's. But this term is probably not seen throughout the rest of the world, except maybe some schools also have TA's.
- Jessica Robertson

TakeNote (noun)
/teyknowt/
Definition: TakeNote is a service provided by qualified graduate students or TAs who attend lectures. The notes are organised into a detailed outline by the notetaker, reviewed by a staff of editors and finally distributed to those who are willing to sign up for the service.
Attested: I came to know this service from Campus Store. I even subscribe to the PSYCHO 101 package that is offered in this service.
Example: "If you are too lazy to take down notes in lectures, why not subscribe to TakeNotes? Let your money do the "writing" instead.
Etymology: By having TakeNote as a name for the service, it makes the purpose of this service clear and easy to guess. Subscribing to that service is like paying for someone to take down the notes for you.
- Chee-Yong Lee

Taken over the knee (adverb).
sounds like 'waken dover the bee'; /te@yk¥n o@wv¥r D¥ ni/
Definition: this adverb tells exactly where something is taken. It is most often used in relation to prelims.
Attested: I first heard this upon departing my second biology prelim on 7/8/98
Example: "My prelim took me over the knee." or, conversely, "I just took that exam over my knee."
Etymology: The use of this word stems from a rather frightning conotation. It is one of being beaten or broken, but in this case is applied to exams. A student can be taken over the knee or an exam can be taken over the student's knee. This idea is quite odd, as exams lack knees. This phrase enjoys much popularity with the student body, especially after exams.
- Ryan Rapp

TCAT (noun)
/t"@kQt/
Definition: Abbreviation for Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit. This is the main bus company that provides the public transportation means within Cornell University and Ithaca.
Attested: The familar blue buses that are everywhere along the main roads in Cornell are very common sights. These are the things one will look out for whenever one is too tired to walk back to their dormitary after a hard long day at school.
Example: If you take the TCAT 91, 92 or 93, you just need to show your Cornell ID card to have a free ride.
Etymology: The abbreviation of Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit is very natural. In fact, if the term isn't shortened to TCAT, most of us will probably find it very troublesome to use such long words to represent a simple thing like a bus service. The TCAT service is indeed an important component of Campus Life. Without these services, Cornell will definitely feel like a much bigger campus due to all the excessive walking. .
- Chee-Yong Lee
II. Definition: The Tompkins Considated Area Transit or in simpler terms the local bus. In print it is accompanied by a tiger.
Attested: I first saw this word on the side of a local bus shortlly after arriving in Ithaca.
Example: You can leave the driving to TCAT, but we're not responsible if you drool. (a radio ad refering to the fact that you can sleep on the way to work instead of driving)
Etymolgy: This words seems to be the result of a marketing campaign, as it is often heard in radio advertisements. In fact, it seems to be a lingo specific to employees of tcat. This could be due to the fact that there is some linguistic quality to it that does not make it "catchy." I am comparing its use to the use of the public transportation acronymn in the Philadelphia area, SEPTA(South Eastern Pennsylvannia Transit Authority). Everyone uses this term. While those in Ithaca, or at least on the Cornell campus use 'bus' or 'bus company.'
- Krista Bendig

Teagles (noun).
rhymes with "beagle"; /tig¥l/
Definition: A gray tee-shirt bearing the phrase "Cornell XL Athletics" over the left breast. Issued to all members of junior varsity and varsity sports.
Attested: I first came across this word at a polo practice during the fall semester of 1998. It was spoken to me by a member of the varsity polo team; to my knowledge it does not exist in writing.
Example: "Where's your teagle? Your clothes are going to get filthy during practice."
Etymology: This term is used by anyone on a sports team to refer to the practice tee-shirts issued to him/her at the Field House. Teagles can be seen in great numbers when teams are out to practice, such as the football or track team. Teagles are 100% cotton and pre-shrunk. Teagle is a word very specific to Cornell that would not be understood elsewhere without explination. The origin probably is related to Teagle Hall. At one time, most of Cornell's athletics centered around this building.
- Ryan Rapp

Thirdie (noun)
sounds like thirty; "; /T¥@rRI/
Definition: A person who lives on the third floor of a dormitory.
Attested: I first encountered the term in the same verbal battle that "deuce" and "firstie" first showed up in. When a member of the third floor tried to interrupt, the remaining parties proceeded to call him "nothing more than a thirdie."
Example: "You don't know anything, you're a thirdie."
Etyomology: A term coined to make fun of people from a different floor of the dormitory than the speaker is from. When trying to shut up a person from the third floor the term was used in passing and has since become more common.
- Michael Merrell

Took (adjective).
tuke; rhymes with "fluke"; /tuwk/
Definition: ugly; not attractive. Attested: I first encountered this term yesterday when a friend of mine described a girl as being "took."
Example: "And so the took duckling turned into a swan and lived happily ever after."
Etymology: From my understanding, this term is a slang word made up by my friend in an attempt to talk about girls without them knowing what he says. I'm not exactly sure why he chose the word "took" to mean ugly and neither is he.
- Lynne Nissen

Tower, the (noun)
rhymes with hour; /tQ@w¥r/
Definition: Alternate name for the Jennie McGraw Tower located at Cornell University.
Attested: This term is so common that I could not name a specific instance when I heard or was exposed to this term. It is common to use this term as a reference for speaking of other locations at Cornell.
Example: "They are doing some construction work on the Tower this year."
Etyomology: The Tower is often thought of as a symbol that represents Cornell Univeristy. It can be seen from far away by residents of the Ithaca area and elsewhere. It is also located at the heart of Cornell near the Arts Quad and Uris Library. The derivation of this term is fairly obvious as it comes from the abbreviation of its formal name.
- Brian Montenegro

Totally (Adverb)
tow-tall-E; /to@wR¥li/
Definition: Really; absolutely.
Attested: I first heard the usage of this phrase as described below during my first weeks at Cornell.
Example: "I'm totally going to get this homework done tonight."
Etymology: This usage of the word totally sees to be indigenous to the peoples of Upstate New York. It appears fairly localized, as in the District of Columbia area I never heard the usage mentioned here. I also have heard one person from the mid-west who used this version of totally, but I presume it was picked up here, not native to her Iowa background. This phrase seems to be spoken exclusively by the students of Cornell, I have never heard it uttered by a Professor. Among the student group, it is accepted. However, those not from Upstate New York do find the usage odd.
- Ed Cabic