teethe

We usually think of "teethe" when we picture babies chewing on toys while their first teeth push through the gums. That is the main meaning of the word. In wider use, English more often talks about "teething problems" when something new has small early difficulties, like a new system, product, or plan. The idea is the same: an uncomfortable early stage before things settle down.

The word "teethe" most commonly refers to the biological process a baby undergoes when their primary teeth begin to emerge through the gums. This stage is famously marked by irritability, drooling, and a relentless urge to chew on anything within reach. For example: "The baby was teething all night, keeping the exhausted parents awake."

Outside the nursery, the idea appears mainly in phrases like "teething problems" or "teething troubles." These phrases describe the small but real difficulties that often appear at the beginning of something new, whether it is a product launch, a new law, or a new process at work.

For example, a company may have teething problems when it introduces a new app and users find bugs in the first week. A government program may face teething troubles when people are still learning how the new rules work. This use keeps the sense of early pain and adjustment before a stable state is reached. The key point is that "teethe" itself is mainly used for babies getting teeth, while the broader figurative use is usually carried by the expressions "teething problems" and "teething troubles."