tan

¹

[tan]

verb (used with object)

tanned, tanning 

1. to convert (a hide) into leather, especially by soaking or steeping in a bath prepared from tanbark or synthetically.

2. to make brown by exposure to ultraviolet rays, as of the sun.

3. Informal.,  to thrash; spank.

verb (used without object)

tanned, tanning 

1. to become tanned.

noun

1. the brown color imparted to the skin by exposure to the sun or open air.

2. yellowish brown; light brown.

3. tanbark.

adjective

tanner, tannest 

1. of the color of tan; yellowish-brown.

2. used in or relating to tanning processes, materials, etc.

tan

²

[tan]

noun

1. tangent.

Tan

³

[tan]

noun

1. Amy, born 1952, U.S. novelist.

TAN

⁴

[tan]

noun

1. tax-anticipation note.

tan

¹

/ tæn /

noun

1. the brown colour produced by the skin after intensive exposure to ultraviolet rays, esp those of the sun

2. a light or moderate yellowish-brown colour

3. short for tanbark

verb

1. to go brown or cause to go brown after exposure to ultraviolet rays

   she tans easily

2. to convert (a skin or hide) into leather by treating it with a tanning agent, such as vegetable tannins, chromium salts, fish oils, or formaldehyde

3. slang,  (tr) to beat or flog

adjective

1. of the colour tan

   tan gloves

2. used in or relating to tanning

tan

²

/ tæn /

abbreviation

1. tangent (sense 2)

tan

1. Abbreviation of tangent

Other Word Forms

• tannable adjective
• untanned adjective
• well-tanned adjective
• tannish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tan¹

First recorded before 1000; 1920–25 tan ¹ for def. 2; Middle English tannen “to make hide into leather,” late Old English tannian (only in past participle getanned ), from Medieval Latin tannāre, derivative of tannum “oak bark, tanbark,” from Germanic; compare Old High German tanna “oak, fir,” akin to Dutch den “fir”

Origin of tan²

By shortening

Word History and Origins

Origin of tan¹

Old English tannian (unattested as infinitive, attested as getanned, past participle), from Medieval Latin tannāre, from tannum tanbark, perhaps of Celtic origin; compare Irish tana thin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. tan someone's hide, to beat someone soundly.

   She threatened to tan our hides if she found us on her property again.

Example Sentences

The Australian’s already got his shirt off, tanning his famous delts and lats, bare feet in the sand.

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Martin—bronzed with flowing locks, as if a Viking chief had a great tanning regimen—is one of the most successful songsmiths in history.

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"The spray tans, the hair and make-up, and the sparkles, the costumes... and the glamour," she said.

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A Scottish-based tanning salon chain made "irresponsible" claims that sunbed use reduced cancer and heart disease deaths, the advertising watchdog has said.

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The nights are drawing in, the tans are fading and we all need a bit of sparkle in our lives as we head into autumn.

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Related Words

• beige 
• brownish www.thesaurus.com
• drab 
• khaki