tar
1any of various dark-colored viscid products obtained by the destructive distillation of certain organic substances, as coal or wood.
coal-tar pitch.
smoke solids or components: cigarette tar.
to smear or cover with or as if with tar.
of or characteristic of tar.
covered or smeared with tar; tarred.
Idioms about tar
beat / knock / whale the tar out of, Informal. to beat mercilessly: The thief had knocked the tar out of the old man and left him for dead.
tar and feather,
to coat (a person) with tar and feathers as a punishment or humiliation.
to punish severely: She should be tarred and feathered for what she has done.
tarred with the same brush, possessing the same shortcomings or guilty of the same misdeeds: The whole family is tarred with the same brush.
Origin of tar
1Other words from tar
- non·tarred, adjective
- un·tarred, adjective
How to use tar in a sentence
The sun was up, and it was broad day when the American tars set out on their daring enterprise.
Stories of Our Naval Heroes | VariousThis gave the American ship a raking position, and in a moment the grim tars were hard at work with their guns.
Stories of Our Naval Heroes | VariousIt was a desperate and dangerous business which Decatur and his tars had taken in hand, but they did not let that trouble them.
Stories of Our Naval Heroes | VariousThey grew so vain of their lordship of the sea that they needed a lesson, and they were to get one from the Yankee tars.
Stories of Our Naval Heroes | VariousMurray turned, and saw the two stalwart British tars standing beside Thyra.
Jack Harkaway's Boy Tinker Among The Turks | Bracebridge Hemyng
British Dictionary definitions for tar (1 of 2)
/ (tɑː) /
any of various dark viscid substances obtained by the destructive distillation of organic matter such as coal, wood, or peat
another name for coal tar
to coat with tar
tar and feather to punish by smearing tar and feathers over (someone)
tarred with the same brush regarded as having the same faults
Origin of tar
1Derived forms of tar
- tarry, adjective
- tarriness, noun
British Dictionary definitions for tar (2 of 2)
/ (tɑː) /
an informal word for seaman
Origin of tar
2Collins 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 tar
[ tär ]
A dark, oily, viscous material, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons, produced by the destructive distillation of organic substances such as wood, coal, or peat.
A solid, sticky substance that remains when tobacco is burned. It accumulates in the lungs of smokers and is considered carcinogenic.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with tar
In addition to the idiom beginning with tar
- tar and feather
also see:
- beat the living daylights (tar) out of
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Browse