Adjacent Words

Tattoo definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

TATTOO', n. [Eng. tap.] A beat of drum at night, giving notice to soldiers to retreat, or to repair to their quarters in garrison, or to their tents in camp.
TATTOO', v.t. [In the South Sea isles.] To prick the skin, and stain the punctured spots with a black substance, forming lines and figures upon the body. In some isles, the inhabitants tattoo the face, in others only the body. The same practice exists among other rude nations.
TATTOO', n. Figures on the body made by punctures and stains in lines and figures.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a drumbeat or bugle call that signals the military to return to their quarters
2: a design on the skin made by tattooing
3: the practice of making a design on the skin by pricking and staining v
1: stain (skin) with indelible color

Merriam Webster's

I. noun (plural tattoos) Etymology: alteration of earlier taptoo, from Dutch taptoe, from the phrase tap toe! taps shut! Date: circa 1627 1. a rapid rhythmic rapping 2. a. a call sounded shortly before taps as notice to go to quarters b. outdoor military exercise given by troops as evening entertainment II. verb Date: 1780 transitive verb to beat or rap rhythmically on ; drum on intransitive verb to give a series of rhythmic taps III. transitive verb Etymology: Tahitian tatau, noun, tattoo Date: 1769 1. to mark or color (the skin) with tattoos 2. to mark the skin with (a tattoo) <tattooed a flag on his chest> • tattooer noun • tattooist noun IV. noun (plural tattoos) Date: 1777 1. the act of tattooing ; the fact of being tattooed 2. an indelible mark or figure fixed upon the body by insertion of pigment under the skin or by production of scars

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. 1 an evening drum or bugle signal recalling soldiers to their quarters. 2 an elaboration of this with music and marching, presented as an entertainment. 3 a rhythmic tapping or drumming. Etymology: 17th-c. tap-too f. Du. taptoe, lit. 'close the tap' (of the cask) 2. v. & n. --v.tr. (tattoos, tattooed) 1 mark (the skin) with an indelible design by puncturing it and inserting pigment. 2 make (a design) in this way. --n. a design made by tattooing. Derivatives: tattooer n. tattooist n. Etymology: Polynesian

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tattoo Tat*too", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tattooed; p. pr. & vb. n. Tattooing.] [Of Polynesian origin; cf. New Zealand ta to tattoo, tatu puncturation (in Otaheite).] To color, as the flesh, by pricking in coloring matter, so as to form marks or figures which can not be washed out.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tattoo Tat*too", n.; pl. Tattoos. An indelible mark or figure made by puncturing the skin and introducing some pigment into the punctures; -- a mode of ornamentation practiced by various barbarous races, both in ancient and modern times, and also by some among civilized nations, especially by sailors.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tattoo Tat*too", n. [Earlier taptoo, D. taptoe; tap a tap, faucet + toe to, shut (i. e., the taps, or drinking houses, shut from the soldiers).] (Mil.) A beat of drum, or sound of a trumpet or bugle, at night, giving notice to soldiers to retreat, or to repair to their quarters in garrison, or to their tents in camp. The Devil's tattoo. See under Devil.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(tattoos, tattooing, tattooed) 1. A tattoo is a design that is drawn on someone's skin using needles to make little holes and filling them with coloured dye. N-COUNT 2. If someone tattoos you, they give you a tattoo. In the old days, they would paint and tattoo their bodies for ceremonies... He had the words 'Angie loves Ian' tattooed on his left shin. VERB: V n, V-ed 3. A military tattoo is a public display of exercises and music given by members of the armed forces. (BRIT) N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Beat of drum (to summon soldiers to quarters at night), tapto.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

A beat of the drum, of signal for soldiers to go to their quarters, and a direction to the sutlers to close the tap, anddtew nomore liquor for them; it is generally beat at nine in summer and eight in winter. The devil's tattoo; beating with one's foot against the ground, as done by persons in low spirits.

Moby Thesaurus

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