Tan is a lighter shade of brown. Occassionally such a shade can be seen on people of caucasian descent who have spent too long in the sun, causing melanin to raise to the surface of their skin to block the sunlight.

Some people have been known to sunbathe to attain this color, though at present times sickly pale skin seems to be more in vogue. Some have even been known to go to tanning salons to achieve this browning color, spending quite a bit of money and effort to promote skin cancer.

Tan (?), n. [Chin.]

See Picul.

 

© Webster 1913


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.

2.

A yellowish-brown color, like that of tan.

3.

A brown color imparted to the skin by exposure to the sun; as, hands covered with tan.

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.

 

© Webster 1913


Tan, a.

Of the color of tan; yellowish- brown.

Black and tan. See under Black, a.

 

© Webster 1913


Tan, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tanned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Tanning.] [F. tanner, LL. tannare. See Tan, n.]

1.

To convert (the skin of an animal) into leather, as by usual process of steeping it in an infusion of oak or some other bark, whereby it is impregnated with tannin, or tannic acid (which exists in several species of bark), and is thus rendered firm, durable, and in some degree impervious to water.

⇒ The essential result in tanning is due to the fact that the tannins form, with gelatins and albuminoids, a series of insoluble compounds which constitute leather. Similar results may be produced by the use of other reagents in place of tannin, as alum, and some acids or chlorides, which are employed in certain processes of tanning.

2.

To make brown; to imbrown, as by exposure to the rays of the sun; as, to tan the skin.

 

© Webster 1913


Tan (?), v. i.

To get or become tanned.

 

© Webster 1913


Tan, v. t.

To thrash or beat; to flog; to switch. [Colloq.]

 

© Webster 1913

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.