from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Tan \Tan\, n. [F. tan, perhaps fr. Armor. tann an oak, oak bar;
or of Teutonic origin; cf. G. tanne a fir, OHG. tanna a fir,
oak, MHG. tan a forest. Cf. {Tawny}.]
1. The bark of the oak, and some other trees, bruised and
broken by a mill, for tanning hides; -- so called both
before and after it has been used. Called also {tan bark}.
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2. A yellowish-brown color, like that of tan.
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3. A brown color imparted to the skin by exposure to the sun;
as, hands covered with tan.
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{Tan bed} (Hort.), a bed made of tan; a bark bed.
{Tan pickle}, the liquor used in tanning leather.
{Tan spud}, a spud used in stripping bark for tan from trees.
{Tan stove}. See {Bark stove}, under {Bark}.
{Tan vat}, a vat in which hides are steeped in liquor with
tan.
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