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   tan

   /tan/

   noun

   • 1. a yellowish-brown colour: "the overall colour scheme of tan and cream"
   • 2. a brown or darkened shade of skin developed after exposure to the sun: "Jenna managed to get an even golden tan" Similar become suntannedtake a suntan/tanbrowngo/become brownbronze
   • 3. bark of oak or other trees, bruised and used as a source of tannin for converting hides into leather.
   • ▪ tan from which the tannin has been extracted, used for covering the ground for walking, riding, children's play, etc., and in gardening.

   verb

   • 1. (of a person or their skin) become brown or darkened after exposure to the sun: "you'll tan very quickly in the pure air" Similar become suntannedtake a suntan/tanbrowngo/become brownbronze
   • ▪ (of the sun) cause (a person or their skin) to become brown or darkened: "the sun had already tanned his face golden"
   • 2. convert (animal skin) into leather by soaking in a liquid containing tannic acid, or by the use of other chemicals.
   • 3. beat (someone) repeatedly as a punishment: informal, dated "‘If Mickey touches a fishing net, I'll tan his hide!’" Similar thrashbeatwallopbeltstrapspankwhiplashleathercaneflogflailflagellatehorsewhipbirchswitchflayinformal:give someone a hidinglamlarrup

   adjective

   • 1. of a yellowish-brown colour: "a tan baseball cap with orange piping"
   • 2. (of a person) having brown or darkened skin after exposure to the sun: North American "she looks tall, tan, and healthy"

   Word Origin late Old Englishtannian ‘convert into leather’, probably from medieval Latin tannare, perhaps of Celtic origin; reinforced in Middle English by Old French tanner. Early use of the noun (late Middle English) was in tan1 (sense 3 of the noun).

   Derivatives

   • 1. tannish adjective

   Scrabble Points: 3

   • T

     1

   • A

     1

   • N

     1

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