I. ˈtȯ transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English tawen, from Old English tawian; akin to Old High German zouwen to prepare, Old Norse tœja, tȳja to help, Gothic taujan to do, make, Latin bonus good — more at bounty
1. archaic : to prepare or dress (as hemp by beating) for use
2. : to convert (skin) into white leather (as for gloves) by mineral tanning with alum, salt, and other agents (as an emulsion of egg yolk)
3. archaic : beat , scourge
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: origin unknown
1.
a. : a marble to be used as a shooter
b. : ringtaw
2.
a. also tawline ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ : the line from which players shoot at marbles
b. : the starting line in any game or sport (as racing)
3. : a square-dance partner
4. : a sum of money invested : stake
III. intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to shoot a marble
IV. noun
or tav ˈtä]f, ˈtȯ], ]v ; also thau ˈt(h)au̇\
( -s )
Etymology: Hebrew tāw, literally, sign, cross
1. : the 23d letter of the Hebrew alphabet — symbol ת; see alphabet table
2. : the letter of the Phoenician or of any of various other Semitic alphabets corresponding to Hebrew taw