n. & v.
--n.
1. Chem. a silvery-white malleable metallic element resisting corrosion, occurring naturally in cassiterite and other ores, and used esp. in alloys and for plating thin iron or steel sheets to form tin plate.
Usage:
Symb.: Sn.
2 a a vessel or container made of tin or tinned iron. b Brit. an airtight sealed container made of tin plate or aluminium for preserving food.
3 tin plate.
4 Brit. sl. money.
--v.tr. (tinned, tinning)
1. seal (food) in an airtight tin for preservation.
2 cover or coat with tin.
Phrases and idioms:
put the tin lid on see LID. tin can a tin container (see sense 2 of n.), esp. an empty one. tin foil foil made of tin, aluminium, or tin alloy, used for wrapping food for cooking or storing. tin-glaze a glaze made white and opaque by the addition of tin oxide. tin god
1. an object of unjustified veneration.
2 a self-important person. tin hat colloq. a military steel helmet. tin Lizzie colloq. an old or decrepit car. tin-opener a tool for opening tins. tin-pan alley the world of composers and publishers of popular music. tin plate sheet iron or sheet steel coated with tin. tin-plate v.tr. coat with tin. tin soldier a toy soldier made of metal. tin-tack an iron tack. tin whistle penny whistle.
Etymology: OE f. Gmc