VAT Meaning of VAT in English ■ noun a large tank or tub used to hold liquid. ■ verb ( ~s , ~ting , ~ted ) place or treat in a ~.OriginME: southern and western dialect var. of obs. fat 'container', of Gmc origin. Concise Oxford English vocab. Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка. 2004