a small flap, strap, loop, or similar appendage, as on a garment, used for pulling, hanging, or decoration.
a tag or label.
a small projection from a card, paper, or folder, used as an aid in filing.
Informal.
a bill, as for a meal in a restaurant; check.
That dinner went way over my budget, so I was relieved when she offered to pick up the tab.
a list of accruing costs, as drinks ordered in a bar: .
Go ahead and order another round of beers—we’ve got a running tab
a small piece attached or intended to be attached, as to an automobile license plate.
a small flap or tongue of material used to seal or close the opening of a container.
Also called tab key. Also called tabulator. a key on a typewriter that moves the carriage, typing element, etc., a predetermined number of spaces, used for typing text in columns, for fixed indentations, etc.
Also called tab key. a key on a computer keyboard that moves the cursor a predetermined number of spaces, used for keying text in columns or form fields, for fixed indentations, etc.
Digital Technology.
(in a web browser window or in a spreadsheet or other application) a page displayed by clicking on or selecting a user interface element that resembles a paper tab.
The third tab in the spreadsheet list expenses.
the display of this user interface element.
I have too many tabs open in my browser right now.
Theater.
a small, often narrow, drop curtain, for masking part of the stage.
Aeronautics. a small airfoil hinged to the rear portion of a control surface, as to an elevator, aileron, or rudder.
to furnish or ornament with a tab or tabs.
to name or designate.
tables.
(in prescriptions) tablet.
a small flap of material, esp one on a garment for decoration or for fastening to a button
any similar flap, such as a piece of paper attached to a file for identification
a small auxiliary aerofoil on the trailing edge of a rudder, aileron, or elevator, etc, to assist in the control of the aircraft in flight See also trim tab
military the insignia on the collar of a staff officer
a bill, esp one for a meal or drinks
dialect a cigarette
informal to keep a watchful eye on
typhoid-paratyphoid A and B (vaccine)
Totalizator Agency Board
First recorded in 1600–10; most senses of unknown origin; tab 1 in def. 7 short for tabulator; tab 1 in def. 10 short for tableau; tab 1 in defs. 4, 15 short for table
First recorded in 1920–25; by shortening
From the Latin word tabella
A tab is an attached flap or piece of material. You use a metal tab to open a can of soda, and you might use plastic tabs to separate sections in your binder. Some tabs help you open packaging ("Grasp the plastic tab and pull to open"), and others give you information about or help you identify something. The noun tab also means "an additional document or page" on a computer screen, as well as "a space" on a keyboard or typewriter. In North America, it's another name for a bill as well: "Put it on my tab, please!"
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A double room at Le Sirenuse, a luxury hotel in Positano in July can reach over $4,000 a night before a single Negroni is added to the tab.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
“I’m not going to stick New Jersey commuters with that tab for years to come,” Sherrill said in a statement.
From Salon ● Jun. 3, 2026
We will also have a 'Shorts' video tab in the BBC Sport app, which is a new way for fans to watch bite-sized highlights, sharp analysis, explainers and get exclusive behind-the-scenes access.
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026
Disneyland officials said the "resort remains open to guests," and they were keeping a close tab on the matter.
From Barron's ● May 24, 2026
Perry, down to his last fifteen dollars, was ready to settle for root beer and a sandwich, but Dick said no, they needed a solid “tuck-in,” and never mind the cost, the tab was his.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
“Everybody picks up this social tab. That feels good,” said Post.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2022
“Make sure when you get Gatorades, you put it on the golfer’s tab. They won’t mind,” Z laughed one day, his braids shaking underneath his bucket cap.
From Golf Digest ● Oct. 3, 2018
"The tab. You need to put the nachos on a card," she explained calmly.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2018
“Well, that was fast! I’ll just add it to the tab. When I can move again, I mean.”
From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles
In a statement, TAB Bank defended its practices, saying it is a better option than payday loans and helps “consumers who have no or limited credit.”
From Washington Post ● Sep. 30, 2022
TAB, he added, "would love to see a continued focus on the meat-and-potato issues that have made Texas the best place in the world to do business."
From Salon ● Jul. 6, 2022
The FAA convened a TAB soon after the second Boeing 737 MAX crash in March 2019 to assist in its review of the grounded airplane.
From Reuters ● Feb. 28, 2022
State-owned betting agency, the TAB, has recently cut almost one-third of its staff, closing a few of its storefront betting agencies.
From Seattle Times ● May 27, 2020
TAB posted that picture of P. Total triator.
From "Goodbye Stranger" by Rebecca Stead
Jovic, who’s of Serbian and Croatian descent, also has been keeping tabs on the World Cup, though rooting for the U.S. during late starts has proved challenging in Europe.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026
Traders are also keeping tabs on developments after NHK and Kyodo News said Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had spoken about exchange rates.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
The couple kept close tabs on their permit applications and bugged Los Angeles County when they felt things weren’t moving fast enough.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026
Wiegman said a member of her staff is at Spain's game to keep tabs on the scoreline but they will not share that information with players, who are chasing a win over Ukraine regardless.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
He was always keeping tabs on who Stradlater was dating, even though he hated Stradlater's guts.
From "The Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger
Ever since Wembanyama was a teenager in France, he was tabbed as a prospect who would tower over the future of basketball.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2025
Merrick Garland, a distinguished appellate court judge and Barack Obama's ill-fated 2016 pick for the Supreme Court, was tabbed for attorney general.
From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2025
Matt Gaetz,a former Florida congressman, was tabbed for attorney general.
From Science Magazine ● Nov. 20, 2024
The man whose firing led to the Sean McVay era with the Rams has been tabbed to breathe life into the wobbly Arena Football League.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2024
A quick search in the database pulled up the exact same book, and I tabbed through to the first page, making sure the words were enlarged as much as possible.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
“Kind of like collecting Pokémon, except instead of collecting Pokémon, I’m tabbing birds in my guide book.”
From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2025
He didn’t look far, tabbing Giants pro scouting director Zack Minasian as the new GM, the team announced Friday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2024
I careened across the internet like a drunk, tabbing: small-space decoration ideas; author interviews; videos of cake frosting; Renaissance paintings with feminist captions.
From Slate ● Jan. 8, 2020
No draft discussion ever would be complete without tabbing someone as the best ever by round.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 23, 2019
Men would be going down to the river now—freshmen would be hearing reluctantly, some of them with tears, the coarse and violent criticism of the Third Year men who were tabbing them.
From The Prelude to Adventure by Walpole, Hugh, Sir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
