tar1
n.
a dark, thick flammable liquid distilled from wood or coal, used in road-making and for coating and preserving timber.
▸a similar substance formed by burning tobacco or other material.
v.
(tars, tarring, tarred)
[
usu. as adj. tarred]
cover with tar.
Phrase
- beat
(or whale)
the tar out of
N. Amer. informal beat or thrash severely. - tar and feather
smear with tar and then cover with feathers as a punishment. - tar people with the same brush
consider specified people to have the same faults.
Etymology
OE teru, teoru, of Gmc origin.
tar2
n.
informal, dated a sailor.
Etymology
C17: perh. an abbrev. of tarpaulin, used as a nickname for a sailor at this time.
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