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tat
1[ tat ]
/ tæt /
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verb (used with or without object), tat·ted, tat·ting.
to do tatting, or make (knotted lace) by tatting.
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Origin of tat
1First recorded in 1900–05; back formation from tatting
Words nearby tat
Other definitions for tat (2 of 3)
tat2
[ tat ]
/ tæt /
noun
a pattern, words, or piece of art inked indelibly into the skin by making punctures in it and inserting pigments; tattoo: She was normally proud of her tats, but she wore long-sleeved blouses to cover them while interviewing for elementary school teaching positions.
verb (used with or without object), tat·ted, tat·ting.
to mark (the skin) with tattoos, or put (tattoos) on the skin (often followed by up): I want to get really tatted up, but I’m planning each piece carefully and taking my time—you only get one canvas for this art.
Origin of tat
2First recorded in 1980–85; shortening of tattoo2
Other definitions for tat (3 of 3)
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use tat in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for tat (1 of 4)
tat1
/ (tæt) /
verb tats, tatting or tatted
to make (something) by tatting
Word Origin for tat
C19: of unknown origin
British Dictionary definitions for tat (2 of 4)
tat2
/ (tæt) /
noun
tatty articles or a tatty condition
tasteless articles
a tangled mass
Word Origin for tat
C20: back formation from tatty
British Dictionary definitions for tat (3 of 4)
British Dictionary definitions for tat (4 of 4)
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
Other Idioms and Phrases with tat
tat
see tit for tat.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.