tan Hear it!

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 tan·ner, tan·nest

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

transitive verb tanned, 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

tan¹ Idioms

tan someone's hide

Informal to flog someone severely

tan² Definition

tan

tangent

tan Synonyms

tan

modif.

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

tan Synonyms

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 Synonyms

tan

v.

TAN Finance Definition

See tax anticipation note.

tan Usage Examples

Preposition: of

leather: The tanning of leather required the use of oak bark, which was another major demand specifically for oak.

Object

  • salon: They'll spend a fortune at tanning salons throughout the winter just to maintain them.
  • lotion: For those who yearn for a tan, a safer method is to use tanning lotions.
  • complexion: The first offender is described as having a tanned complexion and short black hair.
  • leather: Systems of tanning leather for the industry have also caught up with the times.
  • booth: LEAD LIGHT: The mechanic's own tanning booth.
  • liquor: This was done by man handling the hides through a row of pits filled with tanning liquor.

Adjective modifier

  • fake: There are many salons where you can get fake tan applied professionally.
  • all-over: For those seeking an all-over tan there is the beach at Costa Natura.
  • natural-looking: For a totally natural-looking tan in just one hour!
  • sunless: The design team are constantly striving to provide better ways to achieve sunless tans.
  • golden: Pot of 100 tablets said to give you a ' golden tan all over ' without the damaging effects of the sun!

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.
  • leather: Comes in a tan leather carry case with internal speaker.
  • marking: Their coats are white with black or tan markings or can be a combination of these.
  • interior: This example was rosso with the tan interior, with the covered roll hoops.

Noun used with modifier

  • sun: It being April you'll probably even get a sun tan too!
  • spray: Smile Have you noticed how the smiley symbols in Haloscan comments have all received spray tans?
  • jam: Here there is jam tan, we are all fine.
  • self: It can be used anywhere where you want to remove any excess self tan.

Browse dictionary entries near tan

  1. tampon
  2. tampion
  3. Tampico
  4. Tampere
  5. tamper with
  6. tamper
  7. tampala
  8. Tampa
  9. tamp
  10. tamoxifen
  1. Tan-tung
  2. Tana
  3. Tanach
  4. tanager
  5. Tanagra
  6. Tanaka, Kakuei
  7. Tanana
  8. Tananarive
  9. tanbark
  10. Tancred