n., adj., & v.
—n.
1 a brown skin colour resulting from exposure to ultraviolet light.
2 a yellowish-brown colour.
3 bark, esp. of oak, bruised and used to tan hides.
4 (in full spent tan) tan from which the tannic acid has been extracted, used for covering roads etc.
—adj. yellowish-brown.
—v. (tanned, tanning)
1 tr. & intr. make or become brown by exposure to ultraviolet light.
2 tr. convert (raw hide) into leather by soaking in a liquid containing tannic acid or by the use of mineral salts etc.
3 tr. sl. beat, thrash.
Derivatives:
tannable adj. tanning n. tannish adj.
Etymology: OE tannian, prob. f. med.L tanare, tannare, perh. f. Celtic
2.
abbr. tangent.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.