Tattoo, tat-tōō′, n. a beat of drum and a bugle-call to call soldiers to quarters, originally to shut the taps or drinking-houses against them.—The devil's tattoo, the act of drumming with the fingers on a table, &c.; in absence of mind or impatience. [Dut. taptoe—tap, a tap, and toe, which is the prep., Eng. to. Ger. zu, in the sense of 'shut.']
Tattoo, tat-tōō′, v.t. to mark permanently (as the skin) with figures, by pricking in colouring-matter.—n. marks or figures made by pricking colouring-matter into the skin.—ns. Tattoo′āge; Tattoo′er; Tattoo′ing. [Tahitian tatu.]
Tatty, tat′i, n. an East Indian screen or mat made of the roots of the fragrant cuscus-grass, with which door or window openings are filled up in the season of hot winds. [Hind. tātī.]
Tau, taw, n. the toad-fish: a tau-cross.—ns. Tau′-bone, a Τ-shaped bone, as the interclavicle of a monotreme; Tau′-cross, a cross in the form of a Τ—also Cross-tau and Cross of St Anthony; Tau′-staff, a staff with a cross-piece at the top like a crutch.—adj. Tau′-topped, having a handle like a tau-cross. [See T.]
Taught, tawt, pa.t. and pa.p. of teach.
Taunt, tawnt, v.t. to reproach or upbraid with severe or insulting words: to censure sarcastically.—n. upbraiding, sarcastic, or insulting words: a bitter reproach.—n. Taunt′er.—adj. Taunt′ing.—adv. Taunt′ingly. [O. Fr. tanter—L. tentāre, to tempt.]
Taupie, Tawpie, taw′pi, n. (Scot.) a thoughtless girl. [Ice. tópi, a fool.]
Taurus, taw′rus, n. the Bull, one of the signs of the zodiac.—adjs. Tau′rian, pertaining to a bull; Tau′riform, having the form of a bull; Tau′rīne, bull-like.—ns. Taurobō′lium, the slaughter of a bull in the Mithraic rites, or an artistic representation of the same; Taurom′achy, bull-fighting.—adj. Tauromor′phous, bull-shaped. [L.,—Gr.]
Taut, Taught, tawt, adj. tightly drawn: in good condition.—v.t. Taut′en, to make tight.—n. Taut′ness. [A form of tight.]
Tauted, taw′ted, adj. (Scot.) matted.—Also Taw′tie, Tau′tie, Tat′ty. [See Tat (1).]