tan
1to convert (a hide) into leather, especially by soaking or steeping in a bath prepared from tanbark or synthetically.
to make brown by exposure to ultraviolet rays, as of the sun.
to become tanned.
the brown color imparted to the skin by exposure to the sun or open air.
yellowish brown; light brown.
of the color of tan; yellowish-brown.
used in or relating to tanning processes, materials, etc.
Idioms about tan
tan someone's hide, Informal. to beat someone soundly: She threatened to tan our hides if she found us on her property again.
Origin of tan
1Other words from tan
- tan·na·ble, adjective
- un·tanned, adjective
- well-tanned, adjective
Words Nearby tan
Other definitions for Tan (3 of 4)
Amy, born 1952, U.S. novelist.
Other definitions for TAN (4 of 4)
tax-anticipation note.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use tan in a sentence
Otis says he was wearing a tan jacket similar to one described by witnesses.
His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside | Justin Rohrlich | January 3, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTLittle ricochets of dust kicked into the face of a tall man in a tan shalwar kameez and prayer cap.
Judging by the pictures of President Truong tan Sang and Obama, Vietnam is showing some affection back.
During the season, he regularly takes a dugout seat where he can work on his tan.
The philosopher once complained about young men whose desire for learning resembled their desire for a sun tan.
The Ivy League Provides the Best Trade Schools Around | Nick Romeo | August 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
She wore soiled Burberry, high-legged tan boots, and a peaked cap of distinctly military appearance.
Dope | Sax RohmerThe corporal, rather chalky-looking under his tan, stepped forward and laid a hand on MacRae's shoulder.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairWoollen rags are mixed with cotton which has no manurial value, and the skin refuse from tan-works contains much lime.
Elements of Agricultural Chemistry | Thomas AndersonI recognized the reddish tan that comes from facing a hot wind on the top of a moving boxcar.
Nine Men in Time | Noel Miller LoomisHe was as well groomed as usual, but he was unmistakably pale beneath his new coat of tan.
Ancestors | Gertrude Atherton
British Dictionary definitions for tan (1 of 2)
/ (tæn) /
the brown colour produced by the skin after intensive exposure to ultraviolet rays, esp those of the sun
a light or moderate yellowish-brown colour
short for tanbark
to go brown or cause to go brown after exposure to ultraviolet rays: she tans easily
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
(tr) slang to beat or flog
of the colour tan: tan gloves
used in or relating to tanning
Origin of tan
1Derived forms of tan
- tannable, adjective
- tannish, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for tan (2 of 2)
/ (tæn) /
tangent (sense 2)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for tan
Abbreviation of tangent
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Browse