A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

tamarind --- 1533, from O.Fr. tamarinde (15c.), from Arabic tamr hindi, lit. "date of India." First element cognate with Heb. tamar "palm tree, date palm."

tamarisk --- southern European evergreen shrub, c.1400, from L.L. tamariscus, variant of tamarix, of unknown origin, probably a borrowing from a non-I.E. language, perhaps related to Heb. tamar "palm tree, date palm" (see tamarind).

tambourine --- 1782, in the modern sense of "parchment-covered hoop with pieces of metal attached;" earlier "a small drum" (1579), from Fr. tambourin "long narrow drum used in Provence," dim. of tambour "drum," altered by infl. of Arabic tunbur "drum" (originally "lute") from O.Fr. tabour (see tabor). The sense evolutions present some difficulties, and in some 17c. and early 18c. references it is difficult to say what sort of instrument is intended. Earlier names for this type of instrument were tambour de basque (1688), also timbre and timbrel. Tambour itself is attested in Eng. from 1484.

tame (adj.) --- O.E. tom, tam "domesticated, docile," from P.Gmc. *tamaz (cf. O.N. tamr, O.S., O.Fris., M.L.G., M.Du. tam, O.H.G. zam, Ger. zahm "tame," Goth. tamjan "to tame"), from PIE *deme- "to constrain, to force, to break (horses)" (cf. Skt. damayati "tames;" Pers. dam "a tame animal;" Gk. daman "to tame, subdue," dmetos "tame;" L. domare "to tame, subdue;" O.Ir. damnaim "I tie up, fasten, I tame, subdue"). Possible ulterior connection with PIE *dem- "house, household" (see domestic). Meaning "spiritless, weak, dull" is recorded from 1602. The verb is M.E. teme, from O.E. temian "make tame;" form altered 14c. by infl. of the adj.

Tamil --- Dravidian people and language of southern India, 1734, from Pali Damila, from Skt. Dramila, variant of Dravida (see Dravidian).

Tammany --- synonymous with "Democratic Party in New York City," hence, late 19c., proverbial for "political and municipal corruption," from Tammany Hall, on 14th Street, headquarters of a social club incorporated 1789, named for Delaware Indian chief Tamanen, who sold land to William Penn in 1683 and '97. Around the time of the American Revolution he was popularly canonized as St. Tammany and taken as the "patron saint" of Pennsylvania and neighboring colonies, sometimes of the whole of America. He was assigned a feast day (May 1 Old Style, May 12 New Style) which was celebrated with festivities that raised money for charity, hence the easy transfer of the name to what was, at first, a benevolent association.

Tammuz --- 1535, Babylonian and Assyrian god (identified with Adon), also name of the 4th Jewish month, from Heb. Tammuz, probably from Babylonian Du'uzu, contraction of Dumu-zi "the son who rises," also interpeted as "the faithful son."

tam-o'-shanter --- c.1840, type of bonnet formerly worn by Scottish plowmen, from Tam O'Shanter "Tom of Shanter," name of hero in a poem of the same name by Robert Burns, written 1790. The woolen cap became fashionable for ladies c.1887.

tamp --- 1819, "to fill (a hole containing an explosive) with dirt or clay before blasting," a workmen's word, perhaps a back-formation from tampion, that word being mistaken as a prp. (*tamping).

Tampa --- city in Florida, U.S.A., probably from the name of a Calusa village, of unknown origin.

tamper (v.) --- 1567, figurative use of tamper "to work in clay, etc., so as to mix it thoroughly," probably originally a variant of temper (q.v.), which is how it was initially spelled. Perhaps it is a dialectal workmen's pronunciation. Tamperproof is recorded from 1886.

tampion --- 1430, "plug, bung," from M.Fr. tampon, nasalized variant of O.Fr. tapon "piece of cloth to stop a hole" (1382), a suffixed form of Frank. *tappo "stopper, plug," related to O.H.G. zapfo and O.E. tæppa "stopper" (see tap (2)). Meaning "wooden plug for the muzzle of a gun" (to keep out rain or seawater) is recorded from c.1625.

tampon --- 1848, from Fr. tampon, from M.Fr. tampon "plug" (see tampion). Tampax, proprietary name registered in U.S. 1932, is based on tampon.

tan (v.) --- late O.E. tannian "to convert hide into leather" (by steeping it in tannin), from M.L. tannare "tan, dye, a tawny color" (c.900), from tannum "crushed oak bark," used in tanning leather, probably from a Celtic source (e.g. Breton tann "oak tree"). The meaning "make brown by exposure to the sun" first recorded 1530. To tan (someone's) hide in the figurative sense is from 1670. The adj. tan "of the color of tanned leather" is recorded from 1665; the noun sense of "bronze color imparted to skin by exposure to sun" is from 1749; as a simple name for a brownish color, in any context, it is recorded from 1888.

tanager --- small American oscine bird, 1844, from Mod.L. tanagra, named 1758 by Linnaeus, alteration of Port. tangara, from Tupi (Brazil) tangara.

tandem --- 1785, "carriage pulled by horses harnessed one behind the other," punning use of L. tandem "at length (of time)," from tam "so" + demonstrative suffix -dem. Transferred by 1884 to bicycles with two seats.

tandoori --- type of Indian cooking, 1958, from adj. form of Urdu or Punjabi tandur "cooking stove," from Turk. tandur, from Turk. pronunciation of Arabic and Pers. tannur "oven, portable furnace," of Sem. origin.

tang --- c.1350, "serpent's tongue" (thought to be a stinging organ), later "sharp extension of a metal blade" (1688), from O.N. tangi "spit of land, pointed metal tool," perhaps related to tunga "tongue" (see tongue). Fig. sense of "a sharp taste" is first recorded 1440; that of "suggestion, trace" is from 1593. The fish (1734) so called for their spines.

tangelo --- hybrid of a tangerine and a pomelo, 1904, the word formed like the fruit.

tangent (adj.) --- 1594, "meeting at a point without intersecting," from L. tangentem (nom. tangens), prp. of tangere "to touch," from PIE base *tag- "to touch, to handle" (cf. L. tactus "touch," Gk. tetagon "having seized," O.E. þaccian "stroke, strike gently"). First used by Dan. mathematician Thomas Fincke in "Geomietria Rotundi" (1583). The noun also is attested from 1594; extended sense of "slightly connected with a subject" is first recorded 1825. Tangential is recorded from 1630; fig. sense of "divergent, erratic" is from 1787.

tangerine --- 1842, from tangerine orange (1841) "an orange from Tangier," seaport in northern Morocco, from which it was originally imported to Britain. The place name is from L. Tinge. As a color name, attested from 1899.

tangible --- 1589, "capable of being touched," from M.Fr. tangible, from L.L. tangibilis "that may be touched," from L. tangere "to touch" (see tangent). Sense of "material" (e.g. tangible reward) is first recorded 1620; that of "able to be realized or dealt with" is from 1709.

tangle --- 1340, nasalized variant of tagilen "to involve in a difficult situation, entangle," from a Scand. source (cf. dialectal Swed. taggla "to disorder," O.N. þongull "seaweed"). In ref. to material things, from 1506. Meaning "to fight with" is Amer.Eng., first recorded 1928. The noun is first recorded 1615, "a tangled condition." Tanglefoot (1859) was Western Amer.Eng. slang for "strong whiskey."

tango --- syncopated ballroom dance, 1913, from Argentine Sp. tango, originally the name of an African-American drum dance, probably from a Niger-Congo language (cf. Ibibio tamgu "to dance"). Phrase it takes two to tango was a song title from 1952.

tangram --- Chinese geometric puzzle, 1864, said to be an arbitrary formation based on anagram, etc. First element perhaps Chin. t'an "to extend," or t'ang, commonly used in Cantonese for "Chinese." Some suggest it is the name of the inventor, "but no such person is known to Chinese scholars" [OED]. Another theory involves the Tanka people, who were involved in the opium trade, and Western sailors who discovered the puzzle from their Tanka girlfriends. Perhaps from an obscure sense of tram. The Chinese name is Ch'i ch'iao t'u "seven ingenious plan."

tanist --- elected heir of a Celtic chief, 1538, from Gael. tanaiste, lit. "parallel, second," from O.Ir. tanaise "designated successor," from Celt. *tani-hessio- "one who is waited for."

tank (n.) --- c.1616, "pool or lake for irrigation or drinking water," a word originally brought by the Portuguese from India, ult. from Gujarati tankh "cistern, underground reservoir for water," Marathi tanken, or tanka "reservoir of water, tank." Perhaps from Skt. tadaga-m "pond, lake pool," and reinforced in later sense of "large artificial container for liquid" (1690) by Port. tanque "reservoir," from estancar "hold back a current of water," from V.L. *stanticare (see stanch). But others say the Port. word is the source of the Indian ones. Meaning "fuel container" is recorded from 1902. Military use originated 1915, partly as a code word, partly because they looked like benzene tanks. They were first used in action at Pozieres ridge, on the Western Front, Sept. 15, 1916. Slang meaning "detention cell" is from 1912. Tanker "ship for carrying oil or other liquid cargo," is first attested 1900. Tank top is 1968, from tank suit "one-piece bathing costume" (1920s), so called because it was worn in a swimming tank, or pool.

tank (v.) --- to lose or fail, 1976, originaly in tennis jargon, but said there to be from boxing, from tank (n.) in some sense. Tanked "drunk" is from 1893.

tankard --- 1310, "large tub-like vessel," corresponding to M.Du. tanckaert, meaning the same thing, but both of unknown origin. A guess hazarded in OED is that it is a transposition of *kantard, from L. cantharus. Meaning "drinking vessel" is first recorded 1485.

tanner --- sixpence, slang word first recorded 1811, of unknown origin. J.C. Hotten, lexicographer of Victorian slang, thinks it may be from tanner and skin, rhyming slang for "thin," presumably in reference to the smallness of the coin. (Not to be confused with tenner, slang for "ten pound note," which dates from 1861.)

tannin --- vegetable substance capable of converting animal hide to leather, 1802, from Fr. tannin (1798), from tan "crushed oak bark containing tannin" (see tan). Tannic acid first recorded 1836, from Fr. acide tannique, inroduced 1834 by Pelouze.

tansy --- (Tanacetum vulgare), c.1265, from O.Fr. tanesie (13c.), from Gallo-Romance *tanaceta, from L.L. tanacetum "wormwood," from aphetic form of Gk. athanasia "immortality," so called probably for its persistence. English folklore associates it with pregnancy, either as an aid to contraception or to provoke miscarriage.

tantalize --- 1597, from L. Tantalus, from Gk. Tantalos, king of Phrygia, son of Zeus, punished in the afterlife (for an offense variously given) by being made to stand in a river up to his chin, under branches laden with fruit, all of which withdrew from his reach whenever he tried to eat or drink. His name perhaps means lit. "the Bearer" or "the Sufferer," by dissimilation from *tal-talos, a reduplication of PIE base *tel-, *tol- "to bear, carry, support" (see extol). His story was known to Chaucer (c.1369).

tantamount --- 1641, from verbal phrase tant amount "be equivalent" (1628), from Anglo-Fr. tant amunter "amount to as much" (1292), from O.Fr. tant "as much" (from L. tantus, from tam "so") + amonter "amount to, go up" (see amount).

tantra --- type of Hindu religious book, 1799, from Skt. tantram, lit. "loom, warp," hence "groundwork, system, doctrine," from tan "to stretch, extend," from PIE base *ten- "to stretch, extend" (see tenet). Hence, tantric (1905), used loosely in the West to denote erotic spiritualism.

tantrum --- 1714, originally colloquial, of unknown origin.

tanzanite --- violet-blue gemstone, 1968, named by Henry B. Platt, vice president of Tiffany & Co., because the stone was discovered in the African nation of Tanzania.

Taoism --- religious system founded by Lao Tzu (b. 604 B.C.E.), 1839, from Chinese tao "way, path, right way (of life), reason." Tao itself was used in Eng. from 1736.

tap (n.) --- stopper, faucet, O.E. tæppa, from P.Gmc. *tappon (cf. M.Du. tappe, Du. tap, O.H.G. zapfo, Ger. zapfen). Originally a tapering cylindrical peg (hence taproot, 1601). Meaning "device to listen in secretly on telephone calls" is from 1923, from the verb in this sense, originally (1869) with ref. to telegraph wires. Phrase on tap "ready for use" is recorded from 1483. The verb meaning "to supply with a tap" is from O.E. tæppian. Extended sense of "make use of" is first recorded 1575. Tap-room is from 1807. Tapped out "broke" is 1940s slang, perhaps from the notion of having tapped all one's acquaintances for loans already (cf. British slang on the tap "begging, making requests for loans," 1932).

tap (v.) --- strike lightly, c.1225, from O.Fr. taper "tap, rap, strike," from a Gallo-Romance or Gmc. source ultimately imitative of the sound of rapping. Meaning "to designate for some duty or for membership" is recorded from 1952, from notion of a tap on the shoulder. The noun is attested from c.1300. Tap dancer first recorded 1927, from tap (n.) in the sense of "metal plate over the heel of a shoe" (1688).

tape (n.) --- O.E. tæppe "narrow strip of cloth used for tying, measuring, etc.," of uncertain origin, perhaps a back-formation from L. tapete "carpet." The original short vowel became long in M.E. The verb is from 1609; meaning "to make a tape recording" is from 1950. Tape recorder "device for recording sound on magnetic tape" first attested 1932; from earlier meaning "device for recording data on ticker tape" (1892), from tape in the sense of "paper strip of a printer" (1884). Tape-measure is attested from 1873; tape-delay is from 1968.

tapenade --- Prov. dish made of black olives, etc., from Fr. tapénade, from Prov. tapéno "capers."

taper (n.) --- O.E. tapur, taper "candle," not found outside Eng., possibly a dissimilated borrowing from L. papyrus (see papyrus), which was used in M.L. and some Romance languages for "wick of a candle" (e.g. It. papijo "wick"), since these often were made from the pith of papyrus. Cf. also Ger. kerze "candle," from O.H.G. charza, from L. charta, from Gk. khartes "papyrus, roll made from papyrus, wick made from pith of papyrus." The verb meaning "to shoot up like a flame or spire" is attested from 1589; sense of "gradually decrease in size, force, etc." first recorded 1610.

tapestry --- 1434, variant of tapissery (1426), from M.Fr. tapisserie "tapestry" (14c.), from tapisser "to cover with heavy fabric," from tapis "heavy fabric," from O.Fr. tapiz (12c.), from V.L. *tappetium, from Byzantine Gk. tapetion, from classical Gk., dim. of tapes (gen. tapetos) "tapestry, heavy fabric," probably from an Iranian source (cf. Pers. taftan, tabidan "to turn, twist"). The figurative use is first recorded 1581.

tapeworm --- 1752, from tape (n.) + worm; so called for its flat, ribbon-like shape.

tapioca --- 1648, from Port. or Sp. tapioca, from Tupi (Brazil) tipioca, from tipi "residue, dregs" + og, ok "to squeeze out" (from roots of the cassava plant).

tapir --- 1774, perhaps from Fr. tapir (1580), ultimately from Tupi (Brazil) tapira.

taps --- U.S. military signal for lights out in soldiers' quarters (played 15 minutes after tattoo), 1824, from tap (v.), on the notion of drum taps (it originally was played on a drum, later on a bugle). As a soldier's last farewell, played over his grave, it may date to the American Civil War. The tune was revised several times in mid-19c.

tapster --- person employed to tap liquors, O.E. tæppestre "hostess at an inn, woman employed to tap liquors," from tæppa "tap" (see tap (n.)) + fem. ending -ster.

tar (n.1) --- a viscous liquid, O.E. teoru, teru, lit. "the pitch of (certain kinds of) trees," from P.Gmc. *terwo- (cf. O.N. tjara, O.Fris. tera, M.Du. tar, Du. teer, Ger. Teer), probably a derivation of *trewo-, from PIE *drew- "tree" (cf. Skt. daru "wood;" Lith. darva "pine wood;" Gk. dory "beam, shaft of a spear," drys "tree, oak;" Goth. triu, O.E. treow "tree;" see tree). Tar baby is from an 1881 "Uncle Remus" story by Joel Chandler Harris. Tarheel for "North Carolina resident" first recorded 1864, probably from the gummy resin of pine woods. Tar water, an infusion of tar in cold water, was popular as a remedy from c.1740 through late 18c.

tar (n.2) --- sailor, 1676, probably a special use of tar (n.1), which was a staple for waterproofing aboard old ships (sailors also being jocularly called knights of the tarbrush); or possibly a shortened form of tarpaulin, which was recorded as a nickname for a sailor in 1647, from the tarpaulin garments they wore.

tar (v.) --- in tar and feather, 1769. A mob action in U.S. in Revolutionary times and several decades thereafter. Originally it had been imposed by an ordinance of Richard I (1189) as punishment in the navy for theft. Among other applications over the years was its use in 1623 by a bishop on "a party of incontinent friars and nuns" [OED], but not until 1769 was the verbal phrase attested.

tarantella --- 1782, "peasant dance popular in Italy," originally "hysterical malady characterized by extreme impulse to dance" (1638), epidemic in Apulia and adjacent parts of southern Italy 15c.-17c., popularly attributed to (or believed to be a cure for) the bite of the tarantula. This is likely folk-etymology, however, and the dance is from Taranto, the name of a city in southern Italy (see tarantula). Used from 1833 to mean the style of music that accompanies this dance, usually in 6/8 time, with whirling triplets and abrupt major-minor modulations.

tarantula --- 1561, "wolf spider," (Lycos tarantula), from M.L. tarantula, from It. tarantola, from Taranto "Taranto," seaport city in southern Italy in the region where the spiders are frequently found, from L. Tarentum, from Gk. Taras (gen. Tarantos; perhaps from Illyrian darandos "oak"). Its bite is only slightly poisonous. Popularly applied to other great hairy spiders, especially the genus Mygale, native to the warmer regions of the Americas (first so called in 1794).

tardy --- c.1386 (implied in tardity), from O.Fr. tardif (12c.), from V.L. *tardivus, from L. tardus "slow, sluggish, dull, stupid," of unknown origin.

tare (1) --- kind of fodder plant, vetch, c.1330, perhaps cognate with M.Du. tarwe "wheat," from P.Gmc. *tarwo, cognate with Bret. draok, Welsh drewg "darnel," Skt. durva "a kind of millet grass," Gk. darata, daratos "bread," Lith. dirva "a wheat-field." Used in 2nd Wycliffe version (1388) of Matt. xxiii:25 to render Gk. zizania as a weed among corn (earlier darnel and cockle had been used in this place); hence fig. use for "something noxious sown among something good" (1711).

tare (2) --- difference between gross and net weight, 1486, from M.Fr. tare "wastage in goods, deficiency, imperfection" (15c.), from It. tara, from Arabic tarah, lit. "thing deducted or rejected," from taraha "to reject."

target --- c.1400, "shield," dim. of late O.E. targe, from O.Fr. targe "light shield," from Frank. *targa "shield" (cf. O.H.G. zarga "edging, border," Ger. zarge, O.E. targe, O.N. targa "shield"), from P.Gmc. *targo "border, edge." Meaning "object to be aimed at in shooting" first recorded 1757, originally in archery. Verb meaning "to use as a target" is attested from 1837.

tariff --- 1591, "arithmetical table," from It. tariffa, M.L. tarifa "list of prices, book of rates," from Arabic ta'rif "information, notification, inventory of fees to be paid," verbal noun from arafa "to make known." Meaning "official list of customs duties on imports or exports" is from 1592; sense of "classified list of charges made in a business" is recorded from 1757.

tarmac --- 1903 as a trademark name, short for tarmacadam (1882) "pavement created by spraying tar over crushed stone," from tar (1) + John L. McAdam (see macadam). By 1919, tarmac was being used generally in Great Britain for "runway."

tarn --- 1256, from O.N. tjorn "small mountain lake without tributaries," from P.Gmc. *terno, perhaps originally "water hole." A dialectal word popularized by the Lake poets.

tarnation --- 1784, Amer.Eng. alteration of darnation (itself a euphemism for damnation), influenced by tarnal (1790), from phrase by the Eternal (God).

tarnish (v.) --- 1598, from prp. stem of M.Fr. ternir "dull the luster or brightness of, make dim" (15c.), probably from O.Fr. adj. terne "dull, dark," from a Frank. source cognate with O.H.G. tarnjan "to conceal, hide," O.E. dyrnan "to hide, darken," from P.Gmc. *darnijaz, related to dark. Figurative sense is from 1697. The noun is recorded from 1713.

taro --- tropical food plant, 1769, from Polynesian (Tahitian or Maori) taro.

taroc --- 1611, an old card game of Italy, Austria, etc., played with a 78-card deck that includes the tarot cards as trumps; from O.It. tarocchi (pl.); see tarot.

tarot --- 1598, from Fr. tarot (16c.), from O.It. tarocchi (pl.), of unknown origin, perhaps from Arabic taraha "reject." The deck first used in Italy 14c., as playing cards as well as for fortune-telling. The tarots, strictly speaking, are the 22 figured cards added to the 56-card suits pack.

tarp --- 1906, Amer.Eng., informal shortening of tarpaulin.

tarpaulin --- 1605, from tar (n.1) + palling, from pall "heavy cloth covering" (see pall (n.)); probably so called because the canvas is sometimes coated in tar to make it waterproof.

Tarpeian rock --- 1607, rock face on the Capitoline Hill in Rome, from which persons convicted of treason were thrown headlong, from L. (mons) Tarpeius "(rock) of Tarpeia," said to have been a Vestal virgin who betrayed the capitol to the Sabines and was buried at the foot of the rock. Her name probably is of Etruscan-Tyrrhenian origin.

tarpon --- large fish (Megalops atlanticus) of the herring family, 1685, probably from a Native American word. Also called jew-fish.

tarragon --- 1538, from M.L. tragonia, from Byzantine Gk. tarchon, from Arabic tarkhon, from a non-Arabic source, perhaps Gk. drakon (from drakontion "dragonwort"). Eastern European plant of the wormwood genus (Artemisia Dracunculus), whose aromatic leaves were used for flavoring (especially vinegar). Cf. Sp. taragona, It. targone, Fr. estragon.

tarry (v.) --- c.1320, "to delay, retard," of uncertain origin. Some suggest a connection to L. tardare "to delay," or O.E. tergan "to vex, irritate." Intrans. meaning "to linger" is attested from c.1390.

tarsus --- the ankle bones collectively, 1676, from Mod.L., from Gk. tarsos "ankle, sole of the foot, rim of the eyelid," originally "flat surface, especially for drying," from PIE base *ters- "to dry" (cf. Gk. teresesthai "to be or become dry," tersainein "to make dry;" L. terra "land, ground, soil," torrere "dry up, parch;" see terrain).

tart (adj.) --- having a sharp taste, c.1386, perhaps from O.E. teart "painful, sharp, severe" (in ref. to punishment, pain, suffering), of unknown origin; possibly related to the root of teran "to tear." Fig. use, with ref. to words, speech, etc., is attested from 1601.

tart (n.1) --- small pie, c.1400, from O.Fr. tarte "flat, open-topped pastry" (13c.), possibly an alteration of torte, from L.L. torta "round loaf of bread" (in M.L. "a cake, tart"), infl. in M.E. by tart (adj.).

tart (n.2) --- prostitute, 1887, from earlier use as a term of endearment to a girl or woman (1864), sometimes said to be a shortening of sweetheart. But another theory traces it to jam-tart (see tart (n.1)), which was British slang early 19c. for "attractive woman." To tart (something) up is from 1938.

tartan --- 1454, probably from M.Fr. tiretaine "strong, coarse fabric" (1247), from O.Fr. tiret "kind of cloth," from tire "silk cloth," from M.L. tyrius "cloth from Tyre." If this is the source, spelling likely infl. in M.E. by tartaryn "rich silk cloth" (1343), from O.Fr. tartarin "Tartar cloth," from Tartare "Tartar," the Central Asian people (see Tartar).

tartar --- bitartrate of potash (a deposit left during fermentation), c.1386, from O.Fr. tartre, from M.L. tartarum, from late Gk. tartaron "tartar encrusting the sides of casks," perhaps of Semitic origin. The meaning "encrustation on teeth" (calcium phosphate) is first recorded 1806.