1. Old English for inn, and the inn in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales.

2. A small coed fraternity at Dartmouth College, once the home of the only museum on the Appalachian trail, known lovingly as the fart lodge, the house of woe, t-bird, and the location of the last known sighting of the cosmic dancing space toad. Formerly the Eta Eta chapter of Sigma Chi; presently a refuge for a few dozen hipsters, musicians, homosexuals, freaks, and nerds in a wilderness of squares.

It is also a short loose-fitting sleeveless or short-sleeved coat or cape.

Examples of these are:

  • a tunic worn by a knight over his armour and emblazoned with his coat of arms
  • a herald's official cape or coat emblazoned with his lord's coat of arms
  • a woman's sleeveless outer garment often with side slits

Tab"ard (?), n. [OE. tabard, tabart; cf. Sp. & Pg. tabardo, It. tabarro, W. tabar, LGr. &?;, LL. tabardum.]

A sort of tunic or mantle formerly worn for protection from the weather. When worn over the armor it was commonly emblazoned with the arms of the wearer, and from this the name was given to the garment adopted for heralds. [Spelt also taberd.]

In a tabard he [the Plowman] rode upon a mare.
Chaucer.

 

© Webster 1913

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