tar — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A black, oil, sticky, viscous substance, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons derived from organic materials such as wood, peat, or coal. Coal tar.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable
   • usually

2. A black, oil, sticky, viscous substance, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons derived from organic materials such as wood, peat, or coal. (often typeset "tar" in USA) A solid residual byproduct of tobacco smoke.

   Usage

   • Uncountable
   • usually

3. A sailor (because of the traditional tarpaulin clothes).

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Dated
   • Slang
   • Uncountable

   Synonyms

   Jack TarJack tarjacktarjacktarpaulin

   Examples

   Shines in all climates like a star; In senates bold, and fierce in war; A land commander, and a tar.

   a ruminating tar was[…]adorning [the wooden settle] with his jack-knife,[…]trying his hand at a ship under full sail.

   More examples (1)

   If there's one man that I admire, that man's a British tar.

Verb

1. To coat with tar.

   Usage

   • Transitive

2. To besmirch.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Examples

   The allegations tarred his name, even though he was found innocent.

   More examples (1)

   Dr. Sign: In fact, maybe you think I should get credit, but if I do, Dr. Frendall will be scorned. You know why Dr. Ellsworth: Yes, I know. Your critics will tar him with the same brush as you.

Noun

1. A program for archiving files, common on Unix systems.

2. A file produced by such a program.

Verb

1. To create a tar archive.

   Usage

   • Transitive

Noun

1. A Persian long-necked, waisted string instrument, shared by many cultures and countries in the Middle East and the Caucasus.

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   MOHAMMAD REZA SHAJARIAN (Thursday) Renowned in his native Iran, the vocalist Mohammad Reza Shajarian has been performing since the 1960s, and is now widely considered one of the finest classical Persian singers in the world. Mr. Shajarian’s son, Homayoun Shajarian, will provide additional vocals and tombak (goblet drum), while Ensemble Ava, a four-piece, will contribute additional instrumentation on the ancient Persian instruments barbat (short-necked lute), tar (long-necked lute), kamancheh (spike fiddle) and daf (frame drum).

Noun

1. A single-headed round frame drum originating in North Africa and the Middle East.

Noun

1. any of various dark heavy viscid substances obtained as a residue

   Synonyms

   pitch

   Broader terms

   bitumen

2. a man who serves as a sailor

   Synonyms

   marinerseamanJack-tarJackold saltseafarergobsea dog

   Broader terms

   sailormanadult male

Verb

1. coat with tar

   Broader terms

   coatsurface

   Examples

   tar the roof

   tar the roads