-tille-

n. [ AS. telgor a small branch. Cf. Till to cultivate. ] 1. (Bot.) (a) A shoot of a plant, springing from the root or bottom of the original stalk; a sucker. (b) A sprout or young tree that springs from a root or stump. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A young timber tree. [ Prov. Eng. ] Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Tillered p. pr. & vb. n. Tillering. ] To put forth new shoots from the root, or round the bottom of the original stalk; as, wheat or rye tillers; some spread plants by tillering. [ Sometimes written tillow. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From OE. tillen, tullen, to draw, pull; probably fr. AS. tyllan in fortyllan to lead astray; or cf. D. tillen to lift up. Cf. Till a drawer. ] 1. (Naut.) A lever of wood or metal fitted to the rudder head and used for turning side to side in steering. In small boats hand power is used; in large vessels, the tiller is moved by means of mechanical appliances. See Illust. of Rudder. Cf. 2d Helm, 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The stalk, or handle, of a crossbow; also, sometimes, the bow itself. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

You can shoot in a tiller. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The handle of anything. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A small drawer; a till. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tiller rope (Naut.), a rope for turning a tiller. In a large vessel it forms the connection between the fore end of the tiller and the steering wheel. [ 1913 Webster ]