( disapprov )
a popular name for the extra police force sent from England to Ireland in 1920, during the Troubles , to help the police there against Sinn Fein . As there were not enough police uniforms, they were given a mixture of police and army clothing: dark green caps and tan (= light brown) uniforms. The name ‘Black and Tans’ was also a reference to their cruel methods, as it was the name of a pack of dogs used for hunting in County Limerick.