Library / English Dictionary

TAN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected forms: tanned    , tanner    , tannest    , tanning   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A light brown the color of topaz

Synonyms:

tan; topaz

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("tan" is a kind of...):

light brown (a brown that is light but unsaturated)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Ratio of the opposite to the adjacent side of a right-angled triangle

Synonyms:

tan; tangent

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Hypernyms ("tan" is a kind of...):

circular function; trigonometric function (function of an angle expressed as a ratio of the length of the sides of right-angled triangle containing the angle)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A browning of the skin resulting from exposure to the rays of the sun

Synonyms:

burn; sunburn; suntan; tan

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("tan" is a kind of...):

hyperpigmentation (unusual darkening of the skin)

Derivation:

tan (get a tan, from wind or sun)

 II. (adjective) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Of a light yellowish-brown color

Classified under:

Adjectives

Similar:

chromatic (being or having or characterized by hue)

 III. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Get a tan, from wind or sun

Synonyms:

bronze; tan

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "tan" is one way to...):

color; colour; discolor; discolour (change color, often in an undesired manner)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "tan"):

suntan (get a tan from being exposed to the sun)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

tan (a browning of the skin resulting from exposure to the rays of the sun)

tanning (process in which skin pigmentation darkens as a result of exposure to ultraviolet light)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Treat skins and hides with tannic acid so as to convert them into leather

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "tan" is one way to...):

convert (change the nature, purpose, or function of something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "tan"):

bark (tan (a skin) with bark tannins)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

tanner (a craftsman who tans skins and hides)

tannery (workplace where skins and hides are tanned)

tanning (making leather from rawhide)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Moles are usually pink, tan or brown.

(Moles, NIH: National Cancer Institute)

The coat is wiry and straight and come in red, wheaten, tan, black and tan, and grizzle - occasionally with white markings.

(Norfolk Terrier, NCI Thesaurus)

It has a short coat that comes in red, but may also be black and tan or chocolate.

(Miniature Pinscher, NCI Thesaurus)

The coat is usually black or dark gray, but tan and red are also possible.

(Affenpinscher, NCI Thesaurus)

The coat is short and glossy in red or tan, often with white markings.

(Pharaoh Hound, NCI Thesaurus)

Their coats are wiry and straight and come in red, wheaten, tan, black and tan, and grizzle - occasionally with white markings.

(Norwich Terrier, NCI Thesaurus)

The colors are white, golden, tan or gray with black markings, in either solid or mixed colors.

(Borzoi, NCI Thesaurus)

Well, sir, when I came into this room yesterday, when the alarm was given, the very first thing I saw was Mr. Gilchrist’s tan gloves a-lying in that chair.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Individuals who never tan and always sunburn if exposed to any appreciable amount of sunlight, primarily red headed individuals and lightly complected blondes.

(Fitzpatrick Skin Type I, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

Symmetrical patches of tan or brown discoloration on the skin of the face that darken with sun exposure.

(Melasma, NCI Thesaurus)