tan

Meaning

Noun

1. A light, brown-like colour.
2. A darkening of the skin resulting from exposure to sunlight or similar light sources.
3. The bark of an oak or other tree from which tannic acid is obtained.

Adj

1. Yellowish-brown.
2. Having dark skin as a result of exposure to the sun or an artificial process intended to mimic this effect.

Verb

1. (intransitive, transitive) To change to a tan colour due to exposure to the sun.
2. (stative, transitive) To change an animal hide into leather by soaking it in tannic acid. To work as a tanner.
3. (informal, transitive) To spank or beat.

Num

The second cardinal number two, formerly used in Celtic areas, especially Cumbria and parts of Yorkshire, for counting sheep, and stitches in knitting.

Verb

To kill by gun, to shoot.

Synonyms

suntan

sunburn

brown

bronze

burn

light brown

tangent

cure

embrown

bark

rumple

bronzed

topaz

soften

sunbathe

become brown

process

reddish

rub

russet

slug

sun-tan

sun-tanned

swarthy

tanbark

tanned

tawny

thwack

wallop

whack

whomp

yellow

get a tan

get sunburnt

tan leather

tawny-brown

yellow-brown

picul

light-brown

reddish black

golden-brown

barken

become sunburnt

dan,picul

amber

tg

assault

attack

👊

auburn

bash

Translations

tanner

gerben

looien

abbronzatura

bronzer

tanen

conciare

curtir

bruinen

leerlooien

tostado

bronceado

Sonnenbräune

μαύρισμα

Pronounced as (IPA)

/tæn/

Etymology

Cognate with Breton: tann

Cognate with Old Cornish: tannen

Cognate with Latin: femur

Cognate with German: Tann

Cognate with Albanian: thanë

Cognate with Ancient Greek: θάμνος

Cognate with Avestan: 𐬚𐬀𐬥𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬭𐬆

Cognate with Sanskrit: धनु

Inherited from Middle English: tannen

Inherited from Old English: tannian

Inherited from Middle English: *tan

Inherited from Old English: tān

In summary

From Middle English tan, from Old French tan (“tanbark”), from Gaulish *tannos (“green oak”) – compare Breton tann (“red oak”), Old Cornish tannen –, from Proto-Celtic *tannos (“green oak”), of uncertain origin, but perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *(s)dʰonu (“fir”). Per this hypothesis, related to Hittite [script needed] (tanau, “fir”), Latin femur, genitive feminis (“thigh”), German Tann (“woods”), Tanne (“fir”), Albanian thanë (“cranberry bush”), Ancient Greek θάμνος (thámnos, “thicket”), Avestan 𐬚𐬀𐬥𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬭𐬆 (θanuuar^ə), Sanskrit धनु (dhánu).

Sentences

The office paint was a dull , sad tan .