Teetotum

teetotum
    n 1: a conical child's plaything tapering to a steel point on
         which it can be made to spin; "he got a bright red top and
         string for his birthday" [syn: {top}, {whirligig},
         {teetotum}, {spinning top}]
    

Tee-to-tum \Tee-to"-tum\, n. [Cf. {Teetotaler}.]
   A workingmen's resort conducted under religious influences as
   a counteractant to the drinking saloon. [Colloq. or Cant]
   [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
    

Teetotum \Tee*to"tum\, n. [For T-totum. It was used for playing
   games of chance, and was four-sided, one side having the
   letter T on it, standing for Latin totum all, meaning, take
   all that is staked, whence the name. The other three sides
   each had a letter indicating an English or Latin word; as P
   meaning put down, N nothing or L. nil, H half. See {Total}.]
   A child's toy, somewhat resembling a top, and twirled by the
   fingers.
   [1913 Webster]

         The staggerings of the gentleman . . . were like those
         of a teetotum nearly spent.              --Dickens.
   [1913 Webster]