/ tæn; NAmE / verb , noun , adjective , abbreviation
■ verb ( -nn- )
1.
[ v , vn ] if a person or their skin tans or is tanned , they become brown as a result of spending time in the sun
2.
[ vn ] to make animal skin into leather by treating it with chemicals
•
IDIOMS
see hide noun
■ noun
1.
[ U ] a yellowish-brown colour
2.
(also sun·tan ) [ C ] the brown colour that sb with pale skin goes when they have been in the sun :
to get a tan
■ adjective
yellowish brown in colour
■ abbreviation
( mathematics ) tangent
••
WORD ORIGIN
verb and noun adjective late Old English tannian convert into leather , probably from medieval Latin tannare , perhaps of Celtic origin; reinforced in Middle English by Old French tanner .