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tan1 definition

tan (tan)

noun

  1. tanbark
  2. tannin or a solution made from it, used to tan leather
  3. a yellowish-brown color
  4. a darkening of the skin as by exposure to the sun or a sunlamp

Etymology: MFr < ML tanum, prob. < Gaul

adjective tanner tan′·ner, tannest tan′·nest

  1. of or for tanning
  2. yellowish-brown; tawny

transitive verb tanned, tanning tan′·ning

  1. to change (hide) into leather by soaking in tannin
  2. to produce a tan color in, as by exposure to the sun
  3. Informal to whip severely; flog

Etymology: ME tannen < Late OE tannian < ML tannare < the n.

intransitive verb

to become tanned
tan Idioms

tan someone's hide

Informal to flog someone severely
tan2 definition

tan

tangent

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

business TAN definition - business

finance TAN definition - finance

tan Synonyms

tan

modif.

brownish, sun-tanned, bronzed, leathercolored, unbleached, weathered; see also brown, tan, tawny.


tan

n.

light-brown, red-yellow, beige, cream, ecru, natural, saddle-tan, tanbark, buff, bronze, golden, citrine, khaki, drab, olive-brown, dun, umber, sand, tawny; see also brown, gold 2, yellow 1.


tan

v.

brown, suntan, bronze, sunburn, burn.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

tan Usage Examples

Adjective modifier

  • fake: There are many salons where you can get fake tan applied professionally.

Modifies a noun

  • lotion: For example, if your business is selling sun tan lotion a December year end would make more sense than a June year end.

Noun used with modifier

  • sun: It being April you'll probably even get a sun tan too!
tan usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

tan quotes

Chieftain Iffucan of Azcan in caftan Of tan with henna hackles, halt!

-Stevens,Wallace

tan quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"tan." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/tan>

APA Style

tan. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/tan

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